The Lake Norman Rabbi

“The early Rabbis (200-600 AD) affirmed the truth of the miracles in the Bible, yet still had trouble accepting miracles that violated the laws of nature. They resolved this tension by explaining that the miracles were in fact natural events engineered by God. For example, God planned the earthquake that would bring down the walls of Jericho. Some Jewish thinkers (Saadiah Gaon and Maimonides) posited that descriptions of miracles were not meant to be taken literally. They were instead meant to reflect a prophetic experience of dream or vision. We can view miracles in the Bible in a metaphorical or allegorical manner.

On a practical level, I personally believe that we bring about miraculous events through our partnership with others and our sense of holiness (God) in our lives as we perform sacred acts of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world). Miracles require that we do our part. ‘Pray as if everything depends on God but then act as if everything depends on you.’”

It’s pretty neat that two of the four entries in Cornelius Today Faith Question section are myself, Rabbi Michael Shields, and Beth Shalom’s Rabbinical Intern, Corey Helfand.  See Corey’s words below.

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Rabbi Michael Shields:

When we encounter anger both in ourselves and in others, it is important to realize that anger often comes from a place of pain. If we are able to access compassion as opposed to an equally antagonistic reaction, then we may emerge from the other side with greater joy and better relationships. A compassionate stance can send a message of caring and a desire to alleviate pain. The Koran, the Muslim holy book says that ‘Man was created weak.’ We often get pointlessly angry when our will is frustrated. This is simply a further manifestation of our inherent weakness. The Prophet Muhammed told his followers to sit down when they were angry so they would be less prone to striking the person with whom they are in conflict. I agree with this teaching. It’s easier to catch bees with honey than vinegar.”

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Corey Helfand:

None of us is a stranger to anger. We may regret our anger at times. Anger may be a signal that something is not right with our world. But if allowed to control us and have its way, anger can also damage us and those around us. Throughout history anger and angry people have caused a great deal of misery. Anger can also be a useful power to right wrongs if properly directed and controlled.

At the end of the Book of Exodus, God tells Moses to go down the mountain and reprimand the Israelites for building the Golden Calf. God shows his rage — his nostrils flare in anger, and he threatens to annihilate the ‘stiff-necked people,’ the nation that he had just redeemed from Egypt. Moses immediately pleads with God to spare his people. Moses calls on the God’s qualities of compassion, graciousness, kindness, and truth; a God slow to anger (Exodus 34:6). Anger is a natural emotion, one that we all experience, even God. Advice: Learn how to harness our anger and refocus our energy for growth and reflection. Learn to find balance between anger and self-restraint. As anger rises within, take a step back and think about the consequences. After expressing anger, create a space for the emotional reactions of others. Even God exercises kindness and compassion in times of anger.”

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Printed in Cornelius Today: www.corneliustoday.com