Experiencing God

D'var Torah: Parashat Re'eh 5773

"Experiencing God"

Karla J Worrell

August 3, 2013

Temple Beth-El (Richmond VA)

　
　
In Parashat Re'eh, which means to see, perceive or understand, the Israelites are reminded to obey God's commandments after they enter the land God promised them. To reinforce this, they are to gather at two mountains: Gerizim and Eval - an area that is a natural amphitheatre - every year to hear the blessings for obedience, and the curses for disobedience. 

They are given specific instructions on ways they must, or must not, worship God including: to destroy all places of worship to pagan deities, no matter how beautiful they might be, and to avoid various pagan practices. They are to worship God alone and only in the place and ways He has told them. They are to understand that entering the land means they are to be holy by God's standard and not by what seems right to each of them. After all, it was God who led them out of slavery and into their own land to be a nation. Anyone, even family or friends, who try to pull people away from God to worship pagan deities is to be put to death. Even if a prophet. were to prophesy or perform a sign or miracle, if he directs them to worship a foreign god - one whose deliverance and care they had not experienced - he is not to be believed or followed, but executed.

Though the Israelites likely had knowledge of both the gods of Egypt - passed to them from the generation that left Egypt - and the Canaanite gods of the land they were about to enter (and possibly other gods as well), they had only experienced the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who had led them out of Egypt and through the wilderness to the land He had promised their ancestors. This God of Israel had provided food, water, shelter, protection and instruction, while the gods of Egypt and Canaan gave them nothing but slavery oppression and war. They were God's children - His chosen treasure - and they were to live differently from other peoples - in what they ate (or didn't eat), how they worshipped, and how they provided for the poor and disadvantaged among them.

The parshah starts with the mention of the curses for disobeying God's instructions and the blessings for obeying them, but ends with verses describing the shalosh regalim - the three "pilgrimage festivals" of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot, that were to be celebrated in the place God would choose: Jerusalem - by stating, "They shall not appear before the LORD empty- handed, but each with his own gift, according to the blessing that the LORD your God has bestowed upon you." (Dt 16.16-17 JPS Tanakh) Despite the people's history of disobedience and rebellion, Moses and God see their future as one filled with the blessings of obedience.
　
　
In this parshah, we, along with the Israelites, are asked to see or perceive that the God who has proved Himself by experience to be our God will reward obedience and punish disobedience. Though it is certainly true that all actions have consequences, still, this raises many questions for us to explore - most of which I will not tackle this morning. The one I want to look at is foundational: What does it mean "to experience God"?

Before we can consider experiencing God, we have to decide this is something we want to do.
At Mt. Sinai, the Israelites experienced God as an intense voice like thunder and lightning from a cloud on top of the mountain. The experience was so overwhelming and frightful that they asked Moses to communicate with God for them. After that, their experience with God came in more everyday, indirect ways - through the manna they ate, having water supplied from a rock in the desert, their clothes and shoes not wearing out over forty years and a Divine cloud that led them.
Is Ashrei, we say, "Karov Adonai l'kol kor'av, l'kol asher yik'rauhu v'e-emet" - "The LORD is near to all who call Him, to all who call Him with sincerity."
We need to want to experience God, or we'll miss - or explain away - all our opportunities to do so.

Once we've decided we want to experience God, how might we go about it?
God isn't human, so we can't use many of our familiar ideas of human experience to answer this question. We can't see, touch, hear, smell or taste God directly. God no longer appears to us in fiery clouds or with a thundering voice. But does this mean we can't - or haven't - experienced God? Or just that we need to look for other ways to do so?
I believe our Shabbat prayers this morning offer clues on several different ways we can experience God both individually and communally. I'll share just a few:

We began today with Birkat Hashachar - the Morning Blessings - thanking God that our daily needs are met. Just like our ancestors, we can experience God by realizing that all the things we have - freedom, the ability to sense the world around us, shelter, clothing, physical strength and the wisdom to use it to make a living - come from God and the resources He created. Man can manipulate and shape these resources, but can't create something from nothing. When we acknowledge that it's God who gives us the power to produce wealth, we experience God in His care and concern for our lives.

In Baruch SheAmar, we praise God as the Creator of all; and in El Adon, we sing of God's creation reflecting His Sovereignty. For many, reflecting on the vast beauty and power of Nature is a way to experience God. Sunrises and sunsets more beautiful than any human art form, inspire us. Ocean waves and wind storms that remind us we can't control everything, humble us. Mountain peaks that invite us higher, challenge us to reach beyond our limits. The designs of Nature draw us to know its Designer and experience Him in our lives. Yet another way to connect with God.

In Ahavah Rabbah we thank God for His instruction through Torah and mitzvot. The texts of Torah, Talmud and Tefillah (prayer) have always been at the heart of the covenantal relationship we have with God as Jews. Just as with human relationships, words can reveal much of God's character and wisdom. When we read or pray words that reflect current events in our own lives - both happy and sad, difficult and rewarding - and find ourselves becoming part of the story, instruction. or prayer; drawing wisdom, strength, comfort, encouragement and affirmation through the dialogue, we are experiencing that text as part of our lives. Then we experience God through His words to us and ours to Him.

By observing mitzvot - acts of ritual, holiness and worship - we can experience God. Lighting Shabbat candles and taking a "time out" from everyday work, activities and stress, supporting the poor and defenseless with dignity, keeping kosher which in part is using an everyday act to remind us we are more than just a physical body - its our soul that makes us unique and invaluable, celebrating holidays that remind us and our children of our history and destiny with God; all can give us that awareness of being part of something bigger than ourselves that's another way of experiencing God.

These are just a few of the ways we can encounter God every day. I'm sure each of us has others we can think of in our own lives.
　

As we approach Elul, and preparation for the High Holy Days, will you accept the challenge of Re'eh - to see and perceive God in your own life? To reject the idolatry of society today in thinking you are in control of the world around you? That your success is the result of your intelligence or efforts alone? Will you look for new ways to experience God in your daily life and the world around you...? I will, and I hope you will too.
　

Shabbat Shalom