"FEMININE IMAGES OF G-D AND WISE ELDERS"
Posted by: Shalomyshua <Shalomyshua@...>
But the daughters of Abraham have always exclaimed that the G-d we encounter is portrayed as male~~~~King, Mighty Warrior, Man of War, The superheroe of all superheroes. Always He, never She!
Our tradition does contain many images of the feminine aspects of G-d, but for the most part, these have been left in the shadows. Only the kabbalists creatively explored this dimension of G-d's "personality", primarily the Shekinah, the immanent divine presence closest to our own experience.
But if we look in the Bible, we find ample testimony to G-d's maternal qualities. The prophet Isaiah reassures us that women will not be forgotten in their times of national catastrophes For G-d promises that "As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you." {Isaiah 66:13}.
And for those women that have suffered the intimate sorrow of barrenness, G-d offers the sympathy flowing from her own womb. As it is written: Truly, Ephraim is a dear son to me, a child that is dandled! Whenever I have turned against him, my thoughts would dwell on him still, that is why my womb {me-ay} trembles for him I will truly show motherly compassion {rahem arahamenu} upon him" {Jeremiah 31:20}.
Rebecca said that just as she cried out in agony of her labor, so G-d cries out every time Her people struggle to break the bonds of oppression and breathe free. He is crying out today as the human bombs and suicide killings are destroying His people. He is waiting for them to seek Him! Isaiah wrote: "I have been silent far too long, kept still and restrained Myself; now I will scream like a woman in labor, I will pant and I will gasp."{Isaiah42:14}.
Shifra and Puah claimed that just as they had braved death to help new life emerge from the killing fields of Egypt, so G-d midwives the women as they ford the perilous straits of birth. As David declared: "you drew me from the womb, made me secure at my mother's breast." {Psalm 22:10}.
And don't forget that one of G-d's names, El Shaddai, literally means, "G-d of breasts." And when we disappoint ourselves and others, G-d acts as our grandmother, always forgiving us and taking us back in love!
The daughters of Abraham today ask: "What roles did elder priests play in the life of the people?" 'Surely, they must have been a great spiritual resource'!
Male Levites began their service at twenty-five or thirty and were retired from active duty at fifty. Retired priests could" assist their brother Levites at the tent of meeting by standing guard, but they shall perform no labor." {Leviticus 8:26}.
The daughters of Abraham ask: "Why were they made to retire so young?" The answer: Fifty was old at that time! Very few lived to 127 like Sarah. It was physically too tasking for older priests to continue disassembling, transporting, and reassembling the portable Tabernacle.
Then the daughters of Abraham asked this: "What about the female Levites?" Presumably they didn't participate in the physical work of transporting the Sanctuary. "What were their priestly duties? And what happened to them when they reached fifty?"
The sages would answer this by saying today, "WE know very little about the roles played by female Levites in priestly life WE suspect that they later participated in sacred musical performances, like Miriam, at the Temple. Other than that, their lives are lost to us."
In a precious parasha {story}, G-d tells Moses to appoint seventy elders to assist him in leadership duties. Perhaps, retired priests, male and female, turned to such spiritual "eldering" as a second career after retirement. Do you know that tells Jo-ann and me? That there is much to be learned from the wisdom of "age."
Are our churches and synagogues dealing with ageism in the church today? Do they draw on the wisdom of the "white hair" in their congregation? If not they should be! Researchers tell us that by the end of 5762 {2002}, there will be 2 and 1/2 seniors to every teenager in America! So, maybe it is time for the creaming guitars and drums to give way to "Temple" worship and dust of the old hymns and worship music that were written in the deep times of trouble in the hymnwriters lives. And the great songs show the intervention of G-d during their darkest hours!
We need to use our seniors wisdom, knowledge and experience, because that is what G-d told Moses to do! Why don't each pastor reading this appoint "seventy elders" to teach and assist and bless them in their leadership?
Check out the "white hair" in your church! They are waiting for you to call upon them!!!!!
H Is bondservants, Pastor Dick and Jo-ann