Yitro 5782-2022

The first of the Ten Statements, Exodus 20:2 reads: אָנֹכִי השׁם אֱ־לֹקֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים, I am the L-rd your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. While some commentators argue that this first statement reflects the commandment to believe in G-d, others strongly disagree. They maintain that this statement is not a commandment, but merely an affirmation of an historical event–the Exodus from Egypt. They note the rabbis of the Talmud strongly declare, Brachot 33b: הַכֹּל בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, חוּץ מִיִּרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, Everything is the hands of Heaven–G-d can make a human being do anything–except believe in Him. Because if belief in G-d is coerced, it clearly is not belief. Belief must be the result of a personal desire and stem from free will.

While many like to speak of “proofs” of G-d’s existence, Judaism does not really encourage this intellectual exercise, simply because the finite human mind cannot really comprehend the Infinite. But while there may not be any “ultimate” proofs of G-d’s existence, there surely are many, many indications and abundant evidence of G-d’s existence. Indeed, a most persuasive case from many different disciplines can be made for G-d’s existence.

There is a fascinating “Argument of Wager” formulated by Pascal (d. 1662) in which the Jesuit thinker argues that if a person who is a believer leads a righteous life, helping others and performing acts of kindness, and discovers at the end of his days that he was wrong–and that there really is no G-d, then what has he lost? But if a person leads a non-believing and non-righteous life, and at the end of his days discovers that he was wrong, then he’s in deep trouble! In other words, according to Pascal: Hedge your bets. It’s much safer to be a believer!

When Jews speak of G-d, they don’t often speak of “knowledge” of G-d, but rather of “belief” in G-d. Rabbi Joseph Albo wrote in his Sefer HaIkarim, chap. 2:30: אִלּוּ יְדַעְתִּיו הֲיִיתִיו —”If I knew G-d, I would be G-d!”–powerfully underscoring the intellectual limitations of the human mind. That is why Jews declare: אֲנִי מַאֲמִין, “I believe in G-d.” “Belief” implies doubt, a lack of certainty and definitiveness. It’s that “leap of faith” which makes belief in G-d so intriguing, and it is for the effort to achieve faith that humans are rewarded. We Jews are a questioning people, because questioning leads to growth, and intellectual challenges result in greater understanding.

As previously noted, there are many indications of G-d’s existence, and in arguing for the existence of G-d, the opening statement of the Decalogue is invaluable. And, when the evidence is examined in its aggregate, it forms a powerful and compelling argument for G-d’s existence.

“I am the L-rd your G-d, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” First and foremost, this text asserts that those who wish to know G-d, must study Jewish history–just study Jewish history! Even a cursory review of Jewish history underscores the inevitable conclusion that there is a G-d. In an 18th century conversation between Prussia’s King Frederick II, and the Danish diplomat Count Reventlow, the King asked for the one proof of G-d’s existence that has not yet been refuted. The Count replied, “The Jews, your majesty, the Jews.”

In essence, we must all ask ourselves, “How is it possible that our people have survived–against all odds?” In every generation they rise up to destroy us, and yet, we’ve made it! We are still here! The original Egyptians, the Babylonians, the ancient Chinese, the ancient Romans, the most powerful and most advanced nations of old are no longer, yet the Jews survive! In every single generation Jews have been at the precipice of annihilation, and yet we remain. Can the finger of G-d and the Al-mighty’s involvement in the survival of the Jewish people be more obvious? Not only is Jewish survival beyond rational comprehension, the people of Israel appear to play the central role in all of human history. Even today, we see that an overwhelming (we may even say obsessive) number of the major deliberations of the United Nations concern Israel, and therefore the Jews. How is it possible that this demographically insignificant and numerically infinitesimal people play so prominent a role in the world? We cannot but conclude that Jews are a very special people, and that the Al-mighty surely directs their destiny!

Furthermore, students of the Bible are well aware of the fact that the Bible is always brief on verbiage and never verbose–without significant reason for the extra words. Nevertheless, the first statement, “I am the L-rd, your G-d, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage,” seems to be redundant. After all, everyone knows that the land of Egypt was the “house of bondage,” and that the house of bondage was the “land of Egypt.” The repetition comes to teach a most profound lesson. Ancient Egypt was considered the “Cradle of Civilization”. The Egyptians developed the use of cuneiform and papyri, and their embalming skills are still unmatched even today. Their advanced engineering and mathematical skills enabled them to build the unparalleled pyramids. Egyptian civilization was rich with opera and theater–it was truly the most advanced civilization of its time. Nevertheless, this same ”advanced” and “cultured” people were able to take little Jewish children and cast them into the river, or plaster them into walls when the Israelite slaves did not produce enough bricks.