In the beginning of our silent prayer, was addressed the G-d of Abraham, G-d of Isaac, and G-d of Jacob. One of the many insights of this cryptic introduction is the grammar; why not just say “G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” I was told by my rabbi that G-d, of course, stays the same. But each of our forefathers’ path to G-d was so unique that they literally brought a new element of Godliness into the world. The G-d of Abraham was fundamentally different than the G-d of Jacob.
This shows that each hierophant must have their own vision of God. Yet, it is not right to ask God for an ordeal by oneself.
Talmud, Seder Nezikin, Sanhedrin, Page 107a, Line 2:
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: לְעוֹלָם אַל יָבִיא אָדָם עַצְמוֹ לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן, שֶׁהֲרֵי דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵבִיא עַצְמוֹ לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן וְנִכְשָׁל. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מִפְּנֵי מָה אוֹמְרִים ״אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם, אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב״, וְאֵין אוֹמְרִים ״אֱלֹהֵי דָוִד״? אָמַר: אִינְהוּ מִינְּסוּ לִי וְאַתְּ לָא מִינַּסֵּית לִי. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, בְּחָנֵנִי וְנַסֵּנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּחָנֵנִי ה׳ וְנַסֵּנִי וְגוֹ׳״.
§ Apropos Ahithophel, the Gemara relates the events that led to his death. Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: A person should never bring himself to undergo an ordeal, as David, king of Israel, brought himself to undergo an ordeal and failed. David said before God: Master of the Universe, for what reason does one say in prayer: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, and one does not say: God of David? God said to David: They have undergone ordeals before Me, and you have not undergone an ordeal before Me. David said before Him: Examine me and subject me to an ordeal, as it is stated: “Examine me, Lord, and subject me to an ordeal; try my kidneys and my heart” (Psalms 26:2).
God did not inform Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of their ordeals before they had them, but David was informed, and this ended up having the effect of him trying to prevent it, which caused him to fail. He would not have slept with Bathsheba after seeing her if he was not overindulging in sex to satisfy his lust to prevent this from happening. And he would have had Bathsheba after Uriel had normally died in battle. Yet, as according to Psalms 38:18, this was always how it was going to unfold.
About my vision:
- State my vision.
- Define the theology.
- Define the ethical code.
- Define the way of updating.