For God’s Sake, If Not For Ours

By Hazzan Sandler.

This week we read a special Maftir and Haftarah for what’s known as Shabbat Parah. The special Haftarah is from Ezekiel. I often like to highlight the Haftarot because, in my experience, the prophets are widely under-studied among normal people. Clergy, academics, maybe day-school alumni may know more but the average person couldn’t tell you much about Isaiah, or Jeremiah or any of those poetic, angsty, hopeful, mystical weirdos we call the Prophets.

I also find the prophets particularly interesting in these times because they prophesied in ancient Israel and Judah before, during and after the exile to Babylon. In a way, these prophets have the most insight (within the Bible) about Jews like us who exist alongside a sovereign Jewish nation in the land of Israel. Mind you, much has changed, but the same calls for justice, righteousness, kindness, and ritual that make up the pages of Prophetic writing are deeply resonant with the challenges of a people that has power, success, influence and comfort. The prophets challenge us not to get too comfortable or corrupted by our own success, and beg us not to go astray from God’s will. The consequences of doing so are linked to our exile and diaspora, and while that theology may or may not suit you, it is, in my mind, a worthwhile perspective to consider. 

So what sticks out to me in this week’s special Haftarah? 

Ezekiel gives this prophecy in Babylon, so the people are already exiled from Israel. It begins with God bemoaning the behavior of the people, and states (Ez. 36:19), “I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries: I punished them in accordance with their ways and their deeds.” 

And I don’t like to psycho-analyze God too much, (for what I hope are obvious reasons), but listen to this fascinating next verse (Ez. 36:20-21): “But when they came to those nations, they caused My holy name to be profaned, in that it was said of them, ‘These are the people of Hashem, yet they had to leave His land.’ Therefore I am concerned for My holy name, which the House of Israel have caused to be profaned among the nations to which they come.”

I want to paraphrase those three verses: “I punished Israel because they messed up bad, and now they’re making Me look bad. My reputation is on the line and I’m now doubly annoyed.” 

Does God sound a little petty and self-righteous? Yeah, but in God’s defense, there do need to be consequences when the people do wrong. 

The real irony is that God then promises to redeem the people, bring us back to our land, and make the land flourish like the Garden of Eden. He promises to renew us with a new heart and a new spirit. The nations of the world are going to be so inspired and blown away by our comeback that God’s name will be sanctified. God even says this: “Not for your sake will I act, O House of Israel, but for My Holy name” and this is echoed in the Avinu Malkeinu prayer on High Holidays, “Avinu Malkeinu, aseh lema’ancha im lo lema’aneinu — do this for Your sake, if not for ours.” It’s an idea repeated in the first paragraph of every amidah, “umeivi goel livnei v’neihem lema’an shemo beAhava – and [God] sends a redeemer to their children’s children for His name’s sake with love.” 

I always found a certain humor in the idea that we pray for God’s help for God’s own sake. My conception of God is usually more transcendent than a being that cares about Its own reputation. That feels too human to me. And yet, we appeal to God’s ego? I find that hard to believe, and it makes me laugh.

On the other hand, there’s a deep wisdom to be found in recognizing the following: To the extent that we were created “betzelem Elohim – In God’s image” we also are the image of God. We can’t always perceive God, and if we do it’s indirectly. However, human beings have the capacity to learn, grow, make choices, explore morality and do amazing good or evil in the world. And the choices we make–the good we put in the world (or don’t)– are a reflection of God. What we do individually, communally, nationally, or globally all add some good or some bad (or some of both) to the scales of the world. I imagine it is like a computer program. Our actions, large and small, are the input. God set it up to process the input and give an output. God as the Programmer can step in, employ a miracle or two, send a prophecy, give us a Torah etc. But mostly, the way things are is directly related to how we are. We learn this from the Megillah where everything that happens is about humans making choices – not to bow, to cast a lot, to build gallows, to approach the king, to raise the scepter, to fight back. God isn’t mentioned once, yet there is a miraculousness to human beings making difficult, life-saving choices at the right time in the right place.

And so God’s reputation is deeply linked to how we behave. And as the world becomes less and less magical, and perhaps at times really dark and difficult, it’s no surprise atheism is on the rise. But I believe in God. And I believe in my duty to act in ways that will make the world a better place. A place where people say “Thank God” more often than, “Oh God…” As we make our way closer to Passover, celebrating a time when God really showed up for us and took us out of Egypt, I hope we all feel inspired by the words of Ezekiel, and show up for God, by showing up for our world to make it the best it can be, one good choice at a time.