We want our worship experiences to be uplifting and inspirational. But, we are missing out on the emotional richness and depth of the religious experience. Yes — joy, gratitude, uplift. But, anger and questioning are part of any healthy relationship. Where is that in our prayer experience?
This is a crying shame — and I emphasize “crying.”
Because crying out at God and yelling at God and protesting God are a distinctive part of Judaism and Jewish texts. It goes back to Abraham, who protested God’s planned destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; Moses, who protested God’s threatened destruction of the Israelites at the incident of the Golden Calf; Job, who demanded justice from God; the author of the Psalms, who has a lot to say about God’s actions and silence — all the way to Tevye (“I know we are your chosen people. But, once in a while, can’t You choose someone else?”) and to Elie Wiesel …
In fact, that is the original meaning of the term “chutzpah.” It means audacity — against, and with, God.
Read Full Article »