Transcript [00:02] life audio [00:04] >> on today's episode of Timeless Wisdom. [00:07] How many of you have gone through things [00:09] in life which made no sense or seemed [00:11] horrific when it happened and turn out [00:13] to be blessings and if I have said to [00:14] you God is in this act God is in this [00:16] act give me a break this is terrible [00:20] and then in the long run of things [00:22] certain things do make sense not for [00:24] everybody I already said I don't know if [00:26] God operates in everybody's life we [00:28] dealt with that uh you know the previous [00:30] session [00:32] but even for those to whom God directly [00:36] directly reveals himself. [00:39] They only know it once it's happened. [00:43] It's faith until it happens. [00:47] Even for Moses, a burning bush, a god [00:50] talking to him to go to Egypt and try to [00:53] get the Jews out is an act of faith. You [00:57] won't know Moses until you're back here [01:01] with the Jewish people at Sinai. for you [01:04] won't know for a fact until that [01:07] happens. Until then, it is it is [01:10] partially revelation and partially [01:13] faith. Your faith that is going to [01:15] enable it to happen. [01:17] >> That's coming up on Timeless Wisdom with [01:19] Dennis Prager. [01:21] >> What happens when faith and mental [01:23] health meet for real? [01:25] >> What's up? I'm Grace Kraber. Welcome to [01:27] Breaking Through with Grace Greyber, a [01:28] podcast for honest conversations about [01:30] anxiety, trauma, healing, hope, and the [01:33] God who never backs away when life gets [01:35] heavy. [01:35] >> We are going to talk about everything [01:37] mental health. [01:38] >> No pretending, no perfect answers, just [01:40] real stories, real faith, and a reminder [01:43] that you're not alone. [01:44] >> Get ready. You're going to be absolutely [01:46] obsessed. [01:47] >> Breaking through with Grace Graver, [01:48] available now wherever you get your [01:50] podcasts. [01:52] Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis [01:55] Prager. Here thousands of hours of [01:57] Dennis's lectures, courses, and classic [01:59] radio programs. And to purchase Dennis [02:01] Prager's rational Bibles, go to [02:03] dennisprager.com. [02:06] Today is really uh these are actually [02:09] along with a handful of of uh chapters [02:11] in Genesis, my favorite chapters in the [02:14] entire Torah. the beginning of Exodus, [02:17] the introduction of Moses, and now Moses [02:20] meeting God at the burning bush are uh I [02:23] get the chills really when I study it. [02:25] Uh [02:28] those who know me know this is my this [02:30] is my favorite thing that I do. You know [02:31] that teaching Torah is the favorite [02:34] thing I do. [02:36] >> This is a work pure of pure love and [02:39] passion. Uh I in fact I will add [02:41] something that may be of of of help more [02:44] than of interest because you know what's [02:45] one other person's like to you but this [02:48] may be of actual uh help to some of you. [02:52] You know I one of the advantages of [02:55] getting on in years and I obviously I'm [02:57] not old but I'm not a kid. uh is that [03:01] you if if you do it right, so to speak, [03:04] you get to know yourself as you get [03:06] older. And for some people, that's a [03:08] very unfortunate part of getting older. [03:11] And for others, if nothing else, at [03:13] least, it's interesting. [03:15] I I have never [03:17] I have never had a very uh developed [03:24] ability to pray. [03:27] It h I have the number of times that I [03:30] have prayed with real [03:32] enthusiasm and and passion is probably [03:36] could be counted on two hands. [03:38] I certainly don't say that with pride. I [03:40] don't say it with shame either, but I I [03:42] just say it as a back. [03:45] My form of prayer as a Jew is to study [03:49] the Torah. [03:51] This is when I connect with God [03:55] uh in a religious manner. I connect with [03:57] God uh uh when I see beautiful acts of [03:59] goodness. Uh there are I mean it's [04:02] hardly the only time but it's the one [04:04] regular time prayer in Judaism is [04:07] regulated as you know while you can [04:08] spontaneously pray there are three [04:11] specific times a day you're supposed to [04:12] pray and that's that is supposed to [04:15] connect you to God each time. [04:18] uh it didn't work with me from my [04:20] childhood [04:22] and uh I have finally made peace with [04:25] the fact that God gives out I'm [04:28] convinced that God gives out different [04:30] abilities and tendencies in all of us. [04:34] You may have music and you may have [04:36] architecture and you may have fiction [04:39] and you may have carpentry, right? I [04:42] mean not everybody has everything. We [04:45] respond differently. uh dear friend of [04:48] mine I tried through much of my life to [04:50] introduce to classical music. It is to [04:53] him effectively noise. [04:57] It's clear that that ability to to touch [04:59] be touched by classical music just [05:02] doesn't exist in him. And uh me person [05:06] like me the first time I heard handle uh [05:09] I was in high school. I was a sophomore. [05:12] The next day, I spent my entire two [05:14] weeks allowance on concert tickets. I [05:16] ate, you know what I ate for lunch? For [05:19] the next two weeks, I went to Yeshiva [05:21] High School where they uh where they [05:24] would have uh natilia dam where you wash [05:26] your hands before making hamotzi, the [05:29] the the prayer over the the um the [05:32] bread. Uh there would be uh little [05:35] pieces of rye bread [05:38] so that you could immediately make [05:40] hamotzi right after you washed. I would [05:43] wait till all the kids did it and then [05:44] eat the bag of hamotzi scraps. [05:49] Did I ever tell you that? Yeah. Oh, so [05:50] you knew that. And and uh that was what [05:53] I ate for two weeks. That is how deep. [05:55] And I didn't think I was a hero. I was [05:57] just so thrilled to be able to go to [05:58] Carnegie Hall that often. I remember how [06:00] much? $32 in tickets I bought. It was [06:04] love at first hearing and it has never [06:06] stopped. It is my drug of choice music. [06:08] And yet others don't have it. Uh others [06:10] have ballet. I tried ballet for two [06:12] seasons with with tickets and all I did [06:14] was look at the orchestra pit. Okay. I [06:17] mean, which is a silly reason to go to [06:18] the ballet. Uh it doesn't touch me. Art [06:22] touches some, not others. Prayer doesn't [06:24] touch me. I wish it did because any [06:27] experience that could enrich me that I [06:29] don't have [06:30] I'm a poorer person for I go to [06:33] synagogue every week and I have found [06:35] one that I love with a great deal of [06:37] singing and study which touches me a [06:38] great deal when it's sung but the actual [06:40] prayer doesn't really do much for me. [06:43] And all of that is by way of a long [06:46] statement that if there are among you [06:48] Jews who do not relate to Jewish prayer [06:50] that well, you should certainly give it [06:52] a try. But if you find it doesn't after [06:54] 47 years, try learning. [06:58] This to me is my form of prayer. This is [07:00] when I am touched by God. This to me is [07:05] divine. Uh as I explained what I mean by [07:09] that that there is the divine in it. Uh [07:12] and uh and the the the profoundity [07:18] you don't know. I know most of what [07:19] we're teaching now by heart in Hebrew. [07:22] uh which is not a credit to me if any [07:24] any of you would if you read it that [07:25] many times and studied yeshiva till you [07:27] were 18. My point though is that reading [07:31] it again for this class I can't believe [07:33] how little I knew. I can't I I it just [07:36] cracks me up. You mean Dennis you're [07:38] just noticing that now and I'm sure if I [07:41] taught it next year the same thing would [07:43] happen which is almost is partially [07:45] frustrating but also partially [07:47] exhilarating. And so I'm just thought [07:50] I'd give you share with you what this [07:51] does for me. Uh and why I have such [07:54] enthusiasm for doing it. Uh uh even [07:57] though it really it takes out a time [08:00] from my life that is not easily [08:02] afforded, but it is it is the best one [08:04] of the best time outside of family time [08:06] that I spend. Last week uh we uh were at [08:10] the burning bush. Uh one of you came [08:12] over to me. If you're here, raise your [08:14] hand because I want to give you credit. [08:16] It is this gentleman there. [08:19] And I had said the angel that is [08:21] mentioned only once verse 2:2 [08:26] is not an angel as we think of angel as [08:28] person and certainly not a winged [08:30] person. Uh but I said it was the bush [08:34] and you corrected me as we were leaving [08:36] and said it was the fire. Correct. And I [08:40] think he's right. The angel as it were [08:42] that appears to Moses is the fire. And [08:45] it's out of the fire that the speech [08:48] comes. And I wanted to make that clear [08:50] uh for uh for you and of course for the [08:53] tape. Hi there in tape land. [08:56] All right. Uh verse So God speaks to him [09:01] and we had done verse four. You recall [09:03] very quickly that uh uh I that God was [09:09] waiting to see would Moses see this [09:12] divine act that a bush was burning and [09:15] not being consumed. And when God saw it, [09:19] he called to Moses, Moses, Moses, which [09:22] is a term of of of both divinity, God [09:26] calling like Abraham and of love. Moses, [09:29] Moses. And he says, he here I am. Verse [09:32] five is what we're up to. And he said, [09:36] that is God said, "Don't come closer. [09:41] Uh take the uh uh the the sandal or the [09:46] shoe from off your foot." [09:49] Uh because the place that you are [09:53] standing on, I'm I'm translating for you [09:57] literally so you get a a sense of the [09:59] original text is holy land. Holy land is [10:04] where God is. This is after all no [10:07] nothing. This is wilderness. What makes [10:10] it holy is the appearance of God. Not [10:12] that that that spot is any holier than [10:16] this spot right here. Are you with me? [10:19] That's what's God announcing. It's holy [10:21] because I am here, not because this is [10:23] designated holy spot necessarily. [10:27] And so Moses hears this voice. And then [10:30] God continues in verse six. And God [10:34] said, "I am the God of your father, [10:40] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, [10:44] and the God of Jacob." [10:47] And Moses hid his face because he was [10:50] afraid to look at God. [10:55] God identifi this is very important now [10:58] because this is God's introducing [11:00] himself to a human. We don't really have [11:04] this uh outside of this story. This is [11:08] very powerful because in a way it's God [11:10] introducing himself to humanity to us as [11:13] I'll show you not just to Moses. But the [11:17] first thing God says to him is I am the [11:19] God of your father and then the God of [11:22] Abraham, the God of Isaac. So first it's [11:25] very specific. [11:27] You will see a gradual movement of God [11:31] from the very very specific to the [11:34] universal. [11:36] The most specific is I am the God of [11:39] your father. Can't get more specific [11:42] than that. Your Moses's father. Then [11:45] broadening it a bit and I am the God of [11:48] Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Then in a [11:51] moment when God reintroduces himself, [11:54] you will see a much broader incredibly [11:56] universal [11:57] uh introduction and self-description by [12:00] God. This incidentally is the tension of [12:05] Judaism in a nutshell is to is the [12:09] tension between the particular and the [12:11] universal. Are Jews Jews first or human [12:15] beings first? [12:17] >> This episode of Timeless Wisdom will [12:19] continue right after this. [12:24] >> For a short devotional, we would love to [12:26] introduce you to the Salvation Army's [12:28] one minute podcast, Heartbeat. New [12:30] episodes drop every Tuesday and [12:32] Thursday. [12:32] >> One of the biggest questions we carry as [12:34] human beings is what happens next? What [12:37] will heaven be like? The Bible gives us [12:39] incredible promises about eternity. We [12:42] know that through Jesus, death isn't the [12:43] end. We know there will be no more pain, [12:46] no more suffering, and that we will be [12:48] with God. But it's interesting that the [12:49] Bible doesn't give us every detail about [12:51] heaven. And maybe that's intentional. [12:54] Maybe God didn't reveal everything [12:55] because he doesn't want us spending our [12:57] lives only looking forward to the next [12:59] one. He wants us to live this one. Jesus [13:02] said, "I have come that they may have [13:04] life and have it abundantly." We don't [13:07] have to fear the future because God [13:09] holds eternity. But we also don't have [13:11] to miss the beauty of the life he has [13:13] given us right now. Live fully, love [13:17] deeply, trust God with what comes next. [13:20] >> For more episodes of Heartbeat, visit [13:22] salvation armyradio.org. [13:26] >> Now, back to more of Dennis Prager's [13:29] timeless wisdom. [13:32] >> The answer is yes. [13:36] >> It's the best answer I can give. [13:39] Uh [13:41] ultimately the answer is humans first. [13:45] Uh I I believe and it's it's a lifetime [13:48] of of working through that issue uh that [13:51] that brings me to a simple statement [13:53] like that but not only [13:59] uh this is worthy of its own lecture and [14:02] I have an essay on it uh and so I don't [14:05] want to belabor the point but I need to [14:08] explain it for a moment. [14:11] There is a the the human being, Jew or [14:14] not Jew, the human being is not a [14:17] moderate by nature. The reason we're not [14:21] moderates by nature is very simple to [14:23] give you in a metaphor. It is as easy to [14:26] be a moderate in life as it is to be a [14:29] tightroppe walker. [14:31] It is much easier to fall off a tight [14:33] rope onto the right side or onto the [14:36] left side than to walk in the middle the [14:38] whole time. It is exceedingly difficult. [14:42] Therefore, to take Jews for an example, [14:45] many Jews have either affirmed only [14:48] their Jewishness and not their humanity [14:51] or only their humanity and not their [14:53] Jewishness. [14:55] Both are wrong, morally wrong and [14:59] dangerous. The Jews who affirm only [15:01] their Jewishness and not their humanity [15:04] are what we would call in modern [15:06] parliaments right-wing extremists, [15:09] chauvinists. [15:10] Uh uh it's every nation has this, not [15:14] just Jews. Uh that's what fascism is [15:16] based on where you celebrate only the [15:21] blood group you're in. Okay. uh the the [15:25] most virilent example being Nazism where [15:29] you the your loyalty was to the Aryan [15:32] race. Non-arians were worthless [15:35] creatures, not fully human. Therefore, [15:38] to to a Nazi, you were the idea that you [15:42] were a human before a German would be [15:44] absurd. You're a German. Period. End of [15:46] issue. You know what that leads to? But [15:49] it could lead to things like that if all [15:52] you are is a Jew. I'm only a Jew. That [15:55] is all I am. I The humanity of it is [15:57] irrelevant. Non-Jews are are of almost [16:01] another species. They're just a bunch of [16:03] Goyam. Uh is is is just wrong and not [16:07] not Jewish, not moral, not healthy. [16:10] That's obvious to nearly all of you. [16:13] What is less obvious to modern Jews is [16:16] that only being human is as bad. And [16:19] many Jews fell into the trap of [16:21] universalism of only being human. And [16:24] these Jews were called by and large [16:27] humanists or communists. Not which are [16:30] certainly not the same thing. But I'm [16:31] giving you two examples. Uh the a very [16:34] famous example is the the Jewish uh [16:37] communist woman Rosa Luxembourg. uh who [16:40] uh who said, and I'm paraphrasing, uh I [16:43] would sooner care about what happened in [16:45] the most distant tribe in Africa than [16:48] what happened to a Jew. [16:50] And and this was common among Jewish [16:52] communists, that they loved humanity and [16:56] hated hated their Jewishness. [16:59] People who are not rooted in something [17:02] specific lose compassion just like [17:05] people who are only rooted in something [17:07] specific and not humanity lose [17:09] compassion. Uh it is for example it's as [17:12] if somebody said I don't love my own [17:14] children but I love the world's [17:16] children. [17:18] You would say that's very scary isn't [17:20] it? You would be very suspicious of [17:23] their love for the world's children. I [17:25] am very suspicious of a Jew who loves [17:27] humanity but has nothing to do with Jews [17:32] in the same way that I'm suspicious of a [17:34] person who loved the families of the [17:35] world but has nothing to do with his or [17:37] her family. [17:39] That is why it is important to have a [17:41] family is in order to be bound to [17:45] somebody to a wife to a to a sibling to [17:47] a parent to a child to a cousin whatever [17:50] it is. You don't have to have children [17:53] to have realized what I'm saying. But [17:55] you have to have some place that you [17:57] have some special bond. Even if you [18:00] can't stand them, which is half the time [18:02] the case with family, [18:04] >> right? I mean, let's be honest. But you [18:06] still have the obligation and the bond, [18:10] you would be, as I said, very, very [18:12] worried about a human who loved the [18:14] world's families, but not his own or her [18:16] own. And that is, or at least show love [18:20] to his or her own. I don't mean feel it. [18:22] The the the emotions are not what [18:23] matters here. [18:25] God likewise God is introducing himself [18:29] here. I am the God of your father. I am [18:31] the God of the Jewish patriarchs. But [18:34] that's not all I am. On the other hand, [18:38] I'm not only the God of humanity. [18:42] I have a special relationship with you [18:45] individually. And it and and every [18:47] non-Jew should feel that too. This is [18:49] not specific only uh to uh to Jews, [18:52] although this particular text obviously [18:54] is because God introduces himself [18:56] through the Jews. But I I I I can't [18:59] really there are not many more important [19:02] ideas than that we must all walk a line [19:06] between the particular and the [19:07] universal. It's incredibly simple to [19:11] become too particularist or too [19:13] universalist. [19:15] And Jews have have exemplified both. [19:19] Unfortunately, with the modern Jew [19:21] especially attracted to the false god of [19:24] universalism alone. [19:27] Universalism is important, but first you [19:29] have to be rooted in something. And by [19:30] the way, the truth of the matter is you [19:33] have nothing to say to the world if [19:35] you're not rooted in in some in some [19:38] group. Think of the people who 20th [19:41] century looks at for some wisdom. uh [19:44] Mahatma Gandhi, he was first a Hindu, [19:47] Mother Teresa, first a Catholic, Ellie [19:51] Weisel, first a Jew. But these people [19:54] have major messages to humanity, [19:57] but they were first rooted to something. [19:59] I don't know anyone who was not rooted [20:01] to something who has a wisdom to give to [20:04] the world. It was made clear to me when [20:06] I studied Russian literature [20:09] and it was a very interesting thing. [20:10] Dustyki to the best of my knowledge [20:12] never left Russia and all he wrote about [20:15] are Russians. Now why do people all over [20:17] the earth want to read dustki? All he [20:20] knew were Russians. [20:22] Because he was rooted in the in the [20:25] condition of his people but had [20:28] something universal to say. I'll give [20:31] you a great example. The greatest the [20:34] father of child psychology is Jean Pia. [20:37] Jean Pia learned everything that he knew [20:40] about children from his children. [20:43] I think that that is a terrific metaphor [20:47] for how the particular is essential [20:51] essential for growth [20:54] but if you stop with it you are small [20:59] you didn't grow [21:01] he what he said was my I am first [21:04] learning from my children but there is [21:07] something universal that I want to apply [21:09] my own particular children wisdom too, [21:13] namely the world's children and he has [21:15] read all over the world. He is the [21:16] father, as I said, of child psychology. [21:19] A lot of Jews have bent over backwards [21:22] to be part of the world but not given [21:25] their children a particular identity and [21:28] it has not helped the children and it [21:30] has not helped the world. On the other [21:33] hand, many Jews who are Jewish ignore [21:35] the world and go into religious ghettos [21:39] not wanting in any way to associate with [21:41] the rest of the world. And they are uh [21:44] they have nothing to say to the world. [21:46] And I don't even think they have much to [21:48] say to fellow Jews. But that's that's [21:50] what God's tension is here. That is why [21:54] why didn't God say [21:56] why didn't God say when he meets Moses, [22:00] "Hello, I am the creator of heaven and [22:03] earth." [22:04] Was that not more impressive than your [22:06] father's God? [22:08] You created heaven and earth. That's [22:10] pretty good. [22:13] No, that's not enough. Of course, God is [22:16] creator of heaven and earth. That's [22:18] Aristotle's God, though. Aristotle [22:21] believed in a God, but that God was not [22:23] a personal God. That God was, in [22:26] Aristotle's phrase, the unmoved mover. I [22:29] moved the world, but then I'm not moved [22:30] any longer. I have no relationship to [22:33] any of you particularly. I'm I'm the God [22:35] of the universe, but not of the [22:37] particular. God of Judaism is the God of [22:40] the universe and of the particular. And [22:43] now it goes from the most particular to [22:46] the most universal beginning with God's [22:49] introduction. I am the God of your [22:51] father, the God of Abraham, the God of [22:53] Isaac, the God of Jacob. Now, here's an [22:55] interesting rabbitic idea on the God of [22:58] Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob. [23:01] Wouldn't it have been a lot simpler for [23:05] God to say, "I am the God of your father [23:07] and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and [23:08] Jacob." [23:10] Why God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of [23:13] Jacob with strikes, right? It's good [23:15] question the rabbis ask and they have a [23:18] beautiful answer. [23:20] It's the same God, but every one of us [23:24] relates differently to God. So that [23:27] Abraham's God is a little different than [23:29] Isaac's whose is a little different from [23:31] Jacob's. And so while we all believe in [23:34] one God, we all hear God a little [23:38] differently. Not morally. That's [23:40] supposed to be, you know, you can't [23:41] hear, well, that God told me that murder [23:43] is all right. No, that's that's [23:45] different. But in your relationship, [23:48] it is different. Every one of you who [23:50] relates to God relates differently than [23:52] everybody else. By the way, it's not a [23:55] it's not different in a certain way from [23:57] children and a parent if they actually [23:59] love the parent. It's the same parent, [24:02] but the the relationships are different. [24:06] And that's if it's true in human terms, [24:08] it's certainly true visa via God. [24:13] Okay. There's another reason I theorize [24:16] why God did not introduce himself as [24:18] God, the creator of heaven and earth. [24:21] Because [24:23] if that would have been the [24:24] identification that that God gave to [24:29] Moses to bring to the Jews, it wouldn't [24:31] have meant anything. First of all, the [24:34] Jews were not that theologically [24:35] developed at the time. The God of our [24:38] ancestors is much more powerful to [24:41] somewhat primitive group of slaves in [24:42] Egypt than the creator of the heavens [24:45] and the earth. Secondly, it's not [24:47] relevant to what's going to happen now. [24:50] God is revealing himself to Moses to get [24:52] the Jews out of Egypt. So, the creation [24:54] of heaven and earth is not particularly [24:56] relevant. It It's almost as if God would [24:58] say, "I am the God of the I am the God [25:00] who created the in heavens and earth." [25:01] to which most say wonderful that's [25:04] really great to know you have a nice day [25:07] cuz but it wouldn't have mattered what [25:09] matters now is God the particular [25:12] because there's a particular reason God [25:14] is revealing himself to Moses not to [25:16] tell him that there's a God who created [25:17] the heavens and earth but to say I'm the [25:19] God of the Jews and I didn't forget [25:22] what I promised I would do and that is [25:24] to take them out of Egypt. [25:29] Moses hid his face because he was afraid [25:32] to look upon God. Clearly, none of us [25:35] could understand this. Uh God in Judaism [25:37] is invisible. In any event, uh it's just [25:41] that it's too awe inspiring what was [25:43] happening. You just don't look when [25:45] something like that happens. I I think [25:47] you can relate to that. It's just, you [25:49] know, what are you going to look up? Oh, [25:50] let me Oh, God. Really? Uh it it doesn't [25:53] it makes sense that he would he would [25:55] hide his face. [25:57] Uh interesting though that uh it doesn't [26:00] say he hit his eyes [26:03] uh that he hit his face. I don't know [26:06] what that means, but it but when you [26:07] think about it, I guess perhaps because [26:10] he went like this. I guess you don't [26:12] usually you don't go like that. Kids do [26:14] that. I guess that's the reason. Number [26:16] seven. [26:17] And God said, God is continuing to [26:19] speak. [26:21] I have seen. I have seen. Well, the [26:25] Hebrew doubles the verb. I have really [26:28] seen [26:29] the the the suffering of my people. He [26:32] keeps calling, by the way, the Jews, my [26:34] people. It's a very touching touching [26:37] phrase that God keeps using here. My [26:39] people, my people, my people. I'm [26:41] involved with them. It's my people. It's [26:43] a loving phrase that is in Egypt. And I [26:48] have heard [26:50] the their their screams. Uh the Hebrew [26:53] is the most powerful word for an outcry. [26:57] It's it's it's it's scream is I guess [26:59] the best English that we have that that [27:02] comes to it. I have heard their screams [27:05] because of their their task masters, [27:07] their oppressors and uh uh I I I I know [27:14] their sufferings or what what is hurting [27:16] them. [27:19] What is causing them to be hurt? [27:23] Notice that God uses two verbs here for [27:27] his relationship to the Jew suffering. I [27:30] saw [27:32] the the the the torture of my people, [27:34] the suffering of my people, and I heard [27:37] their screams. [27:39] I saw and I heard. It's obviously [27:42] anthropomorphic because God doesn't see [27:44] and hear the way we understand it. But [27:46] it's interesting that God felt it [27:48] necessary to say both words. The two way [27:52] the two most direct ways we get [27:53] communication are the ear and the eye. [27:56] Judaism trusts the ear more than it [27:58] trusts the eye. But when it comes to [28:01] suffering, sight is sometimes more [28:05] effective. Uh one picture [28:08] uh of of of uh from the Holocaust may [28:12] remain with you more than 10 tales told [28:15] to you by ear. Both are important in [28:19] understanding suffering. I wish in some [28:21] ways it weren't true that people could [28:24] relate to suffering orally as much as [28:26] they do visually, but that's not really [28:29] the human uh the way we're made. Uh [28:32] because if it were the case, there would [28:34] be a lot more uproar, for example, in [28:36] the world over Tibet, over what the [28:38] Chinese did in Tibet. But because there [28:40] were no cameras or videos to record it, [28:43] there isn't there isn't the outcry that [28:45] it would normally elicit. [28:48] That's why I don't rely on television [28:50] incidentally to get my understanding of [28:51] the world because it's limited by what [28:55] video cameras can video and uh much of [28:58] the evil of the world is not videoable. [29:02] I have I will come down to rescue [29:07] uh it the that is the people again I'm [29:10] trying to translate literally from the [29:12] hand of Egypt and to bring it up [29:17] from that land [29:19] to a good and large or wide land a land [29:24] flowing in milk and honey to the land of [29:28] the Cananani the Hittite the Amorite [29:32] the parizzite, [29:34] the [29:36] Jebusites. [29:39] Uh, with regard to [29:42] milk and honey, since it's not what you [29:45] think it is, let me read to you from [29:47] Sarna. Milk in the Bible is generally [29:50] from the goat, [29:53] the little man's cow. [29:56] A plentiful supply presupposes [29:59] an abundance of goats which in turn [30:02] points to ample pasturage and the [30:05] prospect of much meat, hide and wool. [30:09] Now you never would have known that or I [30:11] never did without Sarna telling me that. [30:13] I always wondered what's the big deal of [30:15] milk and honey. But now now you [30:18] understand what the ancient mind thought [30:20] on milk. Milk means goats. Goats means a [30:23] pasturage and meat hide wool. That's my [30:27] kind of place. That is what milk meant. [30:31] Honey in the Bible dvash is [30:33] predominantly the thick sweet syrup [30:37] produced from dates. [30:41] Again, something you would never have [30:42] known. You'd probably every all of us [30:44] would have thought there are a lot of [30:45] bees in Israel, you know, with busy [30:47] hives. Uh which so what? It's not also [30:52] necessarily something that would have [30:54] been uh uh critical. Uh the combination [30:57] of milk and honey provides a highly [31:00] nutritious diet. Milk widely regarded in [31:04] the ancient world as a source of [31:05] vitality is rich in protein. The dried [31:09] date is rich in carbohydrates. [31:14] Ben Sira declared milk and honey to be [31:18] among the chief necessities of human [31:20] life in the ancient world. Some Arab [31:22] tribes are known to subsist for months [31:24] at a time solely on milk and honey. Now [31:29] you understand why it meant a great [31:31] deal. And it doesn't mean milk and honey [31:33] as we understand it. [31:35] You know you because when you think [31:37] about it, Israel is not a big dairy [31:39] producer. And yet that's what we would [31:41] think with milk. a lot of cows with [31:43] people with, you know, pushing utters, [31:45] squeezing utters, you know, push utters. [31:49] Uh the the uh a very interesting thing [31:53] here is with the the seven nations that [31:57] are described as living in Cananan, [32:00] Canaan where which is is becomes Israel. [32:04] Why do you think they are listed? I [32:07] don't have a complete answer but I think [32:10] a the answer is [32:14] to suggest that that land is has never [32:17] in history been identified with any one [32:20] people. You identify France with the [32:23] French, Burma with the Burmese, Japan [32:26] with the Japanese, but Cananan is never [32:30] identified with one people except the [32:32] Jews. And that's the reason I am [32:35] convinced the Torah lists seven nations [32:37] living in there. A lot of different [32:39] peoples all through history have lived [32:41] there, but only one has identified it [32:44] with his national identity, and that was [32:47] the Jew. [32:48] >> This episode of Timeless Wisdom will [32:50] continue right after this. [32:55] >> For a short devotional, we would love to [32:57] introduce you to the Salvation Army's [32:59] one minute podcast, Heartbeat. New [33:01] episodes drop every Tuesday and [33:03] Thursday. [33:03] >> One of the biggest questions we carry as [33:05] human beings is what happens next? What [33:08] will heaven be like? The Bible gives us [33:10] incredible promises about eternity. We [33:13] know that through Jesus, death isn't the [33:14] end. We know there will be no more pain, [33:17] no more suffering, and that we will be [33:19] with God. But it's interesting that the [33:21] Bible doesn't give us every detail about [33:22] heaven. And maybe that's intentional. [33:25] Maybe God didn't reveal everything [33:26] because he doesn't want us spending our [33:28] lives only looking forward to the next [33:30] one. He wants us to live this one. Jesus [33:33] said, "I have come that they may have [33:35] life and have it abundantly." We don't [33:38] have to fear the future because God [33:40] holds eternity. But we also don't have [33:43] to miss the beauty of the life he has [33:44] given us right now. Live fully. Love [33:48] deeply. Trust God with what comes next. [33:51] For more episodes of Heartbeat, visit [33:53] salvation armyradio.org. [33:57] >> Now, back to more of Dennis Prager's [34:00] timeless wisdom. There have only been [34:03] three sovereign states in all of human [34:06] recorded history in what is known as [34:07] Palestine or Cananan or Israel, the [34:10] first Jewish Republic or Commonwealth, [34:13] the second Jewish Commonwealth, and the [34:15] modern state of Israel. And I am not a [34:17] hawk on territory. So I'm not here to [34:19] make this is not a political point. It [34:22] is it is a historical point about why [34:24] all of them were listed. It's not a land [34:27] that we're going to kick out the [34:30] Japanese from Japan to make room for [34:32] you. [34:33] It's it's a hodgepodge now. And I want [34:36] it identified as it were. God is saying [34:39] with one people and it is my people who [34:42] will come in there. You can raise all [34:44] sorts of moral problems when we get into [34:46] numbers about the the conquering of [34:48] Cananan, but now's not the time. [34:51] Uh verse 9. And now [34:56] uh by the way, verse 9 is one of those [34:59] puzzles that happens every so often. I [35:01] have no answer. I have no explanation [35:04] for because verse 9 simply duplicates [35:08] what you had in verse 7. And nobody [35:12] explains that I have seen and even I [35:15] couldn't come up not even and I also [35:17] couldn't come up with uh a little [35:19] arrogant and I too couldn't come up with [35:22] any explanation [35:24] uh for it why it is simply repeated and [35:27] now here is the cry of the children of [35:30] Israel coming to me and I have also seen [35:34] the uh the oppression which the with [35:37] which the the uh with which Egypt [35:40] oppresses them. Uh it's simply a repeat [35:43] in effect of verse 9. And again, it's I [35:45] heard the scream and I saw uh the [35:48] oppression. [35:51] So now verse 10, I will send you to [35:56] Pharaoh [35:58] and you will take my nation Israel out [36:03] of Egypt. [36:05] Can you imagine? This is one of those [36:07] moments where I I wish we could go back [36:10] in time. Moses is a happy shepherd [36:16] living in Midan on the Sinai Peninsula. [36:20] And all of a sudden, out of nowhere in a [36:22] burning bush, he's told he's going to go [36:25] back to Pharaoh and take the Jews out of [36:27] out of Egypt. I mean, can you It's not [36:30] even imaginable. I can't even think [36:32] right now of a parallel in any of your [36:34] lives. Uh but you know, maybe God will [36:36] appear to you tonight and tell you you [36:39] will solve all of America's problems, [36:44] right? I you know, you thought you had [36:46] it bad today. [36:49] This is this is I overwhelming the news [36:53] that comes to him. [36:55] Uh at any rate, maybe that's why maybe [36:58] I'll answer my question that I said was [37:00] a puzzle. Maybe that's why it just [37:02] occurs to me psychologically why God had [37:05] to repeat the suffering of the Jews [37:08] to make the case so much [37:12] more powerful about why you have to help [37:15] me get them out or you have to help them [37:18] get them out. However you wish to look [37:20] at it. Do you understand? It's so [37:22] terrible. It's so terrible. It's so [37:24] terrible. And he's going, "Yeah, yeah, [37:26] yeah." And now God ops the killer and [37:28] you're going to take him out. You're [37:30] going to go to Pharaoh and take them [37:32] out. Just as it's like to remind Moses, [37:35] you have it good here, but they're [37:36] having it horribly there. You have to [37:39] take them out. So, I will send you to [37:42] Pharaoh. Now, the first thing in Moses's [37:45] mind, I am sure, when he hears, "I'm [37:47] going to send you to Pharaoh is," I'm [37:48] dead. [37:50] >> Is that not right? That has to be the [37:53] first reaction. I'm dead. [37:56] Far I ran away from Pharaoh because he [37:58] wanted to kill me. And now I'm told go [38:00] back to Pharaoh. That's the first thing [38:02] it says. So that's I am sure his first [38:05] reaction. [38:08] Now he said it it says you will take my [38:11] people out of Egypt. [38:15] Now you will notice however it does not [38:18] say something else about what Moses will [38:22] do. [38:26] What had God just said to Moses? Please [38:29] look. And this is where, you know, your [38:32] 400th reading finally opens your eyes to [38:35] this. [38:36] Verse 8, two verses before. I'm going to [38:39] go and and take them out of Egypt. And [38:41] what does God say? And do what with [38:43] them? Take them into Canaan. Right. [38:47] Okay. [38:49] Into a good land of milk and honey. It [38:51] doesn't say actually. It says Canananite [38:53] and others [38:55] doesn't say that to Moses. [39:01] >> You will take them out of Egypt. Period. [39:09] They will go into the promised land, but [39:13] you won't. God doesn't say that. [39:17] And I'm I don't even believe that Moses [39:20] picked up on it. [39:23] I know. That's right. Sarna did. Prager [39:26] did, but Moses didn't. [39:29] And the reason is because [39:33] A, we never hear what we don't want to [39:36] hear. Unless it's spelled out so clearly [39:39] that we have no choice but to confront [39:41] it. But B because it doesn't seem to be [39:45] necessary to state and I'm going to go [39:47] down and save them and take them into a [39:49] land of milk and honey and you and I'm [39:50] sending you to Pharaoh to take them out [39:52] of Egypt and in his mind and take them [39:53] into Israel. Right? That would be the [39:56] logical [39:58] ending of the phrase in Moses's mind. I [40:01] am sure of it that that is what he [40:04] believed. Uh and if you'd have asked him [40:08] uh hey you met God, what did he say to [40:10] you? Well, like a typical man, he [40:12] probably would have said nothing. [40:15] This would have been a problem. Can you [40:16] imagine that? If Moses, you know, was a [40:18] typical guy. So, what'd you say to God? [40:20] No, [40:22] no big deal. Take Jews out of Egypt. Uh, [40:26] but if you would have somehow forced him [40:29] to elaborate, I am sure he would have [40:32] said, "God wants me to go to Pharaoh and [40:34] take the Jews out of Egypt and get them [40:35] into get them into uh the land of the [40:38] Canaanites." [40:40] But that's not what it said. Which means [40:42] therefore, [40:45] and this is a very interesting thing [40:46] because it's we're going to have to [40:47] square this with later. [40:51] Is it because God knows that Moses will [40:54] do something later that will render him [40:57] unfit to take the Jews to Israel? I you [41:00] all know, most of you know, you know, [41:02] guys punished because he hit the rock. I [41:05] don't believe that for a minute, but [41:06] that's much later on. But whatever it [41:09] is, we all believe that it was taken [41:12] away from Moses what was what was [41:15] scheduled to be. But here it's not [41:18] scheduled to be, [41:22] which I I believe is deliberate because [41:26] I don't think from the outset God wanted [41:29] Moses to take the Jews into Israel [41:32] because of the fear, the absolutely [41:34] correct fear that God would have that [41:37] the Jews would then worship Moses and [41:39] not God. [41:41] which is why I believe in general even [41:43] before this reading this that that was [41:46] the reason he was not allowed into [41:47] Israel [41:49] because it's very easy to worship a [41:50] human or at least to worship where [41:53] they're buried or what have you. So this [41:56] in a sense we have hinted already to the [41:59] reader more than to Moses that he's not [42:02] going to get into Israel. [42:06] >> Yes, it could be written after the fact. [42:08] Of course, that's correct. And indeed in [42:11] in essence it is even even to those who [42:13] believe God dictates every word to [42:14] Moses. That's correct. That is one way [42:16] of looking at it. I choose though to [42:19] read the Torah as if this is what's [42:21] happening when it's happening. You you [42:24] you understand that's a very correct [42:26] statement. But I I I like to read it in [42:29] the order it's put [42:32] uh and to to live the the the story not [42:35] well but it was given later and they [42:37] changed the meaning to this you know and [42:39] so on. But you're absolutely right. Can [42:42] you imagine God dictating this which is [42:45] this the traditional Jewish view is God [42:47] dictates the five books of Moses except [42:48] for the last I think it's 17 or whatever [42:51] uh verses to Moses or or less maybe less [42:53] than 17 I don't remember the number. Uh, [42:56] and uh, you remember the number? Okay. [42:59] You don't? Would you raise your hand, [43:01] please? Oh, no. Just throw me. He's the [43:04] fellow who told me about the angel wing [43:05] in any fire. Uh, and uh, and then can [43:09] you imagine if it said, "And you will [43:11] take them into Israel." How could Moses [43:13] write those words? It'd be too painful. [43:16] You know, so what's the matter? You [43:17] can't let me in. You promised me at the [43:19] bush that you would. So, that's a [43:21] possibility. [43:24] uh verse uh verse 11, [43:28] Moses's first objection. There's a [43:31] series of objections to God's very [43:34] interesting invitation to Moses. [43:37] And so Moses says to God, [43:41] "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh [43:45] and that I should take uh the children [43:48] of Israel out of Egypt?" [43:52] Uh [43:55] this is impressive. [43:58] The obvious reason it's impressive is [44:00] there's a statement of humility here. [44:02] Remember I spoke to you last week about [44:04] leadership and the best leaders are [44:06] those who don't seek it but who are [44:09] drafted as it were who are happy with [44:11] their lives and they're not aching for [44:12] fame etc. [44:17] That's one obvious reason why uh it's [44:21] impressive his response. Who who am I to [44:23] do all to to to go to Pharaoh and to [44:25] take Israel out of Egypt? [44:28] What though would the most to make it [44:31] more impressive though? [44:33] Imagine you're Moses and you're not so [44:35] impressive. You're a normal person. [44:38] What's your first reaction? And I in a [44:41] sense told you already. What's your [44:43] first reaction when you're told go to [44:45] Pharaoh? [44:46] >> No. Well, he says why me? [44:49] I'll get killed. [44:53] The most natural human reaction would [44:56] be, "What if somebody said to you, go [44:58] back into Nazi Germany, you're a Jew, [45:00] and meet with Hitler." Your first [45:02] reaction is, "I'll get killed." [45:06] Right? That is the most logical. That is [45:09] that makes Moses that much more [45:10] impressive. He truly doesn't he truly [45:14] isn't self-p preoccupied in the way most [45:17] of us would be. [45:19] It's remarkable which all the stories [45:21] show. He cared about remember he cared [45:23] about the Jew being beaten. He cared [45:24] about the Jews fighting. He cared about [45:26] the non-Jewish women at the at the well. [45:29] He cares about others so much that his [45:32] even his instinct isn't. It would have [45:35] been totally okay in the Torah if he [45:37] would have now said aharogi [45:41] and Pharaoh will kill me. Give me, you [45:45] know, can I have some reassurance that [45:46] that won't happen? No. Who am I to have [45:50] such a task? That's why his that's to me [45:53] why it's even more impressive uh his [45:56] response. [45:59] He also asks God who is he the right [46:02] person and for two reasons he says he [46:05] may not be the right one right he has [46:07] two objections in the first objection [46:09] one or at least questions who am I to go [46:12] to Pharaoh that's number one and who am [46:14] I to take the Jews out of Egypt you with [46:17] me those are two separate questions he's [46:20] asking God I'm going to talk to the king [46:23] the king of of of uh of Egypt [46:27] I'm going to take the Jews out of out of [46:29] Egypt. Either one is incredible. So he [46:32] asks about both cuz both strike him as [46:36] incredible that he would be asked to do [46:38] both. [46:41] Verse 12, [46:44] and God said, [46:48] uh, remember let me, who am I, right? [46:51] Who am I that this to do one incredible [46:54] thing? Who am I to do the other [46:55] incredible thing? And God says, "Because [46:57] I will be with you." [47:00] It is a very complex verse. Verse 12, [47:04] "And this will be your sign [47:08] that I have that it is I who has sent [47:13] you." [47:15] When you take the nation, the people out [47:20] of Egypt, [47:22] you will serve God. You will worship God [47:26] on this mountain. I'm I'm literally [47:29] translating part two looks like a total [47:33] nonsequittor with regard to part one. [47:37] Let's the whole thing is slightly a non [47:39] sequator. [47:41] Who am I? [47:44] Remember the questions because then only [47:46] then we try to understand the answer. [47:47] Who am I to talk to Pharaoh take Jew out [47:49] of Egypt? God's answer because I will be [47:52] with you. Notice there isn't a word by [47:56] God answering his question about who he [47:58] is. You would think because I think [48:01] you're the best man for the job. [48:04] That would be a direct answer to Moses's [48:07] question. Who who am I? You're a great [48:11] guy. I mean, that would be a logical [48:13] thing. Correct. All right. Shows you [48:16] from the womb. I don't know. Anything [48:18] like, you know, some spiritual answer [48:20] cuz I like the way you dealt with the [48:22] Egyptian. Huh? I like your wife. I mean, [48:25] anything about Moses would have made [48:27] would have made sense. [48:29] Nothing about Moses and that is critical [48:32] here for for the essence of Judaism. [48:38] While he tells him you'll take them out, [48:40] it the fact is I'm taking them out. You [48:44] are my vehicle. [48:48] That's what his answer is. Who are you? [48:51] The truth is nobody. [48:55] That's in and without insulting Moses. [48:58] This is God's answer. Who are you? I'm [49:02] with you. That's who you are. You get [49:04] the answer. Now there's a great answer, [49:07] isn't it? God's very sharp. You have to [49:09] hand it to God. I want to tell you when [49:11] it comes to answers, God is number one. [49:14] So that is what God is saying. I you [49:17] forget who you are. or it's a if the [49:19] question is irrelevant. [49:22] I'm with you. That's how you're going to [49:24] take them out. That's how you're going [49:25] to talk to Pharaoh. If God's with you, [49:26] you can do anything you want. [49:29] So that is God's answer to who you are. [49:32] I'm with you. Now, now write it down cuz [49:36] I don't want you to forget it. Now, [49:39] this will this is for you a sign [49:44] that I have sent you. [49:48] Now this is very complex. What is the [49:51] this? [49:53] What's the sign that I have sent you? [49:56] That I God has sent you. [50:00] There are two possibilities. [50:03] This is the part that took me a very [50:04] long time. Usually I have two lines of [50:07] notes for any given verse. I have most [50:11] of the page for this verse cuz I write [50:14] in very succinct form. This is for me [50:16] after all. is not, you know, for others [50:17] to read. One possibility of what the [50:21] sign is is that it's the burning bush. [50:24] God is talking out of the burning bush. [50:27] That's why this makes sense. This [50:30] burning bush that isn't being consumed [50:33] is a sign to you that God is with you. [50:36] I get it. Which you can't tell from the [50:39] sentence necessarily. [50:41] >> This episode of Timeless Wisdom will [50:44] continue right after this. [50:48] for a short devotional. We would love to [50:50] introduce you to the Salvation Army's [50:52] one minute podcast, Heartbeat. New [50:54] episodes drop every Tuesday and [50:56] Thursday. [50:57] >> One of the biggest questions we carry as [50:59] human beings is what happens next. What [51:02] will heaven be like? The Bible gives us [51:04] incredible promises about eternity. We [51:06] know that through Jesus, death isn't the [51:08] end. We know there will be no more pain, [51:10] no more suffering, and that we will be [51:12] with God. But it's interesting that the [51:14] Bible doesn't give us every detail about [51:16] heaven. And maybe that's intentional. [51:18] Maybe God didn't reveal everything [51:20] because he doesn't want us spending our [51:22] lives only looking forward to the next [51:23] one. He wants us to live this one. Jesus [51:26] said, "I have come that they may have [51:28] life and have it abundantly." We don't [51:31] have to fear the future because God [51:33] holds eternity. But we also don't have [51:36] to miss the beauty of the life he has [51:38] given us right now. Live fully. Love [51:41] deeply. Trust God with what comes next. [51:44] >> For more episodes of Heartbeat, visit [51:46] salvation armyradio.org. [51:50] >> Now, back to more of Dennis Prager's [51:53] timeless wisdom. [51:55] >> The other possibility though [51:58] is Moses's being able to take the Jews [52:02] out of Egypt, being able to negotiate [52:05] with Pharaoh, and to bring the Jews [52:07] right back to this mountain to worship [52:08] God. [52:11] This is much more complex [52:14] and the more and more I thought of it, [52:16] the more I believe that this might be [52:19] the the explanation which is not one [52:23] that I normally have seen or I don't [52:25] think have seen at all. [52:29] Again, there are two possibilities. This [52:31] is the sign that I am with you. Sign [52:33] number one, the burning bush. [52:37] Sign number two, that you will take the [52:40] Jews out of Egypt and bring them here at [52:43] right where you are now at this mountain [52:45] and they'll worship me. [52:49] Now, there's something wrong with sign [52:51] two. If if my theory is to there's a [52:54] real challenge to my theory that the [52:57] burning bush is the sign makes total [52:58] sense, right? This is a divine sign. [53:00] It's clear. Number two's problem is it [53:03] hasn't happened yet. [53:05] It's a very thing, you know, I could [53:07] just see mosaic. What a great sign. You [53:10] know, you know, it's not it's a sign [53:12] after it happened. [53:15] So, let me read more of what I wrote. If [53:17] the first is correct, that is that the [53:20] burning bush is the sign. [53:23] Then the second part of the verse is [53:26] telling Moses what to do and what to [53:28] tell Pharaoh to take the Jews out of [53:30] Egypt and bring them here. Remember he [53:32] when he remember I I never jump ahead [53:35] except when it's absolutely essential [53:37] cuz I'd like to teach it in the time [53:39] frame it's in. [53:41] But he always says to Pharaoh later, [53:44] "Let my people go so that they may go [53:47] and worship God in the wilderness." [53:50] Okay? It's never just let my people go. [53:52] And I'll explain why when we get to it. [53:54] So in a sense, God is giving him a [53:56] directive. [53:58] This is your, you know, according to [54:01] theory one, the sentence reads as [54:03] follows. Okay, I'll read you the [54:04] sentence how it would be read. [54:07] And God said, because I will be with [54:10] you, [54:12] this burning bush and me talking to you [54:14] will be the sign for you. Furthermore, [54:17] when you take the nation from Egypt, you [54:19] will serve God on this mountain. [54:22] That is how verse the verse would read [54:25] if the sign God refers to is the burning [54:28] bush. I'll repeat it okay again. And God [54:32] said because I will be with you this [54:35] burning bush and me talking to you will [54:36] be the sign for you. Semicolon [54:40] with me semicolon. Furthermore, when you [54:44] take the nation from Egypt, you will [54:46] serve God on this mountain. [54:49] a perfectly plausible reading which is [54:52] the only reading possible if the sign is [54:55] the bush. [54:57] But if it is the other, if the sign is [55:02] coming here, taking Israel out of Egypt [55:06] and worshiping at this mountain, then [55:09] the verse would read, "And God said, [55:11] because I will be with you, and this [55:14] will be the sign for you." Colon, not [55:18] semicolon, colon, when you take the [55:21] nation from Egypt, you will serve God on [55:23] this mount. [55:27] You get it? [55:29] And God said, "Because I will be with [55:32] you." Ask who am I? Because I will be [55:33] with you. And this will be the sign for [55:35] you. When you take the mount, when you [55:38] take the nation from Egypt, colon, when [55:41] you take the nation from Egypt, you will [55:42] serve God on this mount. I believe that [55:45] it is the second. [55:47] Till an hour before this class, I [55:51] believed it was the first. [55:53] rattling my brain. I felt in the final [55:57] analysis I come down on the second [56:00] reading. [56:02] It is a direct response. You will know [56:06] that you were the man answering your [56:09] question, who am I? [56:12] When you have taken the Jews out of [56:14] Egypt and brought them to this mountain, [56:20] that's how you that's truly when you [56:22] will know that will be a sign for you [56:25] that I am with you. Your task will have [56:28] succeeded [56:30] >> to Herz has a colon. [56:33] >> Herz has a colon too. Good. Listen, this [56:36] is very important because [56:40] if this is correct and and I certainly [56:43] find number one plausible, okay? I truly [56:46] do. I don't reject the possibility that [56:48] number one is the is the is the thing is [56:51] the is the explanation. But if it is [56:54] number two, it means that we do not know [56:57] that God has been with us until after [57:00] the fact. [57:04] Even people who talk directly to God do [57:08] not know for sure until after the divine [57:11] purpose has been fulfilled. [57:15] This is a very important point [57:19] and it relates to every one of you. [57:23] How do you know if God has played or [57:26] plays a role in your life? The truth is [57:29] you only know afterwards. [57:32] You don't know in advance. [57:35] The only time you can ever really tell [57:38] is after the fact. [57:43] And it's true for Moses. How will Moses [57:46] know that God is with burning bush? [57:48] Burning bush. What if he goes to Egypt [57:50] and nothing happens? [57:54] You'll know that I'm with you because [57:57] you're going to be here worshiping with [58:00] a free Jewish people at this spot. Oh, [58:03] and isn't that the truth? Isn't that the [58:06] absolute truth? That's only then will [58:09] Moses know [58:11] when the task is completed. [58:15] And that's how any of us know about God [58:17] in our lives. When we know afterwards, [58:20] now it makes sense. How many of you have [58:23] gone through things in life which made [58:25] no sense or seemed horrific when it [58:27] happened and turn out to be blessings? [58:29] And if I have said to you, God is in [58:30] this act. God is in this act. give me a [58:32] break. This is terrible. [58:35] And then in the long run of things, [58:38] certain things do make sense. Not for [58:39] everybody. I already said I don't know [58:42] if God operates in everybody's life. We [58:43] dealt with that uh you know the previous [58:45] session. [58:47] But even for those to whom God directly [58:51] directly reveals himself, they only know [58:55] it once it's happened. [58:58] It's faith until it happens. [59:02] Even for Moses, a burning bush, a god [59:05] talking to him to go to Egypt and try to [59:09] get the Jews out is an act of faith. You [59:12] won't know Moses until you're back here [59:16] with the Jewish people at Sinai. [59:19] For you won't know for a fact until that [59:22] happens. Until then, it is it is [59:25] partially revelation and partially [59:28] faith, your faith that is going to [59:30] enable it to happen. That's why I [59:33] believe in explanation number two. This [59:36] is the sign that I am with you. You're [59:38] going to be here with the Jewish people [59:40] worshiping me at Sinai. [59:44] And it's a tremendous lesson for all of [59:46] us. It is that is the only way to know [59:48] when God that God is with you. when you [59:50] could see to know it. You believe it. [59:53] You can believe it at any time in life, [59:56] but you can only know it afterwards. [60:00] And it may not even be in your lifetime [60:01] that you'll know it. It may be obvious [60:04] later. [60:05] It may be obvious to your children. It [60:09] may be obvious to to friends who outlive [60:11] you. [60:13] To those who touch history, it's usually [60:15] only obvious afterwards. [60:19] Did Lincoln really know what he had [60:20] done? Did Washington really know? [60:26] My my ultimate statement is that's [60:29] Jewish history. [60:32] Jewish history is an act of faith. To be [60:36] a an identifying committed Jew is an act [60:40] of faith. [60:42] But we now have an after the fact. We [60:46] have 3,200 [60:49] years of Jewish history [60:51] since since the Exodus. [60:55] Looking back, do you see God in Jewish [60:58] history? [60:59] I do. [61:02] Especially after the Jewish return, the [61:05] in an incomparable act that has never [61:08] happened in human history of a people [61:10] wandering 2,000 years of a people [61:12] influencing the world. that is people [61:15] totally despised but it's one God idea [61:18] takes over much of humanity. [61:21] I see the God I see God in Jewish [61:23] history as plainly as Moses could see [61:26] God in his life at Sinai later. But at [61:30] any given moment in Jewish history, it [61:32] seems that God is not around. [61:38] That's why this, I think, is the real [61:41] explanation because it's truer to light. [61:45] Afterwards, you see that God's hand was [61:47] in it, not during it. [61:50] It's too difficult. The larger picture [61:52] is not obvious. [61:54] And that, as I say, is to me Jewish [61:56] history. [61:58] If I were a Jew in the Holocaust, would [61:59] I say that the Jew that God is in Jewish [62:01] life? It would pretty clear that God [62:03] wasn't doing much in Jewish life. It's [62:06] only at an extremely larger picture that [62:10] one looks at this whole Jewish scene and [62:12] says, [62:14] "It's too incredible to have been solely [62:17] man-made." [62:20] And that's why I buy explanation number [62:22] two. [62:24] Got to put it down. Got to put it down. [62:26] Forgive me. [62:29] The word for serve God [62:34] uh in this uh verse in verse 12 [62:38] is the same verb as the verb for [62:41] slavery. [62:42] The Hebrew servant and the Hebrew slave, [62:46] the Hebrew worship and the Hebrew serve [62:49] and the Hebrew enslave is the same word [62:52] laavode. Even the same is to work. It's [62:55] it it has many many meanings. [62:58] The reason for that, I suspect, and [63:01] God's choice of the same verb for what [63:03] the Jews did to Pharaoh is what they'll [63:05] do for God is because of the basic [63:09] Jewish belief that you either serve God [63:13] or you serve man. [63:17] And so, [63:19] and I'm going to I'm going to elaborate [63:21] on this when the Exodus takes place and [63:25] the purpose of the Exodus. There's a [63:26] purpose. God didn't enslave the God did [63:29] not free every enslaved people. There's [63:32] a bigger purpose than freedom and and [63:35] that is to worship God to serve God. [63:39] That's so that's why it says that you [63:43] have to stop serving man then you can [63:46] serve God. [63:48] You can't serve both at the same time. [63:52] Verse 13. [63:56] This is now objection number two [64:00] after God's saliloquy about the the sign [64:06] and Moses said to God [64:12] uh here I uh here I come it's so [64:16] beautiful that here I come basically he [64:18] again here here I come to the children [64:21] of Israel and I tell them the God of [64:24] your fathers sent me to you and they're [64:27] going to say to me, "What's his name?" [64:31] What am I going to tell them? It might [64:34] be my favorite sentence in the Bible. [64:38] The humanity of it, it is all it and the [64:41] the act the total humanness of it. I [64:43] mean, he's talking to God. You know, who [64:45] shall I say call? [64:48] I mean, right? Is that not it? I mean, [64:50] that is exactly what he said. You know, [64:52] listen, it's a great great idea. I [64:55] taking the Jews out of Egypt is a [64:57] winner. I like your idea of miraculous [65:00] signs, but who exactly shall I say I'm [65:03] representing? [65:05] That is exactly what he does. It's It's [65:07] so beautiful. It's so real. You know, [65:10] it's like, okay, okay, enough with the [65:12] theology and the morality. [65:15] What's your name? [65:17] Before we go any further, it's important [65:20] to know that [65:23] it's it's just it's so priceless. It's [65:25] like this is the way I put it. His first [65:27] objection is [65:29] uh who am I? His second objection is who [65:33] are you? [65:36] That's how I that's how I labeled them. [65:38] No, who the hell are you? Uh you know, I [65:41] know you're God and all this, but I [65:42] would like to know you better. Now, [65:45] this is a remarkable question. What's [65:48] your name to God? [65:50] First of all, it implies that the Jews [65:52] didn't know God's name. [65:56] What name shall I use? Implies that they [65:59] don't have a name. That all they know is [66:01] that I have an ancestral God. Otherwise, [66:05] he would know what name, right? [66:08] Rashbomb, however, a medieval Jewish, [66:11] it's redundant to add, Orthodox Jewish [66:14] commentator, went so far as to say it [66:17] implies Moses didn't even know God's [66:19] name. That's how far they had strayed [66:22] from the faith. [66:25] Because it might have been simply too [66:26] difficult for Moses to say, "I don't [66:29] know your name." [66:31] So, he puts it as a problem. It's you [66:33] know what who do do that all the time? [66:34] Parents do that at speeches that I give. [66:37] They go, "Mr. Prager, what should I [66:39] answer to my kid when they ask?" And in [66:43] every instance that a parent has asked [66:45] that question to me when I have said, [66:47] "Well, I'm just curious. How do you [66:48] answer that question for you?" It's me. [66:52] Parents always do that. You know, how do [66:54] I explain to my kid that bad people [66:56] prosper and good people suffer? Said, [66:59] "Do you have an answer for you?" No. So, [67:01] I said, "Let's be honest. The problem is [67:03] you, not your kid. We often will do [67:05] that. It's like I get on my show a lot [67:07] of times. You know, Dennis, my friend [67:08] has this problem. The friend is them. [67:11] But people don't want to acknowledge it. [67:12] Rashbomb in effect is saying that he [67:15] doesn't even know God's name. [67:18] Well, he was raised in his Egyptian [67:20] though obviously knew from his mother [67:21] and sister that he was a Jew. But who [67:23] knows how much theology he got and and [67:25] how much as I say, the whole problem is [67:26] that there was an abandon a gradual [67:28] abandoning of faith. So what what what [67:32] is your name? What should I tell them is [67:35] your name? [67:36] Now [67:38] plout [67:40] suggests [67:42] should have put the page down [67:45] that here that there was a problem with [67:48] Moses's own faith. And I read it to you [67:51] because [67:54] it is important for you to hear others [67:57] views but I don't happen to have that [67:59] one. [68:00] Whoa. [68:01] >> Sorry. [68:03] Thank you. [68:07] No, no, I don't know the ages, but he's [68:09] a he's somewhat of a young man here. [68:11] That's the That's the implication, but I [68:13] don't know how accurate that is. It [68:14] might have been many years cuz it does [68:16] say after many years earlier. It's a [68:18] good question. I don't know if it's [68:19] knowable. [68:21] Well, then he wasn't a young man. That's [68:23] clear. He was a young 80. Yes. Right. [68:27] Who knows? Okay. [68:30] Um, [68:31] let me see. No, four. Wait, what did you [68:34] say? 403. [68:36] >> Oh, yeah. Here is uh here is the way. [68:38] This is what uh Plout says. The series [68:41] of objections that Moses raises before [68:44] he accepts the mission reveals a man who [68:46] not only feels unworthy of the task, but [68:49] also has doubts about the efficacy of [68:51] the mission itself. [68:54] That's an interesting reading of it. [68:56] Some may read that into it, some may [68:58] not. Although Moses has been [69:00] categorically told that Israel would [69:02] listen to his message, he demurs and [69:06] says this is will come to it. What if [69:07] they do not believe me and do not listen [69:09] to me? In contrast to Abraham who never [69:13] questioned his being singled out by God [69:15] and never sought to learn his essence by [69:18] asking for God's name, Moses is frankly [69:21] doubtful. like a Jeremiah. Later on, he [69:25] resists the divine call and not long [69:28] thereafter regrets that he ever agreed [69:30] to go. Rashi therefore described Moses [69:33] as one who had little faith. I think [69:35] that's an overreading of Rashi. And the [69:38] Talmud considered his response to God to [69:40] have been a reason for not being allowed [69:42] to enter the promised land. I don't buy [69:45] any of that, but I want you to [69:47] understand the way people interpret it. [69:49] Just different interpretations than [69:50] mine. I do not regard what Moses is [69:53] doing as a lack of faith. Okay. I I I [69:57] think the question about what is your [69:59] name strikes me as a as an honest [70:02] question. I want to understand your [70:05] essence. I'm putting my life in your [70:07] hands. I like to know more about you. I [70:09] don't that's not a lack of faith in my [70:11] opinion in at all. And it's also a good [70:15] it's a good tactic. Who am I going to [70:18] say sent me? He knows who he came from [70:20] that these Jews are by and large, you [70:22] know, pagans who believe in a a deity of [70:24] their ancestors. It's a very it's a very [70:27] fair question to say who am I to go is [70:30] not a statement of doubt either. It's a [70:33] it's an honest statement. Who am I? I [70:35] don't speak that well. I can get killed [70:37] there. I don't think I'm worthy of take, [70:39] you know, being your emissary to take [70:41] them out. And yet others read it this [70:43] way. And he writes, "Rashi's assessment [70:45] is too simple. Resistance of the prophet [70:48] to the divine demand is a complex fabric [70:51] woven of faith and doubt, anxiety and a [70:53] sense of unworthiness. The Bible does [70:56] not depict its heroes as cardboard [70:58] saints who answer the divine challenge [71:00] without question. Abraham's apparent [71:03] readiness to sacrifice his son is not [71:05] necessarily an exception. He had [71:08] evidently by this time reached a firm [71:10] and unshakable fate. Moses at the bush [71:13] is at the beginning of his knowledge of [71:15] God. It's an important point. And while [71:18] he is struck with awe and even fear, he [71:21] remains also very much himself and [71:23] preserves his right to refuse initially [71:26] and then to doubt and question. He never [71:29] loses this independence even long after [71:32] he becomes the intimate of his God, [71:35] which is to me a great credit of of the [71:38] Torah uh that it depicts it that way. [71:41] the the freedom that Abraham felt to [71:43] challenge God, you recall, over Sedome. [71:46] Uh the uh the freedom that Moses feels [71:49] here is not common at all. I think in [71:53] fact it's unique in in monotheistic holy [71:57] literature [71:59] of people being talked to by God and [72:01] answered totally really. Not I hear you, [72:05] I submit to you, but rather wait a [72:08] minute. I want to understand you better. [72:12] In that sense, with all that is spoken [72:14] about the Jews not emphasizing intimacy [72:17] with God, it's a very intimate [72:20] relationship with God. when Jews [72:23] question God or yell at God, that's more [72:25] intimate [72:27] uh at the with with the very important [72:30] proviso that I I am a member of one [72:34] religion, not other religions, and that [72:36] therefore I have an inherent bias. And [72:38] with the important proviso of great [72:40] respect for the insights of other [72:42] religions, I I will tell you a story [72:45] having made that introductory statement. [72:49] Uh very quick one. A woman once called [72:51] me years ago on my radio show and she [72:54] said, "Dennis, I'm a Muslim. Uh, could [72:56] you tell me please why you're not a [72:57] Muslim?" [72:59] And I was very, very complimented by the [73:02] fact that she would ask. So, she knew I [73:04] took Islam seriously enough to give a [73:06] serious answer and that she felt free [73:08] enough to to talk to me like that. And I [73:10] said, "Look, you know, I I I I have [73:14] believed in this religion and you know, [73:15] I'm sure that you know, I have not [73:18] immersed myself as a member of your [73:19] religion, but I'll tell you one reason [73:23] very quickly. The name of your religion [73:25] in in your religion's language and the [73:28] name of my religion or people in my [73:30] religion's language give the answer. The [73:33] key word in your religion is Islam. The [73:35] the the identity in my religion, if not [73:38] key word, is Israel. [73:40] They mean something. Islam means [73:42] submission to God and Israel means fight [73:46] with God. And I rather fight with God [73:49] than submit than surrender to God. [73:54] Obviously, there's a submission uh [73:56] element obviously. Nevertheless, you see [73:58] from the way Moses reacts, it is par for [74:01] Judaism to talk back to God [74:04] respectfully. [74:06] That is God after all. Uh but but you [74:09] know it you don't blink. You don't blink [74:13] when you read in the Torah that the [74:15] greatest Jew who ever lived says to God, [74:17] "What's your name?" [74:20] All you want to know is what's the [74:22] answer? Right? You don't sit there and [74:24] go, "Wow, I can't believe he asked [74:25] that." No, what you say is, "God, I'm [74:28] dying to know what God answers." And I [74:30] will tell you because it is very [74:31] important what God answers. [74:37] You see, thus far, it's God, [74:41] the God of the of the patriarchs. [74:44] To Moses, that's not enough. God needs a [74:48] name. [74:51] Apparently, going to the Jews and saying [74:53] the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob [74:57] isn't enough. [75:00] You with me? That God needs a name. So [75:05] uh we are at verse [75:11] uh yes that's right what's his name and [75:14] so on what shall I say to them and now [75:19] the most sublime I think the most [75:22] sublime verse in the Torah and God said [75:25] to Moses [75:28] which means [75:30] one of four things [75:34] and they're all related but but it it [75:36] there is no way to know which of the [75:38] four is correct. There is no way to [75:40] know. Okay. All four are equally [75:42] possible. I will be what I will be or I [75:46] am what I am or I will be who I will be [75:50] or I am who I am. In other words, there [75:53] are two possibilities. Either it's what [75:55] or who and they're not the same. They're [75:58] related but they're not the same. And it [76:01] could be present or future. You now you [76:04] may ask why is that? There's a [76:06] difference between I am who I am and I [76:08] will be who I will be. There is in [76:10] English but there isn't in Hebrew. [76:12] Because there are many languages and I [76:15] only realized this when I studied [76:16] Russian that do not have a present tense [76:19] for the verb to be. They have a past and [76:22] a future. So that in Hebrew and Russian [76:26] uh and Arabic if you want to say I am a [76:30] waiter you say I waiter [76:34] and it's obvious you don't need am. When [76:37] you think about it it's it really is [76:39] pointless. Okay. Uh and so you have the [76:43] verb to be is only future and past. This [76:47] is the future of the verb uh to be and [76:51] therefore can be uh either I am what I [76:56] am or I will be what I will be or I am [76:58] who I am or I am who I will be. Now the [77:01] question is in any of those events what [77:04] uh what exactly does it mean? [77:09] Uh [77:11] the the answer [77:15] the answer here [77:17] is [77:20] the answer that God gives is the essence [77:22] of God. God's name is Jehovah. God's [77:27] proper name. As you probably know, it's [77:29] not said in Hebrew where instead of J is [77:32] a a Y sound, a Y sound. It's just not [77:34] pronounced by Jewish tradition. It's too [77:36] holy. [77:38] What does Jehovah mean? [77:42] It only means [77:44] being or will be or will be. [77:52] Will be being, so to speak. [77:55] In effect, God's name is is [78:00] not short for iszy [78:02] or Isidor, [78:04] but is [78:08] essentially God is. [78:12] The answer is so profound [78:16] that it can't be used again except for [78:20] the next verse, verse uh 14. [78:23] Nowhere in the Torah is God ever [78:26] referred to again as a will be or am. [78:31] Never. It's the only time in the Tanakh. [78:34] Forget the Torah. In the whole Hebrew [78:36] Bible, it's the only time that the name [78:39] God gives to Moses is ever used. And the [78:44] reason is it's much too abstract for [78:47] most people today, let alone slaves in [78:50] Egypt. [78:52] I am convinced. Therefore, that this [78:54] answer that God gives to Moses is for [78:57] Moses's sake and for ours [79:01] because you wanted to know the answer [79:03] too to what's your name, right? you the [79:06] reader today 1995 [79:09] 20095 [79:10] 395 or 95 people wanted to know what is [79:15] what is God's name because in name gives [79:18] essence especially in the Torah and I [79:21] named him Isaac because laughter and is [79:24] yet and I named him Geom because it [79:27] means I was a stranger there name is [79:30] essence I told you the story that when [79:32] we named our fish we got attached to [79:35] them. When we didn't name our fish, uh [79:38] the attachment was much less. So if you [79:41] keep fish, don't give them names cuz [79:43] they tend to die on you. Uh and and name [79:47] and conversely in the concentration [79:50] camps, they took Jews names away and [79:52] gave them numbers. Your essence was [79:54] taken away from you. Your humanity was [79:56] removed. That's why we could treat you [79:59] as they were treated. You are a number. [80:03] name is very important. That's why he [80:05] asks that. He doesn't ask a modern [80:08] philosophical person meeting God at a [80:10] burning bush would say, "What is your [80:11] essence?" That is what the question, [80:14] "What is your name in in in Torah talk [80:17] is what is your essence?" And this [80:19] answer is for Moses and the rest of us. [80:21] Clearly, not for the Jews in Egypt. It's [80:23] never used again as I keep telling you. [80:26] I am what I am. I cannot be explained, [80:29] Moses. [80:31] All I can say to you to be honest about [80:34] me is that I am and that I appear in [80:38] different ways at different times and [80:40] that I I manifest myself differently in [80:43] different ways and that's why I will be [80:46] what I will be and I am what I am and I [80:48] am who I am and will be who I will be. [80:52] Uh but I am [80:55] and in essence ladies and gentlemen I am [80:58] I am enamored of this verse because I [81:03] want a deeper answer than the God of my [81:06] forefathers. [81:07] The God of my forefathers doesn't turn [81:10] this Jew on nearly as much as this. To [81:14] each his own. I told you we all respond [81:16] in different ways. That's the beauty of [81:18] this response. To some, the God of [81:20] Abraham, Isaac, Jacob is just enough. [81:23] Oh, is that great? It's the family. It's [81:24] the tribes God. I'm into this God. To [81:28] me, I want something that gives me [81:30] something more universal and deeper. I [81:33] am. And folks, to me, that's all I want [81:36] to know. I don't want to know more about [81:38] God than God is because anything else [81:40] that you tell me about God in in essence [81:43] anthropomorphicizes God. It makes God [81:46] humanlike. What are you going to tell [81:47] me? that God is good. That's good to [81:49] know. Sure. It's good to know though, so [81:52] that I'll I'll know that it's important [81:54] to be good because I want to be godlike. [81:56] But but in essence, the only knowable [81:59] thing of the human mind about God is [82:01] that God is. [82:04] And so that's it. And that God is in [82:08] being. Now, there are those who will [82:11] take from this an idea that God is [82:13] continually evolving. Uh I I personally [82:16] don't buy that. I think that God doesn't [82:18] evolve because God is fully formed. But [82:21] I'm just saying how others might want to [82:22] interpret it. The truth of the matter is [82:25] that for most of us, isn't it enough to [82:27] know that God is [82:29] I mean isn't that alone comforting [82:32] the it means right? It means a lot [82:35] certainly for most of us moderns that's [82:37] really all we care about. You know if [82:39] God is I want to know that God is good. [82:41] Thank you. that is important to me and [82:44] helpful to me and that is more or less [82:46] enough. And so God says and this is our [82:50] final [82:52] uh our final verse for today. [82:56] And God continued because [83:01] this is uh I used to do a routine on [83:03] this uh [83:05] you know on on 14. [83:09] Oh yeah, we're finishing 14. That's [83:10] right. because we didn't uh we didn't I [83:12] the first part is uh I am I am who I am [83:15] and I I when I used to do this with [83:18] college kids I would you know tell them [83:19] and Moses is waiting there at the bush [83:22] and he asks the ultimate question he [83:25] wants to know God [83:27] who are you and God says I am who I am [83:33] and Moses is not one bit richer for [83:36] having asked the question [83:38] give you an example if somebody knocked [83:40] at door and you said, "Who's there?" And [83:43] they said, "I am who I am." [83:46] You would still not know who's there. [83:50] >> Is that not correct? [83:53] >> So, in a sense, Moses is not left with a [83:56] great deal of knowledge after that [83:58] answer. I mean, I have given you a whole [84:00] philosophical spiel on what I am, who I [84:02] am is, but for all we know, this wasn't [84:06] terribly informative [84:08] to Moses. Oh, that's wonderful. Thank [84:11] you. You are who you are. I appreciate [84:13] that. [84:15] >> And that is why [84:18] that is why in 15 you'll see God [84:21] realizes this is not going to work. But [84:23] let me finish 14. [84:26] So uh you go and tell the Israelites [84:29] will be sent me to you or is sent me to [84:33] you. am actually tell him am sent you [84:39] now can you imagine the guy doesn't want [84:42] to go anyway [84:47] and now he gets this from God you know [84:50] tell him am sent you [84:53] >> that is why you notice there is no at [84:56] this point no dialogue the next person [84:59] or the next being to speak is God knows [85:03] exactly what's going on in Moses's mind. [85:05] And that is why since this is never [85:08] mentioned again in the Bible, [85:11] I am totally convinced this answer was [85:13] given for later sophisticated readers [85:17] or for Moses if he was sophisticated [85:19] enough at the time [85:22] because it is never referred to again. [85:25] It's incredible. [85:27] I mean, the most important question ever [85:29] asked of God, who are you? The answer is [85:31] given and never referred to again in the [85:34] Bible. [85:36] And it's almost as if God said, "Are you [85:37] really want to know? I am what I am. [85:40] It's not going to work. I know that no [85:42] one's going to understand it. So, let's [85:44] return to work." And sure enough, verse [85:46] 15, and God continued to speak. It's [85:50] what it has. Continue to it. Almost [85:52] never has something like that. It's [85:54] like, I know that's not working. Okay, [85:56] Moses, you know, you you're flipping [85:58] out. It's bad enough you have to show up [86:00] in Egypt and now now tell them sent you. [86:03] I understand. So God continues and says [86:05] to Moses, "I this is how you will speak [86:09] to Israel. [86:11] Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the [86:14] God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and [86:17] the God of Jacob, sent me to you. That's [86:21] my name forever. And that is how I will [86:23] be remembered from generation to [86:25] generation." [86:28] It won't work to tell them who I really [86:30] am. [86:32] You've got to give them a a pronoun [86:36] Yahweh Jehovah that they'll they'll [86:39] relate to and especially tribalize it. [86:44] So ladies and gentlemen, I conclude by [86:47] telling you [86:49] for the Jews then a tribal identity was [86:53] absolutely necessary. our God, our [86:56] ancestors God. But at the moment of [87:00] divine revelation of self, the likes of [87:04] which we never have again in the Bible, [87:07] of God describing himself, he used the [87:10] most sublime phrase that we could ever [87:13] imagine. I am and I am what I am. And [87:18] there is in essence no way you humans [87:21] can know more about me. But because that [87:24] won't work, tell them Jehovah, the God [87:28] of their fathers, sent you. And that's [87:31] where we got to today. Okay. Thank you. [87:36] Uh [87:38] you want to you have a couple of [87:40] questions here and then uh we'll uh [87:42] we'll just take five minutes. So if you [87:44] folks could stay, anybody can I know [87:45] some people have to leave. We'll just do [87:47] five minutes of questions and then next [87:49] week take more. Yes. If I was in the [87:53] original wouldn't be so unusual that the [87:56] Israelites would know God no [88:00] other than the God and the father. [88:02] Furthermore, so many unusual moments [88:05] have that one last [88:11] over us. I think now have an answer to [88:15] ask. [88:16] >> Yes, I agree with you totally. That's [88:18] absolutely right. He had to ask the [88:19] question, etc. Yes. [88:21] >> Um, I'm from a secular Jewish [88:23] upbringing. That's why I'm asking you [88:25] this question. When you were talking, [88:26] >> Her preface is that she comes from a [88:27] secular Jewish upbringing. That's why [88:28] she has to ask this question. Yes. [88:30] >> When you were talking about God in this [88:32] act, and how do I know if God has acted [88:33] in my life? I partially explained it. [88:36] I'm looking for what am I what am I [88:39] looking back on and saying, "Oh, that [88:41] was God." [88:42] >> I mean, it's not goodness and it's not [88:43] beauty. We're talking about that [88:45] anthropomorphiz thing. So it just it's a [88:48] feeling. It felt spiritual. It felt big. [88:51] >> Well, I see what you're she's asking and [88:53] that's why you prefaced it with you come [88:54] from a secular background. [88:56] >> No, I'm going to give you an [88:57] intellectual, not a feeling answer. [89:00] At least intellectual in the sense that [89:02] I'm going to appeal to your intellect [89:04] and that it's not solely feelings based [89:06] though there is an element of that. Uh, [89:13] I believe that there were a couple of [89:16] times in my life where God acted. [89:20] There was in in retrospect, there was no [89:22] way for me to know it at that time. [89:25] Seeing what those events led to, and I [89:28] don't mean that it became, you know, a [89:30] great day for me. Uh, okay. as a result [89:34] of, you know, that I I went to Enino one [89:37] day in my life, bought a lottery ticket, [89:39] and it turned out to win me $2 million, [89:42] and it felt, you know, God sent me to [89:44] Enino. That's not what I'm thinking of. [89:46] I'm thinking of things that had a deeper [89:48] ramification for others as well as for [89:50] me. Uh, and uh only in only in [89:55] retrospect. I'll give you an example, [89:57] okay? And I and again, it's faith. It [90:00] could be total coincidence. I did a lot [90:02] for Soviet jewelry when I was young. A a [90:05] real lot. I was one of a handful of [90:07] people who really did a lot for Soviet [90:09] jewelry. It's not a brag. It's a fact. [90:11] Nobody cares today anyway. And thank God [90:12] they don't cuz they're basically free. [90:15] Uh [90:17] why did I take Russian in college? [90:21] There was no reason in the world. I have [90:23] no relative who speaks it. It was as [90:25] weird a thing as my family could not [90:27] understand. Why is Dennis taking [90:29] Russian? [90:30] Right. [90:32] If I had not taken Russian, I would not [90:34] have been sent to Russia, which I was, [90:37] uh, by the Israeli government who would [90:39] would send uh, Jews from outside of [90:41] Israel to do to, uh, bring materials in [90:44] and out and so on. Uh, and that enabled [90:47] me to do a great deal. Uh, it's could be [90:50] totally coincidental. I'm just saying [90:52] that's an example and it wasn't for me. [90:54] It's why I'm using it as an example. I [90:56] don't know. I can't prove that God did [90:58] that. You all have or many have a way of [91:02] looking at certain things that at the [91:04] time seemed inconsequential or even [91:06] negative and then had a very deep [91:09] impact. That is what I mean. Uh and and [91:13] even then it's a matter of faith. [91:15] Listen, it's a matter of faith. Moses [91:17] could have said it's not uh it a lot of [91:20] Jews did. The Jews who got to Sinai [91:22] didn't all say God took us out. They [91:24] worshiped a uh a a uh a cow. Right. [91:28] Yes. Last one. [91:30] >> Um, if we could go back and 15 minutes [91:33] recorded [91:35] talking about running. [91:39] >> Yes. [91:41] >> Maybe it's both of them because the [91:43] first the point is what am I [91:53] also God knows he could point and maybe [91:56] girl kill me. So God you're answering oh [92:01] no [92:01] >> that there are two signs. [92:03] >> Yeah. Here's the sign in the book. [92:04] Right. Right. Not going to tell you [92:05] because look look who I am. [92:08] >> Then when you take the people out they [92:10] can really know with yourself. [92:12] >> Right. The problem is uh he he's saying [92:14] that both are signs. The burning bush [92:16] and the uh and you're coming here with [92:21] the free Jewish people worshiping me at [92:23] Sinai. The problem with that and it [92:25] doesn't negate it. The only is that it's [92:27] in the singular. [92:29] You would think it would have be and [92:30] these are your signs. Rather, it said [92:33] and this is your sign. That's my only [92:35] problem with your explanation. You're a [92:37] guy who loves, you know, to bring [92:39] opposing viewpoints together. And that's [92:42] a beautiful trait. Uh, and you may be [92:45] right. Uh, but the problem I had is a [92:47] grammatical one. Thank you. See you next [92:49] week [92:49] >> on tomorrow's Sunday Fireside Chat. [92:53] People are taught to mock religion and [92:57] and and the teaching has worked. That is [93:00] one's immediate instinct. You know, I [93:02] remember years ago, it's funny that this [93:05] is coming back. I don't think I've [93:06] raised this in 20 years. About 20 years [93:10] ago, I remember asking on my radio show, [93:14] what would you rather be caught by [93:17] colleagues? Let's say you're on the [93:19] plane and colleagues, uh, people at your [93:22] workplace by coincidence are passing you [93:27] as you're sitting, you know, at, let's [93:30] say, an aisle seat near the front. Would [93:33] you rather be caught [93:36] reading Playboy [93:39] or the Holy Bible? [93:42] Which would embarrass you more? That's [93:45] really what I was asking. [93:48] The very fact that the question is legit [93:51] gives you gives you an idea of uh to [93:56] what extent people find the Bible worthy [94:00] only of mockery and and embarrassment. [94:03] Join us tomorrow to hear more on [94:05] Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. [94:08] Visit dennisprager.com for thousands of [94:11] hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, and [94:13] classic radio programs. and to purchase [94:16] Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles. [94:22] We want to take just a second to thank [94:23] the team at Lifeau Audio for their [94:25] partnership with us on the podcast. Go [94:27] to lifeaudio.com to find dozens of other [94:30] faith center podcasts in their network, [94:32] including shows about prayer, Bible [94:33] study, parenting, and more. Rising [94:36] interest rates, stock volatility, out of [94:39] control inflation. People are concerned [94:40] about what the future holds financially. [94:43] This is Dennis Prager for Amfed Coin and [94:45] Bullion. There's no better time than the [94:47] present to move a portion of your IRA [94:48] into precious metals. You should know [94:50] there's a right and a wrong way to set [94:52] up your precious metals IRA. Mistakes [94:54] could cost you hundreds of thousands of [94:56] dollars in IRS fines. Call AFED coin and [94:59] bullion. 800221-7694 [95:03] americananfederal.com. [95:04] That's americanfederal.com.
