THREE RELIGIOUS REBELS

A Tribute to Bnei Noach

 

By Ashirah Yosefah

 

 

I was at a shiur recently was given by Rebbetzin Rachel Trugman from Moshav Modiin.  She spoke on the Kabbalistic significance of the month of Sivan, which we are now in.  Interestingly, she commented that the the Kabbalistic theme of this month is the Rainbow Covenant … namely the Seven Universal Laws.  This is THE month for Bnei Noach, the righteous G-d fearers among the nations.  For most of these pioneering men and women, their decision to leave their previous belief systems and become Bnei Noach has come with significant personal sacrifice.  As a tribute to Bnei Noach, this article will examine the lives of three Biblical heroes who experienced a dramatic change in their beliefs.  We will discover that life really has not changed that much over the centuries when it comes to changing one’s faith. 

 

Who are some of the notable rebels of their time who chose to question the religious environment in which they lived? 

 

Although Avraham is the forefather of Am Yisrael, in the Torah he is not known as a Jew but as an "I'vri", a Hebrew.  I'vri refers to that which passes over, that which goes beyond.  Avraham was born Avram.  He went beyond the constraints of the world he grew up in to the world as G-d knows it and merited G-d changing his name and promising him that he would become the “father of many nations”.  The Talmud and the Midrashim tell us that Avraham and his wife Sarah converted tens of thousands of people from pagan idolatry to belief in Hashem. 

 

Avram was born into a society devoid of the G-d, but filled with many small “g” gods.  Nonetheless, he allowed himself to question, to search, to examine, to use his intellect to refute and reject the religious systems that surrounded him.  He did not turn away from the inner voice that prompted him to seek truth.  This same inner voice continues today, encouraging many from the nations to question the beliefs they were born into or adopted from the society around them as they matured.

 

As with many of today’s religious rebels, Avram did not have an easy path to tread.  His father Terach was a well-known idol maker and, according to the Midrashim, Terach was one of the most honored noblemen in the court of King Nimrod, a self-proclaimed god.  At the time of Avram’s birth, there was a prevailing edict from Nimrod that all baby boys in his kingdom were to be killed.  His astrologers had advised him that a male child would be born who would deny Nimrod’s divinity and challenge him.  Over 700,000 newborn males were killed. 

 

Terach, being a trusted nobleman, had managed to negotiate a pardon from King Nimrod with respect to his own baby boy, but not for long.  Soon the King’s astrologers requested another audience with Nimrod.  They advised him that the threat to his rule persisted and it was coming from Terach’s house.  Terach stalled the King’s messengers when they came for his son and orchestrated events so that the messengers had to return a second time.  During the interval between their visits, Terach had his wife Amtalai take Avram into hiding in a cave away from their home and substituted the boy child of his maid instead.  Avram was spared.

 

The Midrashim tell us that Avram grew up in the seclusion of the cave until the edict had passed.  During that time, the child’s inquiring mind drew him to observe Creation and to question its workings.  Through observation and reasoning, Avram came to the conclusion that a Higher Intelligence existed than the singular powers of nature being worshipped by the people of his time.  The Midrash tells us that:

 

“Avraham prostrated himself before the sun.  But when night fell and the sun vanished to make way for the moon, Avram reasoned that the moon must be divine.  But he abandoned this thought when he realized that the moon shone only by night.  Finally, by observing the regular rhythm of day and night, of the seasons, and of all natural laws, Avram inferred the presence of an omnipotent and wise Creator.  ‘How is it,’ Avram asked of himself, ‘that the Heavenly bodies rise and set at an appointed time?  There must be a higher intelligence directing them!”

 

The Midrashim tell us that Avram would actively discourage people from purchasing the idols in his father’s shop.  One day when Avram was left to tend the shop, he took an axe and smashed all the idols in the shop except the largest one.  When Terach returned and flew into a rage, Avram blamed the destruction on the sole remaining idol.  When his father exclaimed, ‘What nonsense is this?  You know very well that they neither speak nor move around’, Avram retorted, ‘Is that so?  Pray think about what you just admitted.  Why then do you serve them?’

 

On another occasion, when he and his father were attending an event in Nimrod’s palace, Avram took a huge exhibition of idols, piled them up in the courtyard, then set fire to them.  The Midrash tells us that this was the first of Avram’s ten trials.  He had applied his mind to recognize his Creator and rejected idol worship.  He passed the test, but he was soon to face his second trial. 

 

Nimrod had Avram thrown in prison for ten years for torching his idols.  At the end of his sentence, Avram was brought to appear before Nimrod who demanded Avram worship fire with him.  Avram suggested they should worship the water that has the power to extinguish fire.  This made sense to Nimrod, so he agreed.  Then Avram suggested worshipping the clouds that carry water, they must be stronger still.  Nimrod agreed.  Ahh, but what about the wind that carries the clouds, countered Avram.  And so it went until Nimrod realized he was being shown up as a fool and commanded that Avram be cast into a blazing furnace.  As He did with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego centuries later, G-d protected Avram from the flames, striking terror even into the heart of the mighty Nimrod.  His second trial past, Avram and his father Terach gathered up their families and fled Ur Kasdim to the land of Charan.  Rashi tells us that Avraham was then 70 years old.

 

In Charan, Avram called public meetings to proclaim the truth of One Creator, and he spoke about the obligation to serve Him.  He would spend hours debating with people following these public lectures.  The Midrashim tell us that Avram wrote books with a total of 400 chapters devoted to demonstrating the futility of idol worship and that tens of thousands acknowledged the existence of Hashem.  Five years later, he received G-d’s call to leave for Canaan.

 

Avraham founded a revolutionary movement which called into question the basis of every existing religion in his day.  It was in every way an overt, grass-roots movement, with Avram boldly proclaiming his discoveries about G-d to anyone and everyone who would listen.  Undoubtedly, he encountered criticism and ridicule.  He was probably avoided by some people and feared by others.  He was imprisoned, and he faced an attempt on his life.

 

Avraham was a lonely revolutionary who dared to go against the flow of the world of his time.  The reactions he would have experienced in response to his refutation of the prevailing religions are reactions that people still experience today when they leave established and basically fundamentalist religious systems.

 

Time passed and Avraham’s grandson Yaakov fathered twelve sons who became the fathers of the Tribes of Israel.  Yaakov also had his name changed by G-d.  In time, Yaakov / Israel joined his forefathers.  By then, the Children of Israel were living in Mitsrayim, just as G-d had told Avraham.  Before long they found themselves slaves in that land, just as G-d had told Avraham.  Moshe, the man appointed by G-d to be His messenger of Redemption, had a father-in-law who also proved himself to be a religious rebel:  Yitro.

 

Yitro was a powerful Midianite priest who, before repenting, worshipped every idol known to man.  Chazal tell us that all the amenities and privileges of life were accessible to Yitro.  During his earlier years, he had served as an advisor in Pharaoh's court.  When Pharaoh sought to enslave the Jewish people, Yitro advised against it and was forced to flee from Egypt.[1]  The Written Torah picks up the story years later in Midian, when Moshe saved Yitro's daughters from a group of less than chivalrous shepherds at the town well and ended up marrying Yitro's daughter Tzipporah and tending his father-in-laws flocks.   Yitro reappears in Tanach when he comes to Moshe in the desert, “bemidar”, having heard about the plagues in Egypt and G-d’s miraculous deliverance of the Israelites at Yam Suf. 

 

It is at this point that both the Written and Oral Torah become very interesting and intriguing; in fact, the Parasha haShavua that contains the giving of the Ten Commandments, the account of the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, is named Yitro!  Think about that.  One of the most central portions of Torah to the Jewish people, the giving of the Torah itself, is named after a gentile who was once an idolatrous Midianite priest! 

 

Chazal are divided as to whether or not Yitro actually converted to Judaism or simply took upon himself and his family the Seven Universal Laws, but the sources are consistent in their agreement that when Yitro parted company with Moshe and the Israelites (an account contained in Numbers 10), he returned to Midian believing in the One True G-d and intending to teach his transformed beliefs to others.[2]  The Hebrew wording is a little ambiguous, so some of Chazal suggest Yitro may have left a few days before the giving of the Torah, but the majority favor the opinion that Yitro was present at Matan Torah and left for Midian four months later during Tishri.[3]  Esoteric texts point out that the Gematria of Yitro’s name adds up to 613, equal to the number of the Commandments of Torah, and offer this as further indication that Yitro was at Mount Sinai for the giving of the Torah and that he did convert.

 

Exodus 18:5 tells us "Yithro came to Moshe to in the wilderness where he was camped". 

 

The word ‘midbar’ (wilderness) is actually a bit redundant, given that the Torah has previously made it clear that Moshe and the Children of Israel were very much in the wilderness.  It would seem the Torah is hinting at another layer of understanding here.  ‘Wilderness’ can be both physical and spiritual, as anyone who has changed their religious beliefs can well attest.  Most experience a period of ‘spiritual wilderness’, a time of feeling a bit lost and spiritually dry, as if in a desert.  It is interesting that the Prophet Hoshea in Hoshea 2:16-17 foretold that G-d will draw Israel back to him by way of the “desert” where He will speak to their hearts and they will respond as when He first brought them up from Egypt.  It would seem that this ‘desert’ experience is an integral part of the return process.

 

Rashi found a reference to Yitro’s spiritual transformation from idolatry to monotheism concealed within the Hebrew wording of Exodus 18:5.  The following passage elaborates beautifully on Rashi’s determination.  It is from the article Urgings of the Heart ( http://www.shuvoo.com/articles/jew-and-yitro.php ) submitted to Shuvoo by Daniel Nachonecky of Beit El.  Daniel writes:

 

“Since Moshe (and Am Yisrael) were obviously in the Midbar, writing the word 'Midbar' creates a redundancy, which Rashi points out and clarifies. "'To the Midbar': [Didn't] we also know that he [Moshe] was in the Midbar? Instead it [the word 'Midbar'] is coming to teach us Yithro's praise. [What is that?] He [Yithro] had been living in and at the epitome of honor and acclaim in the world, yet his heart urged him to go to the Midbar - an unformed desolation - to hear words of Torah."

 

In this one word Rashi opens up the whole understanding of what Yithro did and what Yithro is. With the inclusion of this one single word - 'Midbar' - the Torah speaks volumes.

 

Oblivious to the argument (that has already started) about when Yithro came and at what prompting, the Torah juxtaposes two words, 'Yithro' and 'Midbar'. Yithro, explains Rashi, is the embodiment of all the acclaim, accomplishments, fulfillment, success, honor, and glory that are achievable in this world. Nothing was beyond his grasp and nothing was denied him.

 

With full awareness of this, the parsha begins, "Yithro heard what God did…", to which Rashi interprets that 'his heart urged' him. What does it mean that 'his heart urged' him? It means either that Yithro had already 'internalized' what he'd heard, or that Yithro had been 'listening with his heart'. Yithro, the embodiment of worldly striving, leaves the epicenter of civilization for a place of 'unformed desolation'. He literally went from one pole to its opposite. …

 

… What did Yithro hear? Yithro heard beyond what the ear and the mind hear; Yithro heard the 'urgings of his heart'. Yithro heard that which only the heart can hear. Yithro heard love. Yithro heard the love of God moving in this world; the love of God coming to act and to rest on His people. Yithro, the embodiment of civilization, left the epitome of civilization to go to the Midbar - an 'unformed desolation'. … Why did he follow his heart? Because he wanted to hear words of Torah, because he wanted to hear God's love for His people, because he wanted to hear God's love letter.  … When it came to Torah, Yithro followed his heart.”[4]

 

In Exodus 18:11, we find Yitro’s proclamation of transformed beliefs:  “Now I know that Hashem is greater than all gods …” 

 

Exodus 18:12 states that Yitro brought a burnt offering, an olah, and sacrifices (zvachim) for G-d and that Moshe and Aaron and all the elders of Israel joined with Yitro to partake of the sacrificial meal from the zvachim.   This tells us a great deal because we have two types of sacrifices being brought by Yitro, each with a specific purpose.  Most significant is the olah offering.  The first ever olah offering was brought by Noach upon leaving the ark (Genesis 8:20).  With an olah offering the sacrifice is completely consumed by the fire upon the altar – no portion of the sacrificial animal is eaten by the Cohanim, Levites or the person bringing the sacrifice as is the case with other animal sacrifices.   What does an olah offering represent?  It is an act signifying complete dedication to G-d.  Yitro had ‘passed over’ from idolatry to faith in the One True G-d

 

It is safe to assume that upon returning to Midian, Yitro encountered  a loss of status and reputation, opposition, disbelief, resistance, criticism, perhaps even isolation from his former friends and community.  As did Avraham, Yitro dared to go ‘beyond’ the constraints of the world he had grown up in … he ‘passed over’ to the world as it has been eternally defined by Hashem.  

 

Our final religious rebel for this article is Ruth.  Ruth is highly acclaimed as a convert to Judaism, especially at the time of Shavuot.  Megillat Ruth is always read during the morning prayers on the Festival of Shavuot.  Her words to Naomi, “Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your G-d my G-d.” (Ruth 1:16) have resonated in the hearts of converts for centuries as they have gone through the intense transformation that comes with a true Orthodox conversion.  In fact, the Rabbis consider Ruth’s words to be the archetypal form of declaration that should be made by the sincere convert.[5]  What might have gone unnoticed by some, however, is the odds Ruth faced in her quest to join Am Yisrael. 

 

Ruth was a Moabite:  A descendent of the incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughters.  Not only were Israelite men forbidden to marry foreign wives, but the Torah tells us in Deuteronomy 23:4 that “The Ammonite and the Moabite shall not come into the congregation of G-d, even the tenth generation of theirs shall not come into the congregation of G-d forever.”  The Midrash tells us that it was commonly accepted amongst the people that Naomi’s sons had died prematurely precisely because they had married Moabite wives. 

 

Because of Ruth’s completely self-nullifying statement of commitment and the fact she followed through with actions that demonstrated her total commitment to the G-d, Torah and people of Israel, the Rabbis say that she was permitted to enter the congregation of G-d, even though she was born a Moabitess.[6]  This notwithstanding, Ruth faced some intimidating barriers when she first arrived in Israel with her mother-in-laws.  Without Hashem’s intervention in the form of the righteous redeemer Boaz, Ruth’s future prospects were slim, indeed.  Yet, as history and Hashgachah Pratit played out, Ruth became the grandmother of David haMelek.  Moshiach ben David will be a descendent of Ruth, the former Moabitess!

 

What would Ruth have felt when she first arrived in Israel?  Probably loneliness, rejection, isolation, overwhelmed by the uncertainty of path that lay before her.  These are common experiences for those who, like Avraham, Yitro and Ruth, dare to question the religions they have grown up in and seek truth amidst a spiritually confused world.

 

Frequently Shuvoo receives emails with comments such as the following:

 

… My family has pretty much disowned me; they think I am a heretic, demon-possessed, etc.  My husband doesn’t go to church, so he doesn’t care a lot what I believe – but he really doesn’t like me believing the Jewish way …”

 

“We’ve been through it all from messianic (church with a thin veneer of Jewish culture) to the gut wrenching realization that it’s all wrong …it has been most difficult for us, incredibly difficult.  To abandon everything that you have known to be true and to be in a constant state of grappling has been so difficult for us.”

 

“I dare not whisper of the possibility that I am even considering challenging my own understanding of who the Messiah is.  I have seen that to even question out loud, all hell breaks loose.  I have no desire to have this kind of strife while I am in research mode.”

 

“I have come to this place that I KNOW NOTHING.  Absolutely nothing.  I have this picture of myself standing in the middle of a desert in a strong wind and I am alone.  I pray Hashem hasn’t forgotten about me.”

 

These are true testimonials.  For anyone who has broken away from a previous faith, it has had an impact on their life, and probably a profound one.  By times, they have felt confused, bitter, empty, perhaps a bit guilty.  They may feel depressed, concerned about the future, and find it difficult to connect with other people or life in the world at large, feeling like a stranger in the midst of their own community.

 

Amazingly, there are presently hundreds of thousands on this same journey throughout the world.  We are witnessing one of the largest, and quietest, moves of G-d in history as He quickens the nations to His Torah, “one from a town and two from a clan” as the Prophet Jeremiah describes it.

 

Changing one’s beliefs, leaving a formerly cherished faith, is very much like going through a divorce.  The symptoms are similar:  Feelings of betrayal, grief, anger, depression, lowered self-esteem, and social isolation.  These pioneering souls may well be shunned by family members and many have experienced separation and divorce as a result of changing their religious beliefs.  There is a great deal in all this to cause anxiety and stress.  It is painful and confusing at first, even though it can also bring feelings of tremendous freedom, but there is much to be learned in the “desert experience” and ultimately a profound spiritual maturity can be gained, together with a truly satisfying sense of a genuine Torah-grounded spiritual identity. 

 

It is never too late to seek Hashem’s paths of truth.   Avraham was 70 when he left Ur Kasdim; 75 when he and Sarah left Charan for Canaan.  Moshe was 80 when Hashem spoke to him from the burning bush.  Yitro had the ancient Midianite world “by the tail”, so to speak, but willingly let in all go to enter into a physical desert and a spiritual ‘desert’ transformation that would bring him to a declaration of faith in the One G-d of Israel and the bringing of an olah offering to Hashem.  Ruth’s prospects were totally against her, but she pressed onward and Hashem moved the barriers.

 

Tanach is full of accounts of men and women who wrestled with man and with G-d in their quest to know truth and to serve G-d.  May we continue to be instructed by their lives and be thankful that Hashem preserved their stories to comfort and inspire us.