If there appears among you a prophet or a dream diviner and he gives you a sign or a portent saying, 'Let's go worship another god that we will follow' - one whom you have not experienced - even if the sign or portent comes true, do not heed the words of that prophet or dream-diviner. God is really testing you to see if your really love YHWH with all your heart and soul" (Deuteronomy 13:2-4).
The brilliant author of this text cautions us to be wary that even our own definition of the truth becomes an idol when it distracts us from loving YHWH, that is, distracts us from being radically amazed at all that ever was, all that is, and what is yet to come.
In order to understand how brilliant this beautifully written piece of literature is, we must understand the name for God, YHWH. Because in the very development of Judaism, thus far, the common person was not taught the proper pronunciation for the four letter name of God. This was only given to the High Priest, the mother of all prophets and dream-diviners.
Somewhere along the way, rabbis of post-Temple times adopted the prophetic imagery of a master or lord to refer to God. Hence Adonai was substituted in the reading of the Torah when the name YHWH appears, an enduring example of the use of creative license to interpret or translate the Torah. YHWH does not mean Lord or Master. Its root (HWH) is the verb "to be." Its prefix (Y) indicates an imperfect tense - grammatically that means this verb is not limited by time. It makes no distinction among the past, present, or future. YHWH has something to do with "being" over, during, before, and after time.
I love the qualification the text from the Torah imposes, even if the sign or portent comes true, do not heed the words of that prophet or dream-diviner.
The language cautions us that even truth can become an idol. The mind is a powerful tool. The mind easily distracts us from recognizing the miracle of existence, how we got here, generations of partners showing up to the right place at the right time to meet the partner they'd schtoop.
The advances in what we've learned from science and mathematics and history easily leads to a diminished capacity for experiencing wonder. Wonder leads to appreciation. From appreciation emerges gratitude. And from gratitude, intimacy. Truth is important. Even so, it is a distraction from the unfiltered joy of recognizing the miracle of existence itself.
A Hasidic master responded to a Jew who regarded the Torah as mere folklore, Judaism is only transformational to the believer. If you don't believe, it will do you no good. So don't expect it.
I have no problem working out regularly and generally eating well, while still loving chocolate cake. I simply don't see the benefit in giving it up. It tastes good. When it's real chocolate it generates a pretty nice high. Partaking in the joy of that chocolate cake every so often enriches my experience in life. I can't eat it too often nor can I substitute it for a diet that includes nurtritional value, because the truth is that if I do, I'll feel terrible both physically and emotionally from the weight gain and nutrient deprivation. Within a certain context, chocolate cake gives me joy. I like being happy.
Believing is nothing more than the religious language for suspending our need for truth. Who's to say that the author is suggesting that belief requires suspending our need for truth all the time?
Within a certain context, suspending my need for truth can also bring me joy and enrich my relationships with the people I love.
I can't forget truth altogether, but I can suspend it to reap the satisfaction of sharing a ritual with others that marks time in the life-cycle or the year.
I can't forget truth altogether, but I can filter wisdom, values, and principles from human history as recorded in sacred literature.
Truth is truth. Wonder is wonder. Appreciation is appreciation. Gratitude is gratitude. Intimacy is intimacy. All of them are important and powerful experiences that can coexist. That is, if we make the choice to believe...
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