What’s the Question?
Jews are known to ask a lot of questions. Jews are also known to answer questions with other questions. Why are we so obsessed with questions? Because questions touch raw nerves and produce better results than mere statements!
Question or Statement?
In Moses’ parting monologue recorded in this week’s parsha, he declares:
“And now Israel what does G-d your G-d require of you but to fear G-d your G-d.”
The commentaries on the Torah ask: Couldn’t Moses have simply stated: “G-d requires of you to fear G-d…” Why did Moses introduce his rendition of G-d’s request of them to fear G-d in the manner of a question: “What does G-d ask of you?”
Several explanations for the usage of the question and answer format have been advanced by our Sages.
Emulate G-d
One explanation asserts that the word “what” is not used here as a question but as a declarative statement: “What G-d your G-d is,” i.e., what He represents and performs Himself, “He requests of you.” This means that the Torah wants us to know that G-d wants us to emulate His attributes and practices.
This echoes the statement of the Talmud on the verse, “G-d, your G-d, shall you follow.” The Talmud asks, “How is it possible for a human being to follow G-d of whom it is said, ‘For G-d, your G-d, is a consuming fire”?
The Talmud answers that the Torah means that one should emulate G-d’s attributes:
“Just as He performs acts of kindness, so shall you; He clothes the naked, visits the sick, and buries the dead, so shall you.”
This explanation is also an echo of the Midrash that states that everything G-d does Himself He asks of us. G-d does not ask us to do anything that He Himself does not do.
The obvious question that this explanation raises is how can G-d fulfill the Mitzvah to fear G-d?
One may suggest that just as G-d’s Tefillin contain references to the uniqueness of the Jewish people which parallels our Tefillin which contain the reference to G-d’s unity, so too G-d has respect and reverence for the Jewish people.
Socratic or Talmudic Method?
In addition to the foregoing explanation, an additional explanation can be suggested that dissects the anatomy of asking questions.
A question is often employed as an educational device that stimulates the student. Sometimes the question is so powerful that it can jolt us out of our reverie. We can be wide awake, but our minds are asleep. We can hear words of wisdom and inspiration, yet we do not pay attention to the message that they convey until someone throws a question at us and forces us to deal with the issue at hand.
This approach, which many identify as the Socratic Method, is actually very much part of the Talmudic method, which has its roots in Biblical literature way before Socrates lived.
If Moses would have merely stated: “G-d requires of you etc.,” it would simply have been filed into the “storage room” of their minds.
By prefacing this important message with a question, “What does G-d your G-d require of you, etc.,” it grabbed their attention and opened up their minds and hearts to His message.
A question is like a dam that obstructs the path of the water. When enough water accumulates, the pressure eventually will break down the dam, and the water will flow with such force that nothing can stand its way.
Similarly, a question is a dam that temporarily causes our thoughts to stand still. Eventually the force of the question will opens up the floodgates of our minds and hearts.
A More Pressing Question that has Yet to be Answered
There is another question—one that is recorded in the Prophetic writings—that we ask of G-d, especially these days: “Ad masai- How much longer?” How much longer do we have to remain in exile? How much longer do we have to suffer? When will the Moshiach usher in the age of Redemption and bring true and enduring peace to the world?
The fact that we ask, nay demand of G-d to bring us Redemption, rather than just pray for it in a more casual fashion, such as by saying softly, “Please bring us Moshiach and Redemption” is to cause our question to jolt us and all of the spiritual worlds to awaken from our Galus caused reverie.
Awakening G-d??
Indeed, the question and demand is intended for G-d for even He is described in the book of Psalms as “being asleep” when King David asks: “Awaken, why do you sleep O G-d.”
G-d’s sleep is obviously meant, metaphorically, as G-d putting Himself in a state of concealment, when He withdraws His revealed presence (Shechinah) from our world.
When we declare and ask, “How much longer?” and similar jolting expressions, it empowers us (by G-d’s own design and choice, of course) to “awaken” G-d, as it were, and bring Him into the world’s consciousness. This amounts to Redemption.
The cumulative weight of our heartfelt prayer/question, “How much longer?” and accompanying entreaties will ultimately break through the dam—we call Galus-exile—and bring about the answer only G-d can give us.
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Ekev by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
