Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Torah and Halachic Authority (3/12) Previous Document: Question 3.44: What is the Meaning of 'All is Futile' from the beginning of Ecclesiastes? Next Document: Question 3.46: What is meant by G-d's throne and the Serphim worshiping him in Isaiah 6:1-6? See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge Answer: The concept of G-d hiding Himself, has a long tradition in Jewish thought. Basically, the idea revolves around the difference between obvious acts of G-d (i.e., things that violate the rules of nature) and subtle acts of G-d (things that are directed by G-d, but follow all the rules of nature). As examples, consider the Jews saved from Egypt with the sea being split, and compare it to the way the Jews are saved from the Persian empire in the story of Esther. Jewish commentaries point out that G-d's name does not appear in the book of Esther, and yet it is presented as a miraculous event. The Talmud points to Deuteronomy 31:18 as a general description of this phenomena. There, G-d says "I will hide my face". With that as a background, the verse in Habakuk can be understood in a number of ways. Rashi--one of the foremost jewish biblical scholars--sees the verse as referring to the change that took place with the revelation at Sinai, for until that time, G-d was hidden from the world. User Contributions:Top Document: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Torah and Halachic Authority (3/12) Previous Document: Question 3.44: What is the Meaning of 'All is Futile' from the beginning of Ecclesiastes? Next Document: Question 3.46: What is meant by G-d's throne and the Serphim worshiping him in Isaiah 6:1-6? Single Page [ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ] Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer: SCJ FAQ Maintainer <maintainer@scjfaq.org>
Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:11 PM
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