Adelson A.

Jaugan #8
Pentateuch
Sr. Helen Graham M. M.
There has been a great tendency to many people to literally interpret the bible passages

especially the Torah. But, it is good that here have been many investigations as regards to the

Torah’s authorship, source, history, context, and anything that are related to it. Many scholars

claimed differently from the other scholars, some also complemented to the others. There were

scholars like Joseph Campbell who claimed that those are myths. On the other hand,

Investigators like Megan who claimed that all stories are true and some of them actually

happened. There were also suggestions from some scholars that there were people, whom the

scholars would call Deuteronomist or Retractors, who combined the various sources. Also, there

is still a space of mystery in terms of the one who wrote the Torah: “Is it J, P, E, and D, or

Moses”? In terms of translation, it was discovered that there are some words that are poorly

translated, which greatly affected the whole context of the writings. Moreover, it was discovered

that there had been many different world views and different stories, which requires adjustment

like high tolerance for different versions on the part of the scholars and also the readers (Michael

Fishbane). Such studying about the bible, specifically of the Torah, is not a simple task for them

(also for us); but what is good about it was that they tried to see beyond what can be directly read

in the scriptures. Also, they did not merely get pious insights from it without seeing its whole

context and even the way it is translated. Such study of the Bible, especially the Torah, is a never

ending task. As what Sr. Helen Graham says, “This study is never finished; each age must in its

own way newly seek to understand the sacred books.” Yes, critical studies are helpful means to

understand the Torah, but what is interesting here to be focused on is how the Jewish people,

especially the religious ones, greatly affected their way of life in relation to the events of the
Torah and the Torah itself, as it presents the story of the work of God in the human history, and

as it has been accorded by the Judaism the “highest level of sanctity” (Adele Berlin and Marc

Zvi Brettler, The Jewish Study Bible). They recited the Shema wholeheartedly, they followed

many certain laws, they follow the Mosaic way, and they worship God in their ways as what they

believed to be the proper way to worship God (which is also, in a sense, similar to Christianity).

With their certain attitudes, observances, and practices, it is good to ask: “How is it to be the

chosen people of God?”

There have been many common misconceptions towards the Jewish ways as they

saw those as weird things to be practiced in the contemporary time. Many thought that Jewish

women are oppressed, and they thought their laws are unreasonable. Moreover, there are things

that most people do not understand about their practices such as the Mitzvot that they are

following. Such things will be left “Weird” to common people’s conception if they only remain

on what they just perceived basing only to their own prejudices. But really, what does it mean to

become a Jew? How is it to be the chosen people of God?

What’s important here to be talked about is the relation between God and His chosen

people (referring to the Israelites described in Torah), as they were called to worship God, as

they followed Moses as a leader, and as they slowly established norms and practices that they

ought to follow in the long run. What is good on the part of the Jews is that they could directly

relate to the Torah. When they pray, they pray wholeheartedly because it was their experience as

Jews to be with God in their journey. When they follow certain laws, they understood why they

were following such laws. Moreover, they are aware that the scriptures were written during the

exile, they are aware about the different versions of the stories (like the creation story), and they

are aware the things that would seemingly weird but has sense (such as the stoning of the
stubborn son). Neither did they not blindly believe the scripture without knowing its context nor

followed the practices without appreciating its meaning. In fact, they are very knowledgeable

about it because it is their life. It is their very own experience because they are the chosen people

of God who purely received security, protection, love, and commandments from God.

One thing that is astonishing is the Shema they recite, at least twice, daily. They

understood, in spite of its complex explanations and meanings, what it means about the” Oneness

of God” and what it means to “love God with all your soul, heart and strength”. In a certain

sense, that is one explanation why Jews follow the Mitzvot (as an expression of their love of

God). They have practices, rituals, liturgical reenactment, and holidays such as the Succoth as an

act of their remembrance, and as sign of their thanksgiving to God. Seeing these things, we have

a confirmation that as the chosen people of God, they could directly relate when they worship

and they are aware why they are doing it.

In terms of their practices such as the stoning of a stubborn son to death, right of

inheritance, restriction of women in certain things, and the concepts of purity (as presented in the

scriptures), all those stuffs are reasonable, meaningful, and necessary. Let’s put it this way: why

would a community follow practices that are not reasonable, meaningful, and necessary at all?

But the point is that they follow such practices, one thing is because it is out of necessity to

prevent problems, and another is because as chosen people of God who received commandments

from God through Moses. They want to make a clear way in connecting to God. One example

that has been commonly misunderstood is the concept of purity. Truly, if one would superficially

look at the way Jews speaks and behaves about impurity without knowing it various notions, one

would see it absurd. Sometimes, people see the different notions of purity into one, which
commonly results to strong reactions. But, believe it or not, such practice is reasonable,

meaningful, and necessary.

One of the strongest emphases of Israelite’s being the Chosen people of God is seen on

Exodus 19:1-6, in which He let them remember how He freed them from the enemies’

oppression, how He chose them to be the people who will obey Him and keep His covenant. It is

an emphasis of His love to the Israelite as His treasured possessions “…then out of all nations

you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a

kingdom of priests and a holy nation...” While Israelites follow God’s command and keep His

covenant, they will always be guided and protected by God (even in times of their stubbornness,

God gave them another chances).

So, as people who have covenant with God, and who have tasks to follow His command,

they have certain laws, rituals, form of prayer and worship, and practices which are meaningful,

necessary, and reasonable by their purposes, to fulfill their obligation as the “Chosen People of

God”, and they are aware of the various things happening in the scriptures.

Although it sounds like it is not related to the things talked about, but seeing the pictures

of how the Israelites, the chosen people of God, live their life would help us see clearly what the

context of Jesus Christ was as he was living with those people. It removes biases.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/shema.html, Accessed: Oct. 11, 2014

Sr. Helen R. Graham, “Excerpts from Vatican Documents related to preaching the Word”

Fields, Harvey J., A Torah Commentary for Our Times, New York: UAHC PRESS

Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler, The Jewish Study Bible I, Oxford University Press

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Torah/The_Shema/the_shema.html, Accessed: Oct. 11, 2014

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+6%3A4-9 Accessed: Oct. 11, 2014

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+19%3A1-6 Accessed: Oct. 11, 2014

Brueggemann, Walter, An Introduction To the Old Testament. London: Westminster John Knox Press:2003