CONGREGATION B'NAI JACOB:Rabbi's Thought For The Day

"And G-d saw that it was good"

Genesis, the story of Creation, opens the Hebrew Bible and is not only one of the most important but also one of the most badly misunderstood sections of the Torah. It has so much to teach and it also has something important for us to consider as we honor our dear friend Betty Schoenbaum on her 90^th birthday.

Let me start with why I say it is so misunderstood. The Creation story in the Torah was never meant to be a scientific explanation of the origins of the universe. That is why the Evolution/Creationism debate is so frustrating to me. Science is a separate discipline; its methodology, which includes the scientific process, is used to explain how things came into being.

The Torah is not interested in cosmology but morality, and its stories are not chosen to explain scientific phenomenon. The Torah is there to teach the why, as in why did G-d make the world? What is man and what is our relationship with G-d? It is written to give life meaning and give human existence purpose. And to do that, it often uses “story” (not science) to give us these fundamental teachings. The first 31 sentences of the Torah, and that is all the Creation story consists of, gives ancient Jews and modern Jews some of the central ideas and concepts about G-d and about His world.

I think people, religious and non-religious, miss the entire point of Genesis. Some read the Creation story and say: “Oh, this is just ancient man’s attempt to explain how the universe was formed. It is scientifically flawed.” Therefore, they dismiss it. Others say, “Oh, no. These are G-d’s words and if He says this is how life began, this is how it started. Anything that rejects this narrative (like evolution) must be flawed.”

There is another way to read it. Perhaps, the Torah is written to teach us about G-d, about the human condition, and about a purposeful life. To understand Genesis, all one has to do is place the Hebrew Bible not next to a science text, but next to every other creation story written at or around that time. When you do that, you see what the Torah may have really been teaching ancient man and now us. Let me explain.

Read every creation story at the time and almost every single one starts with a cosmic battle between “The Gods”. Polytheistic accounts of creation always begin with some titanic struggle in the heavens between cosmic and divine forces. In other narratives, the “Gods” fight for supremacy and power, with chaos in the heavens spilling over onto earth. Not so in Genesis. Genesis is this majestic and sweeping story of the one G-d, the Divine Force, who simply speaks and the world comes into being. The story is orderly, calm and peaceful. The Torah teaches us that life is beautiful and created by a loving G-d.

In other creation stories, “The Gods” unleash powerful forces in creating this world but quickly lose control over the same natural forces they have unleashed. They lose mastery over their creation and the world is overrun by chaos. Not so with the G-d of Genesis. Genesis says G-d spoke and things came into being; G-d says “Enough” and the creative forces dance to His will. G-d is in complete control over the universe.

One more. In every other creation story, the origins of “The Gods” are told. How did these Gods come into being is key to each story. Not in Genesis. Genesis has no interest in explaining the origins of G-d; His existence is assumed. He doesn’t require an origin story. There is nothing like Him, nothing before Him and nothing will ever challenge Him.

I could go on, but here is my point. To the ancient Israelites, this story taught them not so much about science but rather about the nature of G-d and the world. They were all too familiar with these creation stories but this account was unlike any other and this G-d was unlike any other. That was the purpose of Genesis. It was a document on faith, taking the “myths”, legends and ideas of the past and using them to give us a new way of looking at the nature of the world and give us new ideas about G-d and humanity’s purpose.

And one of the most important ideas about life is also found in Genesis and I use it to say a word about Betty Schoenbaum. One of the most important phrases in Genesis is:

“And G-d saw what He had made and it was good.”

That line is found several times throughout the Creation story. It is a profound statement about life.

The ancient world didn’t see life or “The Gods” quite like that. Hardly. They saw the world as dark and sinister, they viewed “The Gods” as adversaries and Man as a creature capable of only anger and retribution. Not in Genesis. G-d creates and says, “It is good.” We are taught that for G-d, life is about goodness, about creating and about enjoying the fruits of this Creation. As the rabbis point out, G-d teaches us in Genesis to love all that one does just as G-d loved His creations. He created a world out of sheer joy.

What a different approach from anything written at the time! Life is about creating joy and feeling a sense of goodness and fulfillment from our labors.

That key message in Genesis is also the life story of Betty Schoenbaum as well. Throughout her incredible life, every organization and charity (and B’nai Jacob is just as guilty), run to honor and thank Betty for her latest incredible gifts. It is understandable. One cannot walk into B’nai Jacob, for example, and not feel the Schoenbaum touch. It is everywhere, from our educational center to our new social hall, from our endowment fund to our main sanctuary. And the same can be said at countless locations in West Virginia, Ohio, Florida, Israel, and beyond.

But it is time to just thank Betty for the emotional and spiritual gifts she has imparted to us, showing us all the sheer joy one can have about giving. Beyond her wonderful philanthropy is how she teaches us to love giving and to enjoy giving. In Genesis, G-d is constantly saying “and it was good,” teaching us the incredible happiness one can feels when brightening the world. That joy in bringing beauty to the world is taught by Betty as well. Giving and creating joy gives her that same feeling of happiness.

I love the picture we have in the main floor by the office. It is a plaque honoring the Schoenbaum family for starting our endowment fund in the mid-1980s. I love the picture because both Betty and Alex, of blessed memory, are in it. However, go upstairs and look near the door next to our education center and you will find a much better picture, an extremely touching one. It is just of Betty, and she is surrounded by the kids of our Sunday school, taken at the dedication of the education center. That picture teaches us what life should be all about, for look at Betty’s face and look at the joy you see in her smile. Because Betty is not about her gifts but the fruits of her gifts and what happens after she plants her seeds and gets to see them grow.

“And G-d saw that it was good.”

So does Betty. Betty loves seeing her gifts being used and bringing joy to the lives of others. It is never about the gift but seeing kids and seeing a community vibrant and thriving as a result of her gifts. That brings her happiness.

I don’t know why I did this, but I went upstairs this week with Steve Max to made sure the education center that Betty gave us looked perfect for her birthday, that the computers were off, the chairs arranged perfectly, papers and books in order, and blackboards clean. But afterwards, I asked myself: Why? Betty does not care about nor wants perfectly clean and spotless rooms. She doesn’t want a place that just says, “Look at what my money bought”. She wants to see her gifts being used to bring joy, wants children to enjoy learning, wants a sanctuary with people in it, and social halls with people celebrating life. If they are messy, it means people have been in there, affected positively and that makes her happy. Betty is about spreading joy and as she loves to say, “making someone happy”.

We love Betty because, beyond giving, there is happiness in all she does, happiness in her voice, radiance in her demeanor, and joy in her heart. She is a person who loves to spread joy, who loves hugs, laughter, and to hear that someone’s life has been made more pleasant. What a lesson in giving and in living.

I’ll never forget what Betty taught me once. She didn’t realize the impact it made on me, but I will never forget it and with this I close.

A while back, I came over to her house. We were talking and I saw a beautiful plaque, one she had just received. It was absolutely gorgeous and I complemented her on it. She just dismissed it and waved me off. She said it was nice but, “c’mere, I want to show you something.” She took me to the dining room table where she was adding to a scrapbook a letter and a photo she received from a student. It was from a young woman who was a recipient of one of her many scholarships. She wrote to Betty, explaining how it has changed her life forever. As Betty read it to me, her eyes welled up with tears, tears of joy. She was so happy for that woman.

Betty, like G-d, saw that it was good.

That is the joy that G-d experienced in Creation and what we are to strive for in life. Betty lives it every day: that joy she has for life and for giving, that happiness doing things for the world brings her is her greatest gift to us all.

“And G-d saw that it was good.”

What an incredible statement about G-d. G-d is not just Creator, Judge or Master of us all. He is about making worlds, impacting His creature, and then looking at all He has done and celebrating the beautiful saplings He has planted that are growing.

And I can think of no better way to say thank G-d for Betty Schoenbaum. Because more than just about her gifts and philanthropy, Betty was put on this earth, I believe, to teach us how to see this world and that is to be loving, giving, and finding joy in brightening the lives of others. May she continue to see the beautiful seeds she has planted grow and may G-d continue to look upon all Betty Schoenbaum has done and declare “she is very good”.

AMEN

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