Is Moses, or for that matter Abraham, submissive before God, or does he live up to the idea of Yisrael, the one who struggles with God? 

Abraham who disagrees with God’s plan to waste the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their moral depravity went on to dialogue with God (with God’s evident encouragement), and even to challenge Him: “It would be a profanation of Yourself to do such a thing, to kill a righteous person with a wicked one” (Genesis 18: 25). 

Abraham was thus able to convince God that a collective punishment for righteous and wicked alike must be avoided. Why, God stands ready to listen to a human challenge, and if it is reasonable God would embrace it as joyously as a parent would be when “checkmated” by her own child… 

This week (March 1) the Torah reading in synagogues worldwide has God’s wrath flared up over Israel’s erecting a golden calf (in lieu of Moses whom they considered dead after 40 days of being absent from their midst). But Moses confronts God whose anger was so immense that He was ready to disown and annihilate the people. Rather than accept such a radical idea – especially since God was willing to start over again with a new people to generate from Moses’ own progeny – Moses proceeded to “calm” God down by talking “reason” to Him.

First he “corrected” God by telling Him that Israel was God’s people and not his. What Moses essentially says to God is that disposing of the people in the desert failed the test of reasonableness and was wrongful on several accounts. “Withdraw from the fury of Your anger and reconsider Your evil [intentions] against Your people” (Exodus 32:12). And God listened and relented from his ill-intent.

Here we are presented with another biblical proof that God expects humans to state their mind before Him, even to disagree and prove God “wrong” so to speak – as Abraham and Moses did – for God does listen to mortals’ thoughts and pleadings, and may even accept the human’s view. Herein we learn how wise it is to listen to a word of wisdom – even when stated by one who is not your equal – especially at a time of anger; a time when reason departs even from God so to speak…