Rav Kook Torah: Parshat Ki Tisa
I saw a great Dvar Torah by Rav Channan Morrison from The Torah of Rav Kook All credit goes to him After Moshe succeeded in petitioning G-d to forgive the Jewish people for the sin of the golden calf, he made an additional request from G-d: “If You are indeed pleased with me, allow me to know Your ways” (Ex. 33:12 ). What exactly did Moshe desire to know? The Talmud ( Berakhot 7a) explains that Moshe wanted to understand the age-old problem of reward and punishment in this world: Master of the Universe, why is it that some righteous people prosper, while others suffer? Why do some wicked people prosper, and others suffer? Beyond Our Grasp The Talmud records a disagreement with Rav Yossi and Rav Meir. I would like to focus on the second opinion. According to Rabbi Meir, G-d did not fulfill Moshe’ request to explain the mechanics of suffering and reward in this world. The complex calculations of how much of our actions are a function of free will, and how much is due to society, ...