Winter 1984 - 1985 - Quarterly Review

QUARTERLY REVIEW, WINTER 1984
bewildering in its manifestations. It empowers and controls, limits
and enhances, equalizes and points out the inequalities of its divine
and human partners (see Gen. 18:23-27). But no matter how
bewildering aspects of the covenantal relationship may be, one issue
is clear. The bonds of the covenant commit its parties to mutual
concern, care, and in Abraham's case, love. God now knows that
those who will follow Abraham will have been taught by him to be
God's ambassadors to the family of humankind. They will sanctify
God's name before all the world. Abraham's seed will know that their
parent's merit and model assure them of God's love. God needed
Abraham and needs us as well. After all, 'El Shaddai covenanted with
Abraham's children after him. So long as we cany our covenantal
responsibility as Abraham did, we may live with hope that God will,
in the end, reward covenantal responsiveness with redemption.
Jews throughout the generations have spoken of "the joy of
commandments." Living under the covenantal obligations of Torah
was never a burden to faithful Jews. Indeed, we have insisted that
those who observe the Torah are truly free (Mishnah, Abot 6:2). The
covenant has always reminded us of marriage, in this case, between
God and Israel. Our liturgy—morning and evening—connects God's
love with God's law. Thus, we signal with our lives that we believe
that we can give something to God as God has given to us, "I shall
betroth you to me forever" (Hosea 2:20) is whispered from God to
Israel and back again as each Jewish generation renews the covenant
and imprints its sign in the flesh of its children.
GENESIS 17:15-19
"One who changes his name changes his luck" (BT Rosh Hashanah
16b). God changes Abram into Abraham and Sarai into Sarah and
their fortunes change completely. "Who would have said to Abraham
that Sarah should suckle children?" (Gen. 21:7). The answer before
the renaming would have been, "No one!" But Sarah did give birth to
a son, and Abraham called him Isaac, "laughter," as God had told
him. What is in a name!
At creation's beginning we find God giving things their name. Day,
night, heaven, sea, man, and woman all receive their names from God
according to the biblical narrative. God brings all living things to
Adam who gives them names, and God was interested to see what
Adam would call them (Gen. 2:19-20). Names are the beginning of
relationships. Had Adam failed to name the creatures he lived with,
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