Comments on: Launching my blog posts: A Sufi Look at Genesis, with a Tribute to King James

By: cool sunglasses

cool sunglasses — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:54:10 +0000

One again, your idea is very

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By: Archibald

Archibald — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:25:22 +0000

A very touching and rather impressive expression of male loneliness without a female. It is a relaltively modern concept, fruit of developing undertanding of human nature and psychology. When in the Hebrew text YHWH states that it is not good for ha-adam (the single masculine creature) to be alone, I doubt that the type of loneliness described in this poem and many other comments of a similar sort was uppermost in his mind. YHWH had formed this solitary male earth creature and stated that it was not good that it remain solitary. “I will make a help (Heb ‘ezer) suitable for it. Why? because a single male creature cannot reproduce. So YHWH created all the animals from the ground, same substance as ha-adam, and they were all living creatures, just like ha-adam, but none of them was suitable. Why? because none of them could help ha-adam to reproduce, even though it might be physically possible for him to join sexually with some of those animals. Humankind, the human species, humanity, does not consist of ha-adam, a single male earthly creature. Humankind cannot BE without two genders, male and female. That’s why Elohim created both together at once, male and female, in the divine image (Gen 1.27), which embraces and transcends both genders, and called them Adam=Man (Gen 5.2 NJPS).
In tanakh the noun ‘ezer=help almost exclusively refers to Elohim/YHWH, who alone is the help who enables humans to do what they can’t do for themselves. Thus, ‘ezer is not a mere assistant or help-er, which is what most men really want their women to be, but a true sine que non–without which not. In tanakh the only time a human is called ‘ezer is precisely here in Genesis, and it designates the female, who supplies to the male what he cannot do for himself, namely reproduce.
Through the grace of creator Elohim/YHWH the woman does more that merely help reproduce, she does provide love, pleasure, companionship, and other gifts to overcome masculine solitude, ineptitude, and loneliness, but they are extra blessings over and above the primary purpose of her creation along with him. Of course she needs him to help reproduce, but her role involves the vulnerability of menstruation, pregnancey, parturition, lactation, and child nurturance, which makes it possible for him to rule over her. That’s another story, but it’s part of the sinfulness of Adam, consisting of both male and female.

By: Lauren Reichelt

Lauren Reichelt — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:24:53 +0000

A note on style: Many young people who have a love for traditional Western liberal arts think they have to be politically conservative to delve into the West’s literary canon.

That comment is so funny. I spent four years at St. John’s College reading the great books, blissfully unaware that this was supposed to be the realm of the ultraconservative. Most of my classmates seemed unaware of their conservative nature as well and spent their spare hours reading Ken Kesey. In fact, I did not realize there was supposed to be a connection between St. John’s and conservatives until a professor in graduate school asked me how someone like me ended up at a school like St. John’s. I was horrified when I learned that Rumsfeld’s wife sat on the board and that he wanted to set up the St. John’s curriculum in Iraq.

It was a great school and a terrific education.. I loved every minute of it. I loved your post as well. Thank you!

By: Lorraine Moneypenny

Lorraine Moneypenny — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:36:13 +0000

Beautiful poem, Jason. I enjoyed it from the standpoint of being human. :-) I look forward to your future posts.