Elul Project 5782: Day 27
compiled by Isaac Sonett-Assor
Today's Text:
Reconstructing Divine Power
Women and Gender in Jewish Philosophy, pg. 308-11
By Sandra Lubarsky
In a world in which all creatures have the two-fold powers of self-determination and efficient causation, God does not have either omnipotent or coercive power. But neither is God helpless. God has persuasive power over all things and, in fact, this kind of power is unlimited. Persuasion is power, but it is power exercised in response to the integrity of other beings. Its manifestation is felt, but is not necessarily physically visible. For it is a kind of power that relies on the openness of individuals and acts internally. To speak of power in this way is to think of the world as home to real subjectivity and freedom; in this kind of world, power is not control over but the capacity to influence the decisions of another.

At every moment, God intervenes for good in the world, but at every moment God encounters the power that defines free and responsible creatures. Evil happens not because God allows it to happen, but because of the choices that are made by other free creatures who freely choose to ignore or oppose God’s will.
Today's Question
Do you experience some kind of persuasive force that urges you toward good? Could you describe it? When do you feel most attuned to it? When is it harder to feel?

We encourage you to share your thoughts in response to our daily question by emailing elul@templemicah.org as we will incorporate many of them in our Yom Kippur afternoon service with Liz Lerman.
Thank you for your participation!
אַתָּה נוֹתֵן יָד
You Extend a Hand
Throughout the month of Elul, we invite you to take part in Temple Micah’s daily reflection as we explore the symbol of the outstretched hand. What are the forces that guide, sustain, and pull us? When do we find courage from within, and when do we lean on others?
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