Biblical Superheros

First, if you haven't read this blog before, you probably should know I'm Jewish.  So, although I totally approve of Jesus (who I'm sure was a very nice Jewish boy) turning water into wine (guaranteeing he got invited to parties for the rest of his life), all of my biblical heroes are from what the goyim would call "The Old Testament" and which I lovingly call "Torah".  (Which is not to say that you guys can't get your heroes from whatever testaments you got.)

What I love about Jewish superheroes is how messed up they are.  Not too long ago by brother Dave complained that my Torah study group is too hard on the Patriarchs.  Too hard on them?  Look at these guys.  Let's use Abraham as an example.  His wife talks him into doing something that he knows is morally reprehensible .. sending Hagaar (whom Sarah talked Abraham into impregnating in the first place) and her son Ishmael off into the wilderness to die.  That's a pretty lousy way to treat your first born son.  As we all know, Abraham doesn't even argue when he thinks G-d wants him to kill the next one.  Yep, that's our dad, our group forefather Abraham.  Go team.

The thing is... well saints aren't very interesting.  Do you think we would study and revere some guy who never did anything questionable?  Where's the fun in that?  We know Abraham was a prophet of the holy one, sovereign of the universe.  Haagar went on to receive blessings as generous as Abraham did.  G-d takes care of his own.  Isaac didn't get the knife (although it was very tense there for about three days).

If we look at stammering, doubting, anger management issues Moses, who was the greatest prophet of all time, and liberated us not just from bondage in Egypt, but established a precedent for us to deliver ourselves and others in the future, we see that the really good ones usually come with some baggage.

As Jews, we like the baggage.  It reminds us of ourselves.  Who wants to sit around and talk about the tzaddik (saint) from down the street?  Yep, he/she is very holy and never screws up... does anyone want to go to the movies?  

So next time you hear us talking trash about our forefathers, remember: that is how we connect with them.  Of course we love and revere them.  Just like we love and revere our real life fathers and mothers.  It still doesn't mean we think they are always right, and more importantly... they are the ones who taught us to ask the hard questions.