early Christian theologian Tertullian said, “I believe because it is absurd.” He was referring, I presume, to the Christian trinity, particularly the idea that G-d could be both fully Divine and fully human. Is Judaism absurd? This week’s Torah portion contains the classic Jewish absurdity: the ritual of the Red Cow. Without going into the details — see Numbers, chapter 19 — the ritual purifies the ritually impure person, while it renders impure the priest who performs the ritual. The ashes of the Red Cow, appropriately moistened and sprinkled, render pure and impure, simultaneously. In ancient Israel this ritual had a central and honored place; in Jewish thought then and since, it retains its status as a fascination and a wonderment. Indeed, there is much […]
‘I believe because it is absurd’ — which belief?
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