The Surprisingly Jewish Theology of David S. Pumpkins
A few weeks ago, reading the story of Cain and Abel, I was struck by a discomfiting thought: God, creator of heaven and earth, source of all light, could be a bit of a jerk.
Consider how He treats poor Cain. Here’s the hard-working farmer, salt of the earth, offering Hashem a delicious, gluten-free, certified-vegan sacrifice; and here’s the Holy One, taking one sniff of the turnips and the squash and refusing Cain’s bounty. Then, noticing that the tiller of soil is walking about with a frown, God speaks to humanity’s first-born son in a quizzical manner that would make even Yoda scratch his head in confusion. “Why art thou wroth?” quoth God, “and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”
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