And we have no idea how far reaching our fingerprints can be. We all have the ability to put our fingerprints on G-d’s plan. The Purim story is referred to as Megillas Esther because the events unfolded through her. His desire is to run the world through us. We're meant to partner with Him in the unfolding of the story of mankind. Tefillah is about evaluating how we’re doing as Hashem’s partners, as opposed to a deal-making mechanism to net us the best chance at getting what we want and avoiding what we fear.
Understanding this shifts us into “creator mode.” The mitzvos form us into co-creators they’re for us and not for Him. That means we’re like Him in the sense that we, too, are here to create. Furthermore, Hashem created man in His image.
The more accurate model would be a drawing of a fetus in the womb, us within Hashem, since in reality, there’s nothing outside of Hashem. This attitude is irrational and self-serving because it turns mitzvos into methods of manipulation. “I’ll give money to Camp Simcha, so You don’t give my child cancer.” It’s like avodah zarah - how can I keep the sun god happy so he won’t zap me? In addition, praising Hashem is taught as a way of buttering Him up to get what we want. This is a relationship driven by fear and the desire for what I need. Taking it a step further, it means I need to keep Hashem happy so horrible things won’t happen to me. When asked to describe this relationship, the answer was that Hashem is the Big Boss in the sky, and I’m a tiny speck. Typically, most people will draw a picture placing Hashem at the top and themselves at the bottom. In a lecture I recently gave to 200 female principals, I asked them to draw a picture of themselves and Hashem in space. This attitude leads to many negative states of mind: jealousy, anger, depression, self-pity, and feelings of abandonment. Many women today live in “survivor mode.” They’ve been brought up with the message: Be good, do what Hashem says so you don’t go to Gehinnom. What are the most common challenges frum women are dealing with today? She teaches in Elyon seminary, Shulamith high school, the Jewish Renaissance Center, and. Esther Wein is an internationally recognized educator and lecturer for over 30 years. Read more by Emmanuel Pierre on his blog.Five popular speakers share the challenges and beauty they see within our community - and within each of us Though copies of the book will not be available the night of the event, Emmanuel is happy to autograph books for people who buy copies online and bring them to the event. “The Book of Elyon” can be purchased on Amazon. “My father was preaching at a service one Sunday,” he explains, “and an idea suddenly came to me: What if I rewrote biblical stories as fairy tales for kids to understand?” The rest is history. His initial intention was to pursue research in genetic engineering, but he says, “God had different plans.” He also earned an undergraduate degree in biology from New Jersey Institute of Technology. The Creative Arts Coordinator for Spiritual Formation and advisor for the Nyack College spoken word group, Loud Mouths, Emmanuel is a 2016 alumnus of the Master of Divinity program at Alliance Theological Seminary. Author Emmanuel Jean-Pierre will read from his latest work, “ The Book of Elyon.” A question and answer session will follow. The Nyack College Writing Center will present its “Get Creative” event this month on Thursday, March 15 from 9:30 p.m.
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