Massah and Meribah and the Test of Whether God Is Among Us

Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben Yochai 17:7

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"And he called the name of the place Massah [Testing] and Meribah [Quarrel]" (Exodus 17:7). Rabbi Yehoshua says: Moses called it Massah and Meribah. Rabbi Eliezer the Modaite says: The Omnipresent called it Massah and Meribah, as it says, "and he called the name of the place" [the Omnipresent did the naming]. From here we learn that the Great Court is called "Place." "Because of the quarrel of the children of Israel" and so forth. Rabbi Yehoshua says: They said, if there is a Master of all the worlds, blessed be He, who is present with us as He is present in the world, we shall know it; and if not, we shall not know it. Rabbi Elazar the Modaite says: They said, if He supplies our needs in the wilderness we will serve Him, and if not we will not serve Him.

Themes

FaithDivine JusticeIsrael

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