GOD DIVIDES, PEOPLE UNITE

In the Torah, the material world is brought into being. This is the Creation story. It’s about introducing something new in the universe. It was quite the homogenous universe before the finite and mortal one was created.

            The process is one of separating things. Distinguishments are the nature of Creation. Boundaries are described into existence. Things of oneness are torn asunder into things of many.

            The spiritual is separated from the physical.

            The light is separated from the darkness.

            The firmament is separated from the planet.

            The land is separated from the water.

            Day is separated from night.

            A wide variety of vegetation is distinguished by its seeds.

            Animals are taxonomically classified apart from each other.

            God parted the waters of the Sea of Reeds (the Red Sea).

            God was fire during the night and smoke during the day, as the Children of Israel wandered through the wilderness.

            The Ten Commandments were the delineation of Revelation.

            The profane is distinguish from the Holy.

The Holy is contrasted to the mundane.

In the animal kingdom, the genders have been separated. They must be brought together to reproduce [create] the young of their kind. For many animals, it is not just the reproductive biology that distinguishes the 2 genders. The male and female of each species are very different in their behaviors, lifestyles, relationships to their progeny, and appetites. Each gender acts according to their natures and instincts. There is little or no commentary involved in the decision of what each one’s role is.

            It is much more complicated for people. Human beings are unique.

            Male and female, albeit the same species, have biological, functional, physiological, emotional, intellectual, and anatomical distinctions. Lots of overlap is characteristic between the genders, but general trends are well defined.

            Throughout humanities existence, people have sought to compensate for these Divine-induced separations.

            We are mandated by God to bring the spiritual and the material into confluence. To bridge the Heavenly with the Earthly.

            We create light (understanding) in the darkness (chaos). Bring darkness (evil) into light (good).

            We transition among land and sky and water and space. Our tools make us flying amphibians.

            We light up the night.

            We use the plants and animals alone and in combination to serve our needs.

            We tame animals to be our friends and helpers. By our behaviors and sentiments, we become animalistic. Sometimes, we become something new that rises above our human limitations and instincts. Sometimes, we depravedly act in ways that make ourselves and the animals ashamed and fearful.

            In The Book of Genesis, Man (which may not imply gender initially) is created, and later divided into male and female. The division is more than anatomical and biological. The separation is all the differences listed above and more.

            Our job is to bring all these differences together and realize the full potential. Yes, this is necessary for procreation. It is also critical for understanding, interpretation, and insight. Neither gender can see or describe the full picture. We require the input of all that each can contribute.

            The mind produces wisdom according to the individual’s gender. Gender truly affects perceptions and reactions. This wisdom is only complete when informed by the joined thoughts. A wide variety of grokking is brought to the table. That which makes up the entirety of a woman shines a different light than that of a man. How wonderful that there are even similarities. Expand the experience when we expand our minds.

            Thus, if only men are the leaders, the thinkers, the inventors, the interpreters, the world gets only that part of the picture. And it may not be even half of what this material universe offers.

            Women may have greater instincts for bearing and raising children. And they may not. Men may be better organized. And they may not. Nothing is done optimally or properly unless the two approaches are allowed to govern the world.

A religious document cannot be comprehended unless the female sensitivity is given the same weight as the male sensitivity. God has no gender. The words of God cannot be transmitted without bringing together male and female views, constructions, and translations. Without both, the Holy Scriptures and other writings seem to be harsh, inconsistent, and contradictory. Without this totality of appreciation and wisdom, these books smack of arrogance and bullying in their incomprehensibility.

No wonder the words of God, as expressed in the Torah and other sacred writings before and after, seem to be so harsh, unforgiving, and dogmatic. Not to mention confusing. That is not how it is intended to be. It is supposed to be clear and unambiguous. These tomes describe definitive pathways and explicit advice.

The problem throughout history, is that the male attitude has held knowledge and discernment apart, monopolizing enlightenment. But reality is different. That monopolization is not how anything was created. It was created by a gender-neutral Deity. It was never intended to be taught only by one aspect of its origin and nature.

In order to resolve the conundrums of our existence, we need a melding of the seemingly opposing but realistically embracing forces within our species. Nothing can be shut out. The wonder is found in confluence.