FREEDOM
G. K. Chesteron, a great lover of paradox himself, once spoke of St. Francis of Assisi as God’s tumbler, the court jester who stands on his head for the pleasure of the king. But he also observed that while Francis entertained his lord, he caught a new glimpse of reality himself. With the world upside down, with all the trees and towers hanging head downward, the visual effect was essentially one of dependence. Instead of taking pride in the strength of Assisi’s massive walls, Francis was now amazed to see them suspended by the power of God alone. It is precisely a twist such as this which characterizes the Jewish conception of human life, the doctrine of the human. The freedom to be fully human is found, strangely, not in perfect independence, but in submitting oneself to the Creator. Keeping the 613 commandments of the Torah is therefore viewed as an exercise in freedom. Nothing restrictive and limiting is associated with the divine…
To view this resource, log in or sign up for a subscription plan
