Timeless: The Broad Strokes of Time

“When I recall (Zacharti) this matter I am confounded, trembling grips my flesh.” (Job 21:6) “When I recall” the thing I wish to say, “Why do the wicked live?” “I became frightened” for I see the wicked men of the flood. (Rashi)  Rabbi Yosef Kara explains that the common explanation that God will ultimately punish the wicked just as He punished the generation of the flood is what caused Job to tremble!

The explanation and promise of the future punishment of the wicked is what confounds Job! We are often lost when we begin to think of the broader movements of history. We tend to focus on the immediate, often ignoring the lessons of the past, to avoid being overwhelmed, as was Job.

Our connection with God on Rosh Hashana, when He accesses His Timeless perspective is our opportunity to reflect on our lives and environment from the broader perspective of time, without feeling confounded and frightened.