-
-
The confluence of technology and b’tzelem elohim comes forth in a challenging poem by Admiel Kosman, a poet, Talmudist, and professor of literature. In the poem, the human communicates with the Divine one, but ironically he is the one “installing” him, like one installs a computer program.
Installing You my Lord, in the middle of the night.
Installing You and all Your programs. Up and down
the night goes, in my Windows, slows, installing You and
the kruvim, installing you and the srafim, installing all
the holy crew, until the morning
[© 2007, Admiel Kosman. From: Alternative Prayerbook, Publisher: Hakibbutz Hameuchad, Tel Aviv, 2007.]
The poem fills me with curiosity and wonder.
- We know God wanted our partnership but did God give us even the power to reshape God’s identity?
- Did God want to be created in this particular way?
- Why is the evening the most interesting time for such human installation of the divine?
- Wasn’t that the time when ma’ariv aravim, we were in repose from the days labors?
- What are the digital equivalents of kruvim and seraphim who serve as “connectors” or hyperlinks between the divine and human world?
- And if God plays out the program once installed what happens to the role of the humans who installed God?
(commentary originally appears in Text Me: Ancient Jewish Wisdom Meets Contemporary Technology)
-
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.