Is God perfect?

in the image of godMany of us grew up in the belief that God is all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful. How can such a being not be perfect, if it is capable of anything? Who wouldn't choose perfection?

As it turns out, God didn't. He created many things that are far from complete or without flaw. Some of his very best creations are full of imperfections: most notably, mankind. Even Moses, Moshe Rabbenu, had such a temper that it kept him from being allowed into the land promised to the Israelites. God Himself ~ or herself, if you like ~ could be angry and seemingly capricious toward his own chosen people.

Our own imperfections sometimes keep us from seeing the good, the different, the worthwhile in others. There is a midrash (a teaching story) in Judaism about the ineffable name of God. When you stack the letters yud, hey, vav, hey, it makes a human form, a reminder to see the divinity in all people. Not the perfection, or lack thereof, but the majesty and mystery of creation. B'tzelim Elohim...in the image of God.

Click here to order a papercut based on the midrash.

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