Holy Chutzpah

Where do we see holy chutzpah in the Torah?

(כה) חָלִ֨לָה לְּךָ֜ מֵעֲשֹׂ֣ת ׀ כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה לְהָמִ֤ית צַדִּיק֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע וְהָיָ֥ה כַצַּדִּ֖יק כָּרָשָׁ֑ע חָלִ֣לָה לָּ֔ךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט֙ כׇּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

Genesis 18:25

(25) Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the innocent as well as the guilty, so that innocent and guilty fare alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

שמות ל״ב:ל״ב

(לב) וְעַתָּ֖ה אִם־תִּשָּׂ֣א חַטָּאתָ֑ם וְאִם־אַ֕יִן מְחֵ֣נִי נָ֔א מִֽסִּפְרְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתָֽבְתָּ׃

Exodus 32:32

(32) Now, if You will forgive their sin [well and good]; but if not, erase me from the record which You have written!”

How do we think the rabbis might have conceived of the ability to challenge G-d in a way that was desirable and even encouraged?

ברכות ל״א ב:ז׳-י׳

אָמְרָה חַנָּה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מִכׇּל צִבְאֵי צְבָאוֹת שֶׁבָּרָאתָ בְּעוֹלָמְךָ קָשֶׁה בְּעֵינֶיךָ שֶׁתִּתֵּן לִי בֵּן אֶחָד? מָשָׁל לַמָּה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה — לְמֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁעָשָׂה סְעוּדָה לַעֲבָדָיו. בָּא עָנִי אֶחָד וְעָמַד עַל הַפֶּתַח, אָמַר לָהֶם: תְּנוּ לִי פְּרוּסָה אַחַת! וְלֹא הִשְׁגִּיחוּ עָלָיו. דָּחַק וְנִכְנַס אֵצֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ, מִכׇּל סְעוּדָה שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ קָשֶׁה בְּעֵינֶיךָ לִיתֵּן לִי פְּרוּסָה אֶחָת?! ״אִם רָאֹה תִרְאֶה״, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אָמְרָה חַנָּה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, ״אִם רָאֹה״ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — ״תִּרְאֶה״. אֵלֵךְ וְאֶסְתַּתֵּר בִּפְנֵי אֶלְקָנָה בַּעֲלִי, וְכֵיוָן דְּמִסְתַּתַּרְנָא מַשְׁקוּ לִי מֵי סוֹטָה, וְאִי אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה תּוֹרָתְךָ פְּלַסְתֵּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וְנִקְּתָה וְנִזְרְעָה זָרַע״.

Berakhot 31b:7-10

Rabbi Elazar explains that Hannah said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, are You not the Lord of the Hosts, and of all of the hosts and hosts of creations that You created in Your world, is it difficult in Your eyes to grant me one son? The Gemara suggests a parable: To what is this similar? It is similar to a flesh and blood king who made a feast for his servants. A poor person came and stood at the door. He said to them: Give me one slice of bread! And they paid him no attention. He pushed and entered before the king. He said to him: My lord, the King, from this entire feast that you have prepared, is it so difficult in your eyes to give me a single slice of bread? As for the double language in the verse, “if you will look upon [im ra’o tireh],” Rabbi Elazar said: Hannah said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, if You will look upon [ra’o] me now, fine, and if not, in any case You will see [tireh]. What was Hannah threatening? She said: I will go and seclude myself with another man before Elkana, my husband. Since I secluded myself, they will force me to drink the sota water to determine whether or not I have committed adultery. I will be found innocent, and since You will not make Your Torah false [pelaster], I will bear children. With regards to a woman who is falsely suspected of adultery and drank the sota water, the Torah says: “And if the woman was not defiled, but was pure, then she shall be acquitted and she shall conceive” (Numbers 5:28).

בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה קָפְצָה רָחֵל אִמֵּנוּ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמְרָה רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, גָּלוּי לְפָנֶיךָ שֶׁיַּעֲקֹב עַבְדְּךָ אֲהָבַנִּי אַהֲבָה יְתֵרָה וְעָבַד בִּשְׁבִילִי לְאַבָּא שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, וּכְשֶׁהִשְׁלִימוּ אוֹתָן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וְהִגִּיעַ זְמַן נִשֹּׂוּאַי לְבַעְלִי, יָעַץ אָבִי לְהַחְלִיפֵנִי לְבַעְלִי בִּשְׁבִיל אֲחוֹתִי, וְהֻקְשָׁה עָלַי הַדָּבָר עַד מְאֹד כִּי נוֹדְעָה לִי הָעֵצָה, וְהוֹדַעְתִּי לְבַעְלִי וּמָסַרְתִּי לוֹ סִימָן שֶׁיַּכִּיר בֵּינִי וּבֵין אֲחוֹתִי כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יוּכַל אָבִי לְהַחֲלִיפֵנִי, וּלְאַחַר כֵּן נִחַמְתִּי בְּעַצְמִי וְסָבַלְתִּי אֶת תַּאֲוָתִי וְרִחַמְתִּי עַל אֲחוֹתִי שֶׁלֹא תֵצֵא לְחֶרְפָּה, וְלָעֶרֶב חִלְּפוּ אֲחוֹתִי לְבַעְלִי בִּשְׁבִילִי, וּמָסַרְתִּי לַאֲחוֹתִי כָּל הַסִּימָנִין שֶׁמָּסַרְתִּי לְבַעְלִי, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְהֵא סָבוּר שֶׁהִיא רָחֵל. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּכְנַסְתִּי תַּחַת הַמִּטָּה שֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹכֵב עִם אֲחוֹתִי וְהָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִמָּהּ וְהִיא שׁוֹתֶקֶת וַאֲנִי מְשִׁיבַתּוּ עַל כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יַכִּיר לְקוֹל אֲחוֹתִי וְגָמַלְתִּי חֶסֶד עִמָּהּ, וְלֹא קִנֵּאתִי בָּהּ וְלֹא הוֹצֵאתִיהָ לְחֶרְפָּה. וּמָה אֲנִי שֶׁאֲנִי בָּשָׂר וָדָם עָפָר וָאֵפֶר לֹא קִנֵּאתִי לַצָּרָה שֶׁלִּי וְלֹא הוֹצֵאתִיהָ לְבוּשָׁה וּלְחֶרְפָּה, וְאַתָּה מֶלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם, רַחֲמָן, מִפְּנֵי מָה קִנֵאתָ לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ מַמָּשׁ, וְהִגְלֵיתָ בָּנַי וְנֶהֶרְגוּ בַּחֶרֶב וְעָשׂוּ אוֹיְבִים בָּם כִּרְצוֹנָם. מִיָּד נִתְגַּלְגְּלוּ רַחֲמָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמַר, בִּשְׁבִילֵךְ רָחֵל אֲנִי מַחֲזִיר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִמְקוֹמָן

Eicha Rabbah, Petichta 24

At that moment, Rachel our Matriarch jumped forward before the Holy One Blessed be He and said ”Master of the Universe! it is known before You that Your servant Yacov’s love for me knew no bounds, and he worked for my father for seven years for me. When those seven years were completed and the time came for my marriage to my husband, my father advised exchanging me with my sister. This was exceedingly difficult for me, when I learned of his plan, I informed Yacov. I gave him signs so that he could distinguish between me and my sister, so that my father would not be able to exchange me. After that I regretted it, I suffered [to overcome] my desire – I had compassion for my sister, I didn’t want her to suffer disgrace, so I gave her all the signs that I had given to my husband, so that he would think that she was me (Rachel)…... I acted kindly with her, I was not jealous of her, and I did not cause her to be shamed and disgraced. What am I? Flesh and blood, dust and ashes! But I was not jealous of my ‘rival’ wife, and I did not allow her to be shamed and disgraced, but You, Merciful Living and Eternal King, why are You jealous of idolatry that is not at all important? You exiled my children who were slain by the sword, and allowed their enemies to do with them as they pleased?” Gd’s mercy was immediately aroused, and He said: "For your sake, Rachel, I shall return Israel to their place."

תענית כ״ג א:ד׳-ו׳

מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁשָּׁלְחוּ לְחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל וְכוּ׳. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: פַּעַם אַחַת יָצָא רוֹב אֲדָר וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים, שָׁלְחוּ לְחוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל: הִתְפַּלֵּל וְיֵרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים! הִתְפַּלֵּל, וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים. עָג עוּגָה וְעָמַד בְּתוֹכָהּ, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה חֲבַקּוּק הַנָּבִיא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַל מִשְׁמַרְתִּי אֶעֱמֹדָה וְאֶתְיַצְּבָה עַל מָצוֹר וְגוֹ׳״. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! בָּנֶיךָ שָׂמוּ פְּנֵיהֶם עָלַי, שֶׁאֲנִי כְּבֶן בַּיִת לְפָנֶיךָ. נִשְׁבָּע אֲנִי בְּשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁאֵינִי זָז מִכָּאן עַד שֶׁתְּרַחֵם עַל בָּנֶיךָ. הִתְחִילוּ גְּשָׁמִים מְנַטְּפִין. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבִּי! רְאִינוּךְ וְלֹא נָמוּת, כִּמְדוּמִּין אָנוּ שֶׁאֵין גְּשָׁמִים יוֹרְדִין אֶלָּא לְהַתִּיר שְׁבוּעָתְךָ. אָמַר: לֹא כָּךְ שָׁאַלְתִּי, אֶלָּא גִּשְׁמֵי בּוֹרוֹת שִׁיחִין וּמְעָרוֹת. יָרְדוּ בְּזַעַף, עַד שֶׁכׇּל טִפָּה וְטִפָּה כִּמְלֹא פִּי חָבִית. וְשִׁיעֲרוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁאֵין טִפָּה פְּחוּתָה מִלּוֹג. אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבִּי, רְאִינוּךְ וְלֹא נָמוּת, כִּמְדוּמִּין אָנוּ שֶׁאֵין גְּשָׁמִים יוֹרְדִין אֶלָּא לְאַבֵּד הָעוֹלָם.

Taanit 23a:4-6

§ The mishna taught: An incident occurred in which the people sent a message to Ḥoni HaMe’aggel. This event is related in greater detail in the following baraita. The Sages taught: Once, most of the month of Adar had passed but rain had still not fallen. They sent this message to Ḥoni HaMe’aggel: Pray, and rain will fall. He prayed, but no rain fell. He drew a circle in the dust and stood inside it, in the manner that the prophet Habakkuk did, as it is stated: “And I will stand upon my watch and set myself upon the tower, and I will look out to see what He will say to me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved” (Habakkuk 2:1). This verse is taken to mean that Habakkuk fashioned a kind of prison for himself where he sat. Ḥoni said before God: Master of the Universe, Your children have turned their faces toward me, as I am like a member of Your household. Therefore, I take an oath by Your great name that I will not move from here until you have mercy upon Your children and answer their prayers for rain. Rain began to trickle down, but only in small droplets. His students said to him: Rabbi, we have seen that you can perform great wonders, but this quantity of rain is not enough to ensure that we will not die. It appears to us that a small amount of rain is falling only to enable you to dissolve your oath, but it is not nearly enough to save us. Ḥoni said to God: I did not ask for this, but for rain to fill the cisterns, ditches, and caves. Rain began to fall furiously, until each and every drop was as big as the mouth of a barrel, and the Sages estimated that no drop was less than a log in size. His students said to him: Rabbi, we have seen that you can call on God to perform miracles and we will not die, but now it appears to us that rain is falling only to destroy the world.

תענית כ״ג א:ט׳

שָׁלַח לוֹ שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שָׁטַח: אִלְמָלֵא חוֹנִי אַתָּה, גּוֹזְרַנִי עָלֶיךָ נִידּוּי. שֶׁאִילּוּ שָׁנִים כִּשְׁנֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ שֶׁמַּפְתְּחוֹת גְּשָׁמִים בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁל אֵלִיָּהוּ, לֹא נִמְצָא שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְחַלֵּל עַל יָדְךָ,

Taanit 23a:9

Shimon ben Shetaḥ relayed to Ḥoni HaMe’aggel: If you were not Ḥoni, I would have decreed ostracism upon you. For were these years like the years of Elijah, when the keys of rain were entrusted in Elijah’s hands, and he swore it would not rain, wouldn’t the name of Heaven have been desecrated by your oath not to leave the circle until it rained? Once you have pronounced this oath, either yours or Elijah’s must be falsified.

מדרש תהילים כ״ב:י״ב

(יב) דבר אחר אלי אלי למה עזבתני. אלי בים אלי בסיני למה עזבתני. למה נשתנה עלי סידורו של עולם וסידורן של אמהות. מה שרה אמנו על ידי שנשבית לילה אחת לקה הוא וכל ביתו שנאמר (בראשית יב יז) וינגע ה' את פרעה נגעים גדולים ואת ביתו. אמרה אסתר ואני נתונה בחיקו של אותו רשע כל השנים הללו למה אין אתה עושה לי נסים.

Midrash Tehillim 22:12

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me. My God at the sea, my God at Sinai, why have you abandoned me. Why have you abandoned the ways of the world and the ways of the matriarchs. Sarah our mother was a captive for one night and the entire household was struck…I am in the hold of this evil man for so many years–why have no miracles happened for me?!

בבא מציעא נ״ט ב:א׳-ה׳

וזה הוא תנור של עכנאי מאי עכנאי אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל שהקיפו דברים כעכנא זו וטמאוהו תנא באותו היום השיב רבי אליעזר כל תשובות שבעולם ולא קיבלו הימנו אמר להם אם הלכה כמותי חרוב זה יוכיח נעקר חרוב ממקומו מאה אמה ואמרי לה ארבע מאות אמה אמרו לו אין מביאין ראיה מן החרוב חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי אמת המים יוכיחו חזרו אמת המים לאחוריהם אמרו לו אין מביאין ראיה מאמת המים חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי כותלי בית המדרש יוכיחו הטו כותלי בית המדרש ליפול גער בהם רבי יהושע אמר להם אם תלמידי חכמים מנצחים זה את זה בהלכה אתם מה טיבכם לא נפלו מפני כבודו של רבי יהושע ולא זקפו מפני כבודו של ר"א ועדיין מטין ועומדין חזר ואמר להם אם הלכה כמותי מן השמים יוכיחו יצאתה בת קול ואמרה מה לכם אצל ר"א שהלכה כמותו בכ"מ עמד רבי יהושע על רגליו ואמר (דברים ל, יב) לא בשמים היא מאי לא בשמים היא אמר רבי ירמיה שכבר נתנה תורה מהר סיני אין אנו משגיחין בבת קול שכבר כתבת בהר סיני בתורה (שמות כג, ב) אחרי רבים להטות אשכחיה רבי נתן לאליהו א"ל מאי עביד קוב"ה בההיא שעתא א"ל קא חייך ואמר נצחוני בני נצחוני בני

Bava Metzia 59b:1-5

And this is known as the oven of akhnai. The Gemara asks: What is the relevance of akhnai, a snake, in this context? Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: It is characterized in that manner due to the fact that the Rabbis surrounded it with their statements like this snake, which often forms a coil when at rest, and deemed it impure. The Sages taught: On that day, when they discussed this matter, Rabbi Eliezer answered all possible answers in the world to support his opinion, but the Rabbis did not accept his explanations from him. After failing to convince the Rabbis logically, Rabbi Eliezer said to them: If the halakha is in accordance with my opinion, this carob tree will prove it. The carob tree was uprooted from its place one hundred cubits, and some say four hundred cubits. The Rabbis said to him: One does not cite halakhic proof from the carob tree. Rabbi Eliezer then said to them: If the halakha is in accordance with my opinion, the stream will prove it. The water in the stream turned backward and began flowing in the opposite direction. They said to him: One does not cite halakhic proof from a stream. Rabbi Eliezer then said to them: If the halakha is in accordance with my opinion, the walls of the study hall will prove it. The walls of the study hall leaned inward and began to fall. Rabbi Yehoshua scolded the walls and said to them: If Torah scholars are contending with each other in matters of halakha, what is the nature of your involvement in this dispute? The Gemara relates: The walls did not fall because of the deference due Rabbi Yehoshua, but they did not straighten because of the deference due Rabbi Eliezer, and they still remain leaning. Rabbi Eliezer then said to them: If the halakha is in accordance with my opinion, Heaven will prove it. A Divine Voice emerged from Heaven and said: Why are you differing with Rabbi Eliezer, as the halakha is in accordance with his opinion in every place that he expresses an opinion? Rabbi Yehoshua stood on his feet and said: It is written: “It is not in heaven” (Deuteronomy 30:12). The Gemara asks: What is the relevance of the phrase “It is not in heaven” in this context? Rabbi Yirmeya says: Since the Torah was already given at Mount Sinai, we do not regard a Divine Voice, as You already wrote at Mount Sinai, in the Torah: “After a majority to incline” (Exodus 23:2). Since the majority of Rabbis disagreed with Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion, the halakha is not ruled in accordance with his opinion. The Gemara relates: Years after, Rabbi Natan encountered Elijah the prophet and said to him: What did the Holy One, Blessed be He, do at that time, when Rabbi Yehoshua issued his declaration? Elijah said to him: The Holy One, Blessed be He, smiled and said: My children have triumphed over Me; My children have triumphed over Me.

What are some similarities you see between these stories in terms of why their brazenness towards Hashem is considered to be admirable?

What effects did their “holy chutzpah” have on others around them?

What can we learn from the stories of showing chutzpah towards Hashem?

What do you think the line is between “holy chutzpah” and disrespect?

Holy Chutzpah in our interactions with others

תענית כ׳ ב:א׳

נִזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ אָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה מְכוֹעָר בְּיוֹתֵר. אָמַר לוֹ: שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיךָ רַבִּי! וְלֹא הֶחְזִיר לוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: רֵיקָה, כַּמָּה מְכוֹעָר אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ! שֶׁמָּא כׇּל בְּנֵי עִירֶךָ מְכוֹעָרִין כְּמוֹתְךָ? אָמַר לוֹ: אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ, אֶלָּא לֵךְ וֶאֱמוֹר לָאוּמָּן שֶׁעֲשָׂאַנִי: ״כַּמָּה מְכוֹעָר כְּלִי זֶה שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ״. כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּדַע בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁחָטָא, יָרַד מִן הַחֲמוֹר וְנִשְׁתַּטַּח לְפָנָיו, וְאָמַר לוֹ: נַעֲנֵיתִי לְךָ, מְחוֹל לִי! אָמַר לוֹ: אֵינִי מוֹחֵל לְךָ עַד שֶׁתֵּלֵךְ לָאוּמָּן שֶׁעֲשָׂאַנִי וֶאֱמוֹר לוֹ: כַּמָּה מְכוֹעָר כְּלִי זֶה שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ.

Taanit 20b:1

He happened upon an exceedingly ugly person, who said to him: Greetings to you, my rabbi, but Rabbi Elazar did not return his greeting. Instead, Rabbi Elazar said to him: Worthless [reika] person, how ugly is that man. Are all the people of your city as ugly as you? The man said to him: I do not know, but you should go and say to the Craftsman Who made me: How ugly is the vessel you made. When Rabbi Elazar realized that he had sinned and insulted this man merely on account of his appearance, he descended from his donkey and prostrated himself before him, and he said to the man: I have sinned against you; forgive me. The man said to him: I will not forgive you go until you go to the Craftsman Who made me and say: How ugly is the vessel you made.

ברכות ל״א ב:ב׳

אִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי, הָכִי אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ: לֹא אָדוֹן אַתָּה? לָאו אִיכָּא שְׁכִינָה וְרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ גַּבָּךְ, שֶׁדַּנְתַּנִי לְכַף חוֹבָה וְלֹא דַּנְתַּנִי לְכַף זְכוּת? מִי לָא יָדְעַתְּ דְּאִשָּׁה קְשַׁת רוּחַ אָנוֹכִי?!

Berakhot 31b:2

Some say another version of her response. She said to him, questioning: Aren’t you a master? Aren’t the Divine Presence and Divine Spirit with you that you judged me to be guilty, and you did not judge me to be innocent? Didn’t you know that I am a woman of distressed spirit?

What liberties do we have in holy chutzpah with our fellow human that we do not have when showing holy chutzpah with G-d?

What liberties do we have in holy chutzpah with G-d that we do not have when showing holy chutzpah with our fellow human?