Is it appropriate to challenge God when things are going wrong? To insist that God change His ways?

While the role of the prophet is associated with transmitting the word of God to his people, he does have another role--and that is to serve as a defense attorney --protecting Am Yisrael and cajoling God to intercede.

There are no prophets today. Still, God wants and expects each of us to make such demands of Him. In doing so we acknowledge that God loves us and that God has the power to fulfill our requests.

This week's portion makes this very point. After the Jews constructed the golden calf, Moshe ( Moses) who is atop the mountain, is told by God, haniha li--let me be, so that I can destroy the Jewish people (Exodus 32:10).

Why does God demand haniha li, the Midrash asks ? After all, Moshe was not holding on to God. But it can be compared, the Midrash continues, to a king, who becomes angry with his child. Taking him into a small room , the king begins to yell, "Leave me alone to kill him." The child's teacher passes by and hearing the king, wonders: The king and his child are alone inside, why does he shout, "leave me alone ?" Obviously the king really wants me to go make peace between him and his child. What he's really saying is; "don't let me kill him, stop me." It is not always the case that what we say reveals what is in our hearts. Often the nonverbal message is more important.

Similarly, the Midrash concludes, although God says to Moshe , "Let me be," what He's really saying is: "Moshe please stop me. Don't let Me destroy the people. Intervene on their behalf. " And so it was.

It is told that when the Klausenberger Rebbe came to America he insisted that the tokhaha, the curse, be read aloud (Leviticus Chapter 26). His Hasidim were distressed. After all the custom is to read the curse in a low tone and for that matter to read it quickly. The Klausenberger explained: During the Shoah I lost my wife and 11 children. As I begin anew, I insist that the curse be read loud and I insist that it be read slowly. This is my way of saying: "Listen Oh Lord, each of the curses have come true. Now is the time for the blessings."

In our partnership with God to redeem the world we must always ask ourselves whether we are doing our share. But in the same breath, we have a right and even a responsibility to respectfully ask: "Oh Lord are You doing enough ?"

Loo yehi--if only our petitions would be granted.

Loo yehi--if only our petitions would be granted.