Second suggestion box to G-d

By Suzanne Cummins

I think we all knew that my last suggestion to G-d was probably not very useful. I asked G-d to admit he was wrong and I think that might have sounded a bit arrogant. Maybe.

So I am taking a new direction with my current suggestion. I am not going to say G-d got it wrong the first time – just that I have a thought about improving the world that He might not have considered.

G-d - Let’s get rid of evil. Free choice was a great experiment, but it’s time for a new one. Let’s think about all that could go right without wrong in the world. No wars, no torture, no inhumanity to other humans. Perfect!

Wait, I just remembered... You DID promise that. You said we would have perfection after Moshiach comes. OK, my suggestion is now slightly revised. How about giving us Moshiach now?

Wait, I just remembered something a bit awkward. You imposed obligations on us that we (theoretically) are supposed to fulfill before we get Moshiach. OK, I have a different suggestion.

Let’s forget about waiting for Moshiach for a moment and just get rid of the evil stuff now. I think You can forget something if I ask nicely, right? You made me forgetful – seriously, that is happening more and more every day. G-d can certainly decide to adopt that characteristic for one little change... Like for eternal utopia. How hard could that be?

Wait a minute, I just got another thought (if you can call this mental meandering a thought). I just remembered about the whole Noach situation. (Even with my memory, I was able to pull up the Torah reading from a couple of weeks ago…). So it looks like that last time G-d decided to clean things up, he CLEANED THINGS UP. Not in a good way. Except for Mr. and Mrs. Noach, I mean. They came out OK. But I am pretty sure I haven’t gotten the message to build an ark of late... and I really get seasick.

OK, G-d. Just forget it. The whole global warming thing is looking more and more like you may be having some issues with us (sea-rise and all). So I am just going to shut up and ask you to think about how I have been lighting Shabbos candles on time lately. Have you noticed? Of course you have. And as for my suggestion, I withdraw the whole thing. Are you good with that? (That was to G-d – anyone else reading, I hope you are good with it also.)

— Suzanne Cummins is a Senior Lecturer Emeritus at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management