September 15, 2006
On Experiencing Judaism
My last post on kaddish got me thinking about how I experience Judaism. Perhaps this is an artifact of my particular Jewish education, but I find that, for me, I spend a lot of time trying to really understand what I know to be Judaism. What I mean is, to me, Judaism is a set of practices that are, more or less, a given. Some of these practices I understand, some I don't, but, for the most part, the black and white rules are pretty clear. What I spend most of my time doing is trying to come to a better understanding of those rules, trying to reconcile questions or contradictions that I have detected and form a clearer picture as to what role these things play in my life. The last post on Kaddish is a perfect example: everybody knows we say Kaddish, when we say it, who says it, etc. But what does it mean? I had thought I had a basic understanding of what I thought it meant, but there were some problems that I had with that understanding. Over time, I came to a more complete understanding that reconciles the previous problems.
Do you find the same thing? Perhaps my approach is particular to my background; I learned a lot of halacha at first, and only later became more interested in the meaning, themes, hashkafa, if you will (although that's a loaded term nowadays) of Judaism. Maybe others have different experience of Jewish experience? Perhaps this things are obvious or intuitive to those with a different background, or the need to find meaning is less prominent (or the meaning is centered more in the act, than in the concepts behind the act)? Is it the same for you, or am I alone on this one?
Unfortunately, many frum people are often so preoccupied with the nitty-gritty details of their own observances, they don't try and find out the meaning behind them. One thing that I really admire about Chabad is that they push a sefer that explains the "whys" of Judaism - the Tanya. On the opposite end, it really bothers me that in the Litvish world someone can have gone through the yeshiva system, get into the depth of Iyun learning, yet never really understand why he learns Torah and why he does Mitzvos.
One of my Rebbeim used to say (and I think he was quoting someone else) that Mussar Seder is a moment of silence for Rav Yisrael Salanter. Yeshiva bachurim are often so preoccupied with their Iyun learning, they don't even think about the purpose of it all.
Everyone should make sure that they are learning some Mussar, Chassidus, or Machshava. Incorporating the quest for the "whys" into your Avodas Hashem isn't peripheral to it - it is a critical component. If someone can't give a deeper answer to the question, "why do you do mitzvos?" than simply "because G-d says so" - there is something lacking in their Avodas Hashem. Obviously, that is the overall reason - but there is a much more detailed answer to the question than that. If someone can learn to give advanced answers to Halachic questions, why can't he learn to give equally advanced answers to theological questions?
Posted by: Jack Davidov at September 17, 2006 11:33 AM"If someone can't give a deeper answer to the question, "why do you do mitzvos?" than simply "because G-d says so" - there is something lacking in their Avodas Hashem."
I respectfully disagree with your characterization. The gemara (Yoma? Not sure.) quotes one amora who says "Why should God care if you kill your animals through the front or back of their necks? He doesn't - he just wants you to obey."
I don't think this was a universal approach, but it's fully legitimate - particularly in light of the subjectivity and inconsistency inherent in the reasons surmised for many mitzvos.
Posted by: Moishe Potemkin at September 18, 2006 8:58 AM
