Parashat Lech Lecha 5769 – November 8, 2008
Why Be Jewish?
Judaism is a spiritual practice that can teach us how to deepen our lives, improve the world, and live more mindfully
Thursday evening, I had the pleasure of teaching this year’s confirmation class. It is a very exciting prospect because – under the leadership of Rabbi Dollin and our very talented educational director, Stacey Wasserman – HEA is reinventing our program for 10th graders. In the past, HEA’s confirmation program was under the auspices of Hebrew High. This year, we decided to bring confirmation back under our roof and teach the class ourselves. This new program gives us a great opportunity to shape the experience for our students. If last night’s opening session is any indication, confirmation will be a huge success for the Alliance. About 20 of our teens came to the class last night and we are expecting more to join. The curriculum we chose is focused on Jewish ethics and values. We’re going to talk about Jewish responses to the issues and questions that are most relevant to teenagers today. But, before we could launch into discussions about hot topics like gossip, sex, and drugs, we decided that we needed to lay the groundwork for the topic of Jewish values.
You see, talking to teens about Jewish values and Jewish ethics makes a huge assumption. The entire premise of the conversation is that Judaism has something valuable to teach us. As Jewish educators and rabbis, we may take for granted that an ancient tradition has any relevance to young people today. After all, we live in an open and pluralistic society. As Jewish educators, we cannot assume that Judaism matters to our students. So, the first topic of our class was the question of “why be Jewish?” In other words, “why should I care about Judaism and what does Judaism have to say to my life and what concerns me?”
To facilitate this discussion, I devised a simple exercise. I wrote up 6 very different statements about Jewish identity representing common points of view found in our community. I blew these up on to large poster boards and I hung them around the room. I then asked students to read the statements and choose the one they most agreed with. The discussion that followed over the next hour was fascinating. There were kids who identified with a purely religious outlook on Judaism – that is, to be Jewish means to follow the mitzvoth. Other students identified with the social aspects of being Jewish – being Jewish means having Jewish friends and doing activities with other Jews. Some agreed with the need to combat assimilation. Some said being Jewish is about identifying with a vibrant Jewish culture. And still others were drawn to the Jewish people’s long commitment to social action.
The students debated one another beautifully – with respect and thoughtfulness. Some even changed their minds and moved to other corners. And, as the facilitator of the conversation, I did my best to remain neutral. I tried not to tip my hand about which of the statements I agreed with most. But today, from the pulpit, I don’t have to be neutral. I can tell you exactly what I think and even try to persuade you. The sixth poster, was actually the statement that most closely resembled my own beliefs. And, I have to say, that I was secretly gratified to find that a plurality of the group agreed with me. The poster read:
One should be Jewish because Judaism is a spiritual practice that can teach us how to deepen our lives, improve the world, and live more mindfully. While one does not have to be strictly observant, participating in religious life - celebrating holidays and lifecycle events, going to shul regularly, and learning Torah - can bring us great joy and encourages us to ethical behavior.
That more or less sums it up for me. But don’t take my word for it. I didn’t make this up. My commitment to Judaism is inspired by the Torah. My proposition, that Judaism is a spiritual journey, is drawn directly from the example given to us by the first person to take that journey – Avraham Avinu… our patriarch Abraham. This week, we begin reading the saga of Abraham and his descendants. I want to take a few minutes to look at Avraham’s journey because I believe that Avraham provides us with a paradigm for Jewish life that we can still hold on to.
Avraham hears God’s call: “Lech Lecha”, the parsha begins. The traditional commentators are all perplexed by this phrase. The word Lecha is redundant and seems difficult to translate in this context. Translated literally, the phrase means “go for yourself” or “go to yourself.” The Hasidic rebbe known as the Mei HaShiloah teaches that in these words God is telling Avraham “go forth to find your authentic self, to learn who you are meant to be.” The implication perhaps is that the journey upon which Avraham is embarking is as much a journey inward as it is a physical journey to a new land. In other words, Judaism is a spiritual practice aimed at refining our souls.
God tells Avraham: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.” Being Jewish doesn’t happen in a vacuum. To be Jewish means to connect yourself up with the destiny of a people – to belong to a larger extended family – to be part of a nation that strives for greatness.
“I will bless you…” Being Jewish brings us into a relationship with the transcendent… it means to attach ourselves to a tradition that can deepen our lives and teach us to live with a sense of awe and gratitude for the mystery of being.
“And you shall be a blessing” – Again, the Hebrew phrase here is very interesting. “ve’h’yeh bracha.” Most translations render this phrase as “you shall be a blessing.” But what does that mean? The classical 11th Century commentator, Rashi, (drawing on a midrash[1]) says that God granted Avraham some of God’s power to bless. Avraham now has the capacity to bestow goodness upon others. A couple of generations later, Ramban, has a slightly different take. Being a blessing means that the other peoples of the world will invoke Avraham when they bless their children. In other words, for Nachmanides, being a blessing means being the example toward which others strive. Another medieval commentator – known as the Radak (Rav David Kimhi) – dissects this phrase. Radak was very interested in biblical grammar and he points out that the phrase resembles the imperative form. In other words, “ve’h’yeh bracha” is not a description – “you shall be a blessing” – but rather a command “be a blessing!” Picking up on this idea, the 19th century rabbi, Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, says that in order to earn the promise that God has made, Avraham must transform his life such that his actions will be a blessing and a benefit to the world. Whichever way you understand the phrase, part of being Jewish is being a blessing to those around us. Judaism must be relevant. It must be a source of inspiration and ethics that impel us to fix what is wrong in the world, to pursue justice, and peace.
At the conclusion of the lesson on Thursday night, I told the confirmation students that all of the statements we discussed have validity. And, I really meant it. I think there are, indeed, many valid ways of being Jewish and feeling part of the Jewish people. And, ultimately, each of us makes a decision about how we identify. But this doesn’t mean that every argument for being Jewish is equally strong, equally compelling, or equally enduring. We need to ask ourselves, “upon what is my Jewish identity based?” “Is this a compelling reason to be Jewish?” “is this a Jewish identity that my children will want to cling to?” I have told you what I find compelling. Now it is your turn. I invite you to take up this conversation, perhaps share your thoughts with your friends and family at the Kiddush lunch today. To help you, I have printed up the six statements I created for the confirmation lesson. You’ll find copies on your tables at kiddush. I hope you will find the conversation as fruitful and stimulating as our confirmation students did.
Why be Jewish?
Evaluate each statement. What is the basis upon which each is arguing for being Jewish? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each argument? Which one do you agree with most and why? How might someone who disagrees with you respond? How else might you formulate the answer for yourself?
1. One should be Jewish because God made a covenant with our people. The Torah is God’s law, which we should follow. Being Jewish mean seeking to live by the mitzvot - like keeping kosher, observing Shabbat, and giving tzedakah.
2. One should be Jewish because Judaism is a worldview that promotes ethical living and social justice. The Jewish community has a long history of working to end poverty, uphold equality, and advance the lives of those in need. Judaism can teach us how to improve the world and make it a better place in which to live.
3. One should be Jewish because we are part of a long and distinguished civilization. The Jewish people have survived over four thousand years despite antisemitism and persecution. We must not give those who sought to destroy us a posthumous victory by assimilating and intermarrying.
4. Being Jewish means being part of a people with a unique culture and history. We should be proud that Jews have contributed enormously to the world in the arts, sciences, and leadership. One can feel very connected to the Jewish people without ever going to synagogue or celebrating the holidays and rituals of Judaism.
5. Being Jewish means being part of a larger extended family. Jews share a common outlook and a common destiny. It is gratifying to have Jewish friends and participate in Jewish groups like the JCC, Jewish hiking clubs, Jewish sports teams, and taking classes like Jewish cooking and Jewish art. It is also interesting to learn about Jewish history and culture.
6. One should be Jewish because Judaism is a spiritual practice that can teach us how to deepen our lives, improve the world, and live more mindfully. While one does not have to be strictly observant, participating in religious life - celebrating holidays and lifecycle events, going to shul regularly, and learning Torah - can bring us great joy and encourages us to ethical behavior.
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