As part of my summer fellowship, we've been discussing the limits and definitions of change within the Orthodox world. What should change? What shouldn't? Why do certain laws adapt to the times we live in, while others are stuck in their original textual form?
It's important for me to realize that I don't have the answer, I don't know what is allowed to be changed or not changed in Halacha. I do question daily, however, what God wants from his people living in a modern world. As far as the world as a whole, change is key. Change is part of life- growing, evolving, opening new chapters and finishing old ones. Communities evolve, culture evolves, society evolves, towns, cities, countries, all grow to meet the new standards and change the way of life. So why can't the Jewish/Orthodox community? Why do we and many of our leaders insist on being stuck in the 20th century while the world moves into the 21st?
Having grown up in an Orthodox mind frame, I understand and believe that the Jewish community puts up boundaries and avoids change in order to weed out the perceived "bad" from the world around them. However, there is no form of clear definition as to what constitutes good and bad in the world around us. I'm not talking just about sexuality, but women's rights and slavery and all these things that the Torah seems to be clear on, but don't make any sense in a modern context. Again, I never advocate for change of existent Torah law. But that doesn't mean progress and growth and slow change can not occur. It can, and the Torah can be brought into the 21st century, like I honestly believe God meant for it to.
I know i suddenly seem lie a radical liberal, but I hate to be put in any sort of box.I don't subscribe to changing the Torah, but I do believe in questioning it, and ensuring that everything we have stuck to for 2000+ years is what we were meant to stick to, and not just small practices that became strict rules that became rigid laws and unchanging mindsets. There are many things that can change. Stay tuned for "Change, part ii".
Second day of Yontif, kitniyot, agunot, copepods, mechitzahs, not counting women for a minyan, monopoly of conversion in Israel...the list of issues I have with Orthodoxy goes on and on. Each topic deserves it's own discussion, but in the interests of my time, I'll just say that I struggle with many of the same questions that you struggle with.
ReplyDeleteI think ur becoming the new "acher"
ReplyDeleteHa, of course, truing to be a bit open minded and I'm "acher". Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of this blog (and really everything I heard from you since I knew you'd come out), your attitude was "I've got a test, but I'm gonna fight through it." And I really admired that. Lord knows I've got plenty of tests that I struggle with myself.
ReplyDeleteBut a post like this one goes totally against the premise of this blog; as you said in your second post: "I have never and will never say 'it's okay to be Gay accordoing to Orthodox Judaism.'"
As for the concept of change throughout history: Slavery is an example of things the Torah allows for that we don't actively practice. The discussions about women's rights (both taking away and then reinstating them) were debates on halacha driven by social movements. Where's an example of something explicitly forbidden by the Torah ever being allowed?
Dovid, while I'm not going to cite you specific examples, there are loopholes and numerous examples of places where the Torah says something and the Rabanan look for a place, many times in the Gemara, to reinterpret the Pasuk or to make a hekesh/halach lemoshe misinai etc, in order to "understand" (really to re-read) something in the Torah.
ReplyDeleteAnd to clarify, I still do not believe it is okay to be Gay according to Orthodox Judaism. But if someone is Gay, and they want to be Orthodox, I believe they should be accepted, even though they may be "flawed" according to standard Orthodox tradition. I hope you understand the differentiation. And I have a test, I'm going to fight to stay Orthodox and gay, I'm not going to fight to change my sexuality or to change my religious beliefs.
I'm 100% with you on that. I don't see your being gay any differently from someone's struggles to keep Shabbos. I actually just reread the post and noticed the statement about not advocating for change; sorry I missed that. I just got confused by the line about bringing the Torah into the 21st century.
ReplyDeleteI guess my point is that the Torah can't be changed, but the attitudes of the community definitely can- and should.
Orthodox Judaism cannot be changed. What derives from the Torah cannot be changed. That is the whole point of Orthodox Judaism. And this is the same to your question of why some Rabbis pretend it is the 20th century. Some pretend that it is the 1st. The only thing you can change is Jewish attitudes in communities not Judaism itself. Everything in the Torah is just as applicable for an Orthodox Jew. Yes, you still have to bring animal sacrifices, these are just not done because there is no animal sacrificing temple. Capital punishment for adultery or bestiality would also be done today if the Sanhedrin was in place. It is not like Orthodox Judaism grew out of these bronze-age practices but rather there is no way to practice some of what Orthodox Judaism teaches. This is why you will never see change in Orthodox Judaism.
ReplyDeleteIt's a big struggle that rabanim deal with. There must be change to deal with new problems, but change is not ideal. As Jews, we believe that the Torah is perfection, directly from the "mouth" of Hashem. Therefore, the closer we are to authentic and traditional Torah, the more perfect our service is and our Judaism is. Change must be embraced, because there are many new things, but the point of change is to bring Judaism back to the tradition that has been taken away and changed by modern society. Change is necessary, but change for the sake of change is not progress.
ReplyDeleteAs a continuation to my previous comment, there must be change in the attitude towards homosexuals. There is no way that Jews can exclude other Jews because of their innate desires. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, no one has a right to look down on another Jew just because they cannot understand and fathom their challenges. That's as far away from authentic Judaism that I can think of.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the attitude towards homosexuality itself is very clear in the Torah. That attitude must be kept. Any change in our attitude towards accepting homosexuality as an "alternate yet perfectly acceptable desire and/or lifestyle" (the desire, not the person) is a deviation from the Torah perspective. In that situation, change is not appropriate, and it is not progression.
Can we expect a megadef to change, benedict?
ReplyDeleteAre you friendly with Rabbi Steve Greenberg?
ReplyDelete