One Of Our Oldest Religions

Since the early days of Abraham's obedience to God's call, the Hebrew people (now known as Jews) conceived of themselves as a community of people bound together in faith. God had called a group of people to himself, and their identity became more and more that of God's chosen people as time went on. Judaism's laws are laws binding upon a whole people. The same festivals are found wherever Jews are found. But oddly enough, it is not always easy to say what makes a person a Jew. Is a Jew born, and if so, must one or both parents be Jewish? Can one become a Jew by marriage -- or conversion? Is Jewishness a racial identity? A religious one? Or is it cultural? Two of these alternatives are easy to eliminate: One does not become a Jew by marriage, nor is Judaism a racial identity. Answers to the other questions are less clear.

Particularly in the last hundred and fifty years, questions like these, as well as those about interpretation of the Law, have resulted in divisions within Judaism. Four major divisions remain today. Orthodox Judaism, which follows the laws laid down in the Torah and Talmud as closely as possible, is the predominant form of Judaism in Israel and is found throughout the rest of the world as well. Men and women worship separately, and men wear traditional hats and prayer shawls. Men lead in all matters of community worship. They follow traditional dress codes, both in clothing and personal adornment. Kosher food practices are carefully observed. At the same time, however, Orthodox Jews live in the contemporary world and make their living in it. New York City's Orthodox community is known for its involvement in the diamond trade.

Reform Judaism began in 19th century Germany and is the most numerous group in the United States. They represent a moderate liberalism, which looks to the spirit of the Law rather than its letter as its guide. They do not follow kosher food practices, nor do they observe traditional dress or purification rituals. Men do not wear hats or shawls, and men and women worship together. Services are usually held in English. Women may be ordained as rabbis. Reform Jews emphasize faith in the one God, obedience to his moral law, and observance of the Sabbath and holy days. Conservative Judaism holds a middle ground between Orthodox and Reform groups, observing many traditional practices, but leaving more leeway for personal choice. The Hasidim (pious ones) represent a mystical stream of Judaism rooted both in the Kabbalah (a tradition of Jewish mysticism beginning in medieval times) and in the Law. They strive for simplicity of life, humility, joy, and love of all creation, believing that God is not only active in the world, but actually dwelling in all of it.

The Foundations of Jewish Life

Building for the Future
By Jason A. Miller

A little over a year ago, I had to be asked to leave a museum. I didn’t do anything illegal to elicit this request. Rather, I was so taken by an exhibit that I found it difficult to make my way to the exit even though the museum was closing. The museum was Israel’s Diaspora Museum (Beit Hatefutzot) in Tel Aviv. The exhibit was part of their permanent exhibit, displaying synagogues from around the world. Located in a huge room, are about twenty architectural models, encased in glass, of the most famous synagogue buildings designed to scale.

I don’t consider myself a student of architecture and design, but nevertheless, I was mesmerized by the different layouts and structural designs, the detail inside the sanctuaries, and the unique shapes of the exterior. They were all different edifices from different places around the world – synagogues from India, China, Russia, Eastern Europe, the Colonial U.S., and from South America. Each of these synagogues echoes its cultural and regional diversity. They are all so different, and yet, they all share something in common – they are all holy spaces. Built for the same purpose, to be a spiritual house of assembly – a Beit Kenesset.

Too often today, we take the focus off the actual buildings, the physical structures. We say that what is important is what happens inside of the structure. We believe we must put all our effort on the intangibles, on the actions that take place inside of the building. But we should not overlook the buildings themselves. To do so is to miss beautiful architecture and skillful artisanship.

In addition to synagogues, think of the magnificent churches and mosques throughout the world. Think of all the baseball stadiums, museums, concert halls, amphitheaters, monuments, arenas, state capitals, and castles. Think of the Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece homes. Think of the time that was spent designing and constructing these buildings. The thought that went into the minutest details. Think about the architects of these physical structures who used their God-given artistic talents to create, to build. Clearly, it is more than just “bricks and mortar.”

Since September 11, our nation has watched a very public process of selecting architectural designs for the rebuilding of the World Trade Center towers. The architect whose design was ultimately chosen, Daniel Libeskind, a Polish Jew, did not just devise a replacement building. He had to consider so many issues, not the least of which was the collective memory of the tragedy. Hundreds of architects submitted designs attempting to create a structure that would take your breath away, while still being a practical location for commerce. A building that would maximize the space in Lower Manhattan and would allow for reflection and commemoration. The story of the rebuilding of the World Trade Center is the story of an artist who is given a set of parameters and left to use his creative energy to design a building. It is a story that is familiar to us.

In this morning’s Torah portion, Parshat Terumah, we find the command from God to build a Mishkan, a Tabernacle, so that the presence of God will be with the people in their camp. God says, V’asu Li Mikdash, V’shakhanti B’tokham – Make for me a sanctuary that I may dwell among you. The function of such a spiritual home for God is difficult to comprehend, and to envision how such a structure will look is confusing as well. Further, who will be the chief architect for such a holy task? Who is skillful and pious enough to design a home for God? The master artisan chosen is Betzalel, who beautifully implements God’s instructions concerning the building of the Tabernacle. He, like Moses, is a faithful servant of God. He is described as one who has been filled by God with “ruach hakodesh,” the spirit of God in practical wisdom, discernment, and knowledge in all kinds of workmanship. A midrash in the Talmud describes an extraordinary exchange between Moses and Betzalel that casts some light on the importance of architecture.

In a discussion about the derivation of Betzalel’s name, Rabbi Shmuel ben Nahmani taught in the name of Rabbi Yohanan he was so named because of his wisdom. At the time when God says to Moses, Go and tell Betzalel to make me a Tabernacle, an ark and vessels (as it says in the Torah), Moses went and reversed the order. He instructs Betzalel, saying, “Make an ark and vessels and a Tabernacle.” Betzalel says to him, “Moses our Teacher, as a rule, a man first builds a house and then brings vessels into it, but you say, ‘Make me an ark and vessels and a Tabernacle.’ Where shall I put the vessels that I am to make? Can it be that the Holy One, Blessed be God, said to you, ‘Make a Tabernacle, an ark and vessels?’ ” Moses replies, “Perhaps you were in the shadow of God and knew?” Betzalel literally means “shadow of God.”

In a sneaky way, Moses tries to change God’s words around so that Betzalel will do what Moses wants rather than what God demands. However, Betzalel does not give in. Certainly, it takes courage for Betzalel to challenge the greatest prophet of the Jewish people who ever lived, but he had to put the task of constructing God’s home first. In so doing, he demonstrates the importance of architecture and the role of the builder. He shows that the logical first step is to build the edifice and only after should he construct the contents.

Betzalel shows that we first need a house and only then can we perform the mitzvot inside of that house. First, we need to build schools and only then can we educate our youth. And so too it is with social action. First, we need our bodies, a gift from God, and then we can practice tikkun olam – charitable acts of kindness to help repair the world. Betzalel correctly realizes that first, the Israelites need a physical address for God, and only then could they enter the ritual items into the process. First, the foundation must be set.

Once we establish a foundation, we can build for the future. And the story behind the foundation of the Tabernacle demonstrates this. So once it is established that Betzalel will begin with the construction of the Tabernacle, we wonder how he will actually begin that process. The Torah records that, first, Betzalel makes the planks for the Tabernacle, as God commands. Since the Torah uses a definite article with the word ‘planks’ (hakrashim – the planks), the rabbis understand that those planks must be specific planks. So the question is which planks are being referred to here? A midrash asks just this question. The answer seems to be that these are the planks of wood that Jacob, our patriarch, plants. When he comes down to Egypt, he says to his sons, “My sons! You are destined to be redeemed from here and when that time comes, the Holy One will tell you that you are to build a Tabernacle so that God may dwell among you. So, rise up today and plant cedars, so that when God tells you to construct a Tabernacle, these cedars will be ready. Therefore, Jacob’s sons begin planting cedars, doing just what their father tells them.

Jacob has the insight to encourage his children to plan for the future. The foundation was in place because Jacob understands the necessity for strong foundations, just as Betzalel does later in the Torah. Jacob seeks to prepare the future generations of our people for the construction by preparing the foundation generations earlier. Betzalel, as the architect, understands that there is a precise, calculated order to building. The foundation must be laid first before we get carried away with what will be housed in the structure.

This is a valuable lesson for us. The metaphors are appropriate. We need to continue giving money for programming, education, social services, and so on. Nevertheless, we should not neglect bricks and mortar – the foundation. A stellar education program is vital to a community, but a place must be built first for this program. Housing the homeless is a value for us, but without actual shelters, the physical structures, our desire for justice is futile.

I have seen this personally in my congregation in Virginia. We have grown quickly in a rather short period. And all of our programs have grown as well. It eventually came to the point that we needed more space. We have recognized that to continue our expansion and to continue to thrive, we need to give some attention to bricks and mortar. So we begin to map out the plan – the plan for the foundation. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the planning and building process. The architectural plans, as I see them are like a page of Talmud. They might look like an artist’s rendering of a synagogue, but they are actually the voices of many people. They are the blueprint of our community – the hopes and dreams of a kehillah. Looking at the blueprints gives a glimpse into who we are. The different focus groups of the synagogue are represented in these plans. This is all very exciting, but we must be cognizant that we are not just building an edifice. It is not just about bricks and mortar. It is about our investment in Jewish life. We are building the foundations of Jewish life.

As I was sitting in a Building Committee meeting during my last visit to Virginia, looking out the window at the large construction trucks assembling the synagogue foundation, the rabbinic text that we say after Ein Keloheinu came to mind. It includes a Midrash from the Talmud that looks at a verse from the prophet Isaiah. The verse reads, “All your children [banayich] shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children [banayich].” The Midrash explains, “Do not read [the second occurrence of the word banayich as your children, but rather as your builders [bonayich].” Without vowels, the words are identical. Our children are our builders helping us to lay the foundation. We too are the builders. It is a team effort. We must consider what it means to be a builder. What motivates us to build for the future? How will we use our skills to construct for tomorrow? How will we utilize our time, our effort, and our money to build what needs to be built? Like Betzalel, will we be fiercely committed to what we know is the most beneficial way to build?

Let us work to establish firm foundations in Jewish life. For if the foundation is flimsy, the structure loses its integrity. We must look around and appreciate our structures. And we must bear in mind that what happens inside those structures is important, but without the structures in place, where will we be?

Shabbat Shalom.

Jews Believe

Judaism has no dogma, no formal set of beliefs that one must hold to be a Jew. In Judaism, actions are far more important than beliefs, although there is certainly a place for belief within Judaism.

The closest that anyone has ever come to creating a widely-accepted list of Jewish beliefs is Rambam's thirteen principles of faith. Rambam's thirteen principles of faith, which he thought were the minimum requirements of Jewish belief, are:

1. G-d exists
2. G-d is one and unique
3. G-d is incorporeal
4. G-d is eternal
5. Prayer is to be directed to G-d alone and to no other
6. The words of the prophets are true
7. Moses's prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets
8. The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses
9. There will be no other Torah
10. G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of men
11. G-d will reward the good and punish the wicked
12. The Messiah will come
13. The dead will be resurrected

As you can see, these are very basic and general principles. Yet as basic as these principles are, the necessity of believing each one of these has been disputed at one time or another, and the liberal movements of Judaism dispute many of these principles.

Unlike many other religions, Judaism does not focus much on abstract cosmological concepts. Although Jews have certainly considered the nature of G-d, man, the universe, life and the afterlife at great length, there is no mandated, official, definitive belief on these subjects, outside of the very general concepts discussed above. There is substantial room for personal opinion on all of these matters, because as I said before, Judaism is more concerned about actions than beliefs.

Judaism focuses on relationships: the relationship between G-d and mankind, between G-d and the Jewish nation, between the Jewish nation and the land of Israel, and between human beings. Our scriptures tell the story of the development of these relationships, from the time of creation, through the creation of the relationship between G-d and Abraham, to the creation of the relationship between G-d and the Jewish people, and forward. The scriptures also specify the mutual obligations created by these relationships, although various movements of Judaism disagree about the nature of these obligations. Some say they are absolute, unchanging laws from G-d (Orthodox); some say they are laws from G-d that change and evolve over time (Conservative); some say that they are guidelines that you can choose whether or not to follow (Reform, Reconstructionist). For more on these distinctions, see Movements of Judaism.

So, what are these actions that Judaism is so concerned about? According to Orthodox Judaism, these actions include 613 commandments given by G-d in the Torah as well as laws instituted by the rabbis and long-standing customs. These actions are discussed in depth on the page regarding Halakhah: Jewish Law and the pages following it.

© Copyright 5756-5761 (1995-2001), Tracey R Rich

Understanding The Ten Commandments

If you were asked to identify the one section of the Jewish Bible that is most universally known, the 10 Commandments would stand at the top of the list. However, there is perhaps no section of the Jewish Bible that is more misunderstood than the 10 Commandments. Time and time again, the 10 Commandments make front-page news, where you have people who are devoted to the sanctity of the 10 Commandments, taking stands to display and honor them. However, what makes these debates a bit absurd is that quite often the defenders of the 10 Commandments may know very little about what they really stand for. Our goal now is to bring some clarity to the subject.

Before we began, it is necessary to provide some background on the laws of the Torah itself. First of all, we hold that there are 613 Commandments in the Torah, not just 10. These laws encompass all areas of Jewish life from civil and criminal law, to family life, to laws pertaining to the observance of Jewish holidays and worship. And if you look throughout the Tanakh (Old Testament), you would see that the number one theme, repeated time and time again by the prophets of Israel, is the imperative nature of the Jews keeping the laws of the Torah. Even something as sublime as believing in G-d is counted among the laws of the Torah.

The Torah’s laws reveal to us the nature of G-d himself. And, by studying the laws, we see what G-d is like, by seeing what G-d requires. When G-d commands us to pursue righteousness and mercy, we get tremendous insight into the righteousness and mercy of G-d himself. Furthermore, having been commanded to keep these laws, we likewise get insight into our own nature, both good and bad. We need to see the laws of the Torah as impressive more than expressive. By that I mean the real purpose of the laws is not so much to be an expression of our religiosity. But the real purpose of keeping these laws is that they should impact our thoughts, speech and action elevating them and us to a higher level.

How the laws impact us is not always readily apparent. The laws do not always seem logical, and may in fact impact us in ways that we may not have realized. A metaphor that I like to use involves Army boots. All soldiers are required to meticulously shine their boots. Since the ultimate purpose of the soldier is to kill the enemy, shining one's boots may seem like a total waste of time. One could say that a soldier should spend his whole day learning how to kill. On the other hand, one could argue that the soldiers who care most about shining their boots in fact make the best soldiers.

For example, such a soldier has learned to take orders and there will be situations where following orders may have life or death consequences. A soldier who shines his boots, is a soldier who most likely cares about himself, and such a person is more likely to care about others as well. In the battlefield, soldiers will need to take care of their buddies. A soldier who only learned how to kill, has only developed himself in a one-dimensional way, and has not developed his character. There will come a time when every war will end, and the soldier who only learned how to kill, will find it much more difficult to make his way back into society. The point that I wish to make is that a seemingly unrelated activity may in fact impact and transform someone in a way that is not readily apparent. Acupuncture is another metaphor where the way to cure a headache may involve putting a needle into one's foot. If you do not understand the network of nerves, such a procedure may seem quite illogical. But if you know how the system works, it will all make sense.

Therefore, studying and performing the Torah's laws gives us greater insight into G-d and ourselves, elevates us and helps to draw us closer to G-d as well.

We believe that this world is like a lobby to a great banquet hall, where we prepare ourselves in the lobby of this world, before entering the banquet hall of eternity. We believe that through the performance of the Commandments we earn merit from G-d, impacting the quality of existence we will experience in the world to come. The eternity that one is building up for oneself is compared to principal, like a savings account, remaining in store for him. We believe that through the merit of certain Commandments, will a person be able to actually enjoy the interest in this world from the principal one has built up for eternity.

The system of Torah law has enabled the Jews to survive because of the structure and continuity that it brings to our existence. The focus that a life based on Torah brings a person, a community and a nation keeps them focused on their goals and enables them to not only survive, but thrive in all types of situations.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Well, I will now turn my attention to the 10 Commandments. If you were to ask most people how they would characterize the importance of the 10 Commandments, they would most probably say that they represent G-d’s Universal laws for all of mankind to live by. This is a mistaken perception. Even secularists that feel that the 10 Commandments are not of divine origin, but are actually the results of human logic, and that they are logical, rational laws that apply to all of mankind are also mistaken in their perspective.

The Jewish perspective of the 10 Commandments is that they are really something quite different than most people commonly consider them to be.

First of all, realize that the expression "10 Commandments" is a misnomer. As I stated before, there are 613 Commandments in the Torah. Jews refer to the 10 Commandments as the Aseres Hadibros: which is more accurately translated as the "Ten Statements." Within these 10 statements are actually 14 Commandments. Considering this fact, it is often quite amusing to see how people mistakenly list the 10 Commandments, since there are really 14 Commandments to organize.

The 10 statements according to the Jews are as follows:

1. I am the Lord your G-d, who have brought you out of the land of Egypt , out of the house of slavery.
2. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for you any engraved image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord your G-d am a jealous G-d, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy to thousands of those who love me, and keep my commandments.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your G-d in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shall you labor, and do all your work; But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your G-d; in it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates; For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother; that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your G-d gives you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is your neighbor’s.

One of the great examples of unity that exists among the Jewish people, is the fact that you could travel throughout the world to any Synagogue, from the most liberal to the most Orthodox. In all of them, wherever you see a representation of the 10 Commandments, they will all say the same thing. This level of conformity is universal due to our oral tradition. The Christian world which is without this tradition, and represents a world view that began 1300 years after the giving of the 10 Commandments, is filled with tremendous confusion over this very basic part of the Bible.

Therefore when you see sets of 10 Commandments, such as the ones that were recently on display in the courthouse building in Alabama, you see a listing that is a bit confused and inaccurate. If you research this particular topic further, you will see that there are numerous different representations of the 10 Commandments by different people. Martin Luther created a set of 10 Commandments that was actually quite different from those carved in stone at the Alabama courthouse.

The confusion quite often begins with what Jews consider the first of the statements. According to Judaism the first of the 10 statements, is "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Often times this is not even included in certain lists as the first Commandment. The reason for this is that it does not sound really sound like a command at all. To the Jews, this is in fact a positive statement, an affirmation of a belief in G-d. Without this one, one could actually be an atheist and still believe in other sets of 10 Commandments. An atheist would have no problem with merely saying he has no other gods, he would say he has no gods at all. So these other lists of 10 Commandments could also be embraced by an atheist. The Jewish form of the 10 Commandments could not.

The confusion usually continues with the second and tenth Statements, because they contain multiple Commandments, and people don’t know where to draw the line. Let us look at some examples

Holy Days

Rosh Chodesh Tevet
Rosh HaShanah
Yom HaShoah
Tzom Gedaliah
Rosh Chodesh Iyar
Yom Kippur
Chodesh Iyar
Sukkot
Yom Hazikaron
Hosha'anah Rabah
Yom HaAtzmaut
Shmini Atzeret
Lag BaOmer
Simchat Torah
Yom Yerushalayim
Chanukah
Rosh Chodesh Sivan
Rosh Chodesh Tevet
The Month of Sivan
Asarah B'Tevet
Shavuot
Tu B'Shevat
The Month of Tammuz
Fast of Esther
Fast of Shiva Asar B'Tammuz
Purim
The Three Weeks
Shushan Purim
The Month of Av
Rosh Chodesh Nisan
Fast of Tisha B'Av
Chodesh Nisan,
The Month of Nisan
Tu B'Av
Passover
Rosh Chodesh Elul
From Ruin to Renewal
Elul
Sefirat HaOmer