avakesh

Is Reform and Conservative dying and is this a good thing?

The Reform and Conservative Movements are disappearing, Yeshiva University Chancellor Rabbi Norman Lamm said over the weekend.

"With a heavy heart we will soon say kaddish on the Reform and Conservative Movements," said Lamm, head of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, in an interview with The Jerusalem Post.

"The Conservatives are in a mood of despondency and pessimism. They are closing schools and in general shrinking," he said.

"The Reform Movement may show a rise, because if you add goyim to Jews then you will do OK," added Lamm, referring to the Reform Movement's policy, starting in 1983, of recognizing patrilineal descent. 

See also here and here

Comment: Some call this Orthodox triumphalism.

I am not exactly clear on why Dr. Lamm's heart is heavy but there has been somewhat of a debate among historians on whether Conservative and Reform movements played a positive or a negative role in ensuring Jewish continuity. The argument goes like this: After the Emancipation there were only two choices for a modern Jew, rejection of modernity or conversion to the dominant religion. Reform provided an alternative for staying Jewish and prevented mass conversion. Until it arose in Germany, conversion was endemic but after it started, there was much less conversion. In the USA, also, Reform and especially Conservative movements provided a safety valve when Orthodoxy was still too "green" and unappealing to hold most Jews in its orbit.

Others say that Jews and Judaism would have been much better off with a sort of "sephardic" model - "the synagogue that I don't go to is Orthodox". By providing alternatives, Reform and Conservative Rabbis made it easier and more acceptable for their congregants to abandon or modify observance and made what is treyf, kosher.

Whatever - clearly in our own day, there are plenty of "hip" alternatives for Jews of all stripes within Orthodoxy that range from the Chovevei Torah crowd, who will likely push over the carcass of Conservatism after its demise, to take its place, to Carlebach style hippies, to Chabad, who accept and welcome every level of observance and committment. Some have said that Chabad has made Conservatism unnecessary by providing a place where everyone feels comfortable and... at no charge. It also financially outcompetes mega-synagogues in smaller communities  and displaces many of their organized social service networks and for much cheaper. Pesonally, at this juncture of Jewish history, I think that should the Reform and Conservative  rabbinate (not laity) pass from the scene, it would be good for the Jews.

 

Pirsumei Nisa

 

Publicizing the miracle

A Noahide answers questions

Dear readers of' "Avakesh".

A recent post brought about an email correspondence between myself and Jim Long, a Noahide, a writer and a film producer who is completing a book on a related topic. During the course of our correspondence, he offered to answer several questions, which I think the readers will find interesting and important. JIm can be reached at lightcatcher@earthlink.net


1.You have had an unusual path to the belief in the Torah and Hashem, or at least it might appear to be unusual to those who are not familiar with the Noahide movement. Would you briefly share your history with the readers of this blog?

One of my earliest childhood memories was gazing up at the sky on a lovely summer day and wondering where G-d was and would I ever see him. I was about seven or eight at the time. My first exposure to any kind of religious experience was as a Catholic attending a parochial kindergarten. For some reason, my mother was smitten by ritual trappings she had seen at her sister's Catholic wedding. I remained a devout Catholic until I was twelve or thirteen but rejected it because it was drenched in pagan mysticism. When I discovered the bloody history of the church, the papal abuses, the Inquisition--I walked away from it. In the years that followed, I continued to look for the truth in places like the Church of Christ, the Methodist Church and even a fundamentalist cult. At the core of my search was a question, "What does G-d actually require of us as His creation?"

My professional life, in broadcasting, led me into talk-radio in Dallas, Texas. It was there, in 1994, that I met Vendyl Jones. He was a guest on our midday show. Initially, I had booked him to talk about his archaeological work, but when we began to take questions from listeners, he veered off into his religious beliefs. I was completely fascinated having never heard anything like it before. I didn't realize it at the time but he was teaching Torah. After the interview, Vendyl invited me to his weekend Torah classes. It was during these sessions, studying the weekly parsha, that I began to get answers to questions that I'd had all my life---regarding the nature of the Creator and especially, how we could live according to His teachings.  It was about this same time that I met my wife, Carol, who joined me in these studies.

2.How did your growing involvement with Jewish teachings influenced your work?
 
I discovered how little I really knew about Judaism and that I harbored a lot of misconceptions. However, my studies soon led to fundamental truths embedded in the Torah which are easily found, even in the most awkward English translations. The vital truth is that G-d gave the Torah and its commandments to the Jewish people. These commandments apply to them specifically so that they can function in their G-d given task as a nation of priests to our planet. One of the other things I learned was that, as a Gentile, I was only required to keep Seven Laws given to Noah after the flood. The laws were part of a covenant made with mankind. It's interesting to note that, where this covenant is described in Genesis 9, the word covenant (brith) appears exactly seven times. More to the point, my professional life was impacted in that I began to employ my background in media to promote Torah, the well-being of the Jewish People and the preservation of the State of Israel, their G-d-given home. This has been actualized in my own book and documentary RIDDLE OF THE EXODUS which links specific details from Jewish sources to the archaeological record to demonstrate the reality of the Exodus. Carol and I also have been pleased to publish books by the likes of Paul Eidelberg, Isaac Mozeson, Eugene Narrett and others. 
 
3. What are the most salient differences between the Torah and Christian approach to spirituality and spiritual growth in your opinion and experience?

Whatever claims various denominations might profess, Christianity actually functions on an emotional level. That wouldn't be a bad thing if our emotions were connected to our head.  However, simply because we feel something does not make it the truth. Some Christians almost live a life of the mind---as if thinking good thoughts are enough. Christians who actually Do good things reflect Torah values. I rejected Catholicism and concepts like the "trinity" because we were not to question them, only accept. Judaism permits, even encourages question and debate. All of the mysteries, for example, the so-called Virgin Birth were fostered by the Vatican and infected early Christianity. This latter concept has always been odd to me because if one searches the alleged words of JC, he never makes any references to a miraculous birth. I also rejected Church teachings because it promotes a view that this world is a bad place and we're all better off when we die. That's pure Hellisim, courtesy of the Greeks.  Just read the account in Genesis and you will see G-d continually characterizes His creation as good. Judaism is so profoundly different because it is based in reason and intellect--to use the mind that G-d gave us. It is that intellect that allows one to read the  Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and reject the claims that JC is G-d (G-d forbid) or that he is the Messiah.  The most appealing aspect of Judaism is that it teaches Jews to elevate absolutely every aspect of their life. When one understands this process, any claim that Observant Jews are "caught up in ritual"  is wholly invalid. Christianity is a religion and I mean that in a negative way. Judaism is an all-encompassing existence embodied in the idea that the Jews are not tied together ethnically but are a Holy Nation---even in the legal sense of the word---with their own Constitution (Torah) and their own Land (eretz Israel).  And yet, how wonderful a Nation---the only one ever created by G-d.

4.Many Jewish readers have a difficulty understanding why someone who acknowledges the truth of the Torah elects not to proceed to a full conversion. Would you mind explaining that to our readers?

I haven't given up on the idea of converting. But as your Jewish readers will appreciate, conversion is something that one cannot take lightly. It may sound glib but seven mitzvoth are not as daunting as six-hundred thirteen. I don't think that I'm much different from other potential converts who fear that they might not be good Jews which is why converts to Orthodox Judaism have my deep respect. It's a humbling thing to consider that the welfare of the world rests on shoulders of the Jewish people.

5.There appears to be a growing familiarity and interest in the Torah world view among Gentiles throughout the world and it expresses itself in many different ways, from incorporation of Jewish elements into Christian worship to the Noahide movement  to outright conversion to Judaism. How do you explain it and what do you think the future impact of this phenomenon will be on both Jews and the Gentile world?

The emergence of the modern State of Israel woke a lot of people up. It is a vivid realization of the words of the prophets coming to pass.  Those same prophets also said that would be a hunger for the word of G-d.  Due to the internet and blogs like your own, more people are being exposed to deep Torah concepts  in a way never envisioned. Thanks also to the fact that Jews are responding and making tshuva brings even more attention to Torah. I think it's also obvious that the shallowness of organized religion as well as diminished trust in manmade institutions are driving people to seek Torah. How else can people deal with uncertainty and chaos that we confront daily. In some respects, it will increase love and respect for the Jewish people while on the other hand, for those who continue to ignore the truth, it will increase hatred against the Jewish people. Ultimately, I believe the world will turn to the people of Israel for help because they will finally realize that the Jews have possessed the solution (Torah) to all of mankind's problems.

6.What are the projects that you currently pursue and what might you be doing in the future?

We recently completed a couple of festival showings of our latest documentary THE TREASURES OF THE COPPER SCROLL, we're now prepping that for DVD release. I am putting the finishing touches on a book entitled BLOOD BROTHER: THE  HISTORY OF ISRAEL'S ENEMY. I'm attempting to show that the Western world and Christianity are more than a philosophical representation of Esau's legacy but that there is an ethnic and historical connection between Rome and Esau's descendants. We are also preparing a new book for Noahides written by a rabbi friend in Israel. B'esrat HaShem, I will be spending more of the coming year in eretz Israel researching a new documentary.


7.Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?
First of all, I genuinely appreciate this opportunity to talk about our work. I would say to your Jewish readership who are still living in the galuth, to make aliyah because your people and your land need you. To those in eretz Israel, Hazak! To your Noahide readers I would say, study and live the life of a Righteous Gentile and to your Christian readers, give up your idols, continue to honestly seek the truth in the Torah and G-d will reveal it to you.

Karaite language sounds like this

R. Menashe Klein on the belief in the Rebbe as Moschiach.

A brief history of meshichism. (from a certain perspective)

The Circus Tent posted the teshuvah from the new volume of Mishneh Halochos here  that negates the usually cited proofs and calls meshichesten apikorsim.

 

One view on what's going on.

Another view on what's going on.

A compilation of sources.

Mishpacha interview with three prominent rabbonim.

How to study Kabbala: The problem

In the last post in this series we spoke of the connection between philosophy and Kabbala. It is important now to specify that this connection progressively weakened with the ongoing revelation of kabbalistic mystery but the connection was not broken until the coming of the Ari Hakodosh. True, early kabbalists in Spain competed with philosophy ( with works such as Sefer Ho-emunos, available in "Amudei Hakkabala"), but this just underscores the common language and conceptual systems that they shared. As we move forward in history, you find farther and farther separation in language and approach between philosophy and Kabbala but what they continue to share is the methodology. At this point, kabblasits still use reasoning and analogies to understand the content of the mysterious books of Zohar, Sifra D'Tshniusa, Sefer Hatemuna, Sefer Yetsirah, Sefer Habahir etc.  We find, for example, as late as the Ramak, the use of reasoning to evaluate various positions in order to decide which are correct and the use of analogies from everyday experience to make sense of obscure kabbalistic teachings. The experience of studying the Pardes is that of sitting at the feet of a wise and patient teacher who slowly clarifies every point, considers every details and carefully constructs and puts a structure together in front of your eyes .

That is not the experience of studying Lurainic writings. Instead one finds himself in a weird and beautiful landscape where nothing is familiar and things happen according to rules that one cannot fathom. There are terms that are outrageously unfitting to the concepts they are said to represent, wild anthropomorphisms, allusions  that are taken for granted and events that follow some other inner logic than the one we know and understand. Nothing is familiar and, if a thing for a moment looks familiar, it suddenly and unexpectedly dissolves into something unrecognizable. One stands, or perhaps, floats in a fantastic, symbolic landscape, without tools to make sense of his experience. I am not talking about some mystical vision but of reading standard Lurainic texts.

This is where many beginners flounder. Even accomplished talmidei chachamim, whose bellies are filled with Shas and Poskim can spend years in the frustrating effort to make sense of what they read. Many give up at and walk away from the whole experience.

That is not to say that Lurainic Kabbala does not make sense. Rather it means that one needs the keys. As we will discuss, there are several approaches to this conundrum, including the return to a philosophical language, accepting the Lurianic corpus as something not to understand but fulfill (mostly through kavvonos and yechudim) or using it as a guide to inner experiences, the path of Baal Shem Tov. But it does mean that immersing oneself directly in the writings of the Ari, unless one has a teacher, is not the best way. For one who studies by himself, and has the requisite philosophical background, the best approach, I believe, is spending a few years on gaining familiarity with either Pardes or Avodas Hakodesh. One finds then that their clarification of the basic concepts, such as what are the sefiros, how does Divine light descend, permutations of the Names, goes a long way toward understanding the Lurianic landscape. But this takes time and persistence and ...a philosophic background. R. Kaplan's translations and commentary to Sefer Yetzirah and Bahir can also.serve as a good beginner's introduction to kabbalistic terminology, if not conceptualization.

As an aside, the unique features of Ari's kabbala as transmitted by R. Chaim Vital do not appear to be found in the teachings of the other great student of the Ari, R.Yisroel Serug. We don't know much about what R. Yisroel Serug actually taught, except though the prism of two of his greatest student. R. Menachem Azaria MiPano and R. Avrohom Hakohen Herrera. (I do not know enough about Ma'abor Yabok to be able to comment). Both used reasoning and discourse as their method of study. The latter, in fact,  dedicated his life's work to the reconciliation of Ari's kabbala as taught by R. Yisroel Serug and the philosophical tradition.

Feeding the throngs on Lag Baomer: Tzidkat Harashbi

Biblical artistry

From Forward:

On a recent afternoon, Jacob Milgrom pored over the Book of Ezekiel in his Jerusalem study. The 86-year-old, one of the foremost biblical scholars alive today, took slow breaths and carefully marked the Hebrew text in pencil.

On the opposite side of the house was his 80-year-old wife, Jo Milgrom. She, too, was pondering biblical meaning. In her hands, though, were long, punched strips of old printer paper. “It’s like paper lace,” Milgrom said. “I saw this at the printer’s and said, ‘Don’t throw it out, it’s beautiful.’” Milgrom wanted to set up a fan so that the paper strips would float in the air — a depiction of God’s hovering spirit from the Genesis story of creation.

This is not arts and crafts hobbyism: Milgrom is an assemblage artist. She calls her work “visual midrash,” referencing the Jewish literary tradition of supplementing the biblical narrative with commentary, often in the form of colorful homilies. Traditional midrash was written from the third to the 12th centuries, but Milgrom believes there’s just as much of a place for creative midrash today as there is for the kind of scholarly interpretations her husband writes. She’ll promote artistic approaches to the Bible on May 15 at Temple Israel Center in White Plains, N.Y., when she gives an interactive lesson titled “Through the Looking Glass at Mount Sinai.” And next month, the TALI Education Fund in Israel will launch an online image database of more than 2,000 biblical- and Judaic-themed artworks, collected by Milgrom over several decades.

“Jo’s work is indispensable,” said Jacob, whose Ezekiel commentary is forthcoming in the Anchor Bible series. “He’s the left brain, and I’m the right brain,” Milgrom added. She went on to quote Elie Wiesel: “Midrash is to Bible as imagination is to knowledge.”

Comment: Jo Milgrom wrote several books, one of them, here. Interesting, this attempt to capture her husband's insights through art!

Jacob Milgrom is considered the pre-eminent academic expert on Leviticus, having written several commentaries, including more than 3000 pages for the Anchor Bible Series. Unlike so many other academic scholars, he is interested in the religious spirit behind sacrificail order, an interest that academic environments do not well succor. While hemmed in by academic mindset, he  has been able to integrate many branches of modern scholarship into his commentary without neglecting the symbolism and the religious meaning of purity and sacrificial system. He comes up with some valuable insights; if only he paid more attention to Chazal's consideration of these very same topics.

By the way, this stuff about creating contemporary midrash is classic Conservative mindset that we are as good as the ones who preceded us. R. Yakov Kamenetzky countered it by explaining the famous saying, " If the early ones are like angels, w e are like unto men, and, if the early ones are like men, we are like donkeys.. (Shabbos 112)", as follows:

If we consider our predecessors as if they were angels, we will ourselves reach the level of being men. If, however, we think of them as merely human, we will become donkeys, that is, less than human,  chas veshalom.

The most injurious thing to spiritual growth is thinking that we don't need the widom of the early ones.

MaaleVid: Jewish Film School

Geocentric and heliocentric models

One can see many of the issues just by watching this