Torah of Man or of God?
December 23, 1996
by Rabbi Daniel Schur
Adam J. Raskin, rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary
of New York, writes as a reaction to my statement (CJN, Dec. 13):
"Jewish leaders, rabbis in particular, must focus on unity, not
divisiveness and isolationism. Hillel instructs us in Pirkei Avot
(Ethics of the Fathers): 'Be like the disciples of Aaron, loving
peace and pursuing peace, loving your fellow creatures, u'mekarvan
l'Torah - and drawing them near to Torah.' The type of rhetoric
displayed in Rabbi Schur's comments will only serve to drive people
away from Torah, rather than encouraging them to embrace it."
Let us come down to basics. When we speak about Torah, what Torah are
we talking about? It rings well to our worshippers when we speak
about Torah, it adds a dimension of authenticity to our claim for our
so-called wing of Judaism. Yes, what about Torah? If Torah was
man-written thousands of years ago, of what relevance can it be for us
today? And if it was man-written, how does one read Divinity into it?
And if Torah was man-written, and although we find in it the highest
degree of moral and ethical standards, and we speak of that Torah in
the context of religious experiences, are we not still worshipping the
works of man rather than God? Ethics and moral standards are the
foundation of any ethical society. Then why call it a wing
of Judaism? What makes Jewish ethics without a Divine Torah as a
guide, more ethical than any of other people?
Now let us say, but for one fleeting moment, that Torah is the product
of human wisdom but Godly inspired, then God and man become partners.
For what reason does God need to inspire man to write a Torah with
Him? Why couldn't God do it Himself, and give it to man? If God
finds it necessary to use man, does this concept not resemble
Christianity?
Judaism, as a religion, was established upon the intrinsic truth that
Torah was given to us by a personal God, through which God speaks to
us, and we respond to Him by attempting to fulfill his Godly
commandments. This is the pillar upon which Jusaism and the Jewish
religion was established. "Wings," never did, and don't exist now, in
true Torah Judaism.
Now let us deal with my opposition to the ReformD concept of
conversion. Essentially, a ReformD conversion is a reflection of a
ReformD ideology. Since ReformD ideology is more interested in
history, ethics and morals, and very liberal with regard to
ritualistic norms, it stands to reason that education towards
conversion within the ReformD movement, will take on the trappings of
lessons in Jewish history, Jewish culture and Jewish practice as
something to be aware of with some loose pledge of allegiance to the
Jewish corpus. Absent from such conversion will be the insistence
upon adherence to Judaic ritual practice. It would be ridiculous for
the ReformD movement to insist that converts be obliged to observe the
dietary laws, refrain from material creativity on the Shabbat, don the
tefillin (the phylacteries) on a daily basis, recite the
prayers regularly, fast the entire Day of Atonement, etc. If the
rabbi who is supervising the conversion more often than not does not
observe these practices, how can it even be suggested for the
prospective convert? A ReformD convert may learn about phylacteries
and dietary laws, but such learning is merely looking through a
telescope backwards into archaic practices, which they think are no
more in vogue.
When I refer to Reform or the so-called Reform wing of Judaism, I
include the so-called Conservative wing as well. When one permits
themselves to tamper with all the Divine commandments, or even with
one, we destroy the original model. We create a Torah of man, not of
God. As we understand, a little pregnant or nine months pregnant is
still pregnant.
Adam J. Raskin writes, "Jewish leaders, rabbis in particular, must
focus on unity, not divisiveness and isolationism." At whose expense?
If an individual is placed in a position of leadership, is he not
permitted to expound his thoughts? Does leadership dictate that we
follow the demands of others, or the demands of our constitutents?
Since when is an honest, critical view, always pleasant? But does
that indicate that I don't love my fellow Jew? I love every Jew with
my entire being, otherwise I wouldn't be crying out, but I don't
appreciate their Judaism. It is the cause of assimilation and
intermarriage, which all will agree, is destructive to our very
existence.
Tractate Sanhendrin 91a (see further)
proposes the following: "Whoever withholds a halakha from
his disciples, it is as though he robbed him of his ancestral
heritage." To tamper with the Divine halakha would ultimately rob one
of his heritage, which implies assimilation and intermarriage.