Reformist Judaism is religious leftism. The Reformism follows the basic precept of leftism: that everything can be comprehended and changed at will. Communists changed societies, Reformists – the religion. Societies are complex, religion is subtle, but otherwise the approach of communists and the reformists is similar: destroy the finely tuned system – societal or religious – and build a new one from scratch. Both communists and reformists have little idea of how their dream society or religion would look like, nor did they have clear rules. They build the dream houses through arbitrary, ad hoc moves. No wonder that both failed. Communists created totalitarianism, the opposite of their dream, and reformists arrived at atheism. Humans who redesign societies position themselves as supermen, the ruling caste, and oppress the others. Humans who redesign religion place themselves above God. If the reformists create their version of the divine law, why don’t the flock worship them? Judaism without kosher laws and Sabbath, with the heroic actions of Moses and Maccabees declared ancient barbarism, how different is it from a schoolbook on ethics?
Just like their communist cousins, reformist “rabbis” resort to lies and hatred. They massively misinform the flock about Orthodox and haredi practices, ridicule the observances they have no brains to understand and no guts to follow, and arouse resentment and hatred toward the religious Jews.
The reformist experiment failed. Rav Kahane noted that Christian churches retained more of Judaism than did the reformist temples. Jewish children who passed through reformist Hebrew schools in America despise their Jewish background. Children feel the hollow hypocrisy of reformism. The reformist schools viciously destroy the inborn sense of Jewishness and replace it with empty pronouncements. The degree of assimilation of the graduates of reformist Hebrew schools testifies to their failure.
In the meanwhile, reformism seems to start re-acquiring Jewish observances. With the pass of assimilation wide open for them, many Jews exhibit curiosity about their roots and demand something more substantial than the secular reformist religion. Eager to fill in the consumer demand, many reformist temples supply a more observant version of Judaism.
Orthodox rabbis need to actively reach out to the Jews mislead by the blind reformist guides. Coupled with an active political program of militant Zionism, that outreach could save many Jews from assimilation.
Ovadiah, you really think that solution for deluded reformist is orthodoxy? You solve a evil with another evil. Reformism is a joke, I accept, but Orthodoxy is a deviation also. And I saw you have been writing about this. What the jews really need is thirst. Thirst of asking and searching for the truth, the real knowledge, not a rabbinical version of it. Anyway, reformism is big in countries focused on integrating and melting cultures. USA, Argentina, Brasil, are good examples. Orthodoxy is stronger in countries with a high rate of antisemitism, since jews are or were obligated to live in guettos. My way is different. I never hear rabbis. I investigate, read all that I can, and do my task as Ben Israel. I know is a hard process, but it really pays off.
I, also, am a bit surprised by Obadiah's support of Orthodox rabbis.
Usually he criticizes them with intensity.
Chaim I love what you wrote about the way you pursue Judaism. I do the same.
Yeshar Koach
To Erick: Good for you too. Maybe we can contact and swap ideas..
The beauty of Obadiah’s writing is the apparent inconsistency.
Stupid people are almost always consistent. They have an idea, an ideology, a formula, a dogma, and they stick to it. This takes no intelligence.
Obadiah on the other hand is presenting the ability to look at things form different angles. There is some truth in each of them. His writing opens up new perspectives and triggers fresh thinking and investigation.
A dearly appreciate his writing for the above reasons. I don’t have to agree with Obadiah, often he does not agree with himself.
There is truth in his observation about reform and orthodox Jews and leftism. Yet, of course the solution is not orthodoxy. The solution is much closer to what Chaim wrote: Investigation.
Ultimately there is only one truth, therefore there can only be one true science and only one true religion.
2+2 is the same in Japan, America, Israel and in India. The laws of thermodynamics apply equally in every country. There is no such thing as Jewish chemistry, or Hindu Mathematics.
If there is any truth is Jewish religion it belongs to the whole humanity. Greeks invented modern geometry, and even though the whole Geometry is uses Greek words, Geometry is human, not Greek.
In religion, just like in mathematics certain things cannot be proven, not even defined. For example in Geometry “point”, “line”, and “plane” cannot be defined. They can however be understood to some degree by socializing with skillful mathematicians and seeing how they use these terms.
The same way, “God” and “Soul” cannot be defined, but in the presence of individuals, and groups who are truly religious in their life, not just words, these concepts become more clear.
Jews are a remarkable religious group, there have been many truly remarkable deeply spiritual individuals among them. The Jewish culture caries echo’s of these individuals. By being part of this culture, we may be able to get a sense of what “God” and “Soul” is on existential level, not just philosophical. What counts is how we live, not what we say.
Well, Chaim, Orthodoxy is a way out of the Reformism. Karaite Judaism is for now to small to provide a meaningful identity.
To Danny:
Karaite Judaism always was small. In the maximum momentum of it, was about 10% of world jewry. But Karaites also have flaws..
Danny and Chaim,
I think the solution is a combination of
Modern Orthodoxy and Karaism.
I know it sounds impossible, but my solution is keep the traditional Jewish calendar and matrilineal descent, which is what the Karaites don't accept, and keep the Karaite version of Shabbat observance and Kashrut observance, which of course Modern Orthodoxy won't like. Tzizit are a Torah commandment, and tefilin are not, so keep tzizit as obligatory and tefilin as optional.
Also No mysticism/ kabbalah of any kind whatsoever, and de-emphasize Midrash study- the Midrash is basically speculations/ stories about events in the Tanach, and sometimes Midrash can lead to anthropomorphism and mysticism. Emphasize Tanach's moral code and Jewish family values.
I am sure that with my system, which I am just developing- called Rational Traditional Judaism, we'll get a lot of Reform and Conservative people back plus some Orthoprax folks and Orthos who are considering going off the derech.
To Chaim: Everyone has flaws, but what are the specific flaws of Karaites?
To Dave: Is there a point of clinging to Orthodox calendar if it lacks Scriptural justification? Same for matrilinear decent.
The age of prophets ended 2,500 years ago. The age of priests ended 1937 years ago. And the age of Rabbis should end. It's time to move on.
uh, but ours is whose age?
We have some problems here in Israel specifically because of the matrilinear decent - Namely the Slav problem, so this idea (Which was introduced only after the return from Babylonian exlie) might require some review.
Chaim - Certainly. You can contact me at: `esatire at gmail dot com` (Hopefully that line won't be processed by the numerous spam-bots who plague the net).
To Danny:
Karaites have some flaws:
First of all, used non-sanct techiques to accuse Rabbinical jews before Goyim government. Thanks to this, they sometimes survived pogroms.
They pray postrated as Muslims do, have sinagogues, accept some matrilineal-descent jewish, observe same kashrut as rabbis, and basically always bothered me that Karaites seem to hate Christians. Just because. It seems to me at least from works I have read about them.
Out of this, they make a great job investigating Tanach.
If you do not believe that Jesus is Christ, then you are bound by the Law. Nowhere in the Old Testament are Jews told that they can choose what aspects of the Law to obey, nor are Jews told they can make their own piecemeal religion. Either you obey the commands of God, or you are not of God. Liberal Jews and Christians should remember the words of Elijah in 1 Kings 18,
"How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him."
So called liberal Jews should be intellectually honest enough to admit they follow Jewish traditions only to make themselves feel good. A non orthodox Jew has made a choice to follow the world by denying any of God’s commandments. A liberal Jew is of the world and by no means a child of God.
To Chaim: I agree with Karaite's prostrate prayer. They have every Biblical precedent. There are many verses in the Tanakh which describe specifically prostrated prayer, such as David's. Sitted prayer always looked disrespectful to me.
Rabbinical Jews used to despise Christians, as well. Consider scathing references by Rambam, among others. Karaites are less politically correct. Anyway, that's not about theology.
Danny, Have you read the web-site
http://www.faithstrengthened.org ?
It's basically a re-print in English of Hizzuk (Chizzuk?) Emunah, a tract refuting Christianity, written in the 1560's by Isaac of Troki, a Karaite. Really very well written. Unfortunately I notice that it doesn't seem to be part of the information package of the Jews for Judaism or any other similar group. I wonder why?
HASHEMS Servant MOSHE gave us the Torah and follow it
Reformism and orthodoxism is not exactly the Torah. The Tzadokim seemed to follow the Torah sincerely.
but now they were witch hunted down .
however the Torah Lives and that is the true religion.
The Karaites are not bad people but orthodox does not consider them as jews or simply calls them reformers. To be honest i follow milk and meat kosher rules according to orthodox system and i follow brit milah that way too but i dont believe in Rabbis which is not one of the 13 principles of faith according to orthodoxy but if i tell that to an orthodox person then they will call me reform and i follow all the 13 principles of faith. it seems that orthodoxy has a secret additional 8 principles of faith in additional to the 13. and those 8 principles will be believe in a Rabbi. Rabbis are always right. If you tell an orthodox person that Rashi shouldnt criticize HASHEMS servant MOSHE then they say its ok. but if you say Rashi made a mistake or is doing lashon Hara on MOSHE then they will say thats impossible. As if Rashi and the rabbis are always correct and the one HASHEM trusted MOSHE
can be criticized by anyone and with that belief i disagree with orthodoxism completely . they are allocating power to the rabbi and not to the TORAH.
so i dont know there principles of faith
Sincerely
Joseph Levy
ohrplus@yahoo.com
To chaim:
Consider that Rabbinical figures used to accuse Qaraite Jews in front in gentile governments too, and even enlisted their help to persecute and remove Qaraite competition through coercive force as was done in Spain where Qaraite Jews who refused to accept Rabbinism or leave the country were flogged to death by the gentile authorities.
I as a Qaraite Jew am unaware of Qaraites who accept rabbinical Kashrut willingly; given the chance, observant Qaraites always go beyond Orthodox Glatt-Kasher that does not forbid the consumption of all Helev-fats and employs such extraneous regulations as Bitul Be-Shishim, "non-edibles", etc.
I'm also unaware of any Qaraite acceptance of matrilineal descent unless both parents happen to be Jewish.