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Alex_H
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Is it true that Jews have to abide by 613 commandments? If you are Jewish, do you find this stressful?
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Kaninchen
Guest
Well, not being a grape-grower, I find leaving unformed clusters of grapes alone quite easy.
Here’s a list from aish which will give you a flavour of what they’re about. Many can’t be observed (there’s no Temple, for example or theocratic state) and, like everything in Judaism, there’s a lot of argument about any and everything - here’s the Jewish Virtual Library on women’s obligations, for example.
Meanwhile, yes, sometimes it feels like obsessive compulsive disorder as a religion - cleaning before Passover, for example, here’s Chabad’s list.
I think the important thing is that, as a Jew, you’re continuously ‘bumping into’ God and who we are and why we are.
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1neophyte
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JurisPrudens
Guest
A true story…
When I was converting to Catholicism (being an nonpracticing Russian Orthodox before), I was to pass RCIA. When I informed my father of my upcoming initiation rite on the same day, he (not having much idea about it) worriedly asked me whether it involves a circumcision or anything like that.
And he was aboslutely serious!Oh, my dad is just so concerned about things like this!
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GEddie
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No, but ye Jews have a very long and honorable tradition of arguing with God and, by extension, each other. Hence the whole story concerning Jacob and the sciatic nerve.I don’t think that is unique to Judaism.
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Simca
Guest
Such a very neat thing to say.
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ComplineSanFran
Guest
I miss that in Christianity. I truly wish that were one of the things that was handed down to us. We need a bit of the waving our fist at God. We also need a bit of ‘according to Hillel and according to Shamai.’ Sigh.
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Alex_H
Guest
Thank you!Well, not being a grape-grower, I find leaving unformed clusters of grapes alone quite easy.
Here’s a list from aish which will give you a flavour of what they’re about. Many can’t be observed (there’s no Temple, for example or theocratic state) and, like everything in Judaism, there’s a lot of argument about any and everything - here’s the Jewish Virtual Library on women’s obligations, for example.
Meanwhile, yes, sometimes it feels like obsessive compulsive disorder as a religion - cleaning before Passover, for example, here’s Chabad’s list.
I think the important thing is that, as a Jew, you’re continuously ‘bumping into’ God and who we are and why we are.
Great answer.
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1neophyte
Guest
Yeah! I totally agree. Politeness is held in too high regard. It leads to a flock that doesn’t really stand for anything. Such a shame…
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ComplineSanFran
Guest
I also appreciate that there are ‘schools’ of thought in Judaism, and it is perfectly fine to be loyal to one and not the other. What I’m trying to get at is that there isn’t just one interpretation of Scriptures, or of the Commandments, or even of God. We can hammer out our theologies and even disciplines and not feel afraid that it isn’t in line with one appointed dictum. THAT is what I miss from Judaism.
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1neophyte
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Definitely a good and interesting point. But in regard to the Jewish “tradition” of arguing with God and by extension with each other, and the old “two Jews, three opinions” saying, doesn’t that imply that there ultimately is only one actual truth that we should be wrestling and struggling to try to attain? If it really was just fine to be loyal to one school of thought and not another, wouldn’t that mean there would never be anything to argue about?
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ComplineSanFran
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Sorry, I am not quite understanding your question. Are you asking that if we have an argument with God or with another person, that the point is that there is only one ultimate answer which all are seeking?
If that is your question, I would say just the opposite.
But please help me understand your words.
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1neophyte
Guest
Yes, that was my question. I guess my theory (for lack of a better word) is that while whatever traditions or disciplines or ideas we come up with will never adequately express “ultimate truth”, the very fact that we argue points to an ultimate truth that we are trying to get a handle on. Especially when there are questions that logically can’t have directly opposite answers that are both correct.
I apologize if that isn’t as clear as I’d like it to be.
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ComplineSanFran
Guest
I think you see the bigger picture, yes. I believe that truth/God is beyond us, so that ultimately however we come to wrestle with our bit of it, we have room for someone in front of us saying something different.
If you have ever studied or watched people study Talmud, it is loud and boisterous and filled with ‘Rabbi So-and-So says this’ and ‘Rabbi So-and-So says that.’ They can be directly opposed to each other and yet both have value. Both point toward God.
I love the saying of Augustine (to move from Judaism to Christianity):
‘We are talking about God.
What wonder is it that you do not understand?
If you do understand, then it is not God.’
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GEddie
Guest
Methinks also that in Judaism a great deal of the extensional arguing concerns interpretations of the Law; the Law is the core of faith and how it is observed is therefore paramount.
What laws exist in Catholicism are for the most part sharply delineated and so there is far less to be argued about. Or because those laws are not the core of faith (baptism, and not the keeping of fast days or Church rubrics, is what defines Catholics), there is less perceived need to argue about them.
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What laws exist in Catholicism are for the most part sharply delineated and so there is far less to be argued about. Or because those laws are not the core of faith (baptism, and not the keeping of fast days or Church rubrics, is what defines Catholics), there is less perceived need to argue about them.
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1neophyte
Guest
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