May 27, 2009 at 9:00 pm (Jewish)
Tags: being Jewish, frum, Shammai, Hillel
Why be a Jew? Or better yet, why do Jewish things?
Saturday is my Bar Mitzvah. Today I am feeling a bit disturbed. This happens every once in a while but today it stinks because I should be happy about my weekend coming up.
Should one follow the lineage of Hillel or Shammai? Should one follow the majority which the Talmud points out is more important than what’s “halachically correct” and G-d is OK with that (see Oven of Aknai = Bava Metzia 59b)?
I am disturbed by the frum Shammayans. Who are they you might ask? Shammayans believe that:
- Jews who do not practice the way they do aren’t Jewish
- The law is more important than the intent
- Hillel was wrong and Shammai should have won
- Tradition is always right
- Judaism never changed between the Mishnah and the 18th century
- It is impure to daven with Jews who do not identify with their rabbi
- It is ok to belittle their kin and mourn them while they live
- Idol worship is wrong unless it is their way you worship
- Their kashrut is more kosher than yours
- As long as it is kosher who cares how it is done
It upsets me that I have the Christians trying to convert me, the Muslims trying to one up the Christians and the Shammayans trying to do more damage than both of them by destroying my identity and way of life. I can deal with the Christians and Muslims they are on the outside. I am not sure what to do with the Shammayans.
Why bother being Jewish if a significant portion of the same population doesn’t want you to be? And if the assimilated world does not want you to be? Nevermind antisemitism, Shammayans are doing their best to minimize the Jews in the world.
cross posted on Blog Midrash
4 Comments
March 10, 2009 at 10:18 pm (Jewish)
Tags: being chosen, being Jewish, called, Jewish, Nazarite
How am I going to write my parsha about the Nazarite? About Naso? Numbers is so difficult and so distant. It is difficult even when read as a historical text. Here is my thoughts about the Nazarite.
The Nazarite seems like the Jew of Jews. The Nazarite is asked to live within the Jewish world but to separate himself by not being able to do what other Jews do. Sampson was Nazarite. As Nazarite you may not cut your hair, you may not drink wine, and you may not touch the dead. These are some examples.
So what? This means that as a Nazarite you remove yourself from almost every festival or occasion. Even from Shabbat. You cannot drink wine or grapes, this is the basis of every festive occasion. If you cannot cut your hair, you look different. You do not look like everyone else. If your family member dies you may not participate in any of the mourning rituals. All of this makes you stand out in the community.
This all seems very similar to the Jewish experience. As a Jew you remove yourself from the other population by having different rules of eating, dress and lifecycle events.
Do you ever feel like you have been picked to be a Jew? Have you been called? Do you know anyone who is the “Nazarite” among the Jews? Someone who has been picked for a holy and stricter path?
Leave a Comment
January 14, 2009 at 10:56 pm (Jewish)
Tags: being Jewish, Conservative, Hasidic, Jewish, Orthodox, Reform
What makes you Jewish?
Are you Jewish if you think you are? If others think you are? If your enemies think you are? Your friends? If I think I am Jewish and I Jew well, does that make me Jewish?
I converted to Judaism 14 years ago. It may have taken a good 6 years before I felt Jewish. Was I Jewish before that?
I know several women who have a Jewish household, raise their children Jewish, attend synagogue and except for the fact that they were not born Jewish and did not convert are more Jewish behaving then their husbands in every way. Are they Jewish?
If you were born Jewish and you live in the assimiliated world and do not practice or recognize your Judaism are you Jewish? The Nazis determined that if you were 1/16th Jewish you were Jewish. So if your great grandfather was Jewish you are.
If you grew up in another faith and converted into Judaism in the Reform or Conservative movement are you Jewish? The Orthodox and Hasidic movements have decided that you are not Jewish if you did not convert by one of their own.
Does it matter what other people think? Are you Jewish if you think you are?
1 Comment
November 13, 2008 at 10:34 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: being Jewish, conversion, Orthodox, Reform
What makes you Jewish? I think I have asked this one before.
I converted throught the Reform movement. We did all of the halachic requirements. I have continued to study, learn, particpate and do Jewish things. However, many a time I have had “Jewish” people tell me that because I did not do this with an Orthodox rabbi I am not a Jew.
Yesterday I went to a class in Boston that was talking about Jewish conversion from the Biblical, Talmudic and halachic perspectives. It did seem that I have done what is needed.
Here is a story of the Boston Rebbe. I have never met him. I have his phone number and have seen his family lineage. However, my brother in-law was visting. He is a Yeminite Israeli Jew. He is what the American Ashkenazis might call a modern Orthodox person however those labels just do not fit the Yeminite community. On his way back to Israel he sat in his seat and the Rebbe of Boston sat next to him. They were chatting and my brother in-law was describing his visit and describing me. Who knows why? Maybe they were trying to do Jewish geography and then they came to me. Well, the Rebbe was sufficiently impressed that he told my brother in-law to have me call so that he could convert me to Judaism.
Huh? Aren’t I already Jewish? Didn’t I already have the tough path to sow? I did not stand at Sinai and see the smoke and fire and hear the thunderous roar as described in the Bible. Should I get circumcised again because the Rebbe has a hate on the Reform rabbis? Should I have another beit din? Should I have another immersion in the mikvah? Or is all I need the blessing of someone with the right pedigree?
4 Comments
June 5, 2008 at 6:20 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: being Jewish, pride
I have been Jewish for 12 years. What does that mean? What makes you Jewish? You were born Jewish? You have a Jewish mother? You have Jewish blood? You were brought up Jewish? You go to Synagogue? What about everyday? What makes you Jewish? According to Orthodoxy and by extention, Israel, I am not Jewish because I converted by a female reform rabbi.
I am married with 2 children. They are Jewish. They have a Jewish mother. Will they be Jewish if they do not practice Judaism? Will they be Jewish if they practice Catholism? Will they be Jewish if they practice atheism? Will they be Jewish if they practice nothing
but become great at living a secular life?
I am learning to be actively Jewish, internally and externally. I look to learn and particpate in the Jewish community. The other day I tried to join a Jewish organization that looks to increase the participation and practice of Jews. I was not allowed to join because I do not have a Jewish mother and converted reform. I practice many aspects of Judaism with the intent to wrestle to create a connection.
My family has Shabbat dinner every Friday night. Shabbat day is for family, in other words, no TV, no computer but activities family does together or with friends.
I recently started wearing a Kippah. Why? Well I am proud of being Jewish. I do not look Jewish (WSAPy at best). I do not have the mannerisms or sayings that go along with a Jewish archetype. I could wear a big gold Jewish star around my neck and go for the bling. I do not wear jewlery though. But I wondered why reform Jews do not wear Kippah. What ever the reason I decided I was going to try. Why? As a black friend once explained, everyday he gets identified as black no matter what he does or wears. However, I as a Jew, can wear white people clothes and blend right in. Now I wear Kippah. Now when people look at me they think Jew. Now I think about the fact people are going to identify me and I make sure I do good.
I act with intent. I am aware at all times as being Jewish. I do good. I want to focus on more Jewish mitzvahs and do good with a purpose. I would like others to explore with me.
Are you proud to be Jewish?
Do you want to want to explore Judaism?
Leave a Comment
