All these rules! I feel like I’m in a strip joint

Anyone who knows anything about Judaism, knows there are lots of rules.

Lots of mitzvot

Lots of obligations

Lots of guilt

There are two main categories of Jewish rules

1) So many of these rules are logical…

Respecting parents

Caring for the widow…

the orphan

the poor

the sick

2) So many rules are illogical…

Oy vey… where do I begin?

It is on this second, illogical, category that I wish to focus my attention

Estimates vary, but there are approximately 15 million Jews in the world. After 3,500 years, only 15 million?

Hitler murdered 6 million within the past century, but surely there should be more than 15 million if we have had 3,500 years to be fruitful and multiply?

Why are our numbers so low?

Well, we Jews are notorious for our liberalism, our willingness to be open-minded and our inter-marriage rates. We are happy to show off our secularism, and our ease at which we integrate within the wider society.

It’s always been this way.

For 3,500 years

Assimilation and the discarding of our religion is, ironically, part of our heritage

Since the inception of our nation, we have been subjected to murders, pogroms and persecution. Our numbers are low, but murder, pogroms and persecution only partly account for the ‘leakage’.

Since our inception, we have also suffered from our willingness to discard our religion.

And who wouldn’t want to discard of a religion that has so many rules.

So many illogical rules

Oy vey….where do I begin?

Despite the lofty ideals of Judaism, the illogical demands of our religion are most often cited as reasons for non-practice, non-observance and non-interest in Judaism.

No rational being would willingly choose to follow Judaism (or any religion for that matter). Not when there are so many illogical rules associated with Torah observance

The many illogical rules of Judaism turn rational people off Judaism.

Rational people say that they want to be 'free', not governed by illogical rules.

Rational people don't want to be controlled, or limited, by a set of rules

I was watching BBC World News earlier this week

During the sports news, an item came up regarding some big golfing tournament. This particular news item covered a delay that occurred during this particular golfing championship.

The delay was caused by a bee.

Not by a golfer

Not by a tropical storm

Not by a major multi-national corporation pulling its sponsorship of the tournament

The delay was caused by a typical, black and yellow, buzzing bee.

Like Maya… the bee

This particular bee was enjoying the view of the green from one of the golfer’s golf balls. And while the bee sat, and toured the golf ball, tournament play was stopped.

They tried to get the bee off, but to no avail.

The bee on the golfball caused EVERYBODY to stop… and wait

They HAD to wait

There are rules of golf that had to be applied and enforced

After all, this was a big golfing championship

And there was lots of money involved…..Millions of dollars

And many big-name golfers

And sponsors…. Including many large multi-nationals

And TV crews…..representing sports networks from around the globe

And ofcourse, tens of millions of viewers around the world

But, the delay, caused by the bee on the ball, was logical

Why?

Because there are rules that govern the game of golf

Logical rules

Rules that determine, that when when a bee is on a golf ball, the professional golfers, the tournament, the millions of viewers, the game, the international sports networks, and the multi-national sponsors….

Must ALL wait

And they did all wait

And NOBODY complained

The minutae of golf, including its many rule, serve the greater purpose of the game. It keeps the game organized, focused and….logical

Rules and laws have a purpose.

In and of themselves, they may seem petty.

Rules serve a higher purpose. That purpose may be an organized game of golf due to various golfing rules, safer roads due to traffic laws, reduced fraud due to financial regulations, and even safety for exotic dancers due to strictly enforced house-rules.

Shabbos is a good example of where many rules exist

Less than 10% of world Jewry observe Shabbos

The laws of Shabbos are detailed and complex.

Most of these laws and rules are terribly illogical

The purpose of Shabbos, what it aims to achieve and what people can gain from it, is often overlooked, due to the petty, illogical, numerous Torah requirements

Shabbos has so many rules

Oy vey….where do I begin?

To many Jews, Shabbos is worth discarding. Shabbos is demanding, and its rules are extensive

It’s no wonder people are turned off by Judaism in general, and Shabbos in particular

I can understand why there are more Jews who play golf on Shabbos than there are Jews who actually keep Shabbos

After all, the illogical Jewish rules are not enough to attract rational people to the lofty values of their heritage, their people and their culture

It’s the logical “bee-on-the-golfball” rules that govern the world of golf that are far more attractive

When Bad Jews worship the Jelly Tot Rebbe

A story….


About a year ago, (BBDC*.....see key below), I was chatting to a friend of mine.

Jelly Tots BBDC came up in the conversation.

Regarding Jelly Tots BBDC, she said:

“I’m a bad Jew. I give my kids Jelly Tots BBDC”

And my blood boiled

Jew’s calling themselves ‘Bad Jews’

This, from a woman who is a nurturing mother

A dedicated wife

A loving and respectful daughter

This, from a woman who is kind, caring and does charity work.

A woman who always helps and gives assistance to people.

Note my word. ‘GIVES’.

She NEVER offers.

NEVER

She just goes ahead and does.

Why would such a woman, who represents so many of the Godly attributes Jews should aspire to, call herself a ‘Bad Jew’?

Why would such a woman, who our Mother Sarah would be proud of, regard herself as being a ‘sinner’?

Oh ja, she told me why:

Because she gives her children Jelly Tots BBDC!

Excuse me.

What did I just write?

Where on earth would Jews get the idea that eating Jelly Tots BBDC makes them a “Bad Jew”? What a ridiculous concept. How can someone regard themselves as ‘bad’. As ‘sinners’

Where would such un-Godly thoughts and concepts come from?

Oh, I know where these ‘Bad Jews’ get these alien concepts from…..

They get them from ‘Frum’ Jews

Frum Jews who place the importance of Kosher Certification, a hechsher, over all other Godly pursuits

Another story….

On Shavuot (last week), we had lunch at some friends of ours. A friend of theirs arrived for lunch. Over the past several years, their friend has been getting more involved in Judaism.

Jelly Tots came up in conversation, which included the fact that Jelly Tots are now Beth Din Certified. We discussed the fact that the ‘frum’ Jewish community was abuzz with excitement when the news broke ….

…..news that Jelly Tots were “Kosher”.

When stock first arrived on the shelves, the ‘Good Jews’ who were lucky to be at the stores suffered minor injuries, attacking one another to get a piece of the Jelly Tot BDK# (see key below) action

This friend of theirs could not believe that ‘frum’ Jews were so concerned about Jelly Tots BDK. She could not believe that ‘frum’ Jews got so excited about the Beth Din certification. She could not believe that ‘frum’ Jews fought each other to get their hands on the newly launched product.

She wondered why ‘frum’ Jews didn’t spend that time helping poor people, or doing other Godly work? Why would ‘frum’ Jews, ‘Godly’ Jews spend more time discussing Jelly Tots BBDC and Jelly Tots BDK than having more meaningful discussions

What leads Godly Jews to refer to themselves at ‘Bad Jews’? What leads ‘frum’ Jews to focus their Jewish pursuits on the hechsher of an already Kosher product?

Jelly Tots have always been Kosher. Yes, there are opinions who would disagree, but there are many opinions that would wholeheartedly agree that Jelly Tots BBDC* were Kosher. I am not talking about the opinions of my mate Rob’s Rebbe (his Rebbe is his pet dog). I am talking about opinions of well respected rabbinic minds and halachists.

If you think that only the most ‘left’, ‘liberal’, ‘reform’ of Rabbis would say Jelly Tots BBDC* were Kosher, you are wrong.

Yes, there are opinions that say Jelly Tots BBDC* were not kosher, but many more would call Jelly Tots BBDC Kosher.

Kosher according to halacha.

Kosher according to Torah

Perhaps you are a ‘frum’ Jew, like me, who thinks that only ‘lenient’ opinions would have allowed Jelly Tots BBDC

If that’s what you are thinking, let’s look at it from the other extreme (word chosen intentionally)

Let’s look it from another perspective (word chosen for those who took offense to previous word).

Let’s see if we should rely on hechshers to determine our ‘frumkeit’, our Godliness.

Let’s use the largest Glatt Kosher slaughterhouse in America.

Yep, Glatt Kosher.

For those that don’t know, in simple terms (after all, I am simple)Glatt Kosher is Very kosher. Extra Kosher

The cows wear sheitels.

Anyways, over the past few years, there have been a few ‘issues’ at this Glatt Kosher facility. The issues include the hiring of illegal and underage workers, the treatment of staff, the treatment of the animals and, the one all ‘Good Jews’ care about, the Kosher methods by which the animals are slaughtered/shechted.

Once the largest Glatt Kosher slaughterhouse began appearing in the press, various leading Rabbis , primarily in the United States and Israel, started to assess the methods by which the animals were being killed (by the way, when determining whether the meat was Kosher, the way the staff and animals were treated were not of concern to these ‘leading’ Rabbis – but that pathetic Rabbinic behavior is an aside)

Turns out, there was a split of opinions. There were rabbis who called the meat ‘treif’. There were rabbis who labeled the meat not-kosher. And there were rabbis who said the meat was perfectly Kosher.

Now, here is a Glatt Kosher slaughterhouse, with many rabbis who claimed the meat was treif and/or not-kosher. Other Rabbis said it was indeed Kosher.

Some Rabbis would agree to Kosher certification(i.e. a hechsher). Other Rabbis would not.

So, if the Kosher certification of certain kashrut agencies hechsher did not appear on the meat, would the ‘frum’ people eating that meat suddenly stop consuming?

No, they would not

But why?

Because the consumers of this Glatt Kosher meat did not care if Rabbi X or organization Y gave the meat hechsher or not. People who ate, and continue to eat the meat, KNOW, that according to their opinions, and their Rabbinic leaders, the meat is Kosher.

They did not care if other’s disagreed.

There was enough halachic support to show that the meat was, and is, indeed Kosher

In this Glatt Kosher case, was it ‘liberal’, ‘lefty’, ‘reform’ Rabbis who agreed (or were of the opinion) that the Glatt Kosher meat was Kosher?

Certainly not

Some leading Rabbis said the meat was treif and/or not-kosher and some leading Rabbis said…

“Ez Gezunt”

It’s not the certification that determined the Kashrut of the meat. It was the halacha, and the opinions of Rabbis that people choose to follow

Some leading Rabbis and organisations refuse to Kosher certify this particular Glatt Kosher meat. They regard this Glatt Kosher meat at treif and/or not-Kosher.

Does that mean it is not-Kosher or/and treif?

Some leading Rabbis regard Jelly Tots BBDC as Kosher.

Does that mean it is?

Well…..here is the beauty - and complexity - of Judaism…..

The answer to both those questions is:

Yes, depending on who you follow

Here’s the dilemma for us ‘frum’ Jews:

We now use the term “Kosher” when we should be using the words “Kosher Certified”

• Have we become ’frum’ Jews who have placed Kosher certification above Torah and God?

• Have we reduced our Judaism to rebuking Jews incorrectly and inappropriately?

• Have we turned our Judaism into an ‘us’ and ‘them’, labeling Jews as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ over the eating of flippin’ Jelly Tots?

How many of us ‘frum’ Jews would:

Say to another Jew, “Don’t eat that, it’s not Kosher”

Or

Say to another parent: “Don’t give that to your kids, it’s not Kosher”

Or

Freak out when you see your kids dig into a marshmellow Easter Egg

(aahh, I used to love those things)

Well, many of the treats, mass produced products and drinks that appear on our supermarket shelves are indeed Kosher (according to many leading Rabbis). I am not talking about chicken, and meat, and fish, and eating at non-kosher restaurants. I am talking about your average sweet. Or snack. Or loaf of bread. Or drink.

Yes, even the ones without kosher certification

I don’t eat, drink, or consume products that do not have Beth Din Certification. And I don’t give my kids food or drink that is not Beth Din Certified. But I do that because I am damn lazy. It’s easy to rely on the Beth Din. Whether I should or not (given the Glatt Kosher slaughterhouse example) is another debate.

But I do.

I could investigate every product. I could read all the ingredients. I could learn the halacha about certain food additives and animal derivatives. I could use my God-given brain to study Kashrut Halacha and apply it to my life.

But I am too freakin’ lazy.

So, I rely on the Beth Din (for better or for worse).

The fact that I rely on the Beth Din does not mean that non-Beth Din certified products are not Kosher.

What it means, is that non-Deth Din Certified products are not Certified by the Beth Din.

There are many products and services out there are NOT-Kosher……..according to ALL opinions

(aahhh, I miss Spur)

But many products are Kosher, according to MANY opinions, despite not having the Beth Din Certification

So, next time we ‘frum’ Jews call people, or allow Jews to call themselves, ‘Bad Jews’ for eating Jelly Tots BBDC (or similar), think about what’s important:

• Have we degraded our religion to one that focuses on Jelly Tots?

• Should we rebuke someone for eating something that is Kosher according to the Torah and halachah, but perhaps not Kosher Certified?

• Should we acknowledge that there is a difference between Kosher and Kosher certified?

• Should we rely on our ‘holier than though’ hechsher rating system to make us feel good about our ‘progress’ in developing ourselves as Godly Jews, in the mould of our Father Abraham, our Mother Sarah, our Prophet Moses (no image attached)?

• Should we be doing our homework, and use our God given brains and intellect to investigate for ourselves, and discern the difference between Kosher and Kosher Certified?

Nuff said….

For now

-------------------------------------

Key:

*Before Beth Din Certification

# Beth Din Kosher

These people should be banned from synagogues - Not Judge Goldstone

Neturei Karta join in the anti-Israel demonstrations last week

A member of Neturei Karta, a fringe of ultra-Orthodox movement within the anti-Zionist bloc in Israel, talks with a masked Palestinian youth during clashes with Israeli police in the Arab east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan on April 25, 2010. Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli police as dozens of ultra-nationalist Jews carried Israeli flags through Silwan to assert Jewish sovereignty of all of Jerusalem, according to the organisers of the march.

The Judge Goldstone Saga: Let the beheadings begin

The local and international press is running with the Judge Goldtsone 'Barmitzvah Barring' story. The South African Jewish community has been outraged, following the release of the 'Goldstone Report' and there are reports that the outrage, and attacks, are now 'personal'

The Times has reported that the SA Jewish board of deputies has denied that any barring has taken place. YNet News reported that the 'banning' is indeed in place. According to the Business Day, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies called the reports of banning "completely untrue".

I think the Goldtsone report is a travesty of justice.

Judge Golstone led the UN fact finding mission on Gaza. The mission kicked off in April 2009 and the report was published in September 2009.

The "Judge Goldstone event of 2009" irrevocably damaged Israel's reputation. It 'exposed' Israel as being a war-hungry, blood-thirsty colonialist state. It 'presented' the inhumane tactics used by Israel's war machine and blatant disregard the Israeli military, and government, has for Palestinian life and Palestinian territory.

(An often ignored and overlooked "by-the-way": The report accused both the Israeli Defense Force AND Palestinian militants of war crimes and, alleged, crimes against humanity)

But, should the outcome and recommendations of that report be of any surprise to Israel and the international Jewish community?

Has the UN and any of it's agencies been 'friends of Israel' over the past decade, two decades, four decades?

The feeling among the general Jewish community, and supporters of Israel, is that Goldstone has undermined the Jewish state, and fueled the flames of anti-Jewish, anti-semitic and anti-Israel sentiment

While the Jewish Board denies reports of the 'barring' of Judge Goldstone from attending his grandson's barmitzvah, there are many members of the Jewish community (and leaders too) who would (and do) support such a barring

Should he have declined the opportunity to lead the fact-finding mission?

Yes

But the findings would have been the same. In fact, Israel probably could have expected an even worse, more damaging report from the 'we-haven't-supported-Israel-since-1947' UN

"Anti-semitism", "anti-Torah", "anti-Jewish lifestyle", "anti-Jewish homeland" movements (and wide support for those movements) have always existed. There is nothing new about these movements, sentiments, lunatics.

Judge Goldstone did not invent anti-semitism, anti-Torahism and anti-Jewish Homelandism

And he hardly fuels it

Judge Goldstone sits way down on the list of issues and people who undermine the Jewish community, our beliefs, our Torah values. Judge Goldstone is small fry when it comes to fueling anti-semetism, anti-Jewish lifestyle, anti-Torah views and anti-Israel sentiment

Judge Goldstone should NEVER be banned from any shul, or Jewish institutions. There should be NO debate about such bannings, barrings or Taliban style community dealings

But that does not mean barrings, bannings, and possible beheadings should be entirely ruled out. The target of these efforts needs to be the people and activities that threaten the Jewish community, what it stands for, and what it believes in.

Judge Goldtsone does not feature on that list

Who is undermining the Jewish community's credibility? Who is bringing disrepute to the Jewish way of life and our Torah values? What type of people are weakening the standing of Israel within the community of nations? What activities are sabotaging our efforts to be a 'light unto the nations'

So, who should we be banning from our shuls and communities?

• Jewish businessman and religious leaders convicted of fraud, employment and abuse of illegal worker, and cruelty to animals
• Israeli mayors who take bribes
• Rabbis who molest children
• Jews who don't respect other human beings

These kinds of people and activities cause harm to us as a Jewish community, our beloved Torah and our precious State of Israel

There's has been a lot of talk about Judge Goldtsone

Maybe, maybe too much talk

Does being religious enhance literary skills?

Here is an interesting article that appeared in the Jerusalem Post

-------------------------------------------------------------

‘Jewish heritage, tradition essential to our culture'

By JONAH MANDEL

07/04/2010

Does being religious enhance literary skills?

The Education Ministry on Tuesday released the breakdown of the latest results of matriculation exams (bagrut) in literature, for the school year 2007/2008, and seven of the 10 high schools with the best averages, including the top five, were religious institutions.

Bar-Ilan University Prof. Ephraim Hazan, who also served as a supervisor over literature studies in the religious education system, was cited by Israel Radio on Tuesday as explaining that “the religious youth is more connected to the [Jewish] sources and the Hebrew language of the sources, while the secular youth is unfortunately disconnecting from it, in certain aspects.”

Ariela Zim agrees with Hazan’s thesis, but says that there is more to it. She would know, as it was her pupils in the Neveh Shmuel yeshiva high school, located in Efrat, who had the highest average score in the 2008 literature exams.

“When our students read Agnon, it really comes to life for them,” the jubilant teacher told The Jerusalem Post, referring to the Nobel laureate whose corpus is rich with references and allusions to the Jewish tradition and sources. “But you need to utilize the preliminary connection, to inspire the students, to impassion them.
“An important aspect is the method of teaching, which in our case, is a round table with all the implications – a group of us sitting together, debating, discussing, listening to one another – much like traditional Jewish scholarship,” Zim continued, contrasting that method to one in which a single authority puts forth a thesis.

“Our approach promotes the capacity to analyze and scrutinize texts, but more importantly, genuinely connects the students to the material. The students learn to ask questions, and to love the subject matter. It becomes part of their soul.”

Zim also noted that since the students’ abilities are ultimately evaluated by a written test, she takes care to develop oral and written expression skills.

When asked by the Post if her pedagogic success could not be attributed primarily to good teaching methods in general, Zim had no doubts as to the central role Jewish heritage has in contemporary Israeli culture.

“Any attempt to sever oneself from the Jewish heritage and tradition, while suggesting an alternative secular culture or identity, is doomed to fail,” she said. “Without tradition constituting a significant facet [in our culture], we won’t be able to make achievements in fields considered secular, and not only literature.”