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J’TJ'
JUDAISM — A DEVOTIONAL DISCIPLINE
Once again let me explain for those who have been holidaying or for other reasons
avoidably or unavoidably absent that we have been conducting a little survey of the
essentials of Judaism
wfieh—hflS—Wé—imfmm—wedS—e-Ai
which we want
to conclude today.
Judaism, we have said so far, is a way of thought and
thought, the idea that dominates it is the idea. of
the unity of God and the unity of mankind.
mm
best conveyed
the word humaneness.
As
a.
m:
a.
way of life.
As a way of
the unity of the universe,
way of life, its keynote is perhaps
It demands above all that we should recognise,
revere and love the humanity that resides in all our fellow men, however
different they may be from us and from one another, and treat them accordingly; that is,
with
$223;
for their right to freedom and justice, with sensitivity for their feelings,
with compassion for their sufferings, and with concern for their welfare and haggness.
A person who conducts himself according to these principles leads the kind of life
that Judaism requires.
there for anything else?
that people will
i_rl
What need, then, is
The need, quite simply, is for some way of bringing it about
Egg behave
the general principles.
as possible.
But if that is so, What remains to be said?
in these ways.
To achieve that, it isn't enough to state
You have to spell out their implications, and in as much detail
Imagine you were founding a new community, let us say a boarding-5811051.
You may have a generai idea
that community.
(if
the sort of moral tone that you would like to prevail in
But it won't come about merely
by}
your wishing it.
Nor will it happen
simply because you put up a notice on the school-notice—board saying "Everybody shall
behave decently to everybody else."
You have to think through how the ideals you have
in mind can best be implemented in all the
situatiorfi and relation—
ships that will arise in the life of the community, and then you have to formulate the
result in
.
Jet/(Ln
That is what Judaism has done.
regulations
WW4
.
It is a way of life expressed, not only in general
_ 2 _
principles but in specific legislation.
It is not only like, a summary of the
principles of aerodynamics; it is also like a blue—print for the making of an aero-
Judaism is, in adéition to everything we have said so far, a 1egal code.
plane.
As a matter of fact, it has been much priticised on that score.
The early Christians,
Paul especially, derided the legal side of Judaism.
mean!
said.
There is
116
for it, they
All you need. is the ideal, the spirit and the example of a historical person who,
allegedly, fulfilled it.
encouraging.
But the resuliés of this anti—legalism have not been very
For in the course of history countless people dedicated to that ideal,
with that spirit, and guided by that example, have found it possible, without
being aware of any inconsistency, to tolerate war and persecution and social injustice.
Of course Judaism, as a legal code, has run into its own difficulties, mainly because
of its conservatism, its failure to move with the times.
out of date.
Today it is in many respects
It needs to be thoroughly overhauled, and e_ven Liberal Jevls have been
slow to apply themselves to that task.
They have
need for revision than to carry it out.
gmmxxy
done more gapoint out the
With the result that Jewish law is today, in
M
many respects, in an unsatisfactory state’ and the best proof of it is that the State
Napoleonic
(k
4 Lha‘hmuuihl.
of Israel has had to resort to 225mm; and English Law, as we 1 as Jewish Law, XE Never1!.
signi‘ficant
theless, this legal side of the Jewish heritage remains
Matrix
.
It
redinds us
that Judaism, in one of itgjizportant aspects, is an attempt to answer the question,
"What does the Lord require of you?", not merely in genera; terms but specifically,
in“:
Skipnm‘
m
i""113; that
'
th. r
.
"H
r n"
Hire legislation,
M
But even a detailed code of conduct does not automatically produce a community that
lives accordingly.
To achieve that, you have to
patiently, perseveringly and persuasively,
from its lead-rs downwards.
E our Torah portion not
{7.0
the code, in all its details,
each and every member of the comrmini’cy,
There has to be education.
Notice, for ihstance, that
only commends to the king cerain general attitudes but demands
a
3.
- 3 _
of him that he should write for himself a copy of the Torah
every day of his life.
and
read it
But because of Judaism's egalitarianism, itself reflected in our
Torah portion when it enjoins that the king's heart must not be lifted up above his
brethren, it isn't enough that the leaders should possess a knowledge of the Torah:
must be educated.
Judaism, as a way of life, demands for its implementation an educated
And this in turn requires educational institutions: schools, colleges
community.
5;
and.
synagogyes.
60w
let us sum up before we come to the last point.
Judaism is a way of understanding
the universe, an affirmation of the general principles which should govern human conduct,
a code of law translating these principles into detailed rules and regulations, and an
educational system by which the knovéledge of these rules may be imparted to every member
of the cmm'nunity as well as trsnsmitted, through appropriate institutions, from generation
to generationB
Yet even that is not all.
m
you will observe them.
have the
You have to have something more than the knowledge; you have to
the motivation, the will, the strength.
the right eftitude of mind.
discipline.
I use that
and worship.
to
M.
k'neged
For even if you know all the rules, it doesn't follow that
And for that you need what is perhaps best called
term rather than ritual because it isn't only
a.
a.
devotional
matter of prayer
As the old watchword goes, with deliberate exaggeration of course, ‘lml_mud
"The study of Torah is equal to all the other obligations put together.%
Let us try to be clear what is involved here.
w
M
0n the contrary, Judaism traditionally gives first place among these duties
M,
the time of
You have to cultivate in yourself
It isn't just a matter of mastering, at
Confirmation, "The Essentials of Liberal Judaism" by Rabbi Israel
llatdlck
and subsisting on that and one or two other books like it for the rest of our lives.
It
is a matter of constant exploration of, and MAM-exposure to, the riches of Jewish literature
especially the primary sources, such as Bible and Midrash, rather than second-hand,
Reader's Digest kind of summaries.
For it is only then that, instead of merely knowjgg
-4-
'7
9223: Judaism, we shall actually come to gggg Judaism.
It is only then that it will
become part of us, of our mental equipment and furniture.
It is only then that the
affirmations of Judaism will becone our affirmations, and the values of Judaism our
values; it is only then that we shall respond instinctively in a Jewish manner to the
stimuli of the warld about us.
But study merges into mediation, and mediation into prayer, and private prayer into
domestic ritual and communal worghip,
zkflywhc{mhn
They are all connected.
wuum,
They are all part and
parcel of a grand design,«a carefully planned routine, a process of conditioning if you
like, intended to producefiindividuals and communities who are able, willing and eager
to put intb practice the Jewish way of life.
Of course this devotional discipline can be over—stressed, and in some sections of
our community ig overstressed.
Indeed, when people talk about "the Jewish way of life"
it is usually the customs and ceremonies that they refer to: the prayers Jews pray, the
festivals they celebrate, even the clothes they wear, the food they eat and the expressions
they use, as if these were of the essence of Judaism.
Thqy are 2g} of the essence.
The
esaence of Judaism is in its moral imperatives, and you will have observed that I have
used the phrase, "the Jewish way of life", only in that ethical sense.
Any other view
runs counter to the teachings of the Prophets, and our Haftarah is a good illustration
of the point they make again and again, that justice and not ritual is what God insists
upon.
It must indeed be admitteé that, in the Rabbinic development of Judaism, the
clarity
of this distinction became blurred.
Fundamentally, of course, the Rabbis always knew
that moral principles belong to a quite different category of importance from
cerembnial
regulations.
And of the many instances which could be adduced in proof of this, one might
mention the highly significant fact that, in the confession of sins which the Rabbis
formulated for recitation on the High Holydays, neglect of ritual does not even get a
mention; it is only a long, long catalogue of offences against ethical right conduct.
v
Q
- 5 _
But because of the legal approach which the Rabbis, in their desire to be practical and
specific, adoptea in all things, the lawyer's mind they brought to bear on all aspects of
Judaism, their literature often reads as if morality and ceremonial were of the same order
of significance, as ifi‘mey used, so tofiépeak, the same tone of voice when they dealt with
the details of the duty to visit the sick and when they dealt with the details of the
blowing of the Shofar.
And in recent times this blurring of the pr-phetic distinction
has had particularly unfortunate results, for with the decline of Jewish knowledge and
faith, and the need nevertheless to combat assimilation, fihere has been a tendency to
lay even more emphasis on ritual, which on the one hand distinguishes Judaism clearly
from Christianity and on the bther hand requires little effort, and correspond'ngly less
on the ethical duties, which are less obviously distinctive and require more effort.
Liberal Judaism, therefore, has been right to try to reverse this trend.
But in some
ways it has been too successful, namely in so far as indivifluals have conveniently drawm
from its teachings the conclusion that the devoti~na1 side of Judaism is really of no
impirtance at all and may be more or less completely neglected.
This attitude is indeed
fast b:;i:§££§23l~£aehéeaed, but one still encounters it from time to time, and I never
cease to wonder how modern people, in the name of modernity, can be so unmodern.
For all
the recent deVFlopments in psychology, sociology and education have made it so clear how
ineffectual it is merely to XKiBKXiKK utter generalities, merely to verbalise abstnct
principles and ideals; that the way to influence people is to establish institutions,
laws, customs, habits, routinés which affec? their emotions as well as their intellects.
I never cease to wonder either why so many people cafi see the need for training in all
things except religion.
It is not at all unusual nowadays for-people to give up much of
their spare time, regularly; mnnnxuxktzmxzxxmukx to attend classes KKHXKXfifiiIXKK in arts
and crafts, KKK in music and languages, in weight-watching and keep—fit exercises, in Yoga
and spiritualism, in every kind of hobbyy sport and skill.
frown on religious ritual is a lot of nonsense.
Yet the same people will often
_ 6
It is
mt
a lot of nonsense.
breathing exercises.
..
If you want to become a good singer, you have to do
If you want to become a good pianist, you have to do finger
And if you want to become a good Jew, which is an even more exacting
exercises.
ambition, you have to study and pray.
fingers is not playing the pian_o.
mm
Jewish life.
Breathing is not singing, and exercising your
Wmmm
So, too, studying and praying is not leading a
It is only a training aesigned to make you fit X3 and proficient
to lead a Jewish life.
It is only
a.
means to an end.
But
a person who says he doesn't need the means is either
a.
m
genius or an
idiot; and since most Jews are neither, the importance of ritual, secondary though it
is, must continue to be stressed.
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So let us sum up finally.
culture characterised by
a.
Judaism is the culture of the Jewish people.
It is a
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philosophy of the world, which turns out to be
a.
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and by an ethical idealism, groumied in the revealed will of the Deity,
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It is also a literature, which explores the implications of the philwsaphy
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and Lransla‘teé the idealism into
m €444“!c 57““.
a.
comprehensive
finallyLa devotional discipline, designed
code of conduct.
’md it is
to produce the kind of people who will afl‘im the philospphy, uphold the idealism and
M
mm
practise the code, and to transmit the whole tradition from generation to generation.
Those of us
fellowrhip
active heirs.
whowgg born
into the Jewish people
01:
have been admitted into its
by that fact, heirs to that culture.
If we are pass‘ve,
_
But we can be passive or
._
7 _
it aces nothing for us and we do nothing for it.
benefits and pass them on to the future.
a matter of free choice.
endure.
If we are active, we enjoy its
Nobody compels us to be active Jews.
It is
There is therefore no way of knowing how long Judaism will
One can only hope that in each generation enough will appreciate its xiiifiax
52g2;:ޤ th:;j*decision freely in its favour. and that therefore it will endure long
enough to Kfififli achieve what it set out to achieve: a worla at peacef’ Judaism
is only
one strand in the totality of human culture, but it has a special relevance
to that
end-product, a special part to play towards its attainghent.
resolve that that part shall not go by default.
To opt for Judaism is to
And the month of Elul which we have
%;: entered, precedfing the climax of the Jewish year, is as good a time as
any to make
such a resolve.
‘
fr:
"‘ ~
Junnsu
- A
nzvornom nxscmmz
Once again let me explain for those who have been holidaying or for other reasons
avoidably or unavoidably absent that we have been conducting a little aurvoy of the
essentials
of“
Judaism which has occupied us for the last two weeks and which we want
to conclude today.
Judaism, we have said so far, is a way ofthougnt and a way of life.
m
thought, the idea that dominates it is the idea of
the unity of God
and.
the unity of mankind.
best conveyed in the word humaneness.
M:
A1:
a way of
the unity of the universe,
As a way of life. its keynote is perfips
It demands above all that we should recognise,
revere and love the humnity that residue in all our fellow man, however
different‘they may be from us and from one another, and treat them accordingly; that 13,
with
:32: for
their right to freedom and Justice, with sensitivity for their feelings,
with compassion for their sufferings, and with concern for their welfare and
humus”.
A person who conducts himself according to these principles leads the kind of life
that Judaism requires.
there for anything else?
that people will
1.5
the general principioé.
as possible.
But if that in so, what remains to be said?
What need, then, 15
The need, quite simply. is for some way of bringing it about
behave in these ways.
To aohieve’tlégiz, it isn‘t enough to state
You have to spell out their impliéatiqns, and in as much detail
Imagine you were founding a new community, let us say a boarding-5311031.
You may have a general idea of the sort of moral tone that you would
111:5
that community.
Nor will it happen
But it won‘t come about merely by your wishing 1t.
to prevail in
simply because you put up a notice on the school notice—board saying "Everybody shall
behave decently to everybody else."
You have to think through haw the ideals you have
in mind can best be implemented in all the multifarious concrete situations and relationships that will arise in the life of the community, and then you have to formulate the
result in
'Ihat
610‘s
and don'ts, 1n rules and regulations.
13 what Judaism has done.
It is
9.
way of life expressed, not only in general
1‘
')
/
0
- 2
..
principles but in specifio legislation.
It is not only like a
mummy
of the
principles of aerodynamics; it 13 also like a Elna-print for the making of an aeroplane.
Judaism is, in adflition to everything we have said so far, a legal code.
A3 a matter of fact, it has been much criticised on that score.
Paul especially, derided the legal side of Judaism.
said.
The early Christiana,
There is no need for it, they
All you need is the ideal, the spirit and the example of a historical person who.
allegedly, fulfill!“ it.
encouraging.
But the results
of“
this anti-legalism haVe not been very
For in the course of history countless people dedicated to that ideal,
filled with that spirit, and guidea’by that example. have found it possible, without
being aware of any inconsistency. to tolerate war
'and
persecution and social injustice.
0f courae Judaism, as a legal code, has run into its own difficulties, mainly because
of its conservatism, its failure to move with the times.
out of date.
Today it 15 in nary respects
It needs to be thoroughly overhauled, and even Liberal‘Jews have been
slow to apply themselves to that task.
They have
35W
done more thepoint out the
need for revision than to carry it out; With the result that Jewish law is today, in
man§ respects, in an unsatflasf'actory state, and the best proof of it is that the State
Napoleonic
of Israel has had to resort to Rama and English Law, as well as Jewish Law. :5 Neversignificant.
theless, this legal side of the Jewish heritage remains
It remglinds us
most
that Judaism, in one of its/important aspects, is an attempt to answer the question,
mm;
"What does the Lord. require of you?", not
mrely in general terms but specifically.
so specifically that the result reads like legislation.
M
But even a detailed code of conduct does not autornabically produce a community that
lives accordingly.
To achieve that, you have to
the code, in all its details,
patiently, persevermgly and persuasively, to each and every member of the oommfinity,
from its lead rs downwards.
There has to be education.
'
Notice, for instance, that
IE our Torah portion not only commends to the king cerfiin general attitudes but demands
r’n'"
_3_
of him that he should
hits
every day of his life.
for himself a capy of the Torah
and
read it
But because of Judaism's egalitarianiam, itself reflected in our
‘
Torah portion when it enjoins that the king's heart must not be lifted up above his
brethren, it isn't enough that the leaders should possess a knowledge of the Torah: 1.1;
must be educated.
.
Judaism, as a way of life, demnfla for its implementation an erhxoatod
And this in turn requires educational institutions: schools, colleges and
community.
53118-8033!”-
Nou let us sum up before we come to the last point.
Judaism is a way of understanding
the universe. an affimation of the general principles which should govern human conduct,
a code of law translating these principles into detailed rules and regulations, and an
educational system by‘whiah the knowledge of these rules may be imparted to every member
of the cmmmity. as well as transmitted, through appropriate institutions. from generation
to generation.
Yet even that is not all.
m
you will observe them.
have the
You have to have something more than the knowledge; you have to
the motivation. the will, the strength.
the right afititude of mind.
discipline.
M.
E'neggd
And For that you need what 15 perhaps best called a devotional
0!:
he
M
the contrary, Judaism traditionally gives first place among these duties
As the old watchvrord goes, with deliberate exaggeration of course,
I_c_u1_155,
Ma};
"The study of Torah is equal to all the other obligations put togetherJE
Let us try to be clear what is involved hare.
the
You have to cultivate in yourself
I use that term rather than ritual because it isn't only a matter of prayer
and worship.
to
For even if you knew all the rules, it doesn't follow that
It isn't Just a matter of mastering, at
of our Confirmtion, "The Essentials of Liberal Judaism" by Rabbi Ibrael Mama}:
and subsisting on that and one or two other books 11bit for the rest of our lives.
It
13 a matter of constant exploration of, and self—exposure to, the riches of Jewish literature
specially the primary sources, such as Bible and Hidrash, rather than second-hand,
dor'a Dégest kind of
smmries.
For it is only than that, instead a? merely knowggg
“
I
mtg:
-
A. ..
Judaism, we shall actually come to k_n9£ Judaism.
It is only then that it will
become part of us, of our mental equipment and furniture.
It is only then that the
‘
affirmations of Judaism will become our affirmations, and the values of Judéism our
values; it 15 only then that we shall respond instinctively in a Jewish manner to the
stimuli of the world about us.
But study merges into mediation, and mediation into prayer, and private prayer into
domestic ritual and communal worship.
parcel of a
mud design,
a
They are all connected.
awfully
They are all part and
planned routine. 3 process of conditioning if you
like. Intended to produce individuals and comunities who are 81219, willing and eager
to put intb practice the Jewish way of life.
01‘
course this devotional discipline can be over-stressed. and in some sections of
our community
1.2
wax-stressed.
Indeed, when people talk about "the Jewish way
of“
life"
it is usually the customs and ceremonies that they refer to: the prayers Jews pray. the
festivals they celebrate, even the clothes they wear, the food they eat
they
use‘,
as if these were of the essence of Judaism.
and.
the expression:
They are m1: of the essence,
The
essence of Judaism is in its moral 1mperat1ves,’a11d you will have observed that I have
had
the phrase, "the Jewish way of life", only in that ethical sense.
Am
other view
runs c'ofinter to the teachings of the Prophets, and our Haftarah is a good illustration
of the pognt they make again. and again, that Justice and not ritual is what God insists
upon.
It must indeed be admitted that, in
of this distinctlbn became blurred.
£113
Rabbinic development of Judaism, the clarity
Fundamentally, of course, the Rabbis always knew
that moral principles belong to a quite different category of importance from cerembnial
regulations.
And of the many instances which could be hemmed in proof of this, one might
mention the highly significant‘ fact that, in the confession of sins which the Rabbis
formulated for recitation on the High Holydays, neglect of ritual does not even get a
station; it 1:
only a long, long catalogue of offences against ethical right conduct.
y“
/.
-5-
‘5
But because of the legal approach which the Babble, in their desire to be practical and
specific, adopted in all things, the lawyer's mind they brought to bear on all aspects of
Judaism, their literature often reads as
11‘
mortality and ceremonial were of the same order
of significance, as 1i they used, so toyfspeak, the same tone ofwoioe when they dealt with
the details of the (luv to visit the sick and when they dealt with the details, of tho
blowing of the Shofar.
And in recent times this blurring of
.ths
prophetic distinction
has had particularly unfortunate resukts, for with the decline of Jewish knowledge and
faith. and the need nevertheless to combat assimilation, fi’here has been a tendency to
lay even more emphasis on ritual, which on the one hand distinguishes Judaiam clearly
from Christianity and on the ather hand requires little effort, and correspond'ngly less
on the ethical duties, which are less obviously distinctive and require more effort.
Liberal Judaism, therefore, has been right to try to reverse this trend.
But in some
ways it has been too succeasml, namely 1n so far as individuals have conveniently
mwm
from its teachings the conclusion that the devotimal side of Judaism is really of no
1mpflrtanoe At all and may be more or less completely neglected.
W
This aétitudo is indeed
fast becoming old-fashioned, but one still encounters it from time to time, and I never
cease to wonder how modern people, in the name of modernity, can be so unmodern.
the recent dev‘elopments in psychology socioloy and education have mad
ineffectual it is merely to
For all
it so clear how
utter generalities, unrely to verbalise abstnot
principles and ideals; that the way to influence people is to establish institutions,
laws, customs, habits, routines which affect their emotiana as well as their intellects.
I never cease to wonder either why so many people can see the need for training
in all
things except religion.
It is not at all unusual nowadays for people to give up much of
their spare time, regularly,
and crafts,
\d
m
~
arm-m.»mum»mrut-w
mnmmax in arts
in music and languages, in weight-watching anrl keep-fit exercises, in Yoga
spiritualism, in every kind of
vn
to Attend classes
hobby sport and
on religious ritual as a lot of nonsense.
skill.
Yet the same people will often
‘
'
‘
.
- 5 -
It is not a lot o!" honsense.
breathing exercises.
exercises.
And.
If you want to become a good singer, you have
if you want to become a gc'od Jen, which is an even more exacting
fingers is not playing the piano;
mm
to lead
a.
do'
If you Want to become a good pianist, ycu have to do finger
ambition. you have to study and pray.
Jewish lifé.
tllo
Breathing is not singing, and exercising your
80, too, studying and praying is not leading a
It is only a training désignéa to make you fit :3 and proficient
Jewish life.
It is only a
man: to an
But
end.
‘
'
a person who says he doesn't need the means is either a genius or an
idiot] and since most Jews
aLr’e
neither, the importance of ritual, secondary though it
15, must continue to be stressed.
So let us sum up
o'ultur'e
funny. Judaism
is the culture or the Jewish people.
It is a
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characterised by a
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mmxgxmmmnmmmx.
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’
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philosophy of the world, whiéh turns out to be a $112235: philosopm,
and by an ethical idealism, grounded in the revealed will of
“maxim;
time
KWEXXKXIKXK
Deity.
It is also a literature, which exylorés the implications of the phil'asophy
and translated the idealism into a comprehensive
firgally a devotional discipline. designed
“Mi!
code of conduct.
And it is
asmwxwmuanmfixmmnmym
to produce the kind. of people who will affirm the philospplw, uphold the irlealism and
W,
practise the code, and to transmit the whole tradition from generation
Those of us
fellowship
‘
whowg; born
active heirs.
(LN.
into {me Jewish people
01:
K
'
generation.
have been admitéd into its
by that fact, heirs to that culture.
If we are passive,
ffo
‘
But we can be passive or
'
“
4
3.
..
‘
‘-'
‘
..
7 -
it does nothing for us and we do nothing for it.
benefits and pass them on to the future.
a matter of free choice.
endure.
If we are active, we enjoy its
Nobody compels us
Ito
be active Jews.
It 15'
Thera is therefore no way of knowing how long Jufiaiam will
One can only hope that in each generation enough will appreciate its
$353
and make their decision freely in its favour, and that therefore it will endure
long
enough to
achieve what it set out to achieve: a World at peace. Judaism is
only
one strand in the totality of human culture, but it has a special
relevance to that
max
end—product, a special part to play towards its attainfinnt.
resolve that that part shall not go by default.
now entered, precadhng the
such a resolve.
(:11s
of
jzhe
To opt for Judaism is to
And the month of Elul which we have
Jewish year, is as good a time as any to make