To all those of you reading this blog that are not in the know, the ultra orthodox Jewish communities in the universe we all enjoy have invented a topic called an "eiruv" that is an artificial and clearly not a infallible standing structure that they use to enclose an area in the thought process that they will belong to a circumscribed area which makes it possible to therefore in their ideas "carry" things on the day of rest.
This is a very intelligent idea, though I must say that it is not the correct way to conduct our affairs. I am not certain when this idea was concocted, but that said, I personally believe it is safe to say that no such eiruv was present during the biblical days in which G-d gave Torah to our nation.
That said, lets look at this idea for what its worth.
In ultra orthodox jewish communities, a WIRE (metal wire) is constructed that surrounds a community. It is often placed on rooftops and on poles/telephone poles or eiruv standing poles. This is thought to keep one from leaving their place of rest during their daily activity. Persons can carry keys or push a baby carriage all things that the ultra orthodox community reports that one must not perform outside of an eiruv on Shabbas.
I am from a reform background and I must say that I never heard of the idea of an Eiruv until I began reading the religious Jewish news sites such as Vosizneias.com .
This is a good day and age and I admit that we live in time of industry and G-d willing compassion as well.
It would not be feasible to consider that G-d would want us to live in a time where by we can not perform our daily activities. I can not personally think that our Creator wanted for us to put artificial wires up so that we can day in day out on Shabbas 'work' as it may be to carry out our daily necessities and needs such as walking the baby or locking our homes on shabbas when we go to synagogue.
I have previously noted that I have completely taken all of Ultra Orthodox Judaism as TRUTH in the past and until this very past month, I have not questioned a single practice. I kept the Ultra Orthodox shabbas as best as I knew possible for a full year since March of 2010. I did everything and kept reading and learning. Every note that I took I employed for that full year. In one morning three weeks ago now, that all fell apart. I woke up and realized to the best of my understanding that I do not personally believe that the ultra orthodox practices are the Truth that we really need to consider. Call me your "enemy" if you wish, but I am a physician and one who believe in health, prosperity and wellness. I could not continue my activities as I did on shabbas as I no longer viewed them to be in my best health and wellness interests. Being from a family who is still of the lesser levels of Torah Observance, it was a very trying time to tell my brother for example who lives in China not to call our home on Shabbas as "it was a shabbas violation'. It was foolish to tell another friend who is a Jew that he might wish to "not visit me on shabbat as he needed to drive here in e vehicle". He did visit when he was briefly in town and I must say that it was to the best of the prosperity and health of our friendship.
The ultra orthodox communities are not integrated into the world community in the way that the reform and conservative and some of the modern orthodox movements are indeed integrated.
Is it Godly to be involved in the world community? I say YOU BET IT IS.
How can we be a Jewish nation if a majority of the ones who think that they are the Ultra Orthodox among us don't have a thing to do with the "unorthodox" or reform or conservative or just unaffiliated Jew. Where is the Kiruv movement that people about.
Is ChaBaD to be the future of out people? A Lubavitch ordered organization which no longer to the best of my knowledge has an 8th rabbi leader that is known to myself, an orthodox leaning and hopefully practicing jew who reads the online Jewish news daily and has visited the ChaBaD movement sites? Are we to say that the 7th Lubavitch rabbi is the crux of Jewish knowledge, understanding and trust? I can not think that our Creator would create one person above all others. Is not the lesson of humanity that NO person is without FLAWS? If not, the Jesus is your man, right? Jesus is the guy who is told to us by those who say so that he is PERFECT and without FLAW. I say that knowing all of the heroes of the bible that this is NOT SO.
So thus I must disavow Mr. Jesus as my true "savior and messiah" and I can personally say that perhaps there will be times of peace. prosperity and holiness that exceeds all of our yesterdays, but I disavow to myself that one person will be the only person to bring this to us.
Instead, all of my tomorrows are based on my yesterdays. All of the words I speak and write are based on thought processes that have evolved over years of listening to and reading the thought processes of another. One "messiah" leads to another leader and another trustworthy person who can discuss Truth, Liberty and Righteousness and push for some other person to read and listen to his skills and write and do more in the days ahead. I can not personally be the only person to make human contributions and so I must say, I do not expect the Ultimate "Messiah" to come to make sense of this world and bring about a new era of life, liberty and humanity. But let me be one who wants to make a contribution. Thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment