Sometimes I am amazed by how many privileges one gets access to by putting a small piece of cloth on their head. Once you have a kippah on your head you automatically become a member of a worldwide exclusive club which entitles you to innumerable benefits, much more so than lets say American Express. If you are stranded in a strange city, all you need to do is find another yid, and you automatically get a hot meal and a place to sleep. If you are looking for employment, the network will give you lots of contacts. But most importantly because you have shared beliefs,values, experiences, family, friends etc. you are on the same side, and you become connected to the person in a matter of minutes. This transcends geographical boundaries and languages, OJ's just have so much in common and they instantly recognize and look after their own.
So why I am I stating all of this rather obvious state of affairs, because this is a main reason for orthopraxy. The cost or downside of going OTD is losing many of the fringe benefits. Playing the game allows you to get the numerous privileges and benefits of OJ. Why rock the boat. The kugel is warm, kids are safe and happy. This is also kind of where XGH gets a bit fuzzy, because he enjoys the lifestyle too much.
But by dressing and acting frum, you are implicitly communicating to your coreligionists that you actively believe in TMS, that is the divinity of the torah and oral torah. There is no ifs, ands, or buts. You are a walking advertisement for OJ, despite your neo-OJ philosophy.
I once heard Rabbi Sherwin Wine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherwin_Wine say in a lecture "Life is too short to sacrifice your integrity." Is this true? Maybe its better to just shut up and enjoy the kugel.
So why I am I stating all of this rather obvious state of affairs, because this is a main reason for orthopraxy. The cost or downside of going OTD is losing many of the fringe benefits. Playing the game allows you to get the numerous privileges and benefits of OJ. Why rock the boat. The kugel is warm, kids are safe and happy. This is also kind of where XGH gets a bit fuzzy, because he enjoys the lifestyle too much.
But by dressing and acting frum, you are implicitly communicating to your coreligionists that you actively believe in TMS, that is the divinity of the torah and oral torah. There is no ifs, ands, or buts. You are a walking advertisement for OJ, despite your neo-OJ philosophy.
I once heard Rabbi Sherwin Wine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherwin_Wine say in a lecture "Life is too short to sacrifice your integrity." Is this true? Maybe its better to just shut up and enjoy the kugel.
11 comments:
Plain & Simple. It's a tradeoff.
BH said it right. It is a tradeoff. We live in a community that accepts us as friends and neighbors as long as you live the lifestyle. Whatever you might believe is in your own mind.>>>Avi
BHB
If it was plain and simple, we would not be having this conversation. Nor would we making a daily ritual of interacting with like minded souls over the net.
IMHO its similar to living like a Marrano (l'havdil alfei havdalim).
I just wanted to bring home the point that its not just a passive acceptance of the lifestyle, while retaining one's differing beliefs. Rather it is an active participation with innumerable acts of observance to ritual and halacha on a daily basis in fear of family, community and friends.
When my kippah is not on my head, it's in my back pocket, I do not like being indentified as an orthodox Jew in enviornments not related to religion. The popularity of all kinds of hat these days facilitates that mode
Nimrod, of course. But there are reason we put ourselves though this, as you stated in your post.
Actually, reverse Marrano. But in some ways it's worse, because we have precious few that we can let 9our guard down to.
> "Life is too short to sacrifice your integrity."
I agree with this statement. Of course extracting ones self from Orthodoxy is not something one can do over night. Also there are often family relationships to consider.
It's interesting how Jews are so much nicer than gentiles isn't it? Whoever made up Torah must have been very smart I guess.
Jewish Philosopher:
Jews are not nicer than gentiles-- just a bit more tribal than (some) gentiles. Fundamentalist Muslims will extend great courtesies and hospitality to each other for similar reasons. Other small groups (e.g., Freemasons) do similar things.
"Nice" would be to extend that kindness to anyone-- sadly, many Orthodox Jews are more inclined to be narrow-minded bigots and say foolish things like "Jews are so much nicer than gentiles."
Whoever wrote the Torah gave people another excuse to act like pompous schmucks.
I don't wear something over my head to have a membership, nor to separate myself from others, or identify myself to others Jew or not. I wear a crocheted kippah when I'm not wearing a baseball cap to remind myself. In homage to Jews who've gone before, who've fought before, who've been and done before. To acknowledge our collective beliefs, to acknowledge that I've heard G-d's word and can't pretend ignorance.
It doesn't make me any holier, nor advertise a specific orthodoxy. The outside world looks and thinks that everyone in let's say a black hat and coat and tzitzit flapping to and fro believes X, Y, Z. The blogging world shows that everyone is just as individual as everyone else.
You can give meaning to the external trappings by leading by example, or you can let others give their own meanings with passive lack of opposition. It's up to each person. Just don't fall into the human trap of thinking a physical thing makes you believe. Remind you to think about believing, but not put it in you. That you choose whether you're clothed on the street or naked in the bath.
suitepotato
thanks for your comment, definitely food for thought, not sure if I agree or disagree. If you believe in OJ/TMS etc. so you should happily advertise yourself as such. But I think you know that the size and color and even the angle/positioning of your headcovering says exactly where you are holding an to which specific form of orthodoxy you are adhering (have a look at dosidate categories or dress codes for girls schools).
And that is why for orthopraxes out there it is not so clear cut. because in practice OJ's hang out with each other alot. By dressing like our community, we are showing our partisan support for the hashkafa, yet inside we are miles away. The frum community is not liberal enough to allow dissent.
there is also safety as a selling point.
what i found interesting is that lately my oldest child who is in a MO school, is complaining about overt racism and sexism from right leaning rabbonim in her school.
kids are figuring this stuff out for themselves.
i was very impressed.
maybe there is hope.
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