Recently, I was asked about the \u201csymbolism\u201d of one of the well-known \u201crituals\u201d in Judaism. To which I politely responded that there is neither \u201critual\u201d nor \u201csymbolism\u201d in anything Jewish.<\/p>\n
Of course I knew what the questioner intended by her question, and after this brief back-and-forth I did explain to her why we do what we do.<\/p>\n
But this little encounter raises a subtle yet foundational point about how we look at life and Judaism.<\/p>\n
\u201cPractice\u201d for the sake of \u201ctradition\u201d renders that action trivial at best. It sounds like you are doing it simply because someone passed it on to you as something \u201cwe do\u201d \u2013 a hollow exercise in which there is nothing real going on, that effects no real change in the world, and has within it no real essence. When this is what most of those involved in Judaism intuit, feel, or believe, it\u2019s no wonder their kids are opting out.<\/p>\n
Similarly, in Fiddler on the Roof<\/em>, the only answer the Jew has for holding onto his Judaism is \u201cTradition!\u201d It is obvious that its author felt there to be a general consensus that Jews do not know why they do what they do.<\/p>\n Some believe that Judaism was invented in the desert to manipulate the masses: murder was outlawed in the desert because everyone was needed to produce for the community at large; the dietary laws were there for health reasons; and the family purity laws were based on some primitive taboo. They see Judaism as a collection of rigorous laws and traditions that are outdated and meaningless.<\/p>\n And the truth is I don\u2019t blame them.<\/p>\n Whether you have a classical Jewish background, no Jewish background, or a \u201cJew–<\/em>ish\u201d background, chances are high that your exposure was overwhelmingly to the \u201cwhats\u201d of Judaism and the \u201chows\u201d of Judaism \u2013 what do to do and how to do it.<\/p>\n However, why<\/em> on earth are we doing this? Why<\/em> should I believe this? Why<\/em> should I incorporate this into my life?<\/p>\n Somehow this was passed over.<\/p>\n This weekly blog is coming to fill this void.<\/p>\n In Kabbalah Counseling<\/em>, we will draw up an all-inclusive picture of Judaism and Jewish belief by which we will understand the world and our place in it. We will examine the realities of existence and the purpose of life by weaving together classic Jewish thought and Kabbalah.<\/p>\n By clearly defining and exploring concepts such as God, Free Will, the Soul, Suffering, Death, Reincarnation, Unity, the Male-Female Dynamic, and the Ten Sefirot, we will construct an all-encompassing model of the Jewish and Kabbalistic take on reality and what we are doing here, and we will explore the tenets of Jewish spirituality.<\/p>\n Focusing on the whats and the hows without the whys is like trying to build a building without putting the foundations in place \u2013 there is nothing holding up the building and there is no place for it to sit.<\/p>\n Now, we are not saying here that whether or not a person is involved in a specific Jewish practice should depend on whether or not he or she understands the reason for that particular action. On the contrary, it must be stated clearly at the outset that, when dealing with God, we, by definition, will not be able to fully comprehend anything 100%.<\/p>\n Having said that, it is our aim to open up a grand comprehensive understanding of the context in which all that we know exists and takes place. And, once we gain a sound familiarity with this reality, we will continue to build upon it, further refining and deepening that awareness for the purpose of applying it to our lives in a deep, meaningful, and transformative way.<\/p>\nBuilding a Model of Existence<\/h1>\n