Recently, I was asked about the "symbolism" of one of the well-known "rituals" in Judaism. To which I politely responded that there is neither "ritual" nor "symbolism" in anything Jewish.
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.
But this little encounter raises a subtle yet foundational point about how we look at life and Judaism.
"Practice" for the sake of "tradition" renders that action trivial at best. It sounds like you are doing it simply because someone passed it on to you as something "we do"—a hollow exercise in which there is nothing real going on, 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's no wonder their kids are opting out.
Similarly, in Fiddler on the Roof, the only answer the Jew has for holding onto his Judaism is "Tradition!" It is obvious that its author felt there to be a general consensus that Jews do not know why they do what they do.
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 are 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 They see Judaism as a collection of rigorous laws and traditions that are outdated and meaningless.
And the truth is I don't blame them.
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.
But this little encounter raises a subtle yet foundational point about how we look at life and Judaism.
"Practice" for the sake of "tradition" renders that action trivial at best. It sounds like you are doing it simply because someone passed it on to you as something "we do"—a hollow exercise in which there is nothing real going on, 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's no wonder their kids are opting out.
Similarly, in Fiddler on the Roof, the only answer the Jew has for holding onto his Judaism is "Tradition!" It is obvious that its author felt there to be a general consensus that Jews do not know why they do what they do.
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 are 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.
And the truth is I don't blame them.