It’s amazing how, even a very small number
of religious people behaving badly, can have a direct impact on our view of
religion. Oh yes, our sophisticated spiritual leaders tell us to look at the
system and not at the people who represent the system – but we are still social
creatures, very much influenced by our immediate society. When we are confronted by individuals who
are visibly extraordinarily religious, with flowing robes and the like,
especially when out of geographical context, they do draw very much attention. They may not realize it, but they should.
If they want to stick out against their
immediate surroundings and lose their societal camouflage they must behave, or
expect to be fair game. Otherwise they bring mine and your religion into
disrepute, and I don't see why we have to sit by idly while allowing that to
happen.
When an ordinary person does something
wrong in public view – that’s bad. When a Jew does something wrong - that’s
embarrassing. When a religious Jew does something wrong – that’s inexcusable.
When a highly decorated religious Jew does something wrong, it’s time to
educate them. If they spit in the streets, push or assault others, send their
children out to beg, and then still expect to be entitled to be provided for –
something has gone horribly wrong. To find oneself in need, is unimaginably
traumatic. To put oneself in need and then fall upon the mercy of a caring
community, is criminal. To not educate one’s own children so that
they can at least try support themselves when they get older, is child abuse.
I believe that this type of antisocial
behavior may sometimes be cultural. But it may even be a result of an
exploitation of our mystical tradition.
Mysticism was popularized at a time when the average person never
travelled more than 30 kilometers from his birthplace, married someone from his
own village, rarely saw beyond the horizon, and felt extremely disempowered.
Suddenly there was a system that created wings which could transcend time and
space, providing global reach which extended to eternity. Mundane actions and
words could bridge the practitioner to Forever. The here and now was no longer
real. Reality was always somewhere else and illusive. A beautiful brilliant system when used as
prescribed. But a pernicious one when abused.
If my actions are imbued with a type of
messianic magic, if my leader’s every actions are world changing and world
saving – then why do I need manners? Why
must I prepare for tomorrow, if tomorrow the reality of the world may change?
Why should I care about how you perceive me, if I am cemented to something
infinitely bigger than you?
Historically countering the mystic, was the
scholar. The scholar was either only concerned about acquiring further
knowledge, or about becoming a better person and creating a better social
environment. In the latter sense, he had to be in touch and interact with his
environment in order to affect positive change. This type of scholar followed
the rationalist\moralist approach where every action had to create a better
here and now. A brilliant system when used as prescribed. But a soulless one when abused.
If my actions are only to create a better
society, and if I understand and control the full extent of my reach, then why
do I need a spirit or a soul?
The Kotzker Rebbe spoke about Emet Ve
Emunah, truth AND faith, rationalism AND mysticism. Good mysticism allows you
to become inspired and to be inspiring. Good rationalism allows you build
institutions like Hatzollah.
In the politics of the 1970’s you were
either right wing or left wing. In today’s politics, aligning oneself to one or
the other may be considered a little extreme. The world is currently so complicated that a
thinking person finds himself sometimes leaning a little to the left and
sometimes a little to the right. Perhaps we need to do the same with our
theology. Those of us locked too tightly into one or
the other religious systems exclusively, may find ourselves becoming soulless
scholars or spitting mystics.
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