This is a glimpse of Exploring Jewish Practices, a Learning Café class in February at KehillahRVA.org
Discussion Question: what is a mitzvah? How do we use the word mitzvah in common language? Is that different from its definition?
Discussion Question: what is a mitzvah? How do we use the word mitzvah in common language? Is that different from its definition?
(יט) רֵאשִׁ֗ית בִּכּוּרֵי֙ אַדְמָ֣תְךָ֔ תָּבִ֕יא בֵּ֖ית יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹֽא־תְבַשֵּׁ֥ל גְּדִ֖י בַּחֲלֵ֥ב אִמּֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(19) The choice first fruits of your soil you shall bring to the house of the LORD your God.
You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.
You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.
(כו) רֵאשִׁ֗ית בִּכּוּרֵי֙ אַדְמָ֣תְךָ֔ תָּבִ֕יא בֵּ֖ית יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹא־תְבַשֵּׁ֥ל גְּדִ֖י בַּחֲלֵ֥ב אִמּֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(26) The choice first fruits of your soil you shall bring to the house of the LORD your God.
You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.
You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.
(כא) לֹ֣א תֹאכְל֣וּ כׇל־נְ֠בֵלָ֠ה לַגֵּ֨ר אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶ֜יךָ תִּתְּנֶ֣נָּה וַאֲכָלָ֗הּ א֤וֹ מָכֹר֙ לְנׇכְרִ֔י כִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹֽא־תְבַשֵּׁ֥ל גְּדִ֖י בַּחֲלֵ֥ב אִמּֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(21) You shall not eat anything that has died a natural death; give it to the stranger in your community to eat, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a people consecrated to the LORD your God.
You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.
You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.
According to Rabbinic Judaism, the Oral Torah or Oral Law ("Torah that is on the mouth") are those purported laws, statutes, and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the Five Books of Moses, the Written Torah, but nonetheless are regarded by Orthodox Jews as prescriptive and given at the same time. This holistic Jewish code of conduct encompasses a wide swathe of rituals, worship practices, God–man and interpersonal relationships, from dietary laws to Sabbath and festival observance to marital relations, agricultural practices, and civil claims and damages.
According to Rabbinic Jewish tradition, the Oral Torah was passed down orally in an unbroken chain from generation to generation until its contents were finally committed to writing following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, when Jewish civilization was faced with an existential threat, by virtue of the dispersion of the Jewish people (Wikipedia)
According to Rabbinic Jewish tradition, the Oral Torah was passed down orally in an unbroken chain from generation to generation until its contents were finally committed to writing following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, when Jewish civilization was faced with an existential threat, by virtue of the dispersion of the Jewish people (Wikipedia)
"Modernity has made individualism central to contemporary Jewish life" (Rabbi Eugene Borowitz, Liberal Judaism).
- Classical Reform Judaism: "We recognize in the Mosaic legislation a system of training the Jewish people for its mission during its national life in Palestine, and today we accept as binding only its moral laws, and maintain only such ceremonies as elevate and sanctify our lives, but reject all such as are not adapted to the views and habits of modern civilization. (Platform 1885).
- Modern Reform Judaism: Within each area of Jewish observance Reform Jews are called upon to confront the claims of Jewish tradition, however differently perceived, and to exercise their individual autonomy, choosing and creating on the basis of commitment and knowledge (Platform 1976).
- Reconstructionist Approach: The function of religious folkways [are] to direct our attention to those situations [of great human meaning] and to induce that frame of mind which...evokes....richest spiritual value (Mordecai Kaplan, Judaism as a Civilization - greatly abridged).
- Jewish culture is the context in which our humanism finds its fullest and most natural expression. We embrace Judaism because we cherish its traditions, music, language, literature, art, food, and much more. Our culture adds richness to our lives and connects us to our families, our ancestors, and our fellow Jews (CityCongregation.org).