So, what aspects of Judaism strike you as especially profound..? Anyone?
Personally, I find the sense of diversity in the communities intriguing. With that, there also seems to be a sense of brotherhood there at the same time.
Goodness, you're asking me to write a book. I've studied Judiaism since childhood and I'm still learning new profundities. What to pick, what to pick...
I love the concept of Tzedakah. It is usually translated as charity, but that's not exactly what it is, because it's obligatory. You might call it a tax, but there are no tax collectors to take it from you. You are on your own to set aside and give this money. What is it for? In the Torah it was marked for the Levites and the Poor. Today I know Jews who will literally, when they take their paycheck to the bank, take 10% out and put it into a separate Tzedakah checking account that they use only for charitable giving
Why? Because everything we have belongs to God. He allows us to use it. A portion of what he gives us is entrusted to us for the poor. It is our job to get it to them.
What a philosophy! So contrary to the capitalist system.
It doesn't stop with the 10%. There are many other laws which make sure that Jewish society takes care of the poor. For example, a farmer is not to harvest the four corners of his field, but to leave them for the poor. If during harvesting any fruit or grain fall to the ground, he is to leave it there for the poor to glean. And here's one I love -- if a man is hungry, he may come into my vineyard or orchard and eat until he is full (though he can't, like, fill up a basket and carry stuff out LOL). It's not considered theft!!!!! Do you see how no one in ancient Israel, where these laws were enforced would go hungry?
The idea is that we are a community that takes care of each other. When God blesses one man so that he is wealthy, the entire community prospers from it, including the poor.
Finally there are "resets." These are laws that help out people who get into financial trouble. Every seventh year, debts were forgiven between Jews. Can you imagine that???? Furthermore, every 50 year was a year of Jubilee -- let me explain what that is and how revolutionary it is. When Israel entered Canaan, the lands were divided up by families according to tribes -- this is because their culture was agrarian, and so everyone having a share of the land was the way to give everyone an equal start. Of course, it didn't stay equal, families bought and sold land, and some ended up very poor. But in the year of Jubilee, all the land went back to the original owning families. IOW, you didn't actually buy the land from a family -- you bought the right to use their land away from them temporarily. Every 50 years, society had this massive reset to equality again. REVOLUTIONARY!
This entire mindset effects my decision making when it comes to my money, and when it comes to my politics. How could it not?
And since you've asked others, I think I would be classified as Conservadox. I tend towards the halakhah of the Conservative movement, but I've kept many of my habits from back when I was modern Orthodox. I also glean what I think is the best from the Reform, which is their emphasis on repairing the world. We only have one synagogue in town, and it's Reform, but everyone goes there, so you even have women with their hair covered and men with peyos (side curls).
