The Force Awakens: Star Wars and the Soul

I have not seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens yet.  (Don’t spoil it for me!)

I admit that I am a fan of Star Wars (and Star Trek for that matter).  Although I do not own a costume like this:

Guess who this is? He is NOT my father. :)

The movie is a HUGE cultural phenomenon.  It has had a record opening weekend, and is generating tons of discussion. 

Let’s not forget all the Jewish connections.  Ever stop and consider how Yoda is similar to the Hebrew word “yodei’a,” which means to know?   How about the battle between the Force and the Dark Side?  Yeitzer Tov (good inclination) and Yeitzer Ha-ra (evil inclination), anyone?  (See here and test your knowledge of “Who said these quotes? Yoda or Jewish Sage?”)

Why is Star Wars such a big deal? 

There are a number of reasons.  Without a full analysis of why science fiction movies have such passionate fans, movies like Star Wars are popular since people like to escape – and not in a negative way. 

A good sci-fi or fantasy book, show, or movie activates the imagination and gets us thinking about what is possible beyond the world in which we dwell.  (Anyone else a Twilight Zone fan like me?) 

This doesn’t mean we don’t like our own world or present reality.  As humans, we are constantly striving for more.  (Think about the research and writing of Viktor Frankl – especially Man’s Search for Meaning.) 

From a Jewish perspective, the desire for something more comes from our neshamah, the soul.  In a sense, our soul is restless and wants to change the status quo by fulfilling its mission – our mission – of adding holiness to this world.  It’s trying to move us to feel and – then, by extension – act differently.

The Piaseczner Rebbe, Rabbi Kalonimus Kalman Shapira, was a brilliant educator with keen insight into the inner workings of the soul.  He wrote (Tzav V’Ziruz #9):

The soul of a person loves to feel.  It yearns not only for feelings of happiness but even for melancholy and tearful feelings.  A person will listen to horror stories and watch violent horrifying scenes which actually bring him to tears, just so he will be able to feel.  Emotion is the food of the soul; it is as much of a need of the soul as food is to the body.  A person who fulfills this need with emotional prayer and study is nourishing the soul correctly.  Prayer and study without emotion will leave a vacuum that will force the soul to search for emotion anywhere, even in sinful behavior.     (Emphasis added.)

There is clearly a difference between prayer, Torah study, other religious activities and Star Wars.  The Piasezcner Rebbe would certainly advocate more time spent on the former, and I think we all should think about our religious and spiritual Jewish lives more often.  At the same time, we live in a world with many vehicles to stimulate our attentions, imaginations, and creative thinking. 

It may be Midrash or movies, we need to find ways to let our imagination and souls soar and to take us to new creative, spiritual and religious heights. 

May the force be with you!