Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he learned at Hebrew school.
"Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then he used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge, destroy the enemy, and all the Israelites were saved."
"Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?"
"Well, no, Mom. But if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!"
It is a mitzvah to make Torah and Judaism relevant in each generation.
The Torah is very clear in instructing us how to address difficult questions and ensuring Judaism remain relevant throughout the generations.
“If a case is too baffling for you to decide, be it a controversy over homicide, civil law, or assault—matters of dispute in your courts, you shall promptly repair to the place that the Lord your God will have chosen, and appear before the levitical priests, or the magistrate in charge at the time, and present your problem. They will investigate and tell you their decision.” (Devarim 17:8-9)
I do not think this verse is laying out a hypothetical. “Ki” does not only mean “if.” It can mean “when.”
There WILL come a time when difficult questions concerning the relevance of Judaism will arise. People WILL come to the religious leadership ba-yamim ha-heim – in that time. Those leaders MUST provide relevant answers.
How do we understand new technology? How do we deal with different family dynamics, different lifestyles, or having so many choices? We can’t just say times have changed.
In Built to Last, Jim Collins argues that for companies to be sustainable for the long haul, leaders must embrace a seeming paradox. Preserve the core and stimulate progress. They must both honor and protect their fundamental values and beliefs, while at the same time push their organizations forward and embrace change.
That’s exactly the challenge we face - and must embrace - in Judaism. We face changes to our reality. At the same time, we can never just change and create a new Torah.
Grappling with this challenge is demonstrated in the Torah’s requirements for the King of Israel. (Devarim 17:14-20) The King needed to write a Sefer Torah. In fact, the Gemara in Sanhedrin (21b) teaches that the King was obligated to write 2 Torahs. The King must write one Torah, just as everyone is commanded to do. That Torah is placed in the King’s treasury. The second Torah is unique to the King, and the king carried that Torah wherever he goes.
These two Torahs represent the values of preserving the core and stimulating progress. One Torah was stored away, never moved. It was a permanent reminder to remain true to the morals and values contained within. This Torah represents tradition, and this Torah could be passed down from one king to the next. The second Torah must be written specifically for this King. It can’t be purchased or acquired as an inheritance. The King must write this Torah and keep it with him wherever he goes. This Torah represents the King’s obligation to stimulate progress. Whatever new initiatives he tries to initiate, whatever new challenges he may face, the King responds to the new reality with the guidelines of Torah.
The same is true for us today. There are questions. Many things look very different than they did in the past. Judaism, however, is built to last. The Torah was the first to teach us to preserve the core while embracing progress. We must be up to the challenge of balancing the two. We cannot just embrace the times while ignoring tradition nor can we deny the changing times.
The story is told of how Rav Kook, upon one of his visits to an anti-religious kibbutz, was approached by one of the leaders who greeted him as follows:
“With all due respect Rabbi, you shouldn’t waste your time trying to convince us to be religious. It’s not that we don’t know what Torah is. Most of us were raised in observant homes. We know Torah, rabbis, mitzvot and we don’t like them!"
Rav Kook, puzzled, asked, “Why?"
The kibbutznik replied: “We simply can’t stand your old-fashioned, meaningless, outdated rituals!"
Exclaimed Rav Kook, “I agree.”
“What?” asked the surprised rebel.
Explained the Rav, “I also hate the ‘religion’ that you describe. But the dynamic, idealistic and deep Torah is so beautiful that it can respond to any era. Anyone who is exposed to it cannot but love it!”
There will be really difficult questions. We will wonder how Judaism can respond to seemingly impossible contemporary challenges. We can – and will – provide answers.
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