why observe Jewish law?
Nov. 19th, 2005 11:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cellioA friend asked (in a locked post, so I won't link) why I follow Jewish law. What do I get out of it? I want to record my answer here.
I follow the law because it improves my relationship with God and because it elevates mundane tasks.
Consider eating. Animals eat. Humans need to eat, but we have minds and souls and we don't have to be like animals. The simple act of saying a blessing before ("getting permission") and giving thanks afterwards ("grace") elevates the otherwise-coarse act of eating to a holier status. Now consider actually choosing to restrict what I eat (and how I eat it) because I understand that this is what God asks of us. It's such a simple thing to skip the shellfish and, in return, God might reach out a little to me just as I reach out to God. That's a win!
When I was in the process of becoming more religious (that is, moving from being an apatheist to actually paying attention to God), I found that if I sincerely tried, even with baby steps, I saw positive results. Psychologists might well say that that's because I caused those changes through a more positive outlook; if so, so what? Does that matter if God -- or my God-concept -- was the underlying force? We're supposed to take an active role; if by praying to God I get no direct effect from God, but the act itself causes me to improve my own behavior, isn't that still a win? Well, it's not just prayer that can produce that effect. Keeping Shabbat, eating properly, striving to repair the world, studying torah... it's all bundled up in there.
I follow the law because it improves my relationship with God and because it elevates mundane tasks.
Consider eating. Animals eat. Humans need to eat, but we have minds and souls and we don't have to be like animals. The simple act of saying a blessing before ("getting permission") and giving thanks afterwards ("grace") elevates the otherwise-coarse act of eating to a holier status. Now consider actually choosing to restrict what I eat (and how I eat it) because I understand that this is what God asks of us. It's such a simple thing to skip the shellfish and, in return, God might reach out a little to me just as I reach out to God. That's a win!
When I was in the process of becoming more religious (that is, moving from being an apatheist to actually paying attention to God), I found that if I sincerely tried, even with baby steps, I saw positive results. Psychologists might well say that that's because I caused those changes through a more positive outlook; if so, so what? Does that matter if God -- or my God-concept -- was the underlying force? We're supposed to take an active role; if by praying to God I get no direct effect from God, but the act itself causes me to improve my own behavior, isn't that still a win? Well, it's not just prayer that can produce that effect. Keeping Shabbat, eating properly, striving to repair the world, studying torah... it's all bundled up in there.
Re: What if.....
Date: 2005-11-20 03:58 pm (UTC)That is a very relevant piece of information ! :)
What contributed towards your decision to convert?
Re: What if.....
Date: 2005-11-20 05:05 pm (UTC)