The Orthoprax Rabbi

There has been a buzz on the Jewish blogosphere, maybe you’ve heard of The Orthoprax Rabbi's Blog,

There is one thing really struck me while I was reading it. His critiques of orthodoxy (of which there should be much debate about) and about falling out of belief are exceedingly similar to my thoughts about coming to a belief in god, in the Torah, in an absolute truth (viewed subjectively) he writes about how limiting the system is. How it emphasizes fear of god, making those who subscribe to it restrict themselves out of a fear of heaven, it constricts people and forces them into a limited world.

But I feel much the same way about the whole world and of every culture, most ideologies constrict to, that they themselves are restricting and expect people to fit into a small space. No matter what you believe, no matter how you believe you’re inevitably tying you’re self to a system and a set of beliefs and those beliefs have inherent limitations, no matter what they are.

Intense belief or non-belief of anything is or can be limiting depending on your commitment to the idea. But of course I can also be part of any group of people and still retain their ability to question and grow and struggle with what the purpose or meaning of it all is, or what’s important to them.

He relates a son of his son coming home from school and asking him it’s possible that god created everything (go to his blog and read it). He states that he doesn’t try to dispel to his son what he believes is wrong. He longs for his son to ask him the next question, well then who made god? Longing for the day when his son will ask that question and be set free. It’s a beautiful story. I to have issues with that question but I think he misses the point. While I to have trouble with that question, that one question (or anyone question) alone does not make me not believe in the Torahs truth, or in gods existence, and less for me it enhances my faith, makes it deeper and fuller.

Questions will always exist but its about what you do what you’re asking those questions that matters. That’s where your heart is and that’s what matters, when something matters to do you do it because it makes you more happy then doing something else, his anguish seems to come from his inability to be who he is, where he is.

To him and to everyone, Shabbat Shalom