The Kosher Bookworm: Lessons learned from the religious left

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How to make this summer a worthwhile reading experience (part two)

By Alan Jay Gerber

Issue of June 19, 2009 / 27 Sivan 5769

With Father’s Day on Sunday, I thought that it would be nice to note several books that are thematically linked to the day and might be of some intellectual, if not ideological interest to our readers. While some of these books may not reflect our views on many issues, both religious or political, nevertheless, just knowing what’s out there is an important function of this column.

The first book that I would like to bring to your attention is titled, “The Modern Men’s Torah Commentary” (Jewish Light, 2009) edited by Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin.

According to the publisher, it was compiled in response to the growing disengagement of men from the activities and religious services of non-Orthodox synagogues. This well meaning effort, the compilation of Divrei Torah by men representing all denominations as well as those with no formal denominational affiliation, is an attempt to reign in this growing trend of male disaffection with our religious faith and institutions and to highlight the relevance of our faith to their interests, both in terms of some religious belief as well as to serve as an enhancement of Jewish male self esteem.

Each essay attempts to address issues such as what it means to be a father, son, husband, or even grandfather. Others touch upon career, health, and materialistic aspects of life. Each is well written reflecting the goal of the editor to reach out and try to bring men back to the synagogue and greater observance of our faith, as involved participants together with members of their families and community.

Most fascinating is the introduction that sets forth the reasoning and history behind this effort. Foremost was a study recently completed by Brandeis University’s Prof. Sylvia B. Fishman, and Daniel Parmer, who noted that nationally, girls and women outnumber men in weekly non-Orthodox services.

They also note that in conversion classes among these groups, non-Jewish women predominate and also show a greater and more passionate interest in Judaism than their Jewish-born mates.

Another anecdotal impression noted in the Fishman Parmer study is what they call the “feminization of liberal Judaism,” wherein according to Salkin “almost every venue of contemporary Jewish life, Jewish men demonstrate far less interest in Judaism than women do –– from school age through adulthood.” This situation is openly attributed to the increasing ritual and occupational equality in the Conservative and Reform ritual, rabbinate and cantorate. The answer to the question as to exactly why this is happening has yet to be forthcoming, without sarcasm or rancor.

My take? More intensified kiruv in this direction; there’s a lot of good work to be done.

Another book that can be seen as a bit off the beaten track is authored by one of America’s more controversial Jewish writers and thinkers, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi.

His latest book is titled, “A Heart Afire: Stories and Teachings of the Early Hasidic Masters” (Jewish Publication Society, 2009). What makes this book so interesting is the genuine nature of its content and message as it relates to the importance of the Hassidic movement both in Jewish history through its founders and in Jewish theology, through its ideology and Hashkafa.

The author, a Chabad trained rabbi, has for over the last half century been the gate keeper to those new age Jews who saw no room for themselves within normative Jewish practice. In Reb Zalman they found their Jewish guru.

Whether it was the attraction to the decadent leftist political ideologies of Europe or the Village, or the numerous religious cults of the far east, these lost Jews could have been lost forever had it not been for the outreach of rabbis such as Schachter-Shalomi.

Yet, however “radical” his approach, his last two volumes speak to the genuine quality of our faith and given his reputation, should enable those who otherwise wouldn’t lift up a book on yiddishkeit, to read and learn of our sacred tradition. In his writings, he was the literary mirror image of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach zt”l, with whom he was very close.

The previous book of which this is a sequel is titled, “Wrapped in a Holy Flame: Teachings and Tales of the Hassidic Masters” (Jossey Bass, 2003). Taken together we are given a wide panorama of Hassidus, with detailed biographies of the leading players of the movement as well as relevant and inspirational stories of their lives for us to read and enjoy.

The genuine tone of his message, in my opinion, can best be demonstrated in the introduction to the first volume where  he gives us his take on the ideological objections that he had against the works of those so-called premier interpreters of Hassidic ideology of the previous generation, Martin Buber, and Gershom Scholem. Given the author’s yichus (lineage) as a Belzer Hasid as well his learning in Chabad, his response to their treatment of the Hasidus mesorah (tradition) is most interesting, and in my opinion historically accurate.

This is what Schachter-Shalomi had to say:

“Martin Buber also felt that he wanted to bring Hasidism to the Western world, and he did make a great contribution in this regard, except that he got it largely from books and hadn’t been involved in davenen and singing the Hasidic melodies. And, I believe, neither did Gershom Scholem get it quite right in his controversy with Buber over this issue. Scholem felt that the essence of a Hasidic master was found in his teaching, whereas Buber felt that the essence was in the tales. I, on the other hand, feel that neither the teachings nor the tales are quite enough to get the essence; one must also learn the melodies [niggunim] and modes of prayer of the masters, which are quite unique.”

In other words, my dear readers, Buber and Scholem, simply put, did not observe our faith. In reality, both should have no standing as interpreters of our faith and their writings could be ignored.

Reb Zalman goes right to the heart of the matter as no one else had done before. He pointed to the ultimate irony in Jewish studies of the previous generation. Those who attempted to write the story of Hasidus were themselves devoid of the ruach and frumkeit not only of Hasidus, but of all yiddishkeit. That is unacceptable. For this observation alone, Rabbi Schachter-Shalomi deserves our attention. He may not be our ideal, but at least he’s one of us. You will not only enjoy his stories, you will hopefully learn as much from them as I did.

Next week The Kosher Book Worm will tackle “An Accidental Zionist” and explain the meaning of “A Daily Dose of Kindness,” one man’s response to terror.