Dear Friends,
I’m taking a few weeks off for R&R. While I’m away this month I thought I might share some of my favorite stories and teachings from the Talmud and the early Hasidic masters.
A few days ago a friend observed that far too much of the strife between people and, more generally, in our world, seems connected to religion. “Even in America,” she commented, “where the tolerance may have been fragile, there was a modicum of respect for differences. Now we see bakers unwilling to make cupcakes and website designers refusing (or claiming they would refuse WERE they ACTUALLY asked) to design websites. And the common element is religion.”
I couldn’t help but think of this story.
It was a beautiful day when a rabbi and a soap maker decided to go out for a stroll. They were both enjoying the warm weather when the soap maker abruptly turned to the rabbi and asked, “What good is religion? Religion teaches all these highfalutin morals and all these lofty values and ethics, yet look at this world!” Without giving the rabbi a chance to respond, the soap maker continued his rant: “The world is corrupt. It’s filled with pain and evil and wickedness. So I ask you, Rabbi, what good is religion?”
Before the rabbi could answer, out of nowhere a large rubber ball came flying through the air, headed right toward him. Fortunately the rabbi had quick reflexes. He caught the ball before it smacked him in the face! The rabbi returned the ball to the apologetic young boy who had come after it.
As the boy ran off to join his friends, the rabbi said, “Just look at that young child. He’s absolutely filthy! And you’re a soap maker, so I ask you, what good is soap? There’s all this soap in the world, and that young boy is still dirty!”
The soap maker protested. “How can you say that about soap? You’re a learned man, Rabbi, so surely you understand that soap is good only if it’s used.”
“Aha,” said the rabbi, with a slight grin. “And so it is with religion. We can teach it, and people can say they’ve learned it, but until they’ve used it and truly understand the meaning of its lessons, the power of its teachings, and the weightiness of its laws, then–and only then- can religion make a positive difference in the world.”
A car, I replied to my friend, can be used to rush someone to the hospital or to flee from the scene of a crime. The common denominator is the car but the difference is the driver. In the same way, the problem, isn’t with religion..the problem is with how it is being interpreted, used and applied.
In a world starved for tolerance, love and acceptance, the Reform movement’s commitment to chesed- kindness- and tikkun olam – healing and wholeness- becomes more important than ever. And our commitment to maintaining a strong synagogue community is more essential than ever.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Daniel Cohen