The giving of the Torah is a declaration of war. It is a protest not only against the world of Avoda Zarah, idol worship and immorality but also a call to be “unreasonable” since the “reasonable” man adapts himself to the world while the “unreasonable” man adapts the world to himself and what we need to realize is that all progress depends on the “unreasonable” man. The Torah is a demand to stay childish, not to conform and only play it safe. It is asking us not to just strive for our spiritual ambitions but to realize that man has to surpass them. Oscar Wilde once said that “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions. Their lives a mimicry, their passion a quotation” This is a sound observation which is the foundation of Jewish learning and debate. All great Torah teachings are the result of thinking unconventionally: The idea of God, the experience of Shabath, the holiness of sexuality, the possibility of Teshuva, (repentance) etc etc. Nobody had ever thought about them before!
Having the courage to stand up for one’s opinions in the face of conformity is what makes us a winner. Sinai teaches us that it is not those who do not need to struggle who make a better world but those who do have to fight. Even with God! It is not where you take things from but where you take things to which makes all the difference. Torah makes us to realize that solving a problem is much more exciting than having the answer. Above all the Torah teaches that it is different from what you think it is. So think of it differently and you will discover why it is the word of God.
Chag Sameach
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo
Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo is the Founder and Dean of the David Cardozo Academy and the Bet Midrash of Avraham Avinu in Jerusalem. A sought-after lecturer on the international stage for both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences, Rabbi Cardozo is the author of 13 books and numerous articles in both English and Hebrew. He heads a Think Tank focused on finding new Halachic and philosophical approaches to dealing with the crisis of religion and identity amongst Jews and the Jewish State of Israel. Hailing from the Netherlands, Rabbi Cardozo is known for his original and often fearlessly controversial insights into Judaism. His ideas are widely debated on an international level on social media, blogs, books and other forums.
