Jewish "Modernity"

Submitted by orange yonason (United States), Jan 18, 2006 at 02:35

BS"D

"Most if not all of the constitutional laws contained in the Torah ceased to exist with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and with the disappearance of the ancient Israeli state,..."

Just because they no longer apply, doesn't mean they have "disappeared." Those laws are still studied for when they will again be required.

Also, any "modernization" of Judaism is just a reflection of the Torah's Truth, because Orthodox Jews don't do anything it forbids. That is a powerful testiment to it's universal applicability. Wnere others have to rewrite their ideology, we just look at our Torah to see what it says.

Now if that leaves you confused, it may be because you think the written Torah is all we have. It's not. We not only received the Written Torah at Siani, but also the Oral Torah that contains all the minute details of how to do everything. It's principles are imutable and inviolable, and yet we are not prevented from adapting. That is because it was written by the G-d who created the World, not a man who inhabits it.

"There are two sorts of statutes: A) statutes that create life, and B) statutes created
by life. Human laws are created by life so they vary from land to land according to
circumstances. The A-lmighty's Torah is a G-dly law that creates life. G-d's Torah is the
Torah of truth, the same in all places, at all times. Torah is eternal. (From Rebbe's Hayom
Yom Shevat 22)"
http://www.beverlyhillschabad.com/News-Letter/00/YITRO2000.pdf

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