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Sunday, October 17, 2004
Two Jews Were On A Plane...
What do you say when a non-observant Jew asks you what you think of them? In fact, what should we think of them? After all, according to the Torah, all Jews, regardless of their affiliation, have been commanded to keep the same 613 mitzvos. Which, apparently, the particular Jew sitting between you and the bathroom on your flight to New York* doesn't consider to be oh-so-important. What do you say? Quick! The guy is demanding an answer!(He's a New-Yorker)
Here is my suggested response for when a non-observant Jew "pops the question":
It's true that I believe in a set of morals and laws that every Jew is required to live by.I should probably run this by a Rabbi sometime.However, I don't look down on you in any way for not living up to a moral system that you never accepted on yourself- I can only judge you by how well you live up to the morals that you believe in.
I would hope that one day you will come to realize that it is right and true to live by the code set forward by our tradition, but if you don't believe in it, I can't expect you to follow it.
*A hypothetical situation. I have not been to New York recently.
