The human psyche is home to two contrasting drives: a striving for freedom, and an impulse to submit to authority. Which should be given priority over the other? Or, to otherwise state the question: in what sort of environment would the Torah prefer to see the Jew--as a member of a free society, or as the subject of an authoritarian regime?
8 Comments Posted
Interesting article. And subject itself.
you wrote:
"Imagine a person whose soul is truly and utterly free to express its deepest desires. Would there be any conflict between what he wants and his soul's utter commitment to the Divine will?"
The problem is: what if somebody is going to teach you what is the Divine will? Should you ever listen to him? He might be full of superstitions, illiterate in science and philosophy, or ideological in his religiosity, mechanical in his customs. He might have a few bright sparks in this whole darkness (one of them could be his certainty and convincement in whatever he is delivering), but is it worth to subjugate yourself under his instructioning? Even if you do it, you'll still have the above-mentioned in mind, and your pride will be fed by your reflection on how well you can subjugate yourself.
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Firstly, I would like to thank the author of the article for clearing up the whole issue of the Alter Rebbe and Napoleon. My older brother in law told and he honeslty believes that Napoleon was a literal demon in the flesh! Because he never took off his boots and the way he walked. I told him that this was nonsense and there is no evidence, historically, medically to support it. Another person, told me that Napoleon was a practicer of black magic...again, my reponse was the same: nonsense for the same reasons stated above. This article is a breath of reason and history.
However, as much as I admire the Alter Rebbe [Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi] for his piety and scholarship...I disagree with his politics entirely. Thomas Jefferson wrote an essay entitled "On the Necessity of Taking Up Arm" stated "Better to die free men than live slaves" It seems that the Alter Rebbe preferred the opposite to perserve orthodox Judaism...that is better to die slaves than to live free men.
The forces of freedom, etc was on the horizon anyway, with or without Napoleon. The royal houses of Europe were at war with France as soon as the revolution suceeded and broke various treaties and started wars because they could and would not tolerate any sort of freedom. I wonder if the Alter Rebbe would have against the US, had there been no revolutionary France or Napoleon? Study the social history of Europe. The masses were under terrible repressions , etc. In France, prior to the revolution, there was starvation, in Russia the people were kept uneducated and superstitious. In fact, according to French and Russian sources on the campaign of 1812, the Russians set fires on crops, homes, churches, synagogues and blamed it all on the French, likening them to demons. I am surprised that Alter Rebbe was a party to this. Alexander I was no friend to the Jews. At least under Napoleon, Jews had more rights and I think had he succeeded, there would have been an Isreal much sooner.
I think regardless whether Napoleon would have won or not, Jews would have decided to stay with the faith or not. That is human nature and there were Jews under the various Czars who willingly collaborated with evil... both religious and non religious.
As for Rabbi Horodoker shedding tears over Czar Nicolas II, I think such reasoning is nonsense. Nicholas was weak, prone to throw soldiers' lives away in futile attacks in WW1 and believed the rantings of Rasputin. The whole Romanov dynasty was rotten.
My mother's side of the family lived in France under the Germans and the Vichy French, they fought as partisans against evil. Freedom is a right for all people and if some chose to give up religion or whatever, it is their choice and not the fault of the idea of freedom.
Lastly, is Judasim a theoracy? Sometimes it is. Rabbis tell the men how to vote and the men tell their wives how to vote. That is a theoracy. I respect rabbis, but I chose in the end what paths I take...
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It seems from your comments that you did not read this article carefully. For example it was clear from the article that the mashpia was not crying because he loved or respected the czar. Reread and you will see.
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G-d showed Moses the way to freedom for the jews, not just for this instance but for all times until the end of times. With all due respects, Rabbi Schneur Zalman apparently did not remember this. Him and his descendants were later honored for "posterity"!!!, how many of his descendants were killed in russian pogroms? If the Rabbi cried upon Alexander I's death, I'm sure another alike him took his place, for the misfortune of all Jews there. How could he even imagine for his own family to live there.
I immensely respect Rabbi Menachem Schneeron's opinions on all counts. He apparently had better visions of the future of the Jews and their freedom of expression. It is so exact that the "Source resides in your mind and your heart until the day you will are free to remove the covering that conceals it", which is Freedom. And more and more peole will do it. In modern times, Judaism might take different shapes and expressions but the Source will always remain.
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I have to caution us to really be careful on certain view we repeat when it comes to the concept of G-D and His creation, I mean to call Angels "Holy animals"?!!!! "Holy animals" did not speak to father Abraham, as he fed them when they visited him.
Jacob did not fight a "Holy Animal". G-D did not send "Holy animals" to take Lot and his family out of Sodom and Gomorrah!!
Please let us have the Fear of G-D which is the beginning of Wisdom.
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In a free society, it is possible to have a relationship with G-d and therefore keep the Jewish soul free. In an authoritarian regime people get killed for practicing.
In a free society, there are still laws to abide by others than from a king’s. Freedom to choose which road to take is incumbent to men. G—d is not responsible for men’s actions.
With Freedom came all the Jewish scientists, doctors, lawyers, artists, big leaders, and writers to tell stories from the Jewish life, which would have disappeared under a king. Could we leave the world evolve without the Jews?
Were more Jews worshiping G-d under the Czar than today in a free society?
Freedom doesn’t necessarily mean chaos. We still have to answer to a higher power being in an authoritarian regime or a free society. Men need structure from religion or government. And, yes, Judaism is a Theocracy essential for the human soul.
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To Feigele,
Do you not see the point of 'timing'? Yes, in theory, you still have structure with law but 'the hearts of the Jewish people' were not ready for only that structure. We needed a furthre spiritual backdrop to support our search for true freedom.
Now, many years later, you are typing and attesting to the fact that freedom is much more good than the lack of, but you live in 2009. The Alter Rebbe did not make a mistake. If you asked the Rebbe his view of these issues, I am sure he would attest to the correctness of the Alter Rebbe. Our Rebbe is talking of the circumstances that we our in NOW.
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First of all, I am trying to understand what you mean! 2009 in America perhaps! If you travel thoroughout Europe or even some states in America or most of other countries, you will still encounter same prejudice and anti-Semitism than years long past. It has always been here and without the freedom that slowly came from emancipation, we would still be in our shtetels as slaves, with burnt villages and killed all under dictatorial domineering powers. G-d was showing the Jews the way to freedom and that it was time to change, so it was up to them to take it. Jewish mankind cannot rely on just one person, being a rabbi or not! People grow with time and you cannot stop that. It is nature's way or rather G-d's way.
Second of all, I am giving my own opinion and not duplicating anyone else’s
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