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Is Judaism the Truth?


By Aron Moss

Question:

As a rabbi, I assume you believe that Judaism is THE truth. If so, how do you explain the fact that there are so many other religions, and only a tiny minority of the world's population believes as you do?

Jim (a Christian Missionary)

Answer:

Jim, do you have brothers and sisters? If you do, I'm sure you'll agree that each of you is different. One of you may be musical, another a sports freak, and yet another more academically inclined. Each of you is an individual, and that should be encouraged. It would be wrong of parents to treat all their kids the same. If they would have forced you all to play violin, or soccer, or to read Shakespeare it would have been counter-productive. Good parents know that each child has to be allowed to develop in their own unique way.

The nations of the world are all G-d's children. He doesn't treat them all the same because they aren't all the same. He wants each nation to develop in its own way. So each nation has a different path to reach their full potential. To the Jewish nation he gave the Torah as our way of expressing our souls. But Judaism is not for everyone. We don't believe that a non-Jew needs to become Jewish to find G-d. Just like a musically-talented child shouldn't be forced to play soccer. Anyone is welcome to convert, but that is up to them.

G-d created different nations because each has a unique contribution to offer the world. Maybe your "mission" should be to ensure that your nation fulfils that purpose.
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By Aron Moss   More articles...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author
Rabbi Aron Moss teaches Kabbalah, Talmud and practical Judaism in Sydney, Australia, and is a frequent contributor to Chabad.org.

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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: Apr 5, 2011
The Truth be told.
G-d gave us all different traits & characteristics too. Accept His Truth ,inasumuch as Judaism is for the Jew, Christanity for the Christians, Hinduism for Hindus and Islam for the Moslems.All monotheistic,but not entirely non-homogenous religions - serving 1 G-d only.
Posted By mark alcock, Dbn, ZA

Posted: Apr 1, 2011
First, I don't believe this Jim exists.
I had turned Christian in the past, and was a missionary. We would NEVER have asked such a question, as Christians do not believe Jews think Judaism is the TRUTH. That is not something in their mentality. They think Jews are stuck to the OLD promises of G-d (Old Testament) and are confined by the 613 laws and the strict following of them. They think Jews are stubborn and haven't become "fulfilled" by the acceptance of J.C. in their hearts. They never, however, would accuse us of thinking of Judaism as "truth". Judaism is LAW, which is different from truth, in their minds. So, this would NOT be a question a real Christian missionary would ask. I don't believe it. What is usually asked is, "WHY DON'T JEWS BELIEVE that Jesus is the Messiah (savior),?" since he supposedly fulfilled all the signs in the Old Testament such as coming from the House of David. So, equating Judaism with truth is unheard of in Christian circles.
Posted By Karen Joyce Chaya Fradle Kleinman Bell, Riverside, CA, USA

Posted: May 14, 2010
Reb Moss answer non threating
G-d is neither Jew nor Gentile. G-d established a covenant of election for the Jewish people. Jews do not proselytize. There is more non Jews than there are Jews. Explains the # difference. The answer Rabbi, fit what Jim was really asking. If you had said yes Judaism is the truth; that would apply that his religion wasn't.
Posted By Zoe

Posted: Aug 15, 2009
pre jesus
if you ask any christian or muslim the question "before jesus, there were few jews but many pagans...what was the correct religion?" they would say judaism.
Posted By danny, london

Posted: Aug 12, 2009
I really respect the Rabib's answer
Its very non imposing and unsubmissive. The approach is to allow you to be yourself and for others to be themselves. I think if we all took this approach we'd have a lot less to fight about. But, I guess that would be self defeating in a world where people like to fight about anything we can.
Posted By Monisplace

Posted: Aug 12, 2009
I my be wrong
Nothing I say is with any authority. I am the last person who would be qualified to respond to anyone. I am just putting my two cents forward because it is an open forum and there are rabbis here to correct me. Rabbi, please correct me if I am mistaken.
Posted By Anonymous, Chandler

Posted: Aug 12, 2009
Louie
This is a question for a rabbi, but I will attempt to clarify.
The Torah was given to the Children of Israel, right? We are the children of Israel. Jacob (israel) is my great great etc...grandfather. The Torah is for all generations including ours and our children's.

"And now, if you obey Me and keep My covenant, you shall be to Me a treasure out of all peoples, for Mine is the entire earth.
And you shall be to Me a kingdom of cohanim and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel."

WE are to be a a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The Torah elucidates Our peoples history. It's laws were meant for us.

non jews need not wear tzitzis, eat matza or wear teffilin. The Torah, being ultimate truth, IS for the benefit of all man kind. The nations and whats expected of them are most definitely discussed in the Torah, but the narratives are about US and OUR Ancestors. We as a people kept the Torah which is a practice now labeled JUDAISM.
Posted By Anonymous, Chandler

Posted: Aug 12, 2009
Re: Missionary
I agree with the other writer that you have to be careful when talking to missionaries. They are not interested in understanding, only in convincing you that they are right. It would seem that Jim's main point was that Judaism can not be the truth if a majority of people do not believe that way. I would have asked him if the world was flat until the majority of people believed it was round.

I liked the rabbi's answer though, and the discussions about it are wonderful. I hope Jim came back to the site to read them.
Posted By Anonymous, Cincinnati, OH

Posted: Aug 11, 2009
I love this answer
I am not Jewish but I by chance I came across this site - I think this answer to the question of "ultimate" religious truth is incredibly beautiful and it rang profoundly true. The world would be so much a better place if the tolerance of difference expressed in the answer were more widespread.
Posted By Anonymous, Sydney

Posted: Aug 11, 2009
careful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
don' t talk to misionaries, even online! missionaries are alloted funding in proportion to the amount of people they contact. if you want less of them in your area simply don't speak to them. no smart answers, no being mean, just say no thank you.
Posted By chaya mushka



 


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