Fragmented community - The Jewish Standard

Kudos for the article about college students as well as the great commentary called “No more free pass for the charedim” (July 20).

The column about the Three Weeks (“Do the Three Weeks ruin your summer?” July 20) however, illustrates the misconception regarding the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple.

Since they were broken up into tribes, then into two nations, then into many different ways of approaching God, Jews have been a fragmented people. God gave man and woman free will. It is because of that gift that we Jews have the opportunity to relate to God in many ways. The basic commandments and the belief in the one God are the guides to Judaism. Melchizedek was named by God as God’s priest. The only requirement at that time was the sincerity of his belief in God, shown by acting in an ethical way and professing his love and belief in the one God. There are those who believe their path to God is the only path. They are adamant in that belief and will not even recognize others. Today, some are reaching the point where the separatists are not recognizable by others of the same faith. Each Jew’s relation to God is a personal one. To be part of a collective is a personal choice. God spoke to individuals and each individual has the free will to choose the method of carrying out God’s message through his deeds. As for fighting, we fight with those who want to fight for God, not figuratively, but actually. To study Torah is an exhilarating experience, but to carry out the commandments of Torah is the essence of Torah. It is in the doing that we can show the world how really strong and righteous we are.

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