Confessions of an Outreach Worker

I confess.

The Torah and its observances are what my whole life and soul are about. But it wasn't always so; that took retrospection and careful thought.

There were times I wanted to make a bonfire on Shabbat.

And play my guitar on a Jewish holiday.

And to do away with the divider that separates men and women in the synagogue.

Firemen

There is an image of a fire seared into my consciousness after hearing it described by the Rebbe countless times.

The following is a paraphrased version of his heart-wrenching words:

"A devastating inferno rages outside; a spiritual holocaust that has painfully claimed so many Jewish lives... What Hitler, may his name be blotted out, was not able to achieve, the ravaging fires of assimilation are sadly achieving…"

In each generation, the Jewish nemesis has a different face. In our day it comes disguised as ignorance

In each generation, the Jewish nemesis has a different face. In our day it comes disguised as ignorance, which equals apathy and results in intermarriage and assimilation, causing more Jewish loss than any of our enemies have throughout history.

"If you know of someone sleeping in a burning house, the responsibility to save his life is yours, for he is incapable of helping himself…

"Become firemen," the Rebbe pleaded. "Put an end to these destructive fires!"

Fire Regulations

So, I'm ready to don the fireman outfit I've abandoned since childhood; where do I begin? How do I put out the fire of indifference and assimilation?

The task seems impossible, for it entails the bridging of two polar-opposite worlds: the secular and the sacred, the modern with the so-called "antiquated."

It challenges me to articulate religious truths to progressive minds that perceive them as dated; to communicate our rich, but ancient heritage to modern hearts.

I must learn new paradigms and frames of reference, it would seem, if I want to share the preciousness of our tradition with those who are unacquainted with their venerable past. I must become a savvy marketing professional, if I want to "package" Judaism properly and have it appeal to the masses.

I must feel the heartbeat of society to know where they're at and where they're going, in order to adjust myself and my message to them.

And it seems logical that I'll have to sacrifice some of the integrity of my message – perhaps to discard some of the many do's and don'ts – in order to make Judaism feasible for a Western clientele and give it contemporary allure.

Which explains my earlier confession: Declining to shake the hand of a woman whom I care to bring closer to Jewish tradition will likely drive her away! Besides, the last thing I want to do is hurt another person's feelings.

From a marketing point of view, doing away with the synagogue divider is a brilliant idea!

The same goes for doing away with the mechitzah (synagogue divider), and arranging a Shabbat sing-along with music around a crackling fire. From a marketing point of view these ideas are brilliant!

For if I don't "learn the talk and do the walk," the Judaism I offer won't be "with it" and the people I share it with won't "dig it."

The Second Fire

This leads me to another fire.

The sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, was once at a meeting where one of the participants suggested compromising Torah law in order to save Judaism—then under attack by all types of ideologies that targeted Jewish youth. His eloquent and persuasive argument was that "for drinking purposes, water must be pure and clean, but when it comes to putting out a fire, even dirty water will suffice."

This well-meaning Jewish activist clearly admitted that a breach of G‑d's law resembles "dirty water," but what else could be done—a terrible fire burns!

The people at the meeting were impressed by the logic; that is, until the Rebbe countered sharply, "But what happens if one mistakenly tries to put a fire out with kerosene..?"

Of what use are his good intentions? Instead of bringing salvation he has helped destroy.

Well Meant

Sadly, our history contains many examples that confirm this point. Even our beloved Moses, who needs no introduction, went too far with a very good idea.

Before leaving Egypt, he was motivated by pure and loving intentions to accept the petition of a large group of gentiles seeking to join the Hebrew faith. Without consulting G‑d, but driven by the desire to glorify His name, he welcomed this wave of converts whom he viewed, and wanted others to view, as living proof of the living G‑d.

Moses' dream of sanctifying G‑d's name, inspired by the greatest of intentions, turned into a nightmare

In the long run, G‑d disapproved.1 For it was this group, labeled "the great conglomeration," that introduced chutzpah, and eventually mutiny, into the camp of Israel. In fact, according to our sages,2 they are to blame for the Golden Calf fiasco, which left a permanent3 stain on our people's record.4

As it turns out, Moses' dream of sanctifying G‑d's name, inspired by the greatest of intentions, turned into a horrible nightmare in which G‑d's holy name was desecrated.

Take One

According to the mystics, this was old news—merely a repeat of an earlier mistake committed by Joseph while he served as viceroy of Egypt.

According to rabbinic tradition,5 when Joseph was in charge of Egypt's well-stocked storehouses, he made the distribution of grain to the needy Egyptians contingent upon their circumcision!

Of course they bucked, complaining to Pharaoh that they were being exploited. But to no avail. "Do whatever Joseph tells you to do," was Pharaoh's reply.

What was Joseph up to?

At the time, Egyptian society was steeped in the pursuit of illicit carnal pleasure,6 which, as Maimonides writes,7 is reduced by circumcision. Thus, by having the Egyptians circumcised, Joseph sought to refine them, in part by diminishing their obsession with carnal indulgence.8

According to Lurianic tradition,9 however, his plan backfired—for G‑d had intended the mitzvah of circumcision for the seed of Abraham only.

Indeed the Egyptians became more refined as a result of the mass circumcision that ensued. But as a result of this refinement, they became worthier of receiving Divine beneficence. Unfortunately, though, they weren't refined enough to use this power newfound properly, and used it instead to persecute the Jewish people.

Put simply, the time-tested truth that was formulated by these incidents and others10 is that more is sometimes less.11 We have to follow the word of G‑d, although at times we may feel that we have brilliant ideas that will further G‑d's agenda. We cannot please Him, by acting contrary to His wishes.

The same is true with one who chooses to disregard a mitzvah – no matter which one, whether (seemingly) big or small – in order to make Judaism more appealing to the uninitiated.12

Nothing but the Truth

One final note is in order.

Before figuring out how to preserve, we must identify what we seek to preserve.

Is it a language, a culture, a tradition, a philosophy, a group of customs, a background, a race, a dream, or a gene?

Or is it a religion, a mission, a promise; a covenant between Creator and creation?

Before figuring out how to preserve, we must identify what we seek to preserve

Is it about an identity or is it about truth?

If the former is of concern, marketing is the name of the game.

But if the latter is of primary importance, authenticity is the only solution, for truth compromised is truth no more. It isn't a matter of degrees.

What's in It for Me?

Our people stands at a historic crossroad. Never has the threat to Jewish continuity been so real.

Among American Jews who have gotten married since 2000, nearly six in ten have a have married out. And among Jews who got married before 1970, just 17% have a non-Jewish spouse.

Notably, nearly one third of American Jews born after 1980 do not consider themselves to have a religion.13

Jerusalem, we got a problem.

But how is it fixed? How do we hold on to the next generation?

Instead of watering down the Torah until it's hardly recognizable, and translating it into mundane language so that society can "relate" to it, let us raise the bar of society by teaching them the elevated language of the Torah.

Communication may be crucial but not at the expense of the message. If the package itself is impressive the wrapping paper will cease to matter.

The words are precise: "Bring them to the Torah"; not the Torah to them

In the words of our sages when describing Aaron (one of the first outreach workers): "A lover of every creature, and brings them close to Torah." The words are precise: "Bring them to the Torah"; don't bring the Torah to them.

Through the process of illumination – not elimination – we will get through to the lost children of our generation.

Through bringing Judaism alive, Judaism will live on. Through teaching Judaism with sincerity, passion, authenticity, and joy—it will be embraced. If instead of investing in advertising, we see ourselves as walking advertisements for Judaism, it will catch on.

In the long run, this is the only strategy that will work.

FOOTNOTES

1.It is imperative to note that G‑d did not take issue with the idea of conversion. Sincere converts are more than welcome. He simply disapproved of the fact that Moses converted them of his own volition, without consulting with G‑d. What resulted was a "deceptive conversion." Meaning to say, the gentiles who joined were not sincere in their conversion; they simply wanted to be on the "winning team." (Moses, who saw things in their ideal state, believed that they were sincere and therefore accepted them.) Had they been sincere, they would have been proper converts and as Jewish as born Jews
(A rabbi once brought a recent convert to the Rebbe for "dollars." "I am a Jew. I just converted this morning," said the fellow. The Rebbe gave him five dollars and said, "You know you are twice as good as a born Jew." "Am I really twice as good?" the man asked incredulously. "Yes you are," replied the Rebbe encouragingly. Perhaps the Rebbe's reasoning was that a convert freely chooses to become a Jew.)

2.See Rashi on Exodus 32:4.

3.See Rashi ibid., 32:34.

4.With this in mind we better understand G‑d's words to Moses after the sin: "Go descend, for your nation that you have brought up from Egypt has degenerated" (Exodus 32:7). Why does G‑d refer to the sinners as Moses' nation? It doesn't say, "the nation has degenerated," but rather "your nation"—the people whom you accepted on your own and converted without consulting Me—they sinned and caused others to sin. (Rashi ad loc).

5.See Rashi on Genesis 41:55. See also Matnot Kehunah on Midrash Rabbah, Genesis 91:5.

6.See Rashi on Genesis 12:19.

7.Guide to the Perplexed 3:35, 49.

8.See Likuttei Sichot vol. 10 pg. 141.

9.See Pri Eitz Chaim Shaar Chag Hamatzot, chapter six, and the Haggadah in the Arizal's Siddur .

10.See I Samuel ch. 19 (or click here to read the story from our history section), regarding King Saul's sparing of the Amalekite king and cattle. There, too, Saul's good intentions brought about catastrophe, facilitating the birth of Haman. In the words of the Prophet Samuel: "Behold, to obey is better than a peace-offering; to hearken (is better) than the fat of rams." (See Likuttei Sichot vol. 3 pg. 913ff for more on this topic.)

11.The above can be related to a puzzling mitzvah, Bal Tosif, the prohibition against adding anything onto the words of the Torah. One can understand how detractingfrom Torah is clearly a sin, but what is the problem with adding? To the contrary, adding would seemingly demonstrate zeal and passion! But taking on more than G‑d commanded, is, in essence, a declaration that the individual feels that he understands better, so to speak, than G‑d—which is why he doesn't suffice with what G‑d commanded, but does more.
A simple analogy can be drawn from a person who takes the law into his own hands in the name of justice.

12.Once, before the "Jewish outreach boom," a musically talented chassidic young man performed in front of a secular crowd, and was successful in inspiring his audience. As he left the stage he was approached by a woman who offered him her hand. He declined, saying, "I'd love to shake your hand, but Jewish law forbids me to." This young man later repeated the episode to the Rebbe and concluded, "Rebbe, I would gladly give up my share in the World-to-Come (for transgressing Jewish law) so as not to hurt another's feelings!" The Rebbe replied, "You're intentions are noble, but to act on them would be misguided, as that is simply not the Torah way."

13.Pew Research Center 2013 “Portrait of Jewish Americans.”