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Reform Judaism - Some Questions and Answers
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3. What is so special about the Torah?
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 The Torah, the five books of Moses, contains the beginning of the Jewish story, our story. There is nothing that is more precious to us than our story, a story that is history touched by God. That does not mean that other people do not have their stories or that ours is better or truer than theirs. But it is ours, has sustained us through many generations and given so much of lasting value to the world at large.
Torah is also used to cover the whole of Jewish teaching. Jewish teaching is a vast sea of learning and insights. Many religious traditions include prayer, meditation and learning. Judaism is no exception but one could say that study of Torah is the specialite de la maison. That is why the Reform Movement lays so much emphasis on the development of institutions of learning and why it encourages every member to study and learn as much as possible. It is very important to us that Jewish adults take responsibility for their own Jewish lives. They cannot do so responsibly unless they have Jewish knowledge and understanding to guide the decisions that they make.
It is also very important to add that one of the great insights of Judaism, of Torah, is that we worship God at least as much in the way that we behave towards our fellow human beings as in the rituals of prayer. Many of the fundamental ethical values which underpin Western society come from our Torah. That Torah demands justice and compassion, honesty and faithfulness. It regards all human beings as created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God and equal in God’s sight. Such values are the very essence of Judaism, and of the Jewish path through life.
Acknowledgement: ‘What is Reform Judaism' by Rabbi Tony Bayfield.
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