Wed. Reformers: Be prepared to discuss why Reform Judaism arose and how. How is it a reaction to modernity? Others: be prepared to comment on Haskalah, Mendelssohn’s impact, Friday: Ortho. Conservative, can describe their positions, etc.

What to do when the world changes? Nothing. Embrace Change: Discontinuity with past Negotiate a compromise Adaptation on certain terms Resist change with your last dying breath

Life as a minority Abandonment of identity as a minority Assimilation Accommodation Abandonment of outside world.

BeshT on Messiah: 2 theories. His teachings were a prelude to redemption by Messiah. Downplays “eschatology” (end of the world) Reaction to false messiahs Sees eschatology as allegory of personal transformation.

Legend 1747 BeshT sees Messiah “When will you come?” “When every Jews is as spiritual as you” Mission: to bring the Messiah.

Modern Denominations Is Messiah a person or Is there only a “messianic period” when justice will prevail?

Successors Tzaddik “righteous” “Rebbe” Disciples of BeshT who form their own schools. Became dynastic

R. Zalman of Ladi Habad (Chabad)– Lubavitch Hasid Integrated Mysticism with renewed emphasis on Oral Torah

Rebbe M. Mendel Schneerson d Lubavith Chabad Messiah?

Backlash Rabbinic Elite challenges Hasids “Mitnagdim” Elijah ben Solomon Zalman “Gaon of Vilna”

Modernity Hasidic Judaism: many groups anti- modernist in many respects. Return to tradition, and Judaism as a special people

Irony Mitnagdim taught Hasidism was a dangerous innovation Hasidism rejected modernity and became a force for orthodoxy. BOTH objected to reformers.

Changes 18 th - 20 th century Political –Democracy –Nation-states / citizenship –Human rights. Economic –Capitalism / Communism –Industrialization Religious –Biblical truths questioned –Religious leaders loose political power –Science

Baruch Spinoza Studied with Christians Rejected Halakhah Excommunicated Radical discontinuity with the past.

Spinoza Bible is product of human politics Not divine revelation Not eternal Not unchangeable

Spinoza Biblical claims are relative to Israelite culture God chose Israel, not others: –Says more about Israelites’ thoughts, not God’s.

Jewish self-identity “Chosen” people. Social status: Inferior Theological status: Superior to non-Jews.

Questions How did these attitudes get entrenched in Jewish thought? What are the implications of this for social change?

Spinoza’s new world Gov. must make people Happy. Gov. must dissociate itself from religion.

Spinoza Religious convictions are irrelevant to modern states. Total freedom from politics for philosophers

Spinoza Some parts of Jewish tradition are valuable symbols of identity: circumcision Zionists praise Spinoza for this. BUT: Spinoza favored pluralistic states with no overt religious component.

Spinoza Civil Religion: A Government guided by principles of human happiness. Basis for Zionism

Mendelssohn Hoped Jews would attain citizenship as individuals: equal to all other people. “JERUSALEM” book Religion necessary to the state Diversity is necessary

Mendelssohn Traditional Jewish life valid But, taught that Jews should reject Ghetto life and sense of superiority. Jews should see themselves as full members of society

Mendelssohn Jews should adopt customs of larger society. Jews should retain Judaism at home.

Mendelssohn “I do not understand how those who are part of the household of Jacob can with a good conscience not fully observe the Jewish Law.”