Finding Truth in the Midst of Disagreement

Dear companions,

This past Sunday, I took part in the graduation ceremonies of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Phyllis and I have taken part in them ever since 1982, when I was first on the RRC faculty. We missed only one or two in all of the years since then, even close to the time when I had been forced out of the faculty by order of the then-President. And then I think in 2016, Rabbi Deborah Waxman, President of the college, announced to my “second Bar Mitzvah” that I was awarded an honor by RRC. The assemblage gasped, because they knew it meant the healing of the break that had begun in 1989.

For decades I have learned from both the Jewish Renewal and the Reconstructionist communities. I was deeply moved by Rabbi/President Waxman’s celebration of conscientious differences among the rabbinical students at the college. If we are trying to grow wise and independent-minded rabbis, how could we tell some of them that their consciences are not worthy and they must inwardly smash what they believe?

My own belief on what seems to be the most urgent disagreement among rabbis and student-rabbis is that the behavior of the current government of the State of Israel is one of the worst ethical blemishes on the whole history of the Jewish people. I can believe that and act on that, and nevertheless, respect other rabbis and student-rabbis who come to a different conclusion out of a different reading of Torah. I hope that an increasing number of rabbis can firmly and lovingly act on their own conscientious belief. Some of the early rabbis were able to do this and called it Makhloket l’shem Shemayim – argument for the sake of heaven. Perhaps they hoped that we could find some truth in the beliefs that we did not agree with.

For myself, as I find the disabilities of age slowly or swiftly growing in my body, I have been asking myself how to advance the future of Torah that might give good guidance to the Jews of the 22nd Century. I have been writing a version of that Torah that takes into account my own vision of how it should change as we learn and grow during the century we now live in.

Since turning 90, I have found that many of the ways that most of my life that I have been able to point toward a Judaism of justice and compassion are physically impossible. I can’t even walk fast enough to bring about an effective sit-in, as I used to do. But I can still write. I can still imagine. I can still look forward to a transformed Torah. I can still give it shape through the Internet.

If you will join me on my Substack, you will find the “Preface” and chapter after chapter of “Torah 2101.” You can register at RebArthurWaskow.substack.com. I would be glad to hear your comments and learn from your wisdom. I once heard a student ask Reb Zalman where he got his wisdom. Zalman said, “From experience.” Said the student, “Wow! Good experience!” Zalman laughed and said, “I learn most from bad experience. From mistakes.”

We all do. Please join me in the “Club of Learning from Mistakes,” otherwise known as my Substack.

Toward compassion, toward justice, toward love

— Arthur