This week, we read the story of the parting of the Red Sea, perhaps a first step en route to the revelation at Sinai—the moment recorded as the receiving of the Torah. Reflecting on these pivotal moments, Rabbi Woznica shares thoughts on the role of religion—and the challenges of secularism—in our modern Western lives.
The Consequences of Secularism: To Whom Are We Accountable?
Consider raising the question above at your Shabbat table or at other gatherings with friends or family. It is among life’s most critical questions for those who care about making a better world.
One of the central tenets of Judaism is that we are ultimately accountable to God. There are two secular responses to the question of accountability: either to one’s conscience or to society. Of course, many people do terrible things and live quite comfortably with their conscience. Answering to society, too, poses a series of problems: What if the values of your society are not decent (and, of course, societal values change regularly) or not universally agreed upon? Furthermore, “society” is not always around to enforce its values. There cannot be police everywhere to enforce the law.
It is essential to acknowledge that belief in God does not ensure moral behavior. There are those who profess belief and act badly. And one can be an atheist and act saintly.
While Judaism casts a wide net theologically, and our congregation reflects many views of God, it is noteworthy that the name of our people is “Israel,” which means “to wrestle with God.” I understand this to teach that we should not remove the idea of God from our lives.
It is my belief that among Judaism’s most significant contributions is the notion that what God wants most is for human beings to treat each other with goodness, and that ultimately we are accountable to God for our actions. As the prophet Micah succinctly said, “And what does Adonai require of you: Only to do justice, And to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God,” (Micah 6:8). Irrespective of our theology these are goals worthy of our aspirations.
Rabbi David Woznica
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