On finding a "Rav"
May. 10th, 2006 09:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
theyellowhobbitI was reading this post in Beyond BT. [I really was working on the Hellerstein essay....My outline alone is onto page 3. So I might just start writing even before outlining story #2...] It asks us whether or not we*'ve been complacent in finding a Rav (a Rabbi, a spiritual guide).
I never really went on such an active search, but I think Rabbi Mike has become my "Rav," though I'm sure he would not like the title of "Rav."
Lately I've been going to him with all of my questions of faith. I think it started with the whole ethnography I did on him, [which got me an A/B, but I still got an A in that class, and it was totally worth it] which just increased the amount of respect that I have for him.
And then there was the whole discussion where he told me that my Jewish identity was more complex than could be defined by just one movement. And I didn't want to believe him, but he was right.
And then I realized that him and I have similar ideaologies and practices. Well, he davens daily and I don't [though I should], but in terms of kashrut and shabbat [he might be a bit more makil on things such as bikes...] and what type of shul would be ideal to daven in- egal with a me[tri]chitza. CJC totally needs to try the trichitza. The biggest section would be egal, but we could have a low divider making a defined women's only section and a defined men's only section. Because even when I stand in the back or on the side, males still wander past me. And then I have to stand for the entire service, and that gets tiring.
Of course, in some cases where I want the stricter answer [for whatever reason] I'll go to Seif. Like with fasting and stuff. Though of course, even he told me not to fast ta'anit esther. Bah.
So the big question:
-What would have happened if I had just stayed in the realm of Conservative and never became Orthodox? Would I be on the path to becoming a Conservative Rabbi? Would that be better than me being an Archaeologist?
I tend to think that Archaeology is the better idea. It's the only career I've found that makes me as excited as being a Reform Rabbi used to make me. I then have the flexibility of being more observant than your given Conservative congregation (covering my hair when I get married, keeping tzniut, etc...). And I like working outside, and incorporating all types of knowledge (history, forensics, art...) And I always could lead services, because you don't need to be a Rabbi, and I like shuls where different people lead on a weekly basis much better than those where only the Rabbi leads. It allows for a stronger, more Jewishly knowledgable congregation. And then there's variety. And it can be a small group of young people, like JitW. And there are no temple politics to deal with in archaeology (though there are academic politics...)
*"we" in this case meaning ba'alei teshuva
I never really went on such an active search, but I think Rabbi Mike has become my "Rav," though I'm sure he would not like the title of "Rav."
Lately I've been going to him with all of my questions of faith. I think it started with the whole ethnography I did on him, [which got me an A/B, but I still got an A in that class, and it was totally worth it] which just increased the amount of respect that I have for him.
And then there was the whole discussion where he told me that my Jewish identity was more complex than could be defined by just one movement. And I didn't want to believe him, but he was right.
And then I realized that him and I have similar ideaologies and practices. Well, he davens daily and I don't [though I should], but in terms of kashrut and shabbat [he might be a bit more makil on things such as bikes...] and what type of shul would be ideal to daven in- egal with a me[tri]chitza. CJC totally needs to try the trichitza. The biggest section would be egal, but we could have a low divider making a defined women's only section and a defined men's only section. Because even when I stand in the back or on the side, males still wander past me. And then I have to stand for the entire service, and that gets tiring.
Of course, in some cases where I want the stricter answer [for whatever reason] I'll go to Seif. Like with fasting and stuff. Though of course, even he told me not to fast ta'anit esther. Bah.
So the big question:
-What would have happened if I had just stayed in the realm of Conservative and never became Orthodox? Would I be on the path to becoming a Conservative Rabbi? Would that be better than me being an Archaeologist?
I tend to think that Archaeology is the better idea. It's the only career I've found that makes me as excited as being a Reform Rabbi used to make me. I then have the flexibility of being more observant than your given Conservative congregation (covering my hair when I get married, keeping tzniut, etc...). And I like working outside, and incorporating all types of knowledge (history, forensics, art...) And I always could lead services, because you don't need to be a Rabbi, and I like shuls where different people lead on a weekly basis much better than those where only the Rabbi leads. It allows for a stronger, more Jewishly knowledgable congregation. And then there's variety. And it can be a small group of young people, like JitW. And there are no temple politics to deal with in archaeology (though there are academic politics...)
*"we" in this case meaning ba'alei teshuva
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Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-10 05:37 pm (UTC)Care to rephrase that one for me?
Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-10 06:20 pm (UTC)Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-10 06:35 pm (UTC)Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-10 06:44 pm (UTC)Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-11 07:46 am (UTC)Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-11 07:49 am (UTC)Real question, why didn't you ask R' Klitsner your kabbalat shabbat question?
Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-11 02:38 pm (UTC)I grew up Orthodox. Nobody ever tried to present a uniform front about anything! That was like the *Definition* of Orthodoxy -- we have halacha, so we have sanctioned diversity. 70 panim latorah and all that.
Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-11 03:02 pm (UTC)Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-11 07:44 pm (UTC)Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-11 07:46 pm (UTC)Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-11 07:53 pm (UTC)Re: Trichizta
Date: 2006-05-11 08:00 pm (UTC)