Last Friday, we continued our exploration of Chapter 2 of To Be A Jew Today with a discussion of a problem that might arise when a Progressive social justice agenda conflicts with Traditionalist halakhic values and practices. What happens when participation in a social justice event (an anti-ICE program and march) interferes with Shabbat observance (attending Saturday services, prohibitions on carrying, handling money)? Should a congregant who announces such an event from the bimah be censured for potentially advocating for the violation of Shabbat? Our group seemed disinclined towards shooting the messenger (whose intent was probably, at best, to share information about upcoming activities). They felt that the announcement did not necessarily encourage congregants to forgo shul in order to participate in the anti-ICE event, and that people were simply given the opportunity to choose for themselves how they might spend the Sabbath. When asked whether they would participate in the demonstration in lieu of attending Shabbat services, some members said they would decline to do so because it could possibly offend other congregants’ Jewish values and customs. Others in our group felt that participating in the program and march would be morally appropriate because it would demonstrate how important social justice is for Jews–ending the hierarchical domination of some human beings by others takes precedence over ritual observance. It is likely that the discussion our group had was exactly in line with the conversations Noah Feldman hoped his book would engender.
We concluded our discussion of Feldman’s chapter on “The God of Social Justice,” by considering a few of his observations on various more liberal Progressive denominations (acknowledging the difficulties of defining differences between those aligned with the Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Jewish Renewal movements). We then got a start on Chapter 3, “The God Whose Law Evolves,” which, despite Feldman’s continuing lucidity, is denser and more problematic than his opening two chapters. Feldman contends that Jewish Evolutionism is based on the following concept: “human beings play a role in interpreting God’s will, and that halakhah therefore can and should change over time as human interpretation shifts. . . . [Evolutionists believe that] halakhah is playing out the divine word of God through conscious acts of human interpretation” (pp. 71-72). Regardless of what “belief patterns” a Jew holds (Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, et. al.), Evolutionism posits that normative Jewish beliefs have changed and are changing still. Most of us understood Feldman’s definition and his promotion of an Evolutionist point of view that attempts to reconcile the binding laws of Torah with contemporary science and social values–through interpretation. Problems arise, and at least some of us felt that Feldman doesn’t sufficiently address them, when it comes to 1) how is such interpretation carried out? 2) by whom? 3) what safeguards are in place to address issues of self-interest, prejudice, corruption, among interpreters? and 4) how are differences in interpretation resolved?
This Friday, we will close out 2025 by addressing some of the above issues as we work toward the conclusion of Chapter 3, “The God Whose Law Evolves” (pp.68-94).
Our informal discussion group, which is currently in its 26th year, meets via Zoom every Friday from 12-1 (check CBI’s web site or weekly announcements for updates and a link). All are welcome to attend. Feldman’s book, which is available through a variety of internet book dealers. If you have questions, contact Jay Jacoby atjbjacoby@charlotte.edu.
