I read an interesting article by a Reform educator who reminded me of a midrash (rabbinic legend) I had forgotten about. Moses was stumped about a particular law and inquired of God. God responded by saying, “Here, Moses, take a look in time and see what this rabbi had to say hundreds of years from now.” Well, this was a new perspective for our great leader; he remembered the grief given him by his flock at the time of the exodus, now he was finally getting to see something new and exciting.
Moses saw a class given by Rabbi Akiva born around 50 CE. The students were studying the same law that perplexed Moses. “What does this mean, Rabbi?” one student asked of his teacher. Akiba said, “Let’s study this and see what Moses thought.” So, they did just that and apparently Moses’ interpretation wasn’t the same as Akiba’s. As a matter of fact, Moses said to God, “What the heck was that all about?” (in so many words). The evolution of thought had created something different and while you’d think God would be furious Moses was actually invited by God to see that new perspective.
I’m sure the sages of old didn’t realize that they were writing about Reform Judaism, and I’m sure that the sages of today would vehemently disagree about that (I’m sure??? Not strong enough! I’M CERTAIN!). But we can see that while change takes a bit longer to be achieved in the world of those not really concerned about change, it does happen.
The way our movement looks at it the first chapter, indeed the first passage, of Pirkei Avot (The Ethics of the Fathers), was created for the purpose of giving an “out” to maintaining the status quo. In a nutshell it states, “Moses received the Torah at Sinai, handed it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, the elders to the prophets….” and concludes with “and build a fence around the Torah.”
It refers to the fiction that TWO sets of law were revealed…the written law found in the scrolls, but also an ORAL tradition. The Children of Israel weren’t ready to receive so much legislation, the rabbis of old said, so what Moses received orally was never written down until centuries later. In the meantime every generation from Moses down was given the instruction with the purpose of transmitting it (like playing “Telephone” or “Blabbing Down the Lane,” or whatever the verb is) thereby “building a fence around the Torah.” Not only does it keep everything it contains in, but it keeps everything that might weaken the law out.
The Reform movement said, “Perhaps, just perhaps, Moses received a written Torah via the Eternal One (though we believe it was inspired by God, not written by God), but it was unquestionably people of flesh and blood who wrote the interpretations found in the oral law (Mishnah + Gemarrah = the Talmud).” And here’s the bottom line, my friends: Just as past generations interpreted for their generation, so may we interpret for our generation, and those in the future for theirs. This is, in my humble opinion (and when have I ever tricked you?), the very basis for Reform Judaism.
Now sometimes we really did throw the baby out with the bath water, but this article is already too long so I’ll leave that to another article.
(Speaking of the Israelites being a pain for Moses, a guy comes to a doctor and says, “Dr. Levine, I’m suffering terribly from pains in my shoulder.” The physician responds with great wisdom, “Nu, so what do you think? You’re going to enjoy them??”)