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Mitzvah and Autonomy: the Oxymoron of Reform Judaism Bronstein, Herbert Tikkun; Jul/Aug 1999; 14, 4; Ethnic Newswatch Pg

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Mitzvah and Autonomy: the Oxymoron of Reform Judaism Bronstein, Herbert Tikkun; Jul/Aug 1999; 14, 4; Ethnic Newswatch Pg Mitzvah and autonomy: The oxymoron of Reform Judaism Bronstein, Herbert Tikkun; Jul/Aug 1999; 14, 4; Ethnic NewsWatch pg. 41 REFORM JUDAISM Mitzvah and Autonomy The Oxymoron of Reform Judaism Herbert Bronstein o one knowledgeable about Judaism will deny that the terms "Torah" and "mitzvah" N are central to its lexicon, or their role in defining the relationship between God and the community of Israel, the Covenant (B'rit) This interrelated cluster of terms (Torah, mitzvah, b'rit) implies a spiritual mindset that assumes an authority which transcends the individual ego and personal choice, fostering a sense of o bligation to an "Other" beyond the individual self. Torah, mitzvah, and b 'rit, therefore, imply not only a strong sense of obligation to God, but, since God's covenant is with the community of Israel, a communal consciousness as well, a sense of "we" which transcends the individual self. Yet the very opposite of this Judaic mindset has risen to and consistent, and to assert that our actions need not the position of a central credo, if not defining mark, of always begin with our own impulses." Though he never Reform Judaism: the principle of autonomy, personal used the word "authority," at least some degree of amhoriry choice in matters of religious practice. "Autonomy" has is implied by his words. become a "given" of Reform Judaism, a litmus test for We need to follow up on the tension Yoffie hinted at. Reform Jewish doctrinal acceptability. Although little else is WThy should we be afraid to subject autonomy as a religious authoritative in Reform Judaism, without at least giving lip doctrine to as thorough a critique as Reform Jews pride service to the authority of autonomy, one might be consid­ themselves in applying to any other doctrine? Why not con­ ered "outside the pale" of Reform theology. sider it in balance with other religious values which might Increasingly, there has been widespread unease within impose upon personal autonomy limitations beneficial to the Reform community over the tension between autonomy the community and perhaps to personal growth as well? on the one side and the historic Judaic sense of obligation Autonomy is a doctrine salutary for Judaism, for religion, (chovah) to a transcendent authority beyond the self and its and for human well-being, in my view, only if we understand individual choices on the other. This tension was already autonomy as a choice against idols, a modality of autonomy reflected in the opening address Eric Yoffie made as rooted deeply in the Jewish tradition. president-elect of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (Atlanta 1995 ). "My goal, " he said, "is a Obligation and Authority movement which is thoroughly Reform ... grounded in the n traditional societies. however else the "self" was con­ principles of autonomy and pluralism." At the same time, I ceived, it was constituted first by a web of relationships however, Rabbi Yoffie called for "a movement also willing embedded in the ongoing life of a community. This web to talk of obligations, to call for observance that is regular included a relation between the self and a transcendent wholeness beyond the atomistic individual, whether a Herbert Bronstein is senior scholar at North Shore Congregation world-soul, a web of life, or a life process. In primordial Isra el in Glencoe, Illinois. where he served as senior rabbi/or a religious traditions, self-fulfillment was realized by the iden­ quarter of a century. He is editor of a best-selling haggadah and tification of the individual self with this purpose or reality Five Scrolls for the Jewish Festival. beyond the self. MITZ VAH AN D A UTONOMY 41 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. REFORM JUDAISM In contrast, in our time the individual self is thought of the participants themselves-with a sententiously pro­ as a cluster of claims of individual rights and privileges (see, claimed dictum that seems to quell all and every objection: for example, Charles Taylor's book, The Sources of the Sel/J. "This is my personal choice; you do what you want, I do Self-fulfillment, it follows, is viewed as fulfillment through what I want, and who is to judge me?" one's own individual preferential pursuits on behalf of one's "Freedom" is the emblematic blazon of the United individual self. The pride of place that Reform Judaism States, and it is thus not surprising that American Jews too today gives to autonomy as per- have embraced freedom as the key sonal choice reflects this contem­ to Judaism. Jews today, for exam­ porary concept of the self. The scriptural text does ple, speak of both Chanukah and Indeed, many a Reform Jew not say ((Let my people go Passover as "Festivals of who is perturbed by the notion that Freedom." But the scriptural text 11 Reform Judaism might teach any does not say "Let my people go that they may be /ree1 set of requirements based on reli­ that they may be free," but rather gious obligation might be surprised but rather ((Let my people go "Let my people go that they may to learn that the doctrine of auton­ 11 serve me." The divine call is not to omy initially came into liberal that they may serve me. freedom per se but away from Jewish thinking heavily weighted servitude to Pharaoh (a god) to the with a sense of obligation to a moral law that is universal service of God. The service of God necessarily implies a and beyond the self. The philosopher who had the most sense of obligation and duties as well as autonomy-all are influence on exponents of Reform Judaism in this respect choices against the service to idols. was Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). Kant admirably articu­ lated the essence of the Enlightenment as a morally princi­ Intellectual Credibility pled movement which was to struggle against the ow that the Enlightenment has reached its end, is oppressive rule of others, particularly institutions and Nautonomy based on reason still an intellectually credi­ power structures, over individual thoughts, wills, and ble position in our time? One crucial aspect of modernity actions. For Kam, autonomy was based on the premise that, which Reform embraced is the scientific approach which through reason, the individual person would discover a endeavors to establish factual verity about the material moral law applicable everywhere and equally to the behav­ dimension of existence. Through such a scientific approach ior of all people; it followed for Kant that the individual to the study of history and the social life of human beings, would then become morally obligated to that universal law. we have become aware of how social, economic, political, Just as in Kant, so in early Reform Judaism, autonomy and and cultural influences on Judaism over the course of time morality in the religious sense were linked indissolubly to a have affected Jewish religious practice. But now we must strong sense of obligation. apply the same critical methods to such principles as auton­ Especially because of the totalitarianism of our century omy, showing how such principles can be products equally and the ongoing struggle for freedom and human rights, of historical forces and of horizons. Kant's formulation of autonomy and morality still resonates In his time, Kant, believing that freedom was an strongly with us. European Jews of the nineteenth century attribute of reason, believed that reason could rise above were particularly enthusiastic about Kant's clarion call to the pressure of events and material circumstances in which autonomy, bound up as they were with their own emanci­ we live. We too still must and do expect moral choices of pation into the civil, social, and economic order. Because people. We know, however, that social and cultural condi­ the link between reason, autonomy, and morality was at the tions, our own emotions, or group psychology all affect our very core of what the Enlightenment called "civilization," thinking, our ideas, our reasoning. We now have a huge Reform Jewish advocates could present Judaism as among body of documentation, particularly from the Nazi period, the most rational, enlightened, and moral of all religions on the devilish ways that so-called reason deteriorates into and therefore worthy of a place in progressive Western soci­ rationalization for the most despicable of purposes. ety. It is no wonder that many educated German Jews Further, through depth psychology, we have become aware taught Kant to their children as if it were catechism. of the role of the unconscious in these rationalizations. As a How different the situation is today. Our people do not result, the notion of a sure bond between reason and auton­ live in an overly repressive, morally forbidding, or socially omy has been discredited. The idea of a free, untrammeled, restrictive culture. On the contrary, our culture is one in above-it-all, disinterested reason, fully autonomous, has which many boast of decadent behavior. In the most sensa­ been revealed as an illusion, not only to be distrusted but tionally prurient "wash your dirty linen in public" television methodically so, because of motivations that in large part talk shows, many regularly and passionately defend the have little to do with rationality or "noble principles" or most outrageous behavior-hurtful not only to others but to morality itself. 42 T!KKU;\; VOL. 14, No. 4 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Idolatry any authority beyond itself, is no exception. Sacrifice of he history of the concept of Enlightenment in Reform identity out of the desire for acceptance and inclusion falls TJudaism is itself instructive to understand autonomy as within the shadow of idolatry.
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