I always cringed at that term(tribe) to describe Judaism. Seems like you have a familial(MOT) relationship with Judaism- an innate, tribal feeling toward Jews/Judaism- more heartfelt; whereas I had a more intellectual approach to it; and I am the poorer for it. I'm shopping for a new way to see Judaism(in more familial terms). I wonder if you see the tribe(OT) as a Mother, and the creator as the Father? Who would be the Child? All people? Do you(or others here) even see Judaism in these terms? Otherwise why would you use such a familialy charged word(tribe)? I just had a close call with Trinitarianism(most of Christianity), and was fortunate that someone showed me that I don't have to go avoda zara("idolatrous"/Trinitarian)- i.e. I can stay within the tribe. Here's something I just posted on another forum(amazon.com/Judaism. remaining a jew through tri-groupings): Also can be titled: "Searching for my Family without avoda zara"("idolatry"/"Trinitarianism") I see Jesus/the NT/Christianity as trying to "familiate"(make more family-like) Judaism; however, they came to un-Jewish conclusions/interpretations. Though their heart was in the right place, since in Judaism(and much more so Islam) one can easily go astray(Jesus' Lost Sheep) and get dessicated in some kind of dry, dead, boring, "sternly monotheistic" "walk". I would like to know if some fellow Jews here have used or found that tri-"family" groupings(e.g.. Father*/Mother**/Child***) have made their Jewish walk more meaningful, pleasant("wet"), personally helpful-- especially if they did so in order to escape the temptation of our "favorite" familial religion: Christian Trinitarianism(i.e. most Christians). * for instance, "the Father" being the Creator of all humans ** for instance, "the Mother" being the prescence of the Creator in everything, especially the integrated community of God's students *** for instance, "the Child" as each and every human being ps. if you use the traditional "God, Tora, Israel" triad, I'd like to know "exactly" what associations come up for you(or our sages) and how you put them together to help you. I know of no other "familial"(if you can call "God, Tora, and Israel" that) triads in Judasim. I wonder also if you have found that this(i.e. the Father/Mother/Child) Triad I mentioned above is a basic biblical idea. And if it is, that maybe the man Jesus just reiterated it. Thank you p.s.(to drumminimama). I wonder if you have/had an intellectual approach to Judaism? In other words, I've had to fight my intellectually all the way to remain a Jew. I wonder if you've had to fight in this way? Have you been tempted by other religions; and if so, what kept you from falling into them? Thnanks
I use the word "tribe" and I think it's a fairly good description for Jews. It matters not is one is spiritual or intellectual. I know atheist Jews are involved in Judaism only so far as it is an intellectual endeavour and they are still very much a part of the tribe. I also know others who haven't much as all to do with anything Jewish..again, still a part of the tribe.
What about God? How does God fit in to this? Isn't that God is our Father and so we are all God's children more important than I am a member of tribe? It just seems to miss the point(putting ethnicity above spirituality), unless I am missing something. Am I?
L'shanna tova to all my fellow Jews! This thread has gotten fairly deep! For me, being a Jew boils down to not doing to others what I don't want done to me.
Tribe- we are, by our own story, tribes. Through Diaspora, clinging as extended family (that bickers a lot) kept us Jews, and not some group that blended into the mass of the dominant religion. As for my approach, I was raised outside the tradition due to adoption. I "returned" in my late teens, but I started seeking spiritually at nine. I still study the crossroads of Buddhism and Judaism. Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi is a huge impression on how I look at the world, especially Judaism. One aspect of "chosen" is that we chose G-d. We are active in that, not passive. It is a covenant, a contract between two parties.
