The Need for Modern Midrashim

By Alex Howie
KOC Assistant Editor
Miami University of Ohio

When I think about Jewish education, I cannot help but feel that it is seriously lacking. Although I now identify as a Conservative Jew, I grew up in a Reform synagogue where I gained a basic understanding of the holidays, Jewish calendar, and the importance of Israel. I believe the education I had to be on par with my Conservative Jewish friends who attended Sunday school (not day school). Yet for all of my Jewish upbringing I was still lacking spirituality and lacking the desire to continue my Jewish education. There wasn’t anything in my Jewish education that really inspired me or gave me any sense of the depth of value and wisdom in our tradition. I do not think that I am alone in feeling this way. I believe this feeling is prevalent throughout the Jewish community in America. This problem is not hard to recognize. What is more difficult is to figure out what to do about it. I am not sure what needs to be done, but I can lay down some ideas.

The main thing I feel is lacking throughout the Jewish world – beyond the denominational borders – is the dearth of chiddushei Torah, new and individual insights into Torah. According to Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, "the study of Torah by definition means gleaning new, creative insights from the Torah" (Halakhic Man). This has kept Judaism going throughout the ages. Judaism has never been a stagnant religion, but has progressed to meet the times while still remaining true to both its essence and the halakha as passed down throughout the generations beginning with Moses. Jews have always learned from the "other" society in which we live and gained knowledge from those that surround us, but only adopted those values and actions of society as a part of ourselves when they are not contradictory to our Jewish values and standards of action. Today we must stay true to this – we must learn and adapt Judaism to the society within which we live but not become the society in which we live. We must retain our independence by staying true to our tradition – not changing Judaism to attract more congregants, to be politically correct, or to appeal to a wider audience.

What we must do is inspire Jewish youth to create new, personal Torah rooted in traditional Judaism. We are commanded from the Torah to "let these matters that I command you today be upon your heart" (Deuteronomy 6:6). Generations later, the psalmist calls upon us to "give ear, oh my people, to my Torah" (Psalm 98). Even later, the Midrashim, according to Rabbi Solomon Schechter, are personalized Torahs for the contemporary generation who may have not been moved by the ancient text, or saw deficiencies in it. In Eastern Europe, rabbis often referred to my Torah, personalizing it by creating new ways of thinking about the same ancient text. Today, I would propose, we need modern Midrashim. We need – as a movement and as individuals – to create new Torahs based on the written Torah. We need something that can penetrate the minds and, more importantly, the hearts of Jewish individuals. Classic texts are not accomplishing the goals; traditional texts are not studied and valued because they are misunderstood or viewed as outdated. We need something to grab the attention of the modern Jew, to serve as a gateway to a deeper Jewish education, and to instill vibrancy in our movement that has long been lacking.

[Posted 12/7/10]