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Aug 23, 2023
the old joke comes to life
there is an old joke that everyone uses every time someone talks about an eruv being built - great, now I can drive to shul on shabbos, or something siilar.
According to Ynetnews, an organization of Conservative Rabbis, the Rabbinical Assembly, has approved a decision to allow members to drive electric cars on Shabbos. It must have been a heated debate as it came down to a 10-6 vote in favor with 5 abstentions.
While the idea is to use this for purposes related to Shabbat observance, such as going to shul, they recognize some might use it for unrelated travel and they warn against that. Using an electric vehicle for purposes other than enhanced Shabbat observance will violate the spirit of the day, even if it might not actually involve violating any prohibitions.
In the past what held up such a decision was it being pre-ev days when cars used combustion, possible need to perform repairs, along with the concern that drivers might drive drive beyond the boundaries of the eruv.
As part of this new decision they encourage drivers to only use the electric vehicle for purposes that enhance shabbat and that drivers should stay within the eruv.
I do wonder if "enhancing shabbat" is subjective or objective. Someone might say going for a ride in the countryside or relaxing on the beach enhances their Shabbat. Does that count or only driving to synagogue and back home or to friends homes for shared Shabbat meals? And what about if one wants to go to services in a farther away synagogue, maybe outside the boundaries of the eruv - is that ok because it enhances their Shabbat or are they limited to the nearby synagogue because of the eruv? And, are they building their own eruvs or are they relying on the Orthodox eruvs built in many cities with Orthodox communities, but in a place without this becomes irrelevant as no driving can be done with no eruv?
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Self-driving electrical buses or light rail, could probably function like a Sabbath elevator?
ReplyDeleteAs long as it doesn’t lead to mixed dancing
ReplyDeleteToo bad that 95% of Conservative Jews think keeping Shabbos means going to shul on Shabbos morning and nothing more.
ReplyDeleteAs a frum person in the healthcare field who’s been in EY and the States, I have to tell you that there is a huge range. Your dumping people into a group so you can feel bad for them is not a good thing. Most that I’ve met are more sincere than many frum people. I wish they could understand the beauty of a Frum lifestyle too, but that’s our job to set an example of why and how. It’s Elul, we need to do outreach and strive for Achdus.
DeleteAnd as someone who grew up in a Conservative synagogue, went to Camp Ramah and still have friends and family there, I can tell you I am quite right.
ReplyDeleteWe're not talking about sincerity. You're right, they're more sincere, honest and decent than most folks. But then, those are universal values that they pretend are expressions of their Judaism by calling it "tikkun olam". Bottom line - they're good people who, if they'd been born into another religion, they'd also be the exact same people with the same values. When it comes to specifically Jewish things, they don't have a connection.
I hear. In my mind, when I hear someone write “I feel bad for them” it sounds like looking down on someone. Maybe the writer didn’t mean it like that but I took it as such. I hope I’m mistaken. I personally know too many frum people who look down at others, mostly for the wrong reasons. I just wish there was more achdus, and imho disdain for others doesn’t foster that.
DeleteI saw this reported a few days ago, and am very curious how many people will be impacted by this Psak. I.e., how many people keep Shabbat according to Conservative standards, not more and not less.
ReplyDeleteI have many friends who grew up in Conservative communities, and have worked with many conservative Jews, including Rabbis and Rabbinical students in the past. The majority of them did not keep Shabbat at all (i.e., would drive their car to friends or to the beach or other places on Shabbat). A small number of Rabbis were completely Shomer Shabbat according to Orthodox standards (i.e., would not drive a car at all, not even to shul). I don't think that I ever met someone who would ONLY drive to shul in according with the Psak of the Rabbinical Council in the 50s (?).
Even among the Rabbis in the Rabbinical Assembly - how many are there that did not drive cars at all on Shabbat until now, but will now drive electric cars (and only electric cars) based on this ruling.
I'm sure that there must be some people who take Conservative Psak very seriously, but I would be surprised if it is a significant number of people.
My experience is that there are four groups
Delete1) The vast majority are no different from Reform. They are vaguely ethnically Jewish, they like humantaschen and otherwise lead completely non-religious lives.
2) A small group define themselves as anti-Orthodox. They will drive on Shabbos, etc. to show that "We're above those archaic values! We're enlightened!"
3) Others see Judaism as an academic area of study that has some behaviours that accompany it but otherwise, Torah is like Physics, English Lit, and the rest, an interesting field one can be passionate about studyin
4) A really small bunch honestly believe it's a legitimate form of Torah observance and are incredibly sincere about it. These are the guys who will now sell their cars, buy EV's and show that they take Shabbos seriously by only driving in the eiruv.
My question is how big is group 4?
DeleteThere is also a 5th group, possibly the smallest but exists. of people who are basically Halachicly observant, but do not daven in an Orthodox shul or define themselves as Orthodox as they have an ideological problem with Orthodoxy - e.g., believe that women should have a more active role, or do not accept the concept of Torah M'Sinai.
Some of their rabbis fall into this category, some of whom graduated from orthodox institutions.
Group 4 is tiny.
DeleteAnd your group 5 is probably the UTJ breakoff from JTS.