On Wednesday we attempted to answer the question of whether or not belief or behavior was more important. We discussed that perhaps without belief, behavior was inauthentic. Alternatively, some suggested that behavior was needed to solidify belief and that acting a certain way plays a central role in making one a believer. While we did not get an answer to this question in the second part of our Becoming Frum reading, we did get insight into how orthodox Judaism assesses the question. Benor writes that "many orthodox Jews have disdain for cultural Judaism devoid of any religious content" (61). For orthodox Jews, one must be engaged spiritually in Judaism, not simply culturally.
To add a personal aspect to this question, and in the process possibly problematize our understanding even further, I will mention how Judaism manifests itself in my life. I do not believe in the spiritual aspects of Judaism. Yet, I still engage in many "Jewish" activities. I often eat typically "Jewish meals", celebrate religious events, and attend religious gatherings. In fact, I even use many Yiddish and Hebrew words each day. I see these activities as a core part of my life, and Judaism as an important part of my life. This behavior does not condition or create a religious belief in my life, despite the religious foundations upon which the actions are fundamentally based. Judaism for me is not a religious experience, but a cultural one. For me to stop doing these things would mean a departure from my culture, and would signify a fundamental shift in my identity. I identify as a Jew, just not a religious one. In asking the initial question, what is more important, belief or behavior, we are framing it as what is more important for religious experience. In my life I have separated Judaism from religion, perhaps rendering the question unimportant. This conscious separation also allows me to practice certain Jewish customs and abstain from others, all the while not suffering from a feeling of inauthenticity.
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