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I overheard a conversation recently where a person remarked that Judaism has a lot of rules and regulations, but I could not hear the response of the other party in the conversation.  I have no doubt that there are many, Jew and Gentile, who hold the above understanding of Judaism, and I can see why. Other than the Ten Commandments, which we read in last week’s Torah portion, there are 603 additional mitzvot, which is what I would categorize this person’s reference to rules and regulations. Since I was not a party to the conversation, there was no opportunity to offer a differing perspective, and even change the vocabulary. But a bit of history first.

The Israelites’ exodus from Egypt meant an instant change from slavery to freedom. If all you have known is slavery, with its’ rules and regulations, you will not know how to live a life of freedom. Yet within freedom, there must be some sort of communal organization, something to define this newborn experience. With no prior experiences, the Israelites possessed no tools in their toolbox to assist them on the first day of their new lives. Other than Moses, who had experienced freedom, no one else had. Thus the need for an interpersonal infrastructure to orchestrate how you behave towards your neighbor in a free setting. Newly-freed slaves would not be able to craft such a document. There was only one place to provide such guidance – The Place (HaMakom): God.

Most societies that pre-date as well as follow Israelite society received laws in the name of their Kings. How are what we received at Mt. Sinai any different? They are moral and religious codes, something unheard of in the world at that time. By fulfilling these expectations from God, there was not only the potential for a harmonious society, but a moral and just one as well. And let’s not forget a holy community as well. Every single Israelite was to be a priest, unlike surrounding cultures where there was a singular priest or a class of priests. God expects every Israelite to meet these lofty goals.

By fulfilling these sacred obligations from God, we honor the fact that every single human being is created in the image of God and thus worthy of respect and dignity. We create relationships where we treat others as we wish to be treated, and by doing so, holiness enters into that relationship, because it is from God that this guidance is offered. Every act that we perform based upon the instructions of God brings a bit of holiness into the world, and I think that we can agree that is something sorely needed in the world.

If one looks at Judaism as merely a set of rules and regulations, the concept of mitzvah, of commandedness, of fulfilling Divine obligations to create a moral and just world is not only overlooked, but the potential for bringing holiness into the world is missed. While human experience can create rules and regulations, only God can bring into the world Divine principles that were present from Day One of Creation. To be Jewish means to fulfill these obligations (mitzvot) to bring more holiness into the world – a sacred task. What we should be pondering is if we are up to the task.