[QUOTE=STICKS]...You are making an assumption of what a Jew is supposed to act like. Make sure to clarify that it's your view[QUOTE=STICKS]
Again Leo, I am not making assumption. I am stating what a Jew is supposed to do or be like based on the only document which is the source of our Judaic faith and way of life, the Torah. Once people begin to make their own "torah" and their own invention of "judaism", yet want to fool others by trying legitimize it and call it judaism, or Torah, its not authentic, and its a mere deviation from the truth of G-d and his commandments, period.
[QUOTE=STICKS] Yes, you can again tell me that G-D gave us the Torah, therefore we must follow it. But, as you are well aware of, Judaism gives the ability for everyone to interprete the laws differently. This is very evident in the Talmud. Rabbis have different views of how to interprete Judaism.[QUOTE=STICKS]
Sorry, my friend. But Torah does not give anyone the right to interpret it and do with it as one wishes. The laws of G-d are to be learned and followed, period. G-d gave us his words and teachings, as well as their meaning and how to apply them in different situations. The meaning and interpretation of these laws were taught to Moshe(Moses)and the Jewish people, and Moshe wrote them down for us, and its meaning and explanation of each word and commandment were taught Orally by Moshe to the Prophets, Judges, and Rabbis from generation to generation, untill today, in an continuous link from master/teacher to student from Moshe till today. Those basic oral teachings and explanations and principles were then written down by Rabi Yehuda HaNasi, nearly 1800yrs ago, into a series of books called the "Mishna". The Talmud is a commentary on the Mishnah, compiled by the gretest Torah observant Rabbis of the 7th century, and it explains and discusses the rulings and teachings of the Mishnah and deals with the fine details of how to PRACTICE G-d's commandments in every posssible particular case and situation, for the exact purpose of learning and teaching how to practice/observe the Torah's laws and apply its teachings in every possible case. It also is filled with lots of moral and ethical teachings and advice.
There is no place in the Talmud/Mishna were any Rabbi or Judge gives over any teaching agaisnt the carrying out of Torah and its commandments- no Talmudic teacher or Rabbi "re-interprets" any Divine commandment of G-d.
[QUOTE=STICKS] different sects have different views, example- your views as a Hassidic Jew are quite different than a Conservative Jew, etc[QUOTE=STICKS]
Conservative and Reform Jews do have different views from each other, and the rest of Observant Judaism. Observant Judaism or "Orthodox" Judaism has always been the mainstream Judaism, the one that learns and lives according to the Torah and its commandents, and have preserved the Mishna/Talmud and the rest of the sacred texts and live by them. Its the "reform" movement of the secularized/helenistic GErman Jews of the 19th century, who began to learn foreing religions and culture, and began to assimilate and live according to the laws and customs of their host countries their teachings, that began this "reform" movement, and tried hard to get as many Jews as possible into their "new enlightened ways", thinking that by assimilating and becoming like the rest of the world in culture, learning, speech, dress, faith, etc, they'd be more accepted and loved by the nations, and that this will solve the anti-semitism of the times. This stuff is written in the books and letters of the founders of the reform sect. They therefore began to spread their ideas and teachings all over, and began to sadly dress like the nations, shave off their beards and peyot(sidelocks), not use kipot(yarmulkes), not wear tzit-tzit, married women did not cover their hair anylonger nor dress modestly, they stopped keeping the laws of family purity(nidah), began learning german/russian instead of Hebrew as their main language, and instead of Judaic/Torah studies being the "meat" of traditional Jewish learning, they replaced that with secular sciences, literature, arts, music, history, culture, etc, and only gave children the bare minimum of Torah learning, if any. Many of them even stopped circumcision altogether, as well, and stopped keeping Shabbat and the other Jewish holidays, and no longer eat kosher foods, and changed the traditional Jewish prayers and services accoring to their agenda and made up their own prayers and liturgy and services. All of these things and clearly forbidden by Torah, both written and oral, in the Mishna and Talmud, and there is not one place or Rabbi you can cite that will justify what the founders of the reformed movement invented. What has resulted from this? Well, where are the decendants of these "reformed" Jews today? Most of them are barely Jewish or even know their Jewish, and care less about Judaism...they have become so assimilated into the western cultures that they have basically self-destroyed themselves, by marrying non-jewish women, having non-jewish kids who are raised with other faiths or also assimilated, or female reformed members marrying non-jewish men and having kids who raised not Jewish, or a mix of a bit of the father's religion and values and the mother's...well guess what happened to that pour soul when he got into his teens and adulthood...not having a strong sense of his jewish identity and religion/education, he went out and married another non-jew, had non-jewish kids, and there goes another Jewish line...this kept on going for over a century in eastern and western Europe, and the great-grandchildren and great-grand children of those reform Jews are no longer. Many because were assacinated by the Nazis and Russians, but also due to their own self-destruction/extermination from within for not keeping G-d's law and the teachings of the Talmud, and trying to "re-invent the wheel" making their own opoinions and interpretations of the Torah and Judaism. Sadly today, those who are reform are even openly homosexual/lesbian or transsexuals, etc, and some of these homosexuals are elected and accepted by the reformed as their "rabbis" or "cantors" in their temples; this behavior and pratices which are one of the most abhorent and stricly forbidden by G-d and Torah/Judaism- its gotten so bad in the reform circles...how can such an open manifestation of neglect and disreguard for Torah and its commandments be still be considered "judaism" is shocking...the Conservative movement broke off from the reform since it saw that it went way too far for them. They at least recognized the great danger and direction of the reformed and began to actually practice a bit more of traditional Judaism, and at least are bit more observant and pro-Torah in some areas. Yet, the children or grandchildren of conservative Jews, their bond with whatever Judaic teachings they received from their fathers gets weaker and weaker, and they eventually become more reformed or secular altogether, or their children do...and again, there ends another Jewish line/genes...in contrast, orthodox Jews are the ones that keep learning hebrew, pray in hebrew, study the Torah and its laws daily and live them as best as each can daily, keep Shabbat and Jewish feasts and holidays, dress according to Jewish law, and make sure their children get an even better Torah education first and foremost as their basis and foundation, and secondary basic education in sciences and reading, history, etc. Not the other way around. That's why orthodox Judaism has survived for more than 2000 yrs though the most horrendous of persecutions and progroms, holocausts, etc., and keeps growing and multiplying each year...now that doesnt mean we are perfect. Belive me, we are far from that. But we follow G-d's commandments and and teach them to our children and try our best to make sure furture generations do the same in all situations and ciscumstances.
[QUOTE=STICKS] Than again, within each sect there are different views. I merely portrayed my views. Views that are in my opinion still within the context of Judaism, just different than yours.[QUOTE=STICKS]
My opinion or yours doesnt matter if its not in-line with the will of G-d, Torah. Its only foolishness in the end, since it comes from our own limited knowdlege and understanding of G-d and his true knowledge of the truth, which is the only truth, infinitely greater than any of our
"wisdom". That's why everything we think and do is to be according to the Creator's instructions and revelations, which are recorded for us in the Torah, and its meanings and explanations with all their details are expounded upon in the Talmud and its commentaries. Only one who thinks and does according to the wisdom of the Torah is truly wise, and who opines not according to his/her own limited fallible logic, by rather, by the living Word/WISDOM/Opinion of the living G-d of Avraham, Yitshak, and Ya'akov, and that's what we all must strive for...I'm just here reminding us all of this.
But my no means Leo...please feel free to cite Torah verses and Tamudic pages and Rabbis who support assimilated secular/reform "Judaism" or similar views...