essential torah

[cellio]

At the tikkun on Shavuot (well, I did say I had more coming on this topic :-) ), my rabbi asked the question: what in torah do we, as individual Reform Jews, accept as binding? All of it? If not, how do we decide what is binding and what isn't?
There was a lively discussion. As regular readers of my journal know

Comments

[530nm330hz]

There are theological reasons for this (which I'll go into if asked).

Ok, I'll ask.

Seriously, I think "Orthodox" is a poor label. If you're shomeret shabbat v'kashrut why should it matter to anyone whether your doxy is ortho? I'm curious why you choose to identify as you do.

[cellio]

Sorry for the delay.

Seriously, I think "Orthodox" is a poor label. If you're shomeret shabbat v'kashrut why should it matter to anyone whether your doxy is ortho?There's a difference between orthodox and orthoprax. (I'm not -prax either, but I'll get back to that.) I think your doxy has to inform your praxis, else what's the point? So I spend time trying to figure out just what I believe and what that implies

[xiphias]

"All the rest is commentary -- now go and study."

You've got both parts.