Is Judaism simply a formalistic, legalistic religion? For some Jews, I’m sure it is, just as Christianity can be formalistic and legalistic for some professing Christians. But for many religious Jews, the beauty is in the details, and every word carries meaning.
Jews around the world have just completed their observance of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. During a 25-hour period, from sundown to sundown, they abstain from food and drink and spend most of their time in the synagogue, repeating lengthy prayers of confession of sin and repentance, asking for mercy.
One of the prayers that is recited says this:
We are Your nation and You are our God.
We are Your children and You are our Father.
We are Your servants and You are our Master.
We are Your congregation and You are our portion.
We are Your inheritance and You are our lot.
We are Your sheep and You are our Shepherd.
We are Your vineyard and You are our Keeper.
We are Your handiwork and You are our Creator.
We are Your spouse and You are our Beloved.
We are Your treasure and You are our God.
We are Your nation and You are our King.
We are Your distinguished ones and You are our Distinction.
We are brazen-faced and You are merciful and gracious.
We are stiff-necked and You are slow to anger.
We are filled with iniquity and You are filled with compassion.
We – our days are like a fleeting shadow and Your years will never end.
Can you feel the depth of these words?
There is also a prayer normally prayed at the Sabbath dinner called Yedid Nefesh, which literally means, “Beloved of the soul,” referring to God. The first stanza, translated into English, reads: “Beloved of the soul, Compassionate Father, draw Your servant to Your will; then Your servant will hurry like a hart to bow before Your majesty; to him Your friendship will be sweeter than the dripping of the honeycomb and any taste.”
And then these words from the stanzas that follow, as the author (and now, the Jewish person praying) longs for intimacy with God and for the redemption of his people: “Majestic, Beautiful, Radiance of the universe, my soul pines for Your love”; and, “Enduring One, may Your mercy be aroused and please take pity on the son of Your beloved, because it is so very long that I have yearned intensely to see speedily the splendor of Your strength.” And, finally, this: “Please, my Beloved, reveal Yourself and spread upon me the shelter of Your peace; illuminate the Earth with Your glory, that we may rejoice and be glad with You; hasten, show love, for the time has come, and show us grace as in days of old.”
We must change our stereotyped views about the Jewish religion. It is a law-based religion (meaning it finds sanctity in keeping God’s commandments and believes that God’s fullest revelation is found within the Torah, the authoritative divine Teaching). It is a religion emphasizing works (meaning, it is based more on the deed than on the creed). It is a religion exalting intellectual prowess and study (indeed, Rabbinic literature, especially the Talmud, is very difficult to master). It is a religion stressing legal argument and debate (that is part of the very essence of Talmudic study). And it is a religion in which, in many ways, tradition takes precedence over Scripture.
But it is also a religion that makes constant reference to the Hebrew Bible, that sees the Song of Solomon as a love song between God and Israel, that says that loving the Lord with heart, soul and strength is the greatest of all commandments, and that teaches the importance of repentance, ethics and personal holiness, also emphasizing the mercy and forgiveness of God. In many ways, it is a beautiful religion, the greatest religion man has made, perhaps the loftiest effort by human beings to please God – if it were in man’s power to please Him.
With all my heart, I believe that there were and are religious Jews who would be counted righteous before God, if it were possible for man on his own to be righteous. That’s why, as I interact with religious Jews who are so sincere and devoted, my heart cries out on their behalf. It brings me pain to think of them being so devoted and still not knowing the Messiah. But I also recognize the depth of human sin – in every single one of us – which is why I believe that only through the Messiah’s blood can we be redeemed. Only through His merits can we be saved. Without Him, we are, at best, a fallen race trying very hard.
But trying very hard is not enough. Even asking for God’s mercy, as every religious Jew does every day, is not enough. We need a totally transforming miracle of God’s grace. Jesus-Yeshua is that miracle. The rabbis need Him too.
How, then, should we view these traditional rabbis? How should we think about religious Jews? Some might be hypocrites, filled with spiritual pride (such people are found in every religion). Some rabbis might be rabbis just because they think it’s a good job. But many others are deeply sincere. Like Paul, they might be “faultless” as far as “legalistic righteousness” is concerned (Philippians 3:6). They may even live a better life than many of us! “For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge” (Romans 10:2). They are zealous to this very day.
Let us, then, not be so quick to judge and condemn. Instead, let us share our faith in compassion. Let us pour out our souls to God, asking Him to break our hearts in prayer and to expose legalism and hypocrisy in our own lives. And let us intercede with our Father on behalf of the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
May they find the only One who can satisfy the longing of their souls and bring forgiveness to their hearts!
May they encounter the Lord and His Anointed!
May they experience, on a personal and corporate level, the redemption for which they long!
May their prayers for salvation be answered!
(Excerpted and adapted from Michael L. Brown, “Our Hands Are Stained with Blood: The Tragic Story of the Church and the Jewish People.”)