My Encounter with an Orthodox Jew
Foryears, I have known of the practices of
Orthodox Jews. Recently, I had the experience of seeing one practice his
religion up close and personal. Here’s what happened.
Carleen Glasser, the wife of Dr. William Glasser, the founder of Reality Therapy and Choice Theory, teaches a seminar on Choice Theory in their home. Their home is located high in the hills in west Los Angeles, not too far from where Patricia and I live in Santa Monica. When we learned that on one of the days of the four-day seminar, Dr. Glasser himself met with the class, Patricia and I enrolled.
On the first day of class, we discovered that several Orthodox Jews had signed up for the course. On the second day of class, Saturday, as we were driving to class, we passed four of them walking up a steep hill. I knew that practicing Orthodox Jews could not drive on Saturday, but I thought that, perhaps, if I were driving they might be able to ride in a car. So, I stopped to ask if they would like a ride. They explained to me that they could not do that either, but they would be happy for me to take several small bags that they were carrying, which of course, I did.
All five Orthodox Jews in the class, including the four we passed, made it to class on time. One of them walked seven miles, one way, to get there. As class began, we discovered that they couldn’t take notes! When asked why they couldn’t take notes on the Sabbath, they told us that writing was creative. The logic behind this prohibition has to do with the work. The Jewish law forbids working on the Sabbath. Creating is work and, therefore, it is prohibited.
In the days after my encounter with those Orthodox Jews, I couldn’t help reflect on what I had seen. In the first place, it made me grateful that as a believer in Jesus Christ, I am not under the law, but under grace. The apostle Paul states very clearly, “You are not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). That does not mean, of course, that believers are without any law whatsoever. Believers are under the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2), which is the Law of love and love fulfills the law (see Rom. 13:8-10). It does mean that believers are not under the Mosaic Law, which is the reason Christians worship on Sunday, the day of the resurrection, and not Saturday. (Nine of the 10 Commandments are repeated in the New Testament. Keeping the Sabbath day holy is conspicuous by its absence.)
My second reaction was respect for their commitment. I had to ask myself, “Would I be willing to walk fourteen miles to attend a seminar where I couldn’t take notes?” If I wanted to attend something badly enough, I might be talked into doing that once. Orthodox Jews do something similar every week! Should not we who are so blessed under grace do more than those who are less blessed under the law?
© G. Michael Cocoris, 6/30/2003
Carleen Glasser, the wife of Dr. William Glasser, the founder of Reality Therapy and Choice Theory, teaches a seminar on Choice Theory in their home. Their home is located high in the hills in west Los Angeles, not too far from where Patricia and I live in Santa Monica. When we learned that on one of the days of the four-day seminar, Dr. Glasser himself met with the class, Patricia and I enrolled.
On the first day of class, we discovered that several Orthodox Jews had signed up for the course. On the second day of class, Saturday, as we were driving to class, we passed four of them walking up a steep hill. I knew that practicing Orthodox Jews could not drive on Saturday, but I thought that, perhaps, if I were driving they might be able to ride in a car. So, I stopped to ask if they would like a ride. They explained to me that they could not do that either, but they would be happy for me to take several small bags that they were carrying, which of course, I did.
All five Orthodox Jews in the class, including the four we passed, made it to class on time. One of them walked seven miles, one way, to get there. As class began, we discovered that they couldn’t take notes! When asked why they couldn’t take notes on the Sabbath, they told us that writing was creative. The logic behind this prohibition has to do with the work. The Jewish law forbids working on the Sabbath. Creating is work and, therefore, it is prohibited.
In the days after my encounter with those Orthodox Jews, I couldn’t help reflect on what I had seen. In the first place, it made me grateful that as a believer in Jesus Christ, I am not under the law, but under grace. The apostle Paul states very clearly, “You are not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). That does not mean, of course, that believers are without any law whatsoever. Believers are under the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2), which is the Law of love and love fulfills the law (see Rom. 13:8-10). It does mean that believers are not under the Mosaic Law, which is the reason Christians worship on Sunday, the day of the resurrection, and not Saturday. (Nine of the 10 Commandments are repeated in the New Testament. Keeping the Sabbath day holy is conspicuous by its absence.)
My second reaction was respect for their commitment. I had to ask myself, “Would I be willing to walk fourteen miles to attend a seminar where I couldn’t take notes?” If I wanted to attend something badly enough, I might be talked into doing that once. Orthodox Jews do something similar every week! Should not we who are so blessed under grace do more than those who are less blessed under the law?
© G. Michael Cocoris, 6/30/2003