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Introducing Obligation.
Jews are used to thinking about obligation: the concept of the
mitzvah is deeply embedded in Judaism. The traditional idea behind
the mitzvah is, of course, that there is a certain way to live
that has been passed down through the generations, originating
with God. This way of life is obligatory for the individual. The
individual can decide with his/her own free-will to ignore the
rules and regulations that constitute the basis of the whole Jewish
way of life. The individual can reject the idea that he/she is
commanded. However, according to traditional Judaism, if a person
does not do these things he/she is doing the wrong thing. There
is a right way of life and a wrong way of life. The person who
is commanded is obligated to the concept of Halacha: they must
do the right thing.
The concept is familiar from the religious sphere and each Jew
deals with it in their own way. Some accept the idea and do what
they understand they are required to do. Others accept the idea
but do not incorporate it totally into their own life. Others
reject the very idea of commandment and live their own lives according
to the dictates of their individual conscience. However, we rarely,
if ever, stop to consider the relevance of the idea to the Jews
as a nation. Is there any way in which individual Jews are obligated
to the Jewish national framework? This is what we aim to deal
with in the following exercise.
Activities
(Access to activities is possible only from inside the
related background section)
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Activity:
Nationally Commanded.
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