Religion & Beliefs
The Mezuzah and the Crucifix
By Meredith Gould / November 10, 2009
Rabbi Susie (maybe her real name) is looking at me with great perplexity. She seems to be having difficulty producing an entire sentence in more than a few words at a time. She’s also doing that quizzical tone thing that some might find disarming. I perceive it as hostile. "So, you’re Catholic? . . . but you’re Jewish?"
We’re in the green room before taping a show produced by a Catholic diocese, hosted by a priest and a rabbi. I have found out at the last possible minute that I am not the sole guest, as initially promised and invited.
I’m supposed to be talking about how so many of the home-based traditions observed by Catholic Christians do, in fact, find their roots in Jewish practices. Some of these connections are obvious, like the tradition of reciting blessings before and after meals. Some are less so, like including obvious symbols of religious identity as part of home décor. Even some non-observant Jews will affix a mezuzah to doorways, just as some non-religious Catholics will hang a crucifix in their bedrooms. (No, I am not saying that mezuzah = crucifix. If you think I am, then pretty please think at a more meta level.)
My being born and raised Jewish is apparently not enough. Someone has decided that I need either rabbinical supervision or company on the show. I suspect it’s the former because Rabbi Susie asks, "and you . . . go to synagogue?"
I dearly want to tell her that but if not for the women of my generation, she wouldn’t be a rabbi at all. Instead, I say something about not feeling welcome in synagogues.
Rabbi Susie looks even more perplexed. If a thought bubble could appear over her head, I’m sure it would be inscribed with something like, "Why the Gehenna would you even want to attend synagogue?" My thought bubble back would be inscribed with…
I’m irked. I want this rabbi, allegedly so keen on Christian-Jewish dialogue, to stop being so partisan and parochial. I would like Rabbi Susie to have a little historical perspective, to recall that Judaism may have always been monotheistic but was never monolithic. I’d like her to remember that plenty of contemporary Jews don’t bother with religious practices but consider themselves culturally Jewish. (Note: Check out Patrick Aleph’s post, "What Flavor of New Jew Are You?)
"Well," I say as nicely as I can muster, "one does not suddenly stop being a Jew." But Rabbi Susie still looks very confused and slightly troubled by this, so I decide to stop being so nice and mention St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
"Edith Stein," I say and Rabbi Susie looks slightly less baffled, but I can tell she’s starting to connect some dots. "Marched into the gas chambers at Auschwitz wearing her Carmelite habit. Do you think she didn’t know she was a Jew?"
There’s more to this story, of course. I made my point in the green room and the show went on. I left the studio, had corned beef on rye with deli mustard for lunch, and prayed that the post-production editing be superb. It was, thank God.
Years later, when I’m writing Why Is There a Menorah on the Altar? I’ll spend a considerable amount of time wondering in how much detail I’ll need to explain what constitutes a cultural identity and a religious identity; how those identities merge and manifest for Jews; how understanding all this might help Christians appreciate the cultural legacy of Judaism. I’ll wonder if and when I’ll need to mention Edith Stein.
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Thanks Meredith, I agree, the comment box was hardly the time or place. I apologize if anything I said came off as pedantic or laden with platitudes. I think sometimes when things are in print the intension behind it is up for interpretation. "It’s fine", for example, can mean "Yeah that’s perfectly ok" or "No this is not ok, but whatever". I really enjoyed your blog series :) Thanks for posting, I found it informative and witty :)
Dear Sunshine5582,
Admirable effort to explain the Trinity and I net out with the sentiments in your last sentence: "I just try to be a good person and trust God to fill in the rest." Since being a good person (or at least not a snarky rude one) is challenging for me, I rely on God to do a lot of filling in. BTW, same offer to grab a bite!
http://meredithgould.blogspot.com
Dear IsaacCohen.
I should go read "Basic Judaism"? Oh please tell me you really and truly did not mean this to be as patronizing and as offensive as it comes across. Let’s grab a bite to eat some time, I think that might work better than what’s going on in this comments section.
http://meredithgould.blogspot.com
I am writing in response to IsaacCohen’s comment "My apologies if you do not worship Jesus as God; if that’s the case I would be interested in hearing the explanation, and I hope I’m not coming off as confrontational because that’s not my intent" As someone who was raised Catholic and has studied religion in general extensively, I didn’t find any offense in your statement, and the short answer is "Yeah, pretty much Christian doctrine says "Jesus is Worshiped as God, but not separately from God" So your comment on it being alien to Judaism, in my opinion was fairly accurate. Of course the long answer (below), isn’t quite as black and white. Granted many may still believe it to be WRONG, but then it is wrong for a myriad of reasons. By the Way, I agree that Christianity and Judaism do not gel into one entity. While a person can be culturally Jewish and believe in another religion or no religion at all, no one can be religiously Jewish and Religiously Christian. If one tries to set ice on fire, even if it looks like fiery ice for a bit, eventually it turns into lukewarm water (and no one wants that it’s too warm to drink and too cold to bath in). Jesus the person spent his entire public career claiming to be the Son of God. If he’s not then he was either a liar, a madman, or at best a mostly nice guy whose celebrity got the better of him until he became delusional. Yes Catholicism, and all Christianity have their roots in Judaism, but that doesn’t make them on in the same with Judaism. Judaism, in my eyes, is almost like Catholicism’s father (because if it was it’s mother, would the Catholic church be considered Jewish??? ;) ). Jesus is kind of like the long haired boyfriend their father never really cared for, but they married Him anyway. In the same way that I am not the same person my father is, but I am made from his genetic materials as well as my mother’s.
Meredith – I cannot fully understand your frustration because I’m not ethnically or culturally Jewish. I’ve had wonderful Jewish friends and loved ones who have been gracious enough to give me a peek behind the curtain (so to speak), but I’ve never been "one of the tribe". I do, however, understand the emotion behind what you’re saying though, and the frustration that stems from feeling denied your identity. Growing up I had that exact experience trying to defend Catholicism as being Christian. It’s not the same as being Protestant, but anyone who accepts Jesus as Christ & the Messiah is a Christian by the very definition of the word, and Catholics not only fall into that category, but consider themselves the originals. I understand it is different, but I think some of the emotions come from the same place.
This is what I understand of how the Catholic’s view on God / the concept of trinity / triune works. I am trying not to pepper this with my own belief (as… well I’m still trying to figure that part out), or convince anyone of anything. This is just my understanding of what they teach. I am just paraphrasing the writings of the church. Anyone who knows anything about Catholicism feel free to correct me.
I am sure everyone knows that Trinity is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. (Again these are just my understandings of what the teachings say)
God the Father essentially is the God of the Old Testament. Perhaps it’s the closest Catholics have to God according to Judaism. The argument has been made that it IS the same because God according to Judaism is precisely Who Jesus (who, if not the son of God, was still a nice Jewish boy) was talking about, BUT because G-a-J (God according to Judaism), does not share the thrown with any son or anyone else for that matter, it cannot be the same being.
God the Son is a little more complicated because by virtue of walking on the Earth in the first Century A.D. cannot be God the Father as understood within the perimeters of Judaism. At the same time He is considered God who put Himself on Earth to take away the sins of the world. He is the Son because he was born on Earth to a human mother, but he is also really just God HIMSELF manifested in human form. God on the other hand did not leave Heaven… He was just in two places at once (Which is written off as a Mystery. Pretty much anything that cannot be explained the Catholic Church says "Well that’s a mystery, God can do what he wants" Which I can see in that an all powerful and ever living God CAN do whatever He wants). Jesus, of course calls Himself the Son of Man (using language from Old Testament prophesies), and calls God "Abba"…and prays to Him, so that must be more of the mystery. Jesus’s entire life is used as a "Lesson on how to Interact with God, and please God", but as Jesus is God the Son, you He can be worshiped as well as learned from. *rubs temples and wipes brow* Ok, That’s WHO they claim he is as well as the Messiah, but what do they claim legitimizes Him as the Messiah? Jesus, according to Catholics fulfills the Old Testament prophesies. When Abraham made the covenant with God, it is taught, that God, in the form of a steaming Urn (or smoking pot), passed through the covenant thingy twice (as opposed to him once and Abraham once). It is taught that this meant "if God broke the covenant He would have to destroy himself, and if Man Broke the covenant, instead of God destroying Man, God would again destroy Himself). So since man is sinful God had to destroy Himself for the salvation of man, and did so through Jesus. Passover / the Passover Lamb is another scriptural reference taken from the Old Testament to legitimize Jesus as the Messiah. In a nutshell, back at the time of the original Passover, the Passover Lamb had to be unblemished, healthy, and without broken bones, and it’s blood had to be shed and put upon the doorway to keep the angle of Death out. The Catholic Church says that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover, because he was believed to be without sin, and even while on the cross His legs were not broken. Before his execution, Jesus celebrated Passover with his friends where he made the famous "This is my body, this is my blood" speech. The final cup of the Passover celebration, however, he did not drink until he was just about to die (when he was on the cross, and he drank the sour wine for those who are familiar with the passion story). The RCC says Jesus did this intentionally because His blood (as the sacrificial lamb) that was fulfilling the Passover. The fulfillment of the Passover, the Covenant with Abraham, and several Old Testament prophesies is what the RCC uses as a basis for saying Jesus is the Christ.
The Holy Spirit is the final figure in the triune. Which again is talked about in the Old and New Testaments, and together with God the Father and God the Son, the three of them are all the same Guy, just in Three different forms. The RCC teaches, in my understanding, that anyone who has trouble understanding that should just write it off as a Mystery and that God to every and any question reserves the right to say "Whateva I do what I want".
So to Judaism and Islam it tastes strongly of polytheism, though Catholics and Christians will argue that it is still monotheism. As I stated before I was merely conveying my understanding of what the RCC teaches as the reasons for why a religion that is monotheistic can have 3 God figures. As I said, I am not trying to preach personal belief to anyone, or get anyone to believe anything because I do not even know what I believe. I just try to be a good person and trust God to fill in the rest.
BrookeLynn: We see "lol" in so many texts that it has lost its impact. So let me say I literally, actually laughed out loud at your very funny comment.
Meredith: I have read Freedman’s Jew Vs. Jew. You’re right that it’s a great book, and even though I’ve been turned off by every Reform temple I’ve ever been to, I found myself agreeing with the Reform dude more often than the Orthodox one.
And while it’s certainly true that practicing Jews cannot agree on the most correct way to practice, there is nearly universal agreement that worshipping Jesus or any man is not Jewish. Catholicism is based on the idea that Jesus was/is God in the flesh and died for our sins. In Judaism, there is no vicarious atonement, and we are definitely not to worship a person. The whole Christian understanding of God is alien to Judaism. (My apologies if you do not worship Jesus as God; if that’s the case I would be interested in hearing the explanation, and I hope I’m not coming off as confrontational because that’s not my intent.)
I really would have gone to Barnes and Noble to pick up Jew Vs. Jew if I hadn’t already read it, so may I recommend Basic Judaism to you if you haven’t already read it? I try to read it on a weekly basis, because it makes me in awe of the real God that Judaism comes closer than any other faith to revealing (imo.) I am comfortable and secuare with myself enough that I do not have a problem with other Jews having ideas that I think are weird, and I honestly wouldn’t care if tomorrow a million other Jews leave for Christianity or try to make some blend of the two faiths that in my mind are incompatible (and no, the obvious Jewish roots of Catholicism do not make them gel.) But just because I’m secure doesn’t mean I’m not protective; I deeply love Judaism and I feel a bit let down when it’s blended with something incompatible.
I just don’t see why a Christian (whether or not she chooses to use that word) can’t just say "I’m a Christian who is ethnically and culturally Jewish, and even though I believe in Christ–not Judaism’s view of God–I still perform some Jewish rituals and celebrate Jewish holy days because they have meaning for me. And this is not inconsistent, since Jesus was a practicing Jew and Christianity has Jewish symbols and roots." Maybe that’s a mouthful, but at least it makes sense and is not an affront to Jews who actually believe in Judaism. Long explanations are not as popular as brief soundbites, but they’re better.
Basically, I’m saying that if you believed in the Jewish view of God and not in Christ’s divinity, I do not think you’d be surprised when a Catholic priest says you’re not really Christian. I do not think you’d be writing a similar article on a Catholic website, asking Catholics to express dismay over the priest’s assertion that you’re not one of them. Well, those of us Jews who care more about theology than culture have the same right to be protective of our faith.
The Powertops in Flip-flops Book Club was meeting to discuss Harry Potter 2 doors down from here.
Neal: Your excellent points reveal a generosity of spirit and a fine mind. Please trust me when I say it was a bad scene and Rabbi Susie was not even remotely trying to be either respectful or reconciliatory. A friend who drove with me to the taping was pretty stunned by what came at me from both rabbis, hence my comment to the producer about the need for superb editing. To my friend and others who have witnessed stuff like what came at me from Rabbi Susie, I explain that I often receive "traitor to the tribe" vibes. And even though I kid around as a compensatory device, please know that I find it painful and it grieves me no end.
BrookeLynn: I absolutely do not and will not drink a "cup of blood." I actually write a bit about this doctrine in my book which has resulted in hate mail from Catholics. Yep, Catholics also say some fairly astonishing stuff to me. Remember, "it’s not paranoia if they’re really out to get you."
IsaacCohen: Please put on some clothes! Okay, now that I have that out of the way…to your point about Judaism being replaced by Judaica: You might want to check out Samuel G. Freedman’s award winning book, Jew vs. Jew: The Struggle for the Soul of American Jewry. Freedman talks about how the desire for assimilation during the 1950s and 1960s led to the decline of yiddishkeit that has been reenlivened by ultra-Orthodox Jews. The book explores the tussle over Jewish identity and the definition thereof. I consider it required reading for anyone interested in the social construction and de-construction of identity.
I referenced Aleph’s post because I think it addresses your point, "Judaism is Judaism." I would respectfully submit that lots of "practicing" (not cultural) Jews fail to agree on what constitutes the correct or "meaningful" way to practice Judaism (i.e., be Jewish). As for me, I’m not even keen on being called "Catholic." (I’ll write more about this later in the week.) Words I try to live by: Micah 6:8.
http://meredithgould.blogspot.com
Quote: "Why should you be surprised when, in the middle of a religious dialogue, the same seriousness is applied to boundaries around the Jewish convenant?"
That is an excellent point. Sometimes I’m worried Judaism is being replaced by Judaica. Obviously, there is a Jewish ethnicity and if you’re born Jewish, you’re Jewish. And if those born Jews wish to practice a different faith and recognize the Jewish roots of said faith, that’s fine.
But Judaism is Judaism. It’s different from Christianity, and no matter how much a Jewish Catholic identifies with "Jewish culture," they are NOT practicing Judaism in any meaningful way. They are not theological descendants of any of the Jews I admire and whose words I try to live by (Steinberg and Heschel.)
I’ve noticed many ritual & social similarities in Catholicism and Judaism myself. I was raised Roman Catholic, & switched to Judaism as an adult. If only I had received a serious intro to Judaism as a teenager, my life would be so much less complicated today. Thank you for making yourself available here at Jewcy. I have a theological vs. cultural question for you: Do you choose to drink the consecrated wine (blood) during the Catholic mass?
I remember at age 5 being told what a gift and sacrament it was to drink the blood of Jesus. And I also remember very clearly as a Catholic-school kindergartener looking into a priest’s eyes and telling him I will never drink a cup of (Christ’s) blood. Looking back now, I think I can honestly say that it was at that very early age that I first realized that my (very Jewish) soul was being wrongly trapped within Catholicism.
Dear Ms. Gould:
Is it possible that the rabbi didn’t quite know how to react to you because she was trying hard not to give offense? In my experience conversations in which one party seems to be aggressively demanding validation, while at the same time holding themselves out as having superior knowledge, can be quite confusing and awkward. I would imagine there’s not a rabbi in North America who has not wrestled with the tension between Jewish religious identity and cultural identity- after all, amost all synagogues sponsor both religious and cultural events.
Perhaps the awkwardness here is that while there is a cultural component of Jewish identity, Judaism is not solely cultural. There is also a cultural aspect of Catholicism for many people- surely you’d take some exception to the suggestion that you’re not really Catholic because you weren’t raised in a certain kind of family and community?
If so- if the religious aspect of Catholicism is enough so that you can call yourself Catholic- why be surprised when a rabbi struggles to find the polite words to a Catholic who insists on being called a Jew? You might even consider that it’s a way to honor your religious choice, not disparage your cultural identity.
To put it another way- if you left the Catholic Church and its teachings, there are circumstances under which you’d not be welcome to take communion. That is, you could choose certain actions which would make you- in the eyes of the Church- not Catholic.
Why should you be surprised when, in the middle of a religious dialogue, the same seriousness is applied to boundaries around the Jewish convenant?
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