Innovation


Rabbi Bernie Fox





Guard yourself lest you be ensnared by them after they are destroyed before you.   Lest you seek their gods saying, “How did these nations serve their gods?  I will also do so.”  Do not do so to Hashem your L-rd.  For every abomination that Hashem abhors they did for their gods.  Even their sons and daughters they burned in fire for their gods.  (Sefer Devarim 12:30-31) 



I. Meaningful synagogue services

Synagogues are confronted with the challenge of creating and conducting services that are meaningful and moving.  Some congregations introduce more communal singing or even dancing.  Others streamline the services.  Some create opportunities for more members to participate.  In others a chazan – a cantor – leads the services.  How much latitude do we have?What criteria determine whether an innovation is proper?  Although the following discussion will not completely answer this question, two principles central to the issue will be discussed.



II. The attraction of pagan rites

Moshe tells the Jewish people that they will overcome the nations of the Land of Israel and take possession of the land.  The inhabitants that they will displace are pagans.  They worship many gods employing various rituals.  Moshe warns the people not to adopt these forms of worship and apply them to Hashem.  Hashem abhors these practices.  Moshe notes that these heathens even sacrificed their children to their gods.


Moshe assumes that the people will consider adopting the rituals of the pagans.  Why would they wish to incorporate these strange rites into their service of Hashem?  Ramban – Nachmanides – responds to this issue.   

“We should not think to ourselves that Hashem has destroyed from before us those who worshiped other gods because they gave honor through complete service to the product of human hands – wood and stone.  It is not appropriate to give His honor to another or his praise to idols.  For this reason, [the Torah] prohibited to sacrifice, offer incense, offer libations and to prostrate oneself to [any other than] Hashem alone.  

It is the custom among kings that one who glorifies oneself with their honor [for example,] to place the crown on one’s heads or to wear the vestments of the ruler, it is undisputed that such people should be executed.  This being so, I will do to Hashem – the Honored One – as the nations did to their gods.  It will be good before Him.  Therefore, he [Moshe] admonishes do not do so.”  (Ramban, Commentary on Sefer Devarim 12:30) 

Ramban explains that the motivation for co-opting pagan rites is based upon a Torah concept.  It is prohibited to sacrifice, offer incense, libations or to prostrate ourselves in the service of another god. This applies even if the god is not worshiped in this manner.  In other words, we may not offer a sacrifice to a deity, even if it is not worshiped through sacrifices.  Why is this prohibited?  Offering a sacrifice to such a deity is not a form of its worship.  Apparently, these services are used to worship Hashem.  They are reserved for Him alone.  When one sacrifices to another god – even one not worshiped through sacrifices – one assigns to another an act of service reserved to Hashem.   

Extending this reasoning, the people may assume that the heathen nations were destroyed because the rites they performed in the worship of their gods should be reserved for Hashem.  In other words, these rituals have significance.  They are expressions of adulation.  They should be used only in the service of Hashem.   



III. Moshe’s argument

It follows that it is fitting to co-opt the heathen rites.  We are reassigning them to the only true G-d.  We are declaring that the pagan deities are not worthy of worship. Only Hashem deserves our service. Moshe is explaining that this reasoning is flawed.  Ramban explains Moshe’s critique.

 “Therefore, he [Moshe] admonishes to not do so.  For things that are disgusting before Him, they did for their gods. The Torah did not prohibit them because the activity was honorable and fit to be performed only before Hashem.  Rather, [it prohibited them] because the intent was to serve [other deities] and also their sons and daughters they burned in fire to their gods.  It is a revolting thing before Hashem to spill innocent blood.  Also, [it is revolting] to be cruel to one’s offspring [and] not have compassion.”  (Ramban, Commentary on Sefer Devarim 12:30) 

Ramban’s response has three components.  First, he dismisses the basic justification for adopting these rituals.  Hashem did not prohibit worshiping other deities with these rites because they are honors due to Him alone.  They are not honors.  Second, these rites are repugnant to Hashem.  Ramban focuses on Moshe’s example.  Sacrificing one’s children is both cruel and counter to the fundamental instinct of a parent to have compassion for one’s offspring.  Third, he explains that these rituals are invented by these heathens for the worship of their deities.   



IV. The role of imagination

Moshe’s argument seems unnecessarily elaborate. Why not simply explain the flaw in the argument for adopting these rites.  He should have explained that these rituals are not meaningful.  They are ridiculous pagan inventions.  They do not confer honor.

According to Ramban, Moshe is explaining why these rites cannot be meaningful.  He argues that rituals created to serve other deities are innately foolish and often perverse.  Why is this?  Why must a ritual designed for serving another deity be preposterous or degenerate? 

Ramban has explained in the previous chapters of Sefer Devarim the fundamental difference between the Torah and other religions.  The Torah is an objective truth.  It is not the product of human imagination.  One of the cornerstones of his position is that the Torah was given to the nation at the Sinai Revelation.  Through the events of Revelation, the Jewish people for all generations have proof of its authenticity.  Other religions are not objective truths.  They are inventions of human imagination.  This is true of the deity served and how it is served.  Imagination is the source of the religion’s rituals. 

Let us consider an example.  We serve Hashem through prayer.  How do we know that this is appropriate?  This may seem an odd question.  We take it for granted that prayer is appropriate.  The Torah takes the question seriously.  We pray to Hashem because it is a mitzvah in the Torah.  This mitzvah authorizes prayer and establishes its parameters.  Because we do not take prayer for granted, we carefully follow the format dictated by the Torah.  

Another religion must ask, “How do we know that our god, wishes or accepts our prayer?”  These religions do not have a means to answer the question.  Instead, they rely upon imagination.  The answer is derived by imagining what the invented god desires.  Moshe points out that this approach to ritual resulted in sacrificing one’s children to an imaginary deity envisioned as desiring such sacrifice.   



V. Innovation within the bounds of halachah 

This discussion provides the first principle that we must consider when evaluating an innovation in synagogue service.  Is it within the bounds of halachah?  If it is, we can move on to the second consideration.  If it is not, then it is the product of our imagination.  It has no place in our service to Hashem.



Observe and obey all these things that I command you so that it shall be good for you and for your children after you forever – when you do the good and just in the eyes of Hashem your L-rd. (Sefer Devarim 12:28) 



VI. Beyond halachah

Moshe tells the people that they will be rewarded for observance of the mitzvot and their obedience to the Torah.  He adds that they must do that which is good and just.  What is added by this?  If one observes the Torah, is not one living properly and justly?  What more is needed to be good and just in the eyes of Hashem?

Ramban explains that the Torah cannot create a law for every situation. Instead, it gives us an extensive system of halachah.  This guides us in most situations.  The system of halachah also provides a basis for extracting underlying principles that guide us in those instances not directly addressed by formal halachah.1  In other words, we are required to conduct ourselves according to halachah and in conformity with its underlying principles. 

This is the second principle we must consider in assessing innovations.  An innovation cannot be judged solely by whether it contradicts halachah.  This is because there are two possible reasons for why it does not contradict halachah.  It may be that it conforms to halachah.  Alternatively, it may be that this innovation does not contradict halachah because it is not directly addressed by it.  In this case, the underlying principles must be consulted.  This requires a scholarly analysis.  If the innovation is consistent with these principles and will enhance the service, then it should be considered and perhaps, implemented. 

In closing, many communities are blessed with various synagogues. They provide the community’s members the opportunity to find the one that most resonates with each.  It is wonderful that so many synagogues are interested in conducting services in the manner that best serves their memberships.  We should try to make services meaningful. Hopefully, the principles discussed above will help us appropriately accomplish this.