Is Judaism Conservative or Liberal?

In his privately sponsored column for the Jewish Week, Marvin Schick argues that Torah Jews should not subscribe, unconditionally and without thought, to the agendas of either the conservative or liberal camps in the United States. The Torah viewpoint is independant; while our view of Homosexuality is in line with the conservative camp, the Torah's approach to issues such as gun control and environmentalism may very well be more aligned with the liberal camp.

Benjamin Disraeli, Great Britian's most famous Jewish conservative, argued that traditionally, the Jewish instinct was conservative: "they are the trustees of tradition, and the conservators of the religious element. They are a living and the most striking evidence of the falsity of that most pernicious doctrine of modern times, the natural equality of man... Thus it will be seen that all the tendencies of the Jewish race are conservative. Their bias is to religion, property, and natural aristocracy (based on merit); and it should be the interest of statesmen that this bias of a great race should be encouraged and their energies and creative powers enlisted in the cause of existing society." (Disraeli, Lord George Bentink)

Russel Kirk elaborates on Disraeli's view of the Jews: The Jewish radical is an anomaly: the traditions of race and religion, the Jewish devotion to family, old usage, and spiritual continuity, all incline the Jew toward conservatism. It is exclusion from society which provokes the Jewish social revolutionary..." (The Conservative Mind, 267)

Kirk outlines some of the "canons of conservative thought":

1) Distrust of thoe who would reconstruct society upon abstract designs (think: the 60's)
2) Recognition that hasty innovation may be a devouring conflagration, rather than a torch of progress.
3) Economic levelling is not economic progress
4) Belief in a transcendant order (natural law) which rules society as well as conscience; political problems are really moral and religious problems - there is no separation
5) Civilised society requires orders and classes - equality before G-d is recognized, but equality of conditions means equality in servitude and boredom.

Do Torah Jews agree with these statements?

The Need to be Noticed

As we embark on this blog, we should, for the sake of honesty, confess to one of our chief motivations: the need to be noticed. As the philosopher-president John Adams pointed out, of all the passions and propensities of man, none is more essential, or more remarkable, than the passion for distinction.

Adams continues: "A desire to be observed, considered, esteemed, praised, beloved, and admired by his fellows, is one of the earliest, as well as keenest dispositions discovered in the heart of man... Wherever men, women, or children, are to be found, whether they be old or young, rich or poor, high or low, wise or foolish, ignorant or learned, every individual is seen to be strongly actuated by a desire to be seen, heard, talked of, approved and respected by the people about him, and within his knowledge." (John Adams, Discourses on Davila),

While others have found man's chief motivation to be sexual desire, the drive for power, and man need for meaning in life, Adams considers the passion for distinction to be at the root of emulation, ambition, jealousy, envy and vanity. But the desire for the congratulations of others is not necessarily bad; without it, Adams speculates, few scholars would have the motivation or dedication to make the sacrifices necessary to succeed in their chosen fields. Curiosity and pure love of learning can only take you so far.

Tosafot appear to take a similar view: "A person should always be involved in Torah study even shelo lishmah, for from involvement shelo lishmah comes involvement lishmah." (Pesachim 50b). Tosafot, in Berachot 17a, interprets shelo lishma as "for the sake of honor". While study shelo lishma may not be the highest level of study, it is certainly a beginning!