Can We Innovate Without Losing What Makes Judaism Sacred?

So an interesting one, because we do touch on culture at times, because how does the phrase go? Politics is downstream of culture, that culture influences the way we act in societies.

And I think something interesting just sort of emerged in my, I suppose you could say my social circles, that there was recently a re-articulation of a sort of a decision that often comes around at this time of year and a proclamation by different Gadolai Yisrael about a danger of engaging in musical selichas, and how that we have a structure, we have a framework, and bringing guitars and your flutes and your musical instruments into the base medrash during selichas is just inappropriate, and it shouldn't be done, and it should be frowned upon, and etc., etc.

And I thought this was very interesting, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it, because when I engaged with people on this topic, I found that really an interesting phenomenon that emerged, which was that when a person's personal sacred cow is being attacked, they suddenly become a poet.

Before then, they are a judge.

Explain what I mean.

When decision comes from on high in an area that they're quite comfortable with, they're quite happy to be all, this is the Qadayi Yisrael, this is what we've been told, this is how we're supposed to act.

But the minute it comes along something that they have already got an affinity towards, in this situation, playing music in the Bais Medrash, they suddenly start getting philosophical, they start talking about Hakiras and what might it mean in this case, which, once again, I'm fine with, we're all human.

But I'm saying what I found interesting was that when it came to something that they really cared about, that they looked at as being spiritually, and to a certain extent, like an aspect of their connection to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, they suddenly shift perspectives in how they approach these things.

When beforehand, in something they either already agree with or do not care about, then they're suddenly willing, ready to... throw the book at me.

Now, in this particular situation, I'm not that into musical Slichus, to be completely honest with you.

I think that whine that you hear when Slichus begins, and that dread that grips you of, oh gosh, this again? Because I personally don't like any sort of musical or...

choirs or music in general.

So specifically when it comes to governing, I feel that part of my kapara is sitting through it.

So I'm actually quite happy with us not doing musical slichas and dancing about about it.

But that's because in this situation, I kind of don't care.

But I just, interesting if you found that interesting shift that people took when it came to this specific topic.

Interesting.