The Good Part of Orthodoxy: Torah and Fear of God

The last few times I discussed the good and bad of modernity. This time, I want to focus on the good parts of orthodoxy: Torah and Fear of God.

The Torah is essential to what makes the Jewish people a nation. It is a good guide to life in almost all situations, including the modern era. It teaches us true ideas while giving us opportunities to grow and flourish. The halacha guides our actions and shapes our social interactions, leading to harmonious interactions between individuals. The soul of a Jew is nourished on chmash-rashi, mishna, gemara, and beyond. Torah is our first method of knowing God.

The fear of God imbues the halachic reality underpinning the commandments with significance. It creates a central focus that unifies the Jewish people as a nation. The fear of God gives meaning to one’s subjective reality, something sorely lacking in secular society that lacks any higher power. Fear of God is intertwined with the love of God that instills purpose in life, yet another thing missing from the modern world.

I want to emphasize that I’m only discussing the good things orthodoxy has that the modern world lacks. There is much overlap in good values between modernity and orthodoxy, such as the twin secular and Torah values of wisdom and science that can lead to science-based knowledge of God. An ideal of modern orthodoxy must take the good unique to modernity and orthodoxy, as well as retain the good common to both.