Shmuel,

Thank you for comment and the links.

First, I really would like to see a reference from the Torah that proves your statement “every human being’s actions (and words and thoughts for that matter) help bring more of the Divine Presence into the world , or help block it out”. I’d truly be amazed to see proof of that in the Torah. In Mishnah or Talmud, maybe, but I really doubt Moses said anything like that.

Second, it is true that someone who gives to charity for wrong motives certainly receives no reward, but in the way you construct the alternative, the motives are wrong also. You suggest that this might be acceptable: “someone giving charity whose intention is to emulate his Heavenly Father and thereby feel closer to Him”. Should someone give to charity in order to feel closer to God? No. Not at all. That is as base a motive as gaining the approval of men, actually. One should give to charity because God commands it, because one loves God, because one has compassion on the needs of others. That is it, no looking for approval, man’s or God’s.

Finally, though, my point is that external actions matter not at all. We are in a day when God has commanded men to worship him in Spirit and in truth. Legalistic performance and assiduously avoiding the “work” of turning on an electric lamp on the Sabbath gains you no credit with God. (And I doubt that it would have counted even in the days of Moses – do you think they had no lamps in their tents? That they never lit a lamp in their tents because it was the Sabbath? Preposterous!) No, it is a false construct to think that if you somehow avoid the work of turning on an electric lamp that somehow you keep yourself in God’s good graces. It is amazing that you would think so.

There are hundreds of specific commandments in the Torah that you cannot possibly keep. Even if you could argue that your kosher lamp helped you keep part of one commandment, their are hundreds of others where you fail. All the Torah can do is point to your desperate need of grace from God. It isn’t something you can earn or deserve on your own, whether you turn on lamps or not.

I would urge you to study the arguments of Paul the apostle in the book of Romans. There you would find light for your soul. (I am currently preaching through Romans if you care to follow our sermon links at gbcvic.org)

Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

I am the inventor of the KosherLamp that you refer to above.

I’m sorry that you have a misunderstanding of Orthodox Judaism’s approach to halacha (Jewish Law or “legalisim” as you refer to it). According to the Torah, ewvery human being’s actions (and words and thoughts for that matter) help bring more of the Divine Presence into the world , or help block it out.

You sadly seem to be separating out our actions from our focused intent when we perform those actions. I’m sure you differentiate between someone giving charity whose intention is to receive honour and someone giving charity whose intention is to emulate his Heavenly Father and thereby feel closer to Him.

For a bit of a 3rd party explanation of this concept, you can listen to a radio segment which aired on Weekend America.

http://www.kosherimage.com/images/weekend_america_kosher_innovations.mp3

If you want to see the orignal New York Times article which was reprinted in the National Post and dissappeared, you can find it here:

http://www.kosherimage.com/images/Jewish_Innovators.pdf

Hopefully by clearing up some misunderstandings of Orthodox Judaism in the non-Jewish world, we can bring more peace and love to humanity.