LINN"
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The Contradiction Seen
In 'Good Old Days'
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l[g(
emember the days of old,
consider the years of many
generations." (Deuteron-
omy 32:7).
Is there a person who has nev-
er spoken nostalgically of the
"good old days?" A wearisome re-
frain revolves about "the good old
days — when parents enjoyed the
respect of children; when the Jew
was faithful to the teaching of
Torah; when reverence was in-
grained in man's heart for life and
living."
The "good old days" phrase is
not a modern invention. About
2,000 years ago, Rabba stated: "If
the earlier generations were sons
of angels, we are sons of men; if
the earlier generations were sons
of men, we are like donkeys." This
is an extreme but not unusual
Jewish expression of veneration
for history and antiquity. It is not
always supported by the facts of
life. Not all our ancestors were
God-fearing and virtuous; con-
versely, not all our contemp-
oraries are iniquitous. Our
children or our grandchildren will
grow into adulthood and they will
also most likely remember these
as "the good old days."
The human being is a paradox
and his/her life is full of contra-
dictions. His attitude toward
yesteryears is expressed in am-
bivalent terms. Man is attracted
toward the past and at the same
time, he negates customs, values
and practices of ancient origin.
The Jew is caught in a fabric of
contradiction. He is in love with
the image of a revered parent or
grandparent, but refuses to walk
the road paved by his ancestors.
The Jew is eager to shape his own
world in the style of modernity.
He is driven by an inner rest-
lessness, seeking refuge in
change and innovation.
The modern Jew often looks
backward, searching the hidden
corners of his past. He casts a
halo over the days of yore while
evading the challenge of today.
Old memories are gilded and per-
sonalities are woven into a ta-
pestry of radiant beauty.
Someone once said that "our rev-
erence for the past is just in pro-
portion to our ignorance of it."
The person who retreats unto the
past under a cloud of fancy holds
on to empty memories of "the
good old days." They have no ef-
fect on his present or future. We
not the warning in the Book of
Eccliastes (7:10) against such
vain probing: "Say not; how was
it that the former days were bet-
Irwin Groner is senior rabbi of
oregatian_Shaarey_Zedek.
ter than these? For it is not out
of wisdom that you ask concern-
ing this."
The novelist George Eliot
wrote, "I desire no future that
will break with the ties of the
past." Is a meaningful future pos-
sible for the Jew without the rich
and deep past of his people and
heritage? Scientists tell us that
the only permanent fact in this
world is the reality of change. But
Judaism is the story of change
which is based on continuity.
Change within a structure of con- c/
tinuity is the only measure of
durability in the life of an indi-
vidual and in the life of a people.
This formulation of the rela-
tionship between the old and the
new is best expressed in a rab-
binic legend about Moses who
sought to revisit earth. God gave
him permission to visit the Holy
Shabbat Ha'azinu:
Deuteronomy
32:1-52,
11 Samuel 22:1-51.
Land. Immediately, Moses went
to the academy of Rabbi Akiva,
who lived in the second century
almost a thousand years after
Moses. He sat at the back of the
hall, watching the participants
in the animated discussion, but
he did not understand a word,
and is spirit left him. But then,
as he concluded his discourse,
Akiva declared that the source of
his teaching was the Torah,
which Moses had received. And
Moses' spirit was revived.
The new is also the very old
and the continuity of the tradi-
tion is fulfilled in its renewal. ❑
Publicity
Deadlines
The normal deadline for local
news and publicity items is
noon Thursday, eight days pri-
or to issue date. The deadline
for birth announcements is 10
a.m. Monday, four days prior
to issue date; out-of-town obit-
uaries, 10 a.m. Tuesday, three
days prior to issue date.
All material must be type-
written, double-spaced, on 8'/2
x 11 paper and include the
name and daytime telephone
number of sender.