The more I've studied the Torah, the less religious I've become, the more spiritual. We Jews are taught to read Hebrew, but we don't know what the hell we're reading. At Yom Kippur services, I was reading the English translations, and it came to me: There's so much adoration of God, but God doesn't need us to sing his praises. He just wants us to be better people.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Studying religious texts deeply can shift focus from ritual worship to ethical behavior and personal improvement.
- In plain terms
- Reading religious texts made him more spiritual and less focused on traditional religion.
- What can you take from it?
- True spirituality often emphasizes being a better person over ritual praise.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What is the purpose of prayer?
- How do you balance tradition and personal belief?
Another view
Rituals and praise serve important community functions beyond individual belief.
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