28.05.2012                      07.Siwan. 5772                    Schawuoth 2

Judentum:

To whom does the Torah belong?

Every Jew is entitled to this source and secret of our longevity, which defines and distinguishes all who take hold of it.

The question, at first, seems superfluous, almost silly. After all, anyone – if he or she has the money – can buy a Torah scroll. Or study it – from a book, online, via audio or even video. As history’s greatest best-seller, it is eminently accessible. Yet, like politics, sovereign territory and sports teams, Torah has its own “turf wars”. Any number of groups and individuals lay claim to it, declaring that they care more about it, understand it better and are more qualified to decipher, defend and disseminate it. They will tell you that they have invested more in it than others, and so are its rightful “owners”. The Torah begs to differ. By its very nature and constrict, it breathes unity and eschews exclusivity. At one and the same time, it is the province of no one in particular, and everyone….