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Re: What is Jewish Music - the Metaquestion

Joel Epstein wrote:

            >What does the fact that we are constantly discussing
            >what is Jewish music say about us?  Do Hungarians
            >wonder what is Hungarian music?

to which Sam Weiss responded:

I think it confirms that we are the People Of The Question (which I prefer 
to the Muhammadan appelation People Of The Book)
and, more specifically, the People Of The Self-Question, which is something 
to be proud of.

(to which I know respond:)

I agree, and I think Sam has hit on the kernel of something very profound.  
We distinguish man from the animals because (s)he can *think*--and, in 
particular, can and does think self-consciously about himself and his or her 
own existence.  And I think Jews are, in many regards, *more* of 
everything--and so we are, perhaps, the ultimately self-conscious people, 
who (continually/obsessively!--but, hopefully, for the good) are always 
thinking, I suspect far more than other peoples, of who and what we are 
(i.e., as Jews, as a people--not just, like all humans, as our particular 
selves), and who and what we (as a people) _should_ be.

Our definition (in the Torah) and self-definition (in many different 
formulations, over many different eras, by many different kinds of Jews) 
require it.

I'm sure more could be said along these lines than these tentative 
responses.

--Robert Cohen



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--- Begin Message --- Joel Epstein wrote:
>What does the fact that we are constantly discussing
>what is Jewish music say about us?  Do Hungarians
>wonder what is Hungarian music?

I thought that I could easily avoid thinking about this topic (since I have no stake in defining Jewish music) but the meta-question does interest me. 
I think it confirms that we are the People Of The Question (which I prefer to the Muhammadan appelation People Of The Book) and, more specifically, the People Of The Self-Question, which is something to be proud of.  It also reflects the fact that our unfortunate history has afforded us the luxury -- and burden -- of rising above the levels of mere nationalism and mere religion when considering matters of self-interest and self-definition as a people.  Therefore the Hungarians have it much easier than we do.  Of course, for Jews who identify with the State of Israel, this luxury was removed in 1948.  And for such Jews who also take pre-1948 Jewsih cultural history seriously, the burden is daily becoming ever more onerous.

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Cantor Sam Weiss === Jewish Community Center of Paramus, NJ


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