Rabbi Shmuley Boteach Interview

By Lauren Markoe
Religion News Service

(RNS) Celebrity Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, spiritual counselor to Michael Jackson and author of the best-selling "Kosher Sex," is about to publish "Kosher Jesus." The Orthodox Boteach deems it "the true story of Jesus of Nazareth ... a man who lived, taught and died as a Jew."

It is also, he says, a book that can mellow Jewish antipathy toward Jesus and better explain Jesus to Christians. In Judeo-Christian tradition, he writes, "Jesus is the hyphen that unites us."

But some right-wing Jews have already denounced Boteach as a heretic for promoting Jesus, and the rabbi has heard from some conservative Christians who don't appreciate the chapters on why Jews reject the idea of Jesus' divinity.

Some answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Why are so many Jews so uncomfortable with Jesus?
A: Here you have the most famous Jew of all time who became the symbol and the source of world anti-Semitism for two millennia, and countless Jews died in Jesus' name. So Jews then naturally assume that he is the height of un-kosher.

But it seems absurd that we would have allowed so prominent a figure to be divested from his people without even getting to the bottom of the story.

Q: What do Christians fail to understand about Jesus as you have studied him?

A: The true story of Jesus is that he was a patriot of his people who was completely Torah observant and fought against Roman oppression. It's time for non-Jews to discover the source of those teachings.

Evangelical Christians want to bring values to the country, but notice that their attempt to do so is politically polarizing. One of the reasons for this is that Christians are not focusing sufficiently on the humanity of Jesus.

Q: What's the problem with focusing on Jesus' divinity?

A: When you focus on someone's divinity, you judge other people by a standard of perfection. When you focus on their humanity, you judge other people by a standard of struggle. You are more forgiving and less judgmental.

The Jewish Jesus is a very human Jesus because the word "Israel" means "he who struggles with God." There are no perfect people in the Hebrew Bible.

Q: You've got a beef with the Apostle Paul, who is widely considered the founder of Christian theology.

A: He claims to be a disciple of one of the greatest Torah scholars of the ancient world, yet it seems certain that he could not read Hebrew.

In Deuteronomy, the Bible says it's a curse to God to leave a man hanging on a tree. Paul interprets the tree to be the tree of the Torah. In that mistranslation, he relegates Judaism to a subservient status. It's "replacement theology" and a wildly inaccurate translation. Thank God our Christian brothers and sisters no longer advocate replacement theology.

Q: Studying Jesus, you have concluded that some Christians have misconstrued his advice to "love your enemies" and "turn the other cheek." Why?

A: They're often misused as a justification for pacifism. Jesus resisted the brutality of the Romans. Jesus said to love your enemies. He never said to love God's enemies. Your enemy is the guy who took your parking space. Jesus said overlook it; I agree 1,000 percent. He never says love the Emperor Caligula, who's killing everybody in ancient Judea.

Q: Oprah gave you your own radio show. You had Michael Jackson's ear. Why do you associate with celebrities?

A: My first consideration is nothing other than helping someone in need. But to the extent that famous people have strong followings, they can help propagate a wholesome message. Judaism has useful universal values that are healing for people and for society. I took Michael Jackson to synagogue, but I never tried to convert him. We are not a proselytizing people.

Q: And you think Jesus can help spread that Jewish message too?

A: The Jews have relegated themselves to spiritual obscurity. People go to the Dalai Lama to discover their deeper spiritual core. They come to the Jewish community for campaign contributions.

Look how many Jews practice Buddhism and don't know anything about their own religion. Jesus is a person who brought the teachings of Judaism to the widest possible audience.

Comments

[JewishPhysician]

02:13 PM on 01/24/2012

Schmuley Boteach clearly has no clue as to what or how Jesus factors into any Jewish life and by making any such expression, he violates our Torah Laws. Schmuley is not the ambassador to jewish living today and he has deconstructed Judaism in his supercillary needs to be renowned and more relevant to any human being.

[yoyo1900]

02:20 PM on 01/18/2012

I don't how Rabbi Boteach can say Judaism valvues feminine over the masculine. At the orthodox services there is a separation of males and females.

[danny saunders]

10:22 AM on 02/03/2012

There are a lot of different reasons for the separation but for me, as a man, I must admit, I would rather sit on the women's side. On the men's side it's all business with no chance to stop and meditate while praying. Last Yom Kippur I got bored when after a bit I realized I was looking through a separation in the mechitza, I saw the women, for the first time in my life, some were praying some sat in quiet clearly meditating others whispered among themselves others came and went with their children. I got jealous. I want to pray the way women do.

[koushnik]

12:38 PM on 01/15/2012

youtube hitchens vs. boteach debate. That is all.

[sunshine14]

05:48 AM on 01/14/2012

Asking nicely, what is the problem when focusing on Land? YahuWah is not a religion? Nor did Yahushua come to start any new religion did He? For Yahushua fully lived obeyed, observed, preached of returning to the Faith of His Forefathers YahuWah. Anyone who does not love His Neighbors, has not fulfilled the Law. Yahushua made that clear, I have come (like all of us also have to do persoanlly) to fulfill the Laws. If we are to become ONE with YahuWah, then we too are called to Fulfill the Laws. Love your enemies has I have loved you, (You were My enemy also?) WE are all called to become Righteous, each one of us, letting our own works of our hands be just and in our own personal choices in life be Just toward our fellow mankind. When we all Fulfill the Law, Love Your Neighbor has you Love yourself , there will be Peace, Heaven On Earth and we will have all fulfilled the Laws of Moses, Ten Commandments etc.No more wars, jealousy? H@te? greed?, lying? No more religions? All will be ONE with the Father, One Body, having all the same Will and Desire as the Father, Love, Peace, Joy, Rest, etc Abraham was Just in all His works, Abraham prayed for His enemies, Babylon, Sodom, Gormorah, thus YahuWah -judged Abraham and called Abraham a Righteous Man of YahuWah. We need to stop arguing over the Spoken Word but start living it. Love all.

[sunshine14]

05:26 AM on 01/14/2012

Yahushua did not spread the Jewish message or religion did He? But Yahushua gave the Spoken Word of YahuWah. Yahushua was Hebrew Israel, who fully lived, observed, obeyed the Oral Torah and its Laws given by Moses and the faith of His Forefathers. In asking when one focuses on one or another religion, one focuses on their humanity and perfection? Yahushua did not come to save land, but to save souls did He not, Spread the Good News, Repent, Grace has been given? YahuWah said the Earth is My Foot Stool, what Temple can you build for Me that will contain Me? Rather, when we know the Truth (YahuWAh) then the Truth (YahuWah) will set us Free. Those who add or take away from His Spoken Word, will have no part in Heaven, YahuWah saida; He will cut them off , they shall not enter His Rest. Love all dearly for all are dearly Love, We are all the Living Temples of the YahuWah, Heaven will cover the earth.

[umbriago]

01:28 PM on 01/13/2012

I always enjoy hearing peope discuss fictional characters as if they had actually existed.

My little son does that, and it's quite charming.

[Arlyss]

11:10 AM on 01/25/2012

Evidently, you have not heard of Josephus, who was a secular Roman scholar of the first century CE. He presents historical accounts of the activities of Jesus of Nazareth. Whether or not you believe claims of divinity, Jesus was a historical person who actually lived.

[FrancisKing]

05:01 PM on 01/26/2012

Alas, no. The reference to Jesus was clearly added at a later date.

[Funkstronaut]

01:03 PM on 01/13/2012

Ten minutes with Shmuley Boteach.
Is that a dare? Like, would you rather ten minutes of Boteach, or ten minutes of being water-boarded?

[Jene88]

10:03 AM on 01/13/2012

I have studied all the Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and have come to the conclusion that for me, Buddhism is the most constructive and enlightening philosophy. Abrahamic religions posit myths for their core beliefs. Unproven words of the invisible man in the sky. Parables and fables and some good teachings, alongside of the destructive. The best thing we can all say is that we should do unto our neighbor or not do unto our neighbor... I find the concept of forgiveness disturbing. One can do whatever one desires and then ask for forgiveness and puff...it's done. No, no, no. We have to work out that forgiveness and that is the way we might right that wrong. Buddhism explains to me in concrete terms that the hurt I impose might very well hit me. Sorta...what goes around comes around, Karma is a bitch. Really, maybe if the world considered this possibility, we might have less problems. Buddhism teaches why goodness has nothing to do with an unknown heaven or hell. It's based on a cause and effect situation. It just makes the most sense. That's why, Rabbi, so many of us prefer that philosophy to the hokus pokus and silly rituals of any religion. Important ps: The Ultra-Orthodox of Judaism is contesting the right of women to be publicly seen. There are other rights they wish to impose. They are frightening to me...I'm a woman.

[Pratitya]

08:25 PM on 01/13/2012

You reject the Abrahamic religions without a deep study. Oh yes, you assert that you made a study. Had this been so you would see that all three of these paths (sadhanas) place great emphasis on working out forgiveness. In Judaism, alone, there is the aspect of what is called Mussar which means teaching or instruction. And it is all about personal responsibility and the bearing of the consequences of one's actions.

In fact, all religions contain the three refuges (tripritaka in Sankrit,tipitaka in Pali which both translate as the three baskets). The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are the Rabbi, Torah, and Kehila (congregation) in Judaism. They are the Ulema, Qu'ran and Sunna, and Masjid in Islam. They are the Clergy, Bible and Church Canon, and the Ecclesia in Christianity. .These constitute the basic scaffolding of all religions

And yes, goodness is intimately connected with heaven and hell whether it be Tushita heaven where Brahman resides or the pure land or the four lokas realms of Human, Gods, Angry Gods and the Hungry Ghosts

[sunshine14]

09:09 AM on 01/13/2012

Yahushua fully obeyed the orally Torah in full observance and could not preach enough about the Ten Commandments. Yahushua preached all about YahuWah and returning to His Laws and St Paul taught about Jesus whom He never meet or walked with. Jesus and St Paul were opposite in their teaching. Was no J alphabet in the time of Jesus, He was a Hebrew Israelite. The Letter J will not even be found in the King James Version of the Bible of 1611. No J will be found or existed in Greek or Hebrew Language which also goes by sound, over 2,500 years or since Abraham even. What is His real Name? The Tribe of Yahudah is Judah is it not? There were 12 Tribes of Israelites were there not? He said, I Come in My Fathers Name, what is His Fathers Name? Interesting happy to see one writing a book on Jesus.