I am not Chabad, nor will I ever be Chabad. We are both B’nai Yisra’el, but our beliefs are not one and the same where the Torah is concerned; that is, in our understanding and practice. I believe much of their understanding and practice to be greatly influenced by ancient pagan civilizations in which my people were captives. In truth, I think this way concerning Talmudic Judaism in general. I think that Talmudic Judaism has been clearly and dearly influenced from the beliefs and philosophies of Babylon, Persia and Rome, and I weep in anguish that my people are blind to this, but, does not the Miq’ra state, in truth, “Who is as blind as My servant?” (Sefer Yihayahu [Isaiah] 42:19)
Even though I feel this way about Talmudic Judaism in general, and about those among my people who are Chabad, I have found myself greatly impressed with the words of Chabad Reggae artist Matisyahu. He does something that most within our time, among my people, have forgotten – he calls for a return to Torah.
Of course, his idea of Torah and my idea of Torah are not one, and the same, for being Chabad he surely thinks that there are is both a written Torah and an oral Torah; whereas, I only see that which is written as Torah, and all else is merely commentary upon that Torah, some good, and some bad.
But, the significance of his call for a return to Torah designates the he realizes there is a problem amongst our people in general, and it is this that I admire. And it is this that makes the music call out to me. I find myself singing his music passionately, as if they were the songs of times past, the songs of Dawidh.
I have always greatly been endeared with music, being eclectic in my tastes, liking almost every genre, as long as what I am hearing sounds good to my ear. And I can even write lyrics to almost any rhythm, and beat, and it sound good; whether, I am singing my lyrics, or rapping my lyrics (only to goof around). But, even though I can write lyrics, and I can place them to rhythms, and beats, I am unable to play proficiently any type of instrument in which to create instrumentals for my own music. If I could then, like unto Matisyahu, I would write music calling B’nai Yisra’el back unto éäåä and His Torah.
I wish that those among HaQara’im who have talent like unto Matisyhau would do like unto Matisyahu and bring praise unto éäåä within our era through song.
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