From: baker@ROBOCOP.NYU.EDU (Jonathan Baker)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Re: A Couple of Questions
Date: 15 Apr 92 13:41:55 GMT
Organization: Courant Institute, New York University

A couple of answers, from someone who was brought up in a rather liberal
home, and hopes that he has not gone too far over to the right in becoming
somewhat more observant :)

First, about legumes, I don't see that it's a Reform/Ortho question.  
Legumes are part of a class of foods known as kitniot - foods which are
forbidden on Passover even though they do not fit the pre-medieval view
of chametz - "leavened foods".

The explanation I have heard about this is that kitniot are things which can be
piled like "Official Jewish" grains (oats, wheat, rye, barley, spelt).  This
includes corn, rice, peanuts, etc.  Why this includes string beans, I don't 
know.  Why it doesn't include potatoes, which can be processed and used 
much like flour for baking (most Passover cakes use potato starch), I don't
know.  My guess is that potatoes can't be piled like grain, they are piled
like rocks.8)  

Sephardim (those Jews not of Eastern European origin) do not
follow kitniot regulations, or at least follow a different, less restrictive
set of regulations, but as far as I know, there is no difference among OCR
kitniot regulations, as OCR are sects within the Ashkenazi camp.  Sephardim
follow the old rules: you are either religious or not religious - none of
this quibbling over legitimate interpretations

Second, about belief in God, I'm afraid I can't answer for Reform; I don't
know enough about them.  I think that belief in God is not mandated by 
Reform, but then it's been a while since I read about the Pittsburgh Platform
and all those other statements of Reform ideology.  Conservative I think
does expect a belief in God.  I have heard a rather flippant description of
the Reconstructionist view: God created Man in his own image, so man turned
around and created Him right back.  I expect to be corrected by Mordecai
Kaplan fans on the net.

Normative Judaism (what most people on this
newsgroup call Orthodox) certainly mandates it, but then belief in God
is the ONLY commandment (or set of commandments, depending how you look
at it) which mandates a way of thinking; all other commands (mitzvot) mandate
behavior, but don't care about thought.  

The First Commandment is: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of
Egypt, from the house of bondage."  I see no other meaning in this commandment
than simple faith in its truth -- it mandates no specific action.

Maimonides breaks this down into four separate commands (out of the 613
traditionally found in the Torah):

1. To believe in God's existence; (as in the above verse)
2. To believe in God's unity; (Hear O Israel, God is our Lord, God is One)
3. To love God; (You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
      with all your soul, and with all your money (usually tr. might))
4. To fear God; (You shall fear the Lord thy God)

If you want more information on these commands, send me email.  I can do
a freehand translation of Maimonides on these four commands, if need be.

                                    Hope I have been of help
                                    Jon Baker
                                    baker@robocop.nyu.edu