Commitment

When I was a graduate student at Wurzweiler School of Social Work I took a course titled “Jewish Social Philosophy.” The course explored the Jewish underpinnings of this helping profession. As part of the course, I had the privilege of learning Rav Soloveitchik’s Essay “Lonely Man of Faith” from Dr. Norman Linzer, father of our Dr. Dov Linzer, who had created the course many years earlier.

        In that essay, Rav Soloveitchik notes that the story of the Creation of mankind is recorded twice in Parshat Breishit. Rav Soloveitchik maintains that the two narratives in Breishit refer to two different Adams, Adam I and Adam II; they speak of two different aspects of the human condition, two different elements of our relationship with God, and two different responsibilities that we seek to carry out in fulfillment of our purpose.

        In Chapter 1, the Torah portrays mankind as created B’tzelem Elokim, in the image of God. Just as God is creative and constructive so, too, do we strive to follow suit. This is what the Rav referred to as majestic man. Majestic man seeks to understand the world around him/her and conquer it, manipulate it, achieve through it. Adam I is completely utilitarian in motivation, and boldly aggressive in approach.

Chapter 2 speaks of man being created from the dust of the earth. According to the Rav: Adam II “speaks of defeat instead of success, of accepting a higher will instead of commanding, of giving instead of conquering, of retreating instead of advancing, of acting ‘irrationally’ instead of always being reasonable.”

        Adam I seeks dignity, while Adam II seeks redemption.  Dignity is a social quality of the surface personality; redemption is an existential state of the inner personality. Redemption is attained by control over oneself, dignity by control over one's surroundings. Redemption expresses itself in surrender to God, dignity in defiance of nature. Redemption is characterized by retreat, dignity by advance. 

        Both Adams, both aspects of the human condition, seek out religion - but for two entirely different reasons. Adam I is “not searching for faith… but for religious culture. He seeks not the greatness found in sacrificial action. But the convenience one discovers in a comfortable serene state of mind…”

        The religion of Adam II is one which “requires the giving of one’s self unreservedly to God, who demands unconditional commitment, sacrificial action and retreat.”

        The key word is commitment. Adam I practices a religion of convenience. Adam II’s religion is one of commitment.

        This reminds me of the story about the chicken and the cow. A cow and a chicken are walking down the road. The chicken says: "Hey (cow), I was thinking we should open a restaurant!" Cow replies: "Hmm, maybe, what would we call it?" The chicken responds: "How about steak-n-eggs?" The cow thinks for a moment and says: "No thanks. Because in that business, you’d be involved, but I would be committed!”

        Though commitment may be demanding and limiting in many ways, it is what gives religion its status and its meaning.  Today many people have become averse to commitment, and society has allowed us to do so with limited consequence. The paradox is that when commitments are de-emphasized in religion we would expect an increase in those willing to affiliate, and yet the opposite has occurred. We have more excuses today not to commit than perhaps ever before in history.

        The basic building blocks of society simply erode without commitment. Commitment is the very essence of relationships: both with Hashem and with our fellow human beings.