猶太男孩的成年禮
(2010-01-09 20:56:19)
下一個
今天應邀參加了猶太男孩的成年禮(Bar Mitzvah),很受啟發。現對此做點簡單的介紹。
According to Jewish law, when Jewish children reach the age of majority (generally thirteen years for boys and twelve for girls) the become responsible for their actions, and “become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah”. Prior to this, the child’s parents hold the responsibility for the child’s adherence to Jewish law and tradition and, after this age, children bear their own responsibility for Jewish ritual law, tradition, and ethics and are privileged to participate in all areas of Jewish community life.
由此可見,猶太男孩在十三歲就要開始為自己的行為負責。可是, 難道僅僅是年齡嗎?
In modern Jewish observance, the occasion of becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah usually involves the young man or woman being called to read the Torah and Haftarah portion at a Shabbat service and may also involve giving a D’Var Torah, a discussion of that week’s Torah portion. From this point on, males become entirely culpable and responsible for following Jewish law once they reach the age of 13, and females once they reach the age of 12.
從孩子對所要求部分經文全部用希伯來語誦讀的這點來看,就可以看到孩子對其的熟悉程度。猶太男孩之所以可以在十三歲就開始對自己的行為負責,恐怕主要還是因為其早期對舊約的學習所至。也就是說孩子們對舊約中所包含的猶太律法、傳統、道德早已耳熟能詳了。家庭、學校以及社會當然也會提供必需的一些教育,但我個人認為,宗教學習,保證了孩子們學習的連續性和係統性。無論人們對舊約聖經作出怎樣的評論,但它裏麵所包含的許多價值觀,卻具有普世的價值。比如,虔誠恭敬,心懷感恩,強調奉獻,人的有罪認定,建立信仰,懺悔(就是反省之後的悔改願望),契約精神,誠信,公平,正義,自製,尊重傳統,等等,所有這一切才是一個人必須擁有的的真正的價值內核。本著這樣的價值觀去生活,加上恪守舊約裏麵固有的戒條,像摩西十戒,一個孩子就不太會迷失了。 以我一個非基督徒的眼光來看,中國的教育缺少了宗教教育這一個環節,加上又割裂了傳統教育,就使得今天中國的教育直接就把人引向功名利祿的這條旁門左道了。
(一點隨感而已,寫下來以為紀念。)