The four reasons people are attracted to Torah Observant Judaism mirror the four dimensions of the human experience:
Physical – the lifestyle is enjoyable
Emotional – the relationships are meaningful
Mental – learning Torah is deep and challenging
Spiritual – connecting to G-d is sublime
Unfortunately for many BTs, after the initial attraction the following occurs:
Physical – it’s expensive to support this lifestyle
Emotional – it’s difficult to find a really good group of friends
Mental – learning is hard and our world of distraction makes it harder
Spiritual – mitzvos and prayer becomes rote, so the G-d connection is weak
These problems are real, and unfortunately they drive many people to the negative, critical and cynical groups within Torah Judaism.
So here are four ways to start renewing your appreciation for Torah
Physical – focus on the pleasures of Shabbos with its meals, sleep and other great pleasures
Emotional – share some of your joys or tribulations face to face with a fellow Jew
Mental – spend a few minutes this week working on a difficult piece of Torah
Spiritual – say one “asher kidshanu” beracha slowly with concentration
Let’s face it, appreciating Torah takes work and it’s a lot easier to stay distracted and involved in negativity. However, if you put in the effort in renewing the four dimensions, the rewards are tremendous.
