Chapter VI, Judaism, The Hallowing of Life, Summary and Analysis

Jews are more united in their practices (what they do) than they are in what they think. The ceremonial observances bind the Jewish people together. Ritual plays a large part in the Jewish experience and provides a unifying connection for all people and a connection to the infinite source of all life. It produces a piety that sees the reflection of the glory of God in all things. It is the dual idea that men should enjoy everything while at the same time, sharing that enjoyment with God. Thus, the chief unification of the Jewish people is tradition, which accounts the memories of the past as treasured possessions. The basis, then, for the hallowing of life, rests in the Torah and the traditional ritual that goes with it.