Is the synagogue really necessary? – T’rumah
Whether it was the tabernacle, the temple or synagogue, there was always a Jewish place of worship.
When a community had a sense of security and permanence, the house of worship was solid and ornate. At other times functionality was more important than architectural splendour.
But whatever the shape, size or aesthetics of the building, Judaism had and seemed to need an official place for prayer.
The times, however, have changed. Being in shule is not the only means of expressing piety or celebrating the creation. So much so that some ask whether the building does not in fact get in the way of sincere spirituality.
The prophet Jeremiah quotes those who keep proclaiming, Hechal HaShem, Hechal HaShem – “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” (Jer. 7:4). Today’s litany includes the bricks and mortar, top hats and tails, pews and pomposity, the quest for shishi or sh’lishi…
So – can a person not pray just as well in the open air, or on a hill-top or deserted beach, in a garden, a bedroom, wherever the mood appears?
The answer is yes, and one should not hesitate to use the moment or the place to utter a prayer, even without words.
But that does not mean that the synagogue no longer has a purpose. The synagogue links us with community, history, identity, destiny. In the synagogue you feel you have a place in the scheme of things. Sometimes you enter out of a sense of duty or convention, but the aura, the atmosphere, the ambience, take hold of you and you find yourself praying despite yourself.
