Strict adherence to the Old Testament commandments leads not only to religious debates but also to cultural polemics.

Religious Rigidity and Cultural Taboos: Debates Over Jewish Traditions

Strict adherence to the Old Testament commandments leads not only to religious debates but also to cultural polemics. On one hand, criticism arises from the peculiarities of interpreting religious prescriptions, where, for example, keeping kosher and the prohibition against consuming blood are enforced with extraordinary strictness. One source explains that Orthodox Jews, following the directives of the Old Testament, are limited in their food choices because meat must meet a series of requirements—it must come from “clean” animals, be slaughtered in an established manner, and have all its blood drained. It is also noted that in other religious traditions, such as that of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the refusal of blood transfusions is regarded as a fundamental principle, although this conclusion was reached much later than the formation of the Jewish tradition. This difference in understanding religious canons raises questions about who truly interprets the Old Testament prohibitions more correctly (Source: link txt).

On the other hand, cultural factors also play an important role. In modern society, any discussion of Jewish traditions often borders on taboo, and even the most innocuous remarks may be perceived as a challenge or prejudice. One source emphasizes that criticism of Jewish peculiarities frequently leads to situations where the word “Jew” becomes taboo, and attempts at an objective analysis are seen as inappropriate generalizations. Such a stance creates an atmosphere in which critical comments on the traditional way of life are highly contentious and are often perceived not only as ideological but also as cultural violations (Source: link txt).

Furthermore, there is another aspect: traditions and rituals, which are an essential part of upbringing and socialization, are often considered integral to collective identity. This means that any attempt at critically revising these traditions is seen as a threat to the integrity of cultural heritage, further intensifying disputes over the observance of ancient commandments (Source: link txt).

Thus, criticism of the traditional way of life of Orthodox Jews is driven by both religious disagreements in the interpretation and application of the Old Testament commandments and by cultural factors related to the perception of Jewish identity and the taboo against any negative evaluations that might undermine the community’s traditional foundations.

Supporting citation(s):
"By way of example, take today’s Orthodox Jews. According to the dictates of the Old Testament and the rabbis’ prescriptions, they can eat only kosher meat. ...

And so arises the question of who better understands the Old Testament prohibition on consuming blood—the Orthodox Jews, who have religious, national, and historical ties to the Old Testament, or the leaders of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who have determined that a blood transfusion is a mortal sin?

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"Due to the prevailing notion that we should keep silent about Jews—as if it were very ‘distinguished’ (in French, meaning well-mannered)—the most absurd consequence has occurred: one can be labeled an anti-Semite for uttering the word 'Jew' or for the most innocent remark about Jewish peculiarities. ... Only Jews have been turned into a kind of forbidden taboo, one that even the most harmless criticism cannot approach..." (source: link txt)

"At the same time, non-Jewish authors researching Jewish culture are either obliged to praise it or take the position of nominalists—‘do not generalize!’ ... There are prejudices common to large groups of people. These are prejudices in the most literal sense." (source: link txt)