Sign of Honor

One of my most embarrassing moments came when I was visiting Israel in 1977 (I moved there in 1984 and stayed for 17 years). I went into a restaurant, and wanted to attract the waiter's attention. He made a gesture with his fingers, and a sound from his lips, that I "knew" all too well from my Brooklyn, New York upbringing, meant the most derogatory insult. I got up indignantly and left. I later found out that this was the common Israeli gesture for "wait a minute". I learned a valuable lesson that day. Even though I knew the language, I was unprepared to communicate!
In many ways, this is a problem for non-Jews coming to Judaism, as well as Jews exploring their roots, but not quite knowing that things may have a different meaning from what they are used to.
There are many examples, but today I'd like to discuss one. In Western culture, when we love and value something, we put it on display. We put our treasured possessions in a China closet, or frame them in a way that would befit their real or sentimental value. Entire museums are dedicated to this purpose. In Jewish tradition (and most Eastern cultures), the opposite is true.When something is precious, we cover it! Exposing our dearest artifacts would cheapen and demean them!This idea is already in the Torah (Numbers 4). When the Sanctuary in the wilderness was being dismantled for transport, only the kohanim (priests) could be present. A Levite could not approach, on pain of death! When we take the Torah scroll from the ark, it is briefly shown to the congregation, either before or after the reading, depending on the custom. In between readers, it is covered. In the Yemenite tradition, even during the reading it is covered with decorative pieces of cloth, only exposing a line or two at a time. Before the shofar is blown, it is kept covered. It is only taken out at the moment of blowing. When we bless over the bread on Shabbat, it is kept covered. There are several reasons for this, but one is this concept of honor. Visitors seeing this sometimes are taken aback, and ask if we hide these things because we are ashamed of them. We explain that it is just the opposite. We hide them out of respect; avoiding the contempt brought about through over familiarity. In this context, we can understand many things.The insistence on bodily modesty, for example. It's not that we are ashamed of the body, but rather than Man is in the image of G-d, and hence not to be lightly put on display. At Orthodox funerals, there is always a closed casket. Looking at what was once a loved one, now a lifeless mass, but still endowed with G-d given dignity, would be anathema. Even the Holy Brotherhood that prepare a body for burial, are very careful not to expose the deceased unnecessarily. Even G-d's most holy Name was reserved only for the most sacred moments in the Holy Temple (no, it has nothing to do with "not saying the Name in vain"). The Holy of Holies in the Temple could only be entered by the High Priest, and he only on Yom Kippur, the holiest day. In fact, the Hebrew word "Kodesh" (Holy) actually means "set apart".
Often, when I visit a non-Orthodox synagogue, I am momentarily shocked by the common sight of a Torah Scroll opened up under glass. From a western perspective, I remind myself that it is meant as a sign of honor. But from a traditional Jewish perspective, there could be no greater affront to G-d. Before we judge, we must make sure that we not only know the "language", but how to communicate. One culture's sign of honor, is another's obscene gesture.