Halachic Judaism

So, based on recommendations from a couple of readers, I've begun reading a book by Rabbi Eliezer Berkovits called "Not in Heaven," which, in essence, tells us that the formal codification of Jewish law might have been a mistake:

"Halakha is the bridge over which the Torah moves from written word into the living deed. Normally, there is a confrontation between the text, which is set [Torah She'B'Ksav - Tanach], and life, which is forever in motion. Even such an apparently easily understood commandment as ['don't work on Shabbos]' requires lengthy explanation. There is an obvious need to define what is meant by 'work.' As soon as one undertakes that task, one is involved in the confrontation between a real-life situation and a text. There are innumerable possibilities for human behavior and action, innumerable human needs and problems arising from them. How to apply them to the specific definition of 'work' requires further explanation and interpretations. How to face the confrontation between the text and the actual life situation, how to resolve the problems arising of this confrontation, is the task of Torah Sh'B'al Peh - the Oral Law...It is the wisdom of Torah implementation in the daily life of the Jewish people. It renders the Torah into a Torat Hsyim, living and teaching relevant law....

The essence of the Oral Torah is Halakah...[which] teaches the way along which the Jew is required to walk in accordance with the Torah. Halakha is the application of Torah to life. But, since there is no such thing as life in general, since it is always a certain form of life at a specific time in history, in a specific situation, Torah application means application to a specific time in a specific situation. The result of this process I call Halkhic Judaism...." (from the introduction.

"The Torah is all inclusive. It comprehends the entire life of the Jewish people. Halakha, therefore, has to interpret the intention of the Torah for all the areas of Jewish existence, the spiritual, the ethical, the economic, the socio-economic." (Opening words of the first chapter.)

In other words, Rabbi Berkovits tells us that Halacha's (the root of which is Holech - walking - as in walking through our daily lives) job is to help us walk a Torah life, a living Torah's life, based upon the the times in which we live, not based on halacha's paskined two thousand years ago, or even five hundred years ago, or even a hundred years ago. Halacha coalesces with the world around us and allows for us to live in the real world while following a Living Torah's life.

I find this fascinating. I've been thinking for a long time that perhaps the time has come for a new Torah kosher movement within Orthodox Judaism. I'd been loathe to call it Halachic or Halacha Judaism because a lot about Halacha has been bothering me of late (see many previous posts). Don't get me wrong. I follow Halacha. But I also believe Halacha should have coalesced around life as it is lived, not the other way around. Now, however, using Rabbi Berkovits' understanding of the function of Halacha, I think perhaps a new movement could actually be called Halachic Judaism.

More as I continue to read.