Is it okay to be a hypocrite?

Is it okay to be a hypocrite?

By Moshe Goldman

Dear Chabad.org,

I feel funny wearing tzitzit when I drive to Shul on Shabbat. My rabbi says I shouldn't take them off, but it seems so hypocritical.

–J. Hyde

Dear J,

We humans are full of paradox and contradiction – starting from the fact that our very existence is a marriage of opposites: a composite of body and soul, spirituality and corporeality. The paradox is further compounded because even our spiritual side is itself in schism: We have two souls, two personalities inside us: a transcendent Divine soul and an earthly animalistic soul. The rest…well, you're experiencing it right now.

So if we wouldn't make a move until every part of us is in synch, we would never get out of bed in the morning. We would be forever depressed about our hypocrisy. The key is realizing that we were created by G‑d with a paradoxical, contradictory nature, and that our mission is not to be perfect. Rather, we have to do the best we can at any given moment to ensure that our Divine soul is the one calling the shots. (And if it ever so happens that the animal soul calls the shots, as soon as we come to our senses we resolve to be stronger and we continue battling).

Truthfully, this is not called hypocrisy. It's called being inconsistent. And the only person who is consistent is the one six feet under.

That is why your rabbi is right. Every Mitzvah you do has value independent of what's happening with the rest of your life/body/family etc. Why should something you refrain from doing something good just because you are not yet perfect?

Between me and you, the ultimate resolution of this issue is not to drive on Shabbat…G‑d willing, you will be ready to take that step eventually.

If the tzitzit bother you because of false impressions you feel you may be giving, you can tuck them into your pocket after services.

Take care, and it really is all about doing one more Mitzvah.

–Moishy Goldman for Chabad.org

 http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/709030/jewish/Is-it-okay-to-be-a-hypocrite.htm

 

Healing the rift in Orthodoxy

Healing the rift within Orthodoxy
Jul. 22, 2008
Michael Freund, THE JERUSALEM POST

It's summer time, and Tisha Be'av, when Jews mourn the destruction of
the Temple in Jerusalem, is less than three weeks away.

Normally during this period, religious Jews tend to focus on themes
relating to the need for greater Jewish unity, in line with the
talmudic statement that it was the very absence of such cohesion which
led to our destruction and exile some two millennia ago.

But these aren't normal days – far from it – and the mercury in the
thermometer isn't the only thing heating up.

Ever since the conversion crisis erupted nearly three months, the war
of words between religious Zionists and haredim has grown increasingly
fiery, threatening to drive a stake right through the heart of
Orthodox Jewry.

Indeed, one of the consequences of the ruling by the haredi-dominated
Rabbinical High Court retroactively annulling conversions performed by
religious Zionist Rabbi Haim Druckman was to swing open the floodgates
of hateful intra-Orthodox rhetoric.

Spokesmen for both sides quickly manned the barricades, and wasted
little time hurling insults and invective at each other.

On May 7, for example, Bar-Ilan University's Dr. Asher Cohen wrote an
article in Makor Rishon comparing the Lithuanian branch of haredi
Orthodoxy to the murderous Taliban in Afghanistan, and decried what he
described as "haredi halachic Bolshevism."

Is this the language of respectful discourse? The haredi media was no
less discourteous in its approach. The daily Yated Ne'eman, in its
reporting on the controversy, repeatedly refused to use the title
"rabbi" when referring to Druckman.

And on May 25, the editorial in the haredi daily Hamodia denounced
Druckman's conversions in harsh terms, belittling them as "one big act
of clowning."

These are just a few choice pearls of the cruel and undignified
attacks that have been launched by both sides against one another in a
decidedly unspiritual-like display of deprecation.

Even normally cooler heads have started to join the fray, as a growing
number of moderate religious Zionist rabbis speak openly of "freeing
Israel" from "ultra-Orthodox hegemony".

As an Orthodox Jew, I find this clash deeply troubling.

WHILE THE dispute between the two camps pre-dates the establishment of
the state, driven by ideological differences over Zionism, events in
recent years have further heightened the discord.

Disagreements over how to oppose the 2005 Gaza withdrawal, and
controversy surrounding the observance of shmita, brought to the fore
a sense of loathing and even hate that simply has no place in a
spiritually-oriented community.

Frankly speaking, this is not the Torah way.

And if cooler heads don't prevail, and soon, it could cause lasting
damage to the inner fabric of Orthodox Jewry, potentially tearing the
community apart.

The dangers inherent in such a split are obvious. As it stands now,
Orthodox Jews are a minority among world Jewry, and there is nothing
to be gained by a division among the ranks.

Moreover, so much of what Orthodox Jewry believes in, from traditional
values to public decency, is currently under assault. Can we really
afford to be expending valuable time and energy excoriating one
another when everything we hold dear is under attack? We must find a
way to mend the schism within Orthodoxy.

• Step number one in healing the rift: tone down the rhetoric and turn
up the respect.

After all, on nearly all the major theological issues, from the
centrality of Torah to the primacy of Halacha, we basically agree with
one another. Sure, there are differences, and they are far from
insignificant, but personal attacks and insults, public humiliation
and disgrace, must be banished once and for all from our civil discourse.

• Step number two is surprisingly simple: create an exchange program
between religious Zionist and haredi yeshivot. Once a month, on every
Rosh Hodesh, students from religious Zionist and haredi academies
should get together and study Torah and Talmud.

Let them pore over biblical passages in unison, grapple with the
complexities of the medieval Tosafists and stretch their minds
together trying to figure out the meaning of Maimonides. That
experience alone would generate newfound mutual respect on both sides,
and would regularly serve to underline just how much the Torah can
bring us together.

It would also tear down the prejudice and preconceived notions that
prevail, and in communities that value scholarship, no one could
possibly object to the simple act of learning and studying together.

• Step number three: bring pressure to bear on public figures in the
religious Zionist and haredi worlds to take active steps towards
forging greater unity.

These can include organizing annual summits of leading rabbis from the
various streams of Orthodoxy, the issuance of joint declarations, and
the publication of compilations of halachic works by both Zionist and
haredi rabbis.

JEWISH HISTORY is replete with heated disputes. But now especially, as
Tisha Be'av nears, and the embers of the conversion crisis continue to
burn, Orthodoxy's varied adherents would do well to recall the words
of Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, the famed Netziv of Volozhin. In
his introduction to the book of Genesis, he cites one overriding
reason to explain why the generation that endured the destruction of
Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans warranted such punishment nearly
20 centuries ago.

"Due to the baseless hatred in their hearts towards each other," the
Netziv wrote, "they suspected that those who disagreed with them on
religious matters were Sadducees or heretics. This brought them to
misguided bloodshed and many other evils until the Temple was destroyed."

At this critical point in our nation's saga, it should be clear, we
can ill afford to replicate that fatal mistake.

Watch this space: The next Godal Ha-dor

Rav Asher Weiss in my personal opinion is an up and coming star who definitely will make it to the top tier of the gedolim hierarchy. And he deserves it. Listen to this shiur entitled "Ask the Posek"  at the Young Israel of Century City. Fantastic! As R'Steve Brizel said in his audio roundup , "OK, I admit it, I’m a big fan. This shiur, in English, once again demonstrates you can have gadlus, humanity and a dry sense of humor."

Future Temple Jewish Priests Get Fitted For Holy Garments


As the Jewish People continue their national return to their ancient homeland, tailors at the Temple Institute in Jerusalem’s Old City began taking measurements of Kohanim (the priestly tribe destined to run the Temple services) earlier this month in anticipation of an even bigger event — the dedication of the Third Temple.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/126721

A religious experience…

There is song by the Australian band “Youth Group” entitled “Forever Young”. You can see the Youtube video below:

 

You can find the lyrics here

The song is a moving, yet depressing expression of existentialistic angst over our  temporal existence:

Some are like water, some are like the heat
Some are a melody and some are the beat
Sooner or later they all will be gone
why don’t they stay youngIt’s so hard to get old without a cause
I don’t want to perish like a fleeing horse
Youth’s like diamonds in the sun
and diamonds are forever

Songs like this make you reflect on your own life and contemplate where is it all going…. You wonder whether anything you experience truly lasts, is not everything ultimately futile and fleeting?

In mid thought over this issue, I went to go read my email and the first email that came up was the following:

Without End
By Tzvi Freeman

Ask the wise men of many cultures, and they will tell you that all is temporal, all will pass, there is nothing in this world to cling to, only to transcend.

Ask a sage of the Torah and he will tell you it is not true. The vanities of time, the failures of life, they all pass as clouds on a windy day, but truth lives forever.

This is the meaning of the thirteenth of the thirteen principles of our faith, the belief that those who lived true lives will live again, in a real and corporeal way. It is a rejection of temporalism, a confirmation that there are things in the world that really matter, that have endless meaning and absolute purpose.

Whenever a G-dly act is performed, all involved are elevated beyond time. Save a life–you are Noah saving the entire world. Feed weary travelers–they are the angels coming to visit Abraham and Sarah. And Abraham and Sarah are hosting them with you.

In fact, all those who had truth in their lives are here with us today. It is only that we are so much a part of this river of time, we cannot lift our heads to see above it.

Only when the falseness of the world will be ripped away and all is elevated to a place of truth, then we shall all see each other, together once again.

That my friends is a religious experience….

Discussion on Facebook: TIDE

R'YGB has started an interesting group on Facebook entitled "TIDE".  There is a discussion thread that I have created entitled "What is included in the rubric of Derech Eretz". Here is a snapshot of the conversation so far.

As an aside, if any of the readers of this blog would like to add me on Facebook, please feel free to do so. Just send me a message saying you are are a reader of my blog. Respond to this thread here, or online on the Facebook group.


Rael wrote:

In contrast to the time of R’Hirsch whose world was permeated by humanistic poetry, philosophy and art (ie Friedrich Schiller) , content which could be included in a torah framework, I struggle to define what should / could be included in DE today.

In a world inundated by erotic imagery, foul language and unrestrictive morals, what can the contemporary world of culture contribute to a torah lifestyle?

A couple of questions to elicit some debate:

1)What room does contemporary music, film and literature have in a torah lifestyle. What are the criteria for inclusion?

2) In the marketplace of commerce and ideas, where woman and men are equal contributors, how can a torah lifestyle allow for the inevitable interaction between the sexes and the halachic difficulties (think kol isha, erva, etc)

Looking forward to some responses

Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer wrote 9 hours ago:

I'm also looking forward to see responses. These are core issues.

Rael wrote:

From Rabbi Danziger's review of R'Elias translation of the 19 Letters
http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/Danziger.pdf

Concerning the danger of exposure to today's permissive culture, the point of Rabbi Elias is well-taken, but is the solution "isolating oneself", as he suggests? Today, real isolation is not pssible. We are face wit ha situation "where there is no alternate road" (leak darka acharisa) and its resultant oness (unavoidable exposure), as explained in Bava Basra 57B. To quote Rav Breuer again "Rav Hirsch and the proponents of his ideology were fully aware that their approach to Jewish education and professional training would also claim victims. They regretted this deeply, but they saw no other way… How many victims may have been claimed by the rejection of the Torah im Derech Eretz ideology? Every system claims victims.

Rabbi Elias suggest that we isolate ourselves and "forgot about any mission to the nations" as though the Torah im Derech Eretz ideology invented that mission. Hashem imposed that mission on us when he gave us his Torah. "I… have set thee… for a light of the nations" (Isaiah 42:6) is not something that we may choose to forget. It is the Divine definition of the place of the Torah people in the world.

Moreover, the "Torah only" isolation that Rabbi Elias suggests as a means of solving problems caused by Torah im Derech Ertetz creates problems of its own. Isolation limits our skills of communication and our opportunities for Kiddush Hashem as representatives of Torah Judaism. "Torah Only" isolation also result in economic problems that give rise to other religious dilemmas no less severe than those faced by the adherents of Torah im Derech Eretz.

Rael wrote:

My takeout from the above is that world we live in demands unfortunate concessions. Some of these concessions require exposure to licentiousness. I think some halachic guidlines are in order here.

Trivial example: Can we read the daily newspaper when every second page is full of half naked celebrities or crude advertisements?

Can one use Facebook when the same advertising problems occur?

What of the halacha (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 152:8 that states, "He who gazes, even at the small finger of a woman in order to enjoy its sight, commits a very grave sin."?)

These issues may be trivial, but if you think through it clearly, this issue is one of the major impediments to engagement of the world of DE. It is also one of the prime reasons for such vehement opposition to this approach bizman hazeh.

Can we truly blame people for wanting to "hide in noahs ark"?

In honour of Gimmel Tammuz

http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/drmlnk/il80win10091/JEM_3_Tammuz_5768drm.wmv/3529-play.asx

Korach and John Lennon

Korach and John Lennon
The Father of Spiritual Anarchy
 
By Yosef Y. Jacobson
 
Wise or Boorish?
 
Every folly has its kernel of truth. Every idea has a spark, a “melody.” It is just that you may be singing the right song at the wrong time, or conversely, the right song at the wrong time.
 
This is true concerning the tragic mutiny of Korach, described in this week’s Torah portion (Korach, Numbers chapter 16), the man who staged a rebellion against Moses and Aron, chosen by the Almighty to serve respectfully as the Prophet and as the High Priest of Israel?
 
“Korah was clever,” the rabbis declare, “so why did he commit such a folly”? The Rabbis were wondering, what propelled the wise Korach to declare war against Moses and Aron.
 
Their question is intriguing. How did the rabbis know that Korach was clever? Never has this person or his wisdom been mentioned in the Torah before? Whence the certainty that Korach was a wise man?
 
The answer, of course, is that the rabbis discerned the wisdom of Korach from this very incident. The very mutiny of Korach against the authority of Moses and Aron, demonstrate profound perception.
 
But why? On the surface, the mutiny seems to be a symptom of good old jealousy, of an unbridled ego craving power and fame.
 
No Distinctions
 
Korach challenged the authority of Moses and Aron, and the very structure of the community of Israel as ordained by G-d. But the principle behind his arguments was profound, and on one level, the ambition that fired his deeds was laudable.
 
“The entire community is holy,” argued Korach to Moses and Aaron in this week’s portion, “and G-d is within them. Why do you exalt yourselves above the community of G-d?”
 
These are powerful words. They resonate to many a mind. G-d is within each and every person. Why does anybody consider themselves spiritually superior to anybody else? Holiness, truth, grace, depth, integrity and transcendence are imbedded in each and every heart; the light of G-d can be found within me and within you. Within every pulsating heart flows the spiritual light, so why is Moses telling people what G-d wants? Why is Aron serving as the exclusive High Priest of G-d?
 
Why does a Jew need Moses to teach him the word of G-d and Aaron to perform the service in the Holy Temple in his stead, when he himself possesses a soul that is a spark of the divine flame? Why can’t he realize his relationship with G-d on his own, without teachers, leaders and priests in his spiritual life?
 
Korach is the father of spiritual anarchy. Korach argues against all forms of spiritual authority and leadership, and against any proscribed role in the spiritual community. Korach aspires to create a society free from distinctions, borders and categories. We are all divine, and hence we are all one.
 
Imagine there was no Moses, no Aron, no Sanctuary, no Kohanites, Levites or Israelites, and no religious authorities too… And the Jews would live as one.
 
And then from the Jews, Korach believed, the holistic energy-flow would travel to all mankind. And the world would live as one.
 
Korach’s message – let us confess — touches a deep cord in us. There is something about his vision that resonated deeply in our hearts. This is because Korach was dead right (which is why the Torah wants us to know about his ideology.)
 
But he was also dead wrong.
 
From Unity to Multiplicity and Back
 
We all come from one source. All of us originate in the “womb” of G-d, so to speak, where we are indeed singular. Before creation, there was only undefined unity. There were no borders, definitions or distinctions. No heaven, no earth and no countries. No teachers and students. All of us were submerged in the singular unity of the Endless Light.
 
On our deepest level, we crave to recreate this wholesomeness in our lives. We yearn for our egos to melt away in the singularity of existence. Remember the sense of ecstasy you felt in the good old times sitting with your friends in middle of the night, playing the music. There was no you or I; only the music.
 
Each of us, in our own way, pines to go back to that pre-creation paradigm of unity. We want to imagine that were never created.
 
But created we were…
 
The idea that all souls are the same was Korach’s mistake, and it is one of the mistakes of modern new-age spirituality. We are so used to thinking that definitions create barriers, and barriers cause hatred. We are convinced that to be spiritual means to have no borders.
 
But creation was the act of making borders. From unity came multiplicity. From a single undefined G-d, came an infinitely complex and diverse universe. Diversity is sown into the very fabric of existence. No two flakes of snow are alike; no two people are alike. There are tens of millions of different species of plants and animals in our world. And there are the inherent divisions between people, such as male and female, body and soul, and the specific divisions into nations, cultures and individuals.
 
Why did G-d create multiplicity? Because the deepest unity is the unity found within diversity. If we are all the same, unity is no achievement. In origin and essence, all is one. But an even deeper unity is achieved when differentiations and demarcations are imposed upon the primordial oneness, and its component parts are each given a distinct role in creations symphonious expression of the singular essence of its Creator. Like notes in a ballad, each of us represents a unique and distinct note, and together we recreate the symphony, not by singing the same note, but by expressing our individual note as an indispensible part of the song.
 
For the unity of humankind we need one G-d; but for G-d's unity to be complete we need human diversity, each individual fulfilling his or her role in existence, sharing with others their unique contribution, and learning from others the wisdom they lack on their own.
 
This is true on a political and sociological level as well. Many people believe that worldwide anarchy could lead to worldwide peace. Anarchy is certainly possible, but it is never peaceful, because conflict in the world is not the result of the division of our planet into countries and cultures. Conflict is the result of the truth that there exist inherent difference between peoples and then these difference compete, conflict is born. Therefore, our role as humans is not to deny that there are distinctions, but rather to create those types of borders and boundaries that will foster respect, unity and love within the inherent diversity of mankind.
 
Fusion
 
The Chabad school of Jewish spirituality takes it a step deeper.
 
G-d can’t be defined by unity or by multiplicity. Just as He transcends plurality, He also transcends unity. Therefore, it is only through the fusion of unity and multiplicity – through a place which transcends both of them — that we can connect to the true undefined essence of G-d.
 
If you choose unity and “worship” it, you are clinging to one aspect of G-. Conversely, if you embrace the ethos multiplicity, you are acknowledging another aspect of G-d. Only in the fusion of the two, only in discovering the unity within multiplicity, and the multiplicity within the unity, do you touch the undefined essence of G-d, which transcends and integrates all-ness and oneness, where nothingness and something-ness are one.
 
Swallowed and Consumed
 
Korach and his colleagues were swallowed by the earth. The 250 leaders of Israel that joined his mutiny were consumed by a flame. This is a psychological description of what happened to many an idealist who attempted to live by Lennon’s Imagine and imagination. It occurred to a whole generation of young passionate and beautiful Americans who worshipped and romanticized unity at the expense of all forms of authority, borders and distinctions.
 
The harsh, competitive reality of earth “swallowed” up much of their young idealism and selflessness. Their passion ascended in the flames of time, as they themselves were absorbed by the self-serving and egocentric demands of planet earth. From beneath the crust of the earth we can still recognize stretched out arms, silently asking the question, what happened to all of the love?
(This essay is based on an address by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1957 and 1971, published in Likkutei Sichot, vol. 18 pp. 202-211).

A great portrait of the Netziv

(hat tip: http://onthemainline.blogspot.com/)

Is this the end of Torah im Derech Eretz?

Controversial moments at Rav S R Hirsch memorial celebration.