Contemporary Religious Insanity Comments

Rabbi Goldman

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:59:49 +0000

Morah Yehudis thank you for the heartfelt and inspiring story. I did not add this to the original article but I believe the issue of evaluating and choosing between a variety of values is something we all face in varying aspects of our lives and as well something we all err in. The example in Bet Shemesh is just an extreme example but much of life confronts us with choices of which value to actualize in a given situation and it requires much attention and reflection to make the best choices. This is not just true individually but also communally.

morah

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:57:13 +0000

Very clear, impassioned, and well reasoned article. Yasher Kochacha. IMHO authentic Judaism is continually about evaluating and deciding between clashing principles and choices. This, I understand, will also be true in the Messianic age, and therefore even when the world will exist in a 'Gan Eden' consciousness,and there will be no 'evil inclination' as we know it now, life will not be boring. It will still take all our knowledge and intelligence to make the wisest choice in any given situation. The etiology of a contrasting 'ultra-orthodox position such as Chabad which you refer to, is illustrated by a Chassidic story from this week's parsha-Mishpatim, in the context of the mitzvah of giving a loan to the needy: The third Chabad Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, used to receive after-life visitations from his grandfather, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the first Chabad Rebbe. When the grandson would have questions about Torah, his Zeide would help clarify the issues. Once however, the grandfather stopped coming. Meanwhile, one morning- which happened to be the town's market day, the young man was on his way to prayer services, when a poor man accosted him begging for a loan, so that he could purchase some merchandise. The rabbi said that he had left his money at home, and would miss the minyan if he went home to get the money. So he told the indigent man that he would give it to him later. However, the man's face sunk in disappointment, saying that by that time it would be too late; the good merchandise would be gone. The rabbi weighed his options and decided to go home then and there, even if he missed the minyan. When he returned to the marketplace, it took quite a while to find the poor man but finally he did. By the time he got to shul, it was empty so he had to pray alone. When he returned home, his grandfather appeared to him, after a long hiatus, and clarified his Torah questions. The grandson asked why he returned on that particular day. His Zeide replied the following: (wording is mine from a song I wrote in a play I put on with the Boulder Jewish Day School a few years ago) 'He who gives his friend with all his heart, from a feeling deep inside, he is showered with many powers, for him, all the gates of heaven are opened wide.' 'religious sanity, and inspiring not just other Jews, but all of humanity.

TMAY101

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:32:33 +0000

Those religiously insane were kicked out of Mea Shearim and they moved to Beit Shemesh and Beit Shemesh does not want them.The orthodox women in response to the actions of this man did a demonstration of the exercise of their rights by dancing together in the village square, findable on Youtube: "Official Beit Shemesh Women Flashmob". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZd0kLWP01c It is said that making people think less of God is breaking the commandment of "Don't take God's name in vain." It seems to me that these men are breaking this commandment out of the 10. They are also breaking the rule of loving-kindness.They are also breaking the rule of "walking humbly" since they refuse to learn from the rabbis who tell them they are doing wrong, and thereby are exhibiting arrogance. They must have a bad teacher.