B"H
There are things in religious society which really cause me to freak. And yesterday was another moment when I almost blew up.
I came into our bakery and overheard a short conversation with some religious female employees. One of them told me that she had been to the funeral of the Chabad couple (Gabriel and Rivka Holzberg z"l) and she continued with mentioning "Lashon HaRah - idle gossip".
"What does Lashon HaRah have to do with the funeral ?" I asked.
"Well, she replied, it is all because of Lashon HaRah. All the Jewish suffering, everything. We have to do Teshuva."
I don't know if this is another typical Sephardi idea. Sephardic Jews are very much into handing out red ribbons in order to prevent the "Evil Eye - Ayin HaRah" from someone. Furthermore, their Rabbis (but also Ashkenazi rabbis) announce from time to time that Jews not checking their Mezuzot or Tefillin may cause personal catastrophes. If there is one letter missing or half disappearing, the Mezuza or the Tefillin is not kosher anymore. It is the Mitzwah of every Jew taking care that these items have to be checked from time to time. If not, who knows what is going to happen to the household.
Now the whole terror attack or the killings in the "Chabad House" just took place due to Lashon HaRah. Don't ask me where this was announced or which Rabbi decided so.
I said to the two Sephardic female workers that no one knows why things happen in this world; only G - d knows everything. We humans tend to make guesses as soon as their are incidents we are unable to grasp. Then we immediately start looking for solutions or explanations.
Why can't we just let it go ? It happened and, obviously, G - d had His reasons. Why do I have to invent a reason in order to understand tragedies ? Doesn't it bother people when suddenly some ideas appear of "I don't know what" rabbis ? How do they know G - d's reason ? Have they ever received His confirmation for such individual speculations ?
Sorry, but it is making me just sick when I hear such conclusions.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
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The Gemara lists a reason for the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash was Lashon Hora. Its not our place to decide what events cause other events. Tragedy Chasve Shalom or Simcha. Still, it doesnt rule out that as the reason.
ReplyDeletePeople take Lashon Hora very lightly and its a shame when Sages generation after generation speak out in speech, in sefer, and in action how damaging Lashon Hora is for Klal Yisroel.
Irony is that they were speaking Lashon Hora themselves.
B"H
ReplyDeleteI don't think that our generation is able to stipulate why certain events happen. During Temple times, people were still on a higher level but today, everything seems to be out of control.
And even if, it is totally unnecessary that a rabbi is telling parents that their child died in a traffic accident because the parents didn't check their Mezuza.
This incident really happened in Israel a few years ago.
The Gemara says that when a tragedy happens to Klal Yisroel we are able to figure out why. When a tragedy happens to specific Jews we are not able to or should even try to.
ReplyDeleteIt is absolutely evil for anyone to speak Lashon Hora saying that reason A caused the torture and murder of six beautiful neshamot.
However the weakness of our generation does not prevent us from looking into the Torah written and oral to figure out why we as Jews are in the mess we are.
I think my drive to comment on this initially was a theme on your blog over the past few month that involves a complete disregard for the Prohibition of speaking Lashon Hora and the Halachas surrounding it.
http://www.torah.org/learning/halashon/
B"H
ReplyDeleteYes, we know that already. Everyone is so evil and talking Lashon Harah. Only you are so holy.
Why are you still reading this blog and cause yourself such an spiritual impurity ?
I never once claimed to be holy, or that I am not guilty of Lashon Hora.
ReplyDeleteIn fact you can read from my own blog the many faults of the Long Beach Chasid. You should just go click over oh wait. you took down my link.
I read your blog to see whats going on in the holy land.
Ive read your blog for some time now and always enjoyed reading the many positive things going on.
As of late your blogs have been very negative, critical, and lacking positive attributes.
My comments reflect that. If there is something positive I note it. Just like you always say that you arent going to just say all the positives and you are going to point out the negativity and that the Frum world isnt all that great and perfect. Well I will do the same to your blog unless you stop me from doing so.
I guess I come back to hope that you will begin writing articles that got me reading your blog everyday in the first place.
B"H
ReplyDeleteYou just don't seem to get it. The religious world is not always positive and not always holy or whatever. There are negative things as well and I am a person who isn't just getting carried away.
Maybe you only have positive experiences or are surrounded by great people; other people's reality or point of view, however, can be very different.
No. Its you that sadly doesnt get it.
ReplyDeleteThere are many negative aspects of frum society and humanity in general. This does not negate the fact that there are also many positives.
I dont have a problem with the negative. I have a problem with the lack of positive. Not one of your posts has an absense of negative.
My blog reflects my surrounding and I feel it is an accurate representation of the postive and negative aspects of Frum Society in my community. When i do write about negative issues I usually try to provide a solution I feel would help change the problem into a postive.
You blog just seems to be a soap box complaint blog now. Im sorry you are having such a bad time.
Chassidus teaches "Think good and it will be good"
B"H
ReplyDeleteI am not having a bad time at all.
Soap box ?
Well, I think the Haredim I know are much worse. The haredi forums are even worse than personal experiences. However, men are much worse than women, in this respect. The same applies to the haredi world.
So, we are all sopa boxes. Especially the Belz guy who always gossips me about Machnovke.:-)))) Or Gur always gossiping about Porush. Or ..., the list is endless.
Making excuses for your own negativity by saying other people are negative just brings more negative.
ReplyDeleteThere are many positives to be reflected upon in America, im sorry the holy land of Israel lacks those.
What are Chassidim doing on the internet anyway isnt it Assur for Ger to be online?
B"H
ReplyDeleteI am not looking for excuses but just being realistic.
The Gerrer Rebbe forbade the Internet for his Chassidim. However, also here, private reality shows something else and many Gerrer use the Internet. Unanymously.