Shabbat Shalom

Photo: Chabad

ד. אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְמִצְרָיִם וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים וָאָבִא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָי:

4. You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and [how] I bore you on eagles' wings, and I brought you to Me.

B"H

I was planning to write more but simply didn't have the time. At least I prepared an article about the chassidic GARTEL (belt) which I am going to put into the blog next week.


As everyone knows, about four weeks ago, I met the Gur runaway Sarah Einfeld and wrote about her. Right afterwards, the Israeli private channel YES broadcasted the movie "Leaving the Fold" describing five runaways from haredi society. If you saw the movie you may have noticed the Israeli girl from Batei Hungarin (an extreme backyard in Mea Shearim). When I published the Sarah Einfeld article on my Hebrew blog, some readers were actually complaining, as they would like to know more about the runaway from Batei Hungarin and not from Gur. Israeli Haredim know that one from Batei Hungarin has more to say than someone from Gur in Ashdod.


So, I sent an e - mail to the makers of "Leaving the Fold" and I got a quick reply. They would not give out any private names of the participants but, instead, I could get the requested information about the name of the girl from "Hillel".


"Hillel" is an Israeli organization where haredi runaways find all kinds of support. Basically I am against "Hillel", as their goal is obviously to turn those people into totally secular Jews. However, not everyone leaving haredi society wants to become only secular or break with the entire society. I think, and I said this before, a compromise with the parents is always more positive than breaking away without contact.


Nevertheless, what I am going to do is sending an e - mail to "Hillel" and we will see if I ever find the girl. If not, there are more runaways and I would really like to interview some ex - members from Mea Shearim.


Leaving haredi society doesn't always mean leaving religion and thus, we come to Parashat Yitro. I find it an amazing that Moshe listened to his father - in - law concerning setting up courts and judges. With G - d's approval.


Rabbi Bachya ibn Pakuda wrote in his book "The Duties of the Heart" that we should accept G - d "wholehearted" and this does involve our hearts and lips. Meaning that one's deeds many times differ from his words. The true acceptance of G - d is when you do what you say and not when you say something so terribly frum and righteous but just behave the opposite way.


I have seen this with many "frum" (they regard themselves as frum) Jews. Preaching about Mitzvot, Halacha, rebuking others how they are supposed to behave but they themselves behave even worse than those they accuse.


"Shabbat Shalom - Gut Schabbes" to all of you !


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Please note: The Toldot Avraham Yitzchak Rebbe will be in Beit Shemesh this Shabbat and NOT in Jerusalem !