Allenby Street in Downtown Tel Aviv
Photo: Miriam Woelke
B"H
A national religious blog used the expression "Tel Aviv - like". It doesn't matter in what context and I didn't even pay too much attention. Alone the expression "Tel Aviv - like" drove me mad.
Excuse me, what is "Tel Aviv - like" ?
For many religious Jews in Israel our city means Sodom and Gomorrha. People living in Tel Aviv are mainly secular, don't keep the Torah, have an empty life, as there is no Torah. People in Tel Aviv are leftists, support an Arab State, are homosexuals and eat pork.
My question is: When was the last time you have lived in Tel Aviv for more than a year in order to make such a claim ? Do you know this city at all besides passing through ?
The day before yesterday a colleague asked me at work why religious people from JERUSALEM like to come to Tel Aviv, forget about their Frumkeit (being frum) and behave like a pig ? "I don't trust religious Jews coming to Tel Aviv" - were the words of my colleague.
Many religious Jews always complain about Tel Aviv but who actually knows about the complains of the people from Tel Aviv. Since I have been living here, I have realized more than once that those Tel Aviv claims are correct.
Many religious Jews coming to Tel Aviv have only one goal: Leaving their religious pressure life at home and enjoying some time in "freedom". Lets look at many Yeshiva guys (I just saw some black Kipot today) laying at the beach. Not the religious gender separated beach but the regular beach.
Just look at those religious people (mainly guys) coming to Tel Aviv in order to go to a prostitute, pub, use drugs or whatever.
Who else but me can understand what it means to live in a haredi society where society pressure is all over the place ? The neighbours, the parents, the friends, the Rabbis, anything. A human being needs a balance and has to get out sometimes. However, running to Tel Aviv, doing whatever and then going back and giving a Drasha on Shabbat how bad the people in Tel Aviv are ...
How about looking at yourself first instead of pointing your finger at everyone else ? And this doesn't only include Haredim but especially the national religious. Getting out of your settlement and searching for some Tel Aviv fun ? This is definitely not Tel Aviv - like, as the Tel Avivim are just looking down on you.
My colleague said that he doesn't understand why religious people need to run to Tel Aviv and do whatever when they are so religious. So, why do you ?
i'm not in this situation, but as you can imagine, people s/ts need an outlet. And while I'm not here to condone it, it's an historical fact. for example, see the gemarah about wrapping oneself in black and going to a far away town for a prostitute.
ReplyDeletein israel, TA is the best fit ;)
But they want to follow the gemarah and go far away.
ReplyDeletePlus, a lot more religious in Jerusalem, people may recognize.
Truth be told, I'm now out late at night, but I recall there being more sleazy areas in TA.
On a separate note, why do you think R. Machlis doesn't kick out the missionaries? Afraid of 'making a scene'?
B'H
ReplyDeleteI have already explain that the aforementioned Gemarah is NOT a permission to commit a sin, but an advice how to delay the performance of a sin, because meanwhile, between the moment you change your clothes, put your hat and decide to travel somewhere nobody knows you, there is a chance that your desire to sin will disappear or be calm down. This is a practical general message for us: when you feel a desire to sin, try to occupy yourself with other activities. For instance, if you have a bad thought, replace it with a holy thought. When you are at home with a computer with no Internet supervision and suddenly you have a thought to visit non-Kosher websites, raise up and go for a walk. After your walk, maybe your desire to sin will have been calm down. The message: try to be constantly active when you have a desire to sin.
B'H
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, going to prostitutes is forbidden by Torah Law. There is no such a thing as an "heter" to visit prostitutes. Those "Rabbis" who are giving heterim for such activities are no Rabbis at all. I wouldn't trust them or ask Halachik questions to them.
B"H
ReplyDeleteRabbi Machlis very much refrains from throwing out anyone, as it is just not his mentality. He wants to see the good in people and starts trying to explain.
Lets say, a Christian missionary is coming to his house on Shabbat and trying to make a speech. Then the Rabbi interrupts him and starts explaining why Judaism is the true religion. The missionary can accept it, leave by himself or continue his ways. However, he must shut up and is not allowed to continue prostelyzing !
Rabbi Machlis does throw out those people who become violent and start beating or throwing things.
Those people are called hypocrites, not religious. Religion is coming from inside, not from outside pressure. Rules are to help, they help to keep your integrity. The same way a ballustrade keeps you from falling down.
ReplyDelete