"When the non-jews around us increase their anti-semitism, then that is Hashem holding up a mirror to us and showing us that we are not living up to the demands of Jewish unity."
What's the evidence for this statement? I think it's much better to stay on the rational plane in trying to understand antisemitism, using psychology, sociology and so on. The recent exponential increase in antisemitism is clearly related to the Hamas attack and Israel's response to it. By bringing in Hashem and mirrors and whatnot, it just confuses the whole issue. If you want to solve a problem, you look for cause and effect, stimulus and response.
I'm not getting involved in the specifics but your take is not how Judaism tells us to look at things. [Not that we shouldn't also look at the teva aspects on the side but] when tragedy befalls we look inward and do teshuva. This article is focusing on a very nice aspect of teshuva to work on.
My issue is twofold:
1. This article is also finger pointing and everyone should work on their thing. The yeshivish should work on their concern for the plight of the hostages and soldiers, as well as strengthen their torah and tefilah in general; the other side needs to strengthen their own weak points.
2. A caveat should be added that are certain values that even if they are technically subject to a machlokes, they are able to be objective on one side where the other side is unacceptable. Even if you say "they have their rabonim," we can teach that they are wrong. It must be done respectfully and the OP is correct that it shouldn't lead to hatred and fighting, but that doesn't mean everyone has to agree with each other. This means that one side is allowed to teach and preach that the other side is not our way, and it also means them we don't have to support the other side's causes of we don't believe in them. Which is why leaders can tell people that others are wrong, and people should be worked up and feel strongly about their own shitos. But that said, it also needs to be clear that this doesn't lead to hatred c'v.
Looking inward and doing teshuva is always good. And this may be a valid response to tragedies that have no viable remedy, such as the destruction of the Temple and expulsion. But this reaction of looking inward can be quite counterproductive when the problems, and their solutions, are outward.
If I can't stop my car in time and get in an accident, I can certainly look inward for mysterious messages that this may hold, but a far better use of time and effort is to replace my bald tires that caused the accident. THEN maybe I can look inside and say, "What is it about me that led me to believe that driving on bald tires was safe? I need to fix something about me. I need to be more aware of safety, etc."
I don't disagree that we need to look outward as well and do hishtalshalus but if so you're not arguing on the OP at all.
Which you are. "A far better use of time..." and other such statements show that you think the teshuva realm isn't important but it is, and it's more important from a yiddishe standpoint. Surely, you can add, that we must make sure not to ignore the basic teva/hishtalshalus aspect and ignoring that is negligent but that's nothing to do with this article except pointing it out as a caveat lest people take it the wrong way (which they sometimes do)
Yes, I disagree with what I quoted above because it suggests that the principle cause of anti-semitism is Hashem trying to get our attention rather than political and sociological factors among the various human actors that can be analyzed, understood, and addressed. Going to the "Hello Hashem" explanation as the first resort makes it less likely that you will be able to take necessary rational actions.
The Qumranic spelling of ואהבתה לרעכה כמוכה is befitting for an article which argues for lack of material political engagement and instead the seperatist spiritual attitude of מלחמת בני האור ובני החושך 😊
To be fair, both sides are separatist in their own way. The whole idea of Zionism is pretty inherently separatist. The idea that people who are ethnically Jewish cannot survive in any other country even with assimilation and need their own. But maybe that's just a feature of being Jewish, you can't escape from it!
"...nonetheless need to sincerely respect the yeshiva bachur who stays with his learning because...."
Usual deliberate muddle between a 'yeshiva bochur who stays with his learning' and Israeli chareidi society in general.
"When the non-jews around us increase their anti-semitism, then that is Hashem holding up a mirror to us and showing us that we are not living up to the demands of Jewish unity."
What's the evidence for this statement? I think it's much better to stay on the rational plane in trying to understand antisemitism, using psychology, sociology and so on. The recent exponential increase in antisemitism is clearly related to the Hamas attack and Israel's response to it. By bringing in Hashem and mirrors and whatnot, it just confuses the whole issue. If you want to solve a problem, you look for cause and effect, stimulus and response.
I'm not getting involved in the specifics but your take is not how Judaism tells us to look at things. [Not that we shouldn't also look at the teva aspects on the side but] when tragedy befalls we look inward and do teshuva. This article is focusing on a very nice aspect of teshuva to work on.
My issue is twofold:
1. This article is also finger pointing and everyone should work on their thing. The yeshivish should work on their concern for the plight of the hostages and soldiers, as well as strengthen their torah and tefilah in general; the other side needs to strengthen their own weak points.
2. A caveat should be added that are certain values that even if they are technically subject to a machlokes, they are able to be objective on one side where the other side is unacceptable. Even if you say "they have their rabonim," we can teach that they are wrong. It must be done respectfully and the OP is correct that it shouldn't lead to hatred and fighting, but that doesn't mean everyone has to agree with each other. This means that one side is allowed to teach and preach that the other side is not our way, and it also means them we don't have to support the other side's causes of we don't believe in them. Which is why leaders can tell people that others are wrong, and people should be worked up and feel strongly about their own shitos. But that said, it also needs to be clear that this doesn't lead to hatred c'v.
Looking inward and doing teshuva is always good. And this may be a valid response to tragedies that have no viable remedy, such as the destruction of the Temple and expulsion. But this reaction of looking inward can be quite counterproductive when the problems, and their solutions, are outward.
If I can't stop my car in time and get in an accident, I can certainly look inward for mysterious messages that this may hold, but a far better use of time and effort is to replace my bald tires that caused the accident. THEN maybe I can look inside and say, "What is it about me that led me to believe that driving on bald tires was safe? I need to fix something about me. I need to be more aware of safety, etc."
I don't disagree that we need to look outward as well and do hishtalshalus but if so you're not arguing on the OP at all.
Which you are. "A far better use of time..." and other such statements show that you think the teshuva realm isn't important but it is, and it's more important from a yiddishe standpoint. Surely, you can add, that we must make sure not to ignore the basic teva/hishtalshalus aspect and ignoring that is negligent but that's nothing to do with this article except pointing it out as a caveat lest people take it the wrong way (which they sometimes do)
Yes, I disagree with what I quoted above because it suggests that the principle cause of anti-semitism is Hashem trying to get our attention rather than political and sociological factors among the various human actors that can be analyzed, understood, and addressed. Going to the "Hello Hashem" explanation as the first resort makes it less likely that you will be able to take necessary rational actions.
I don't see how that was implied. A caveat is acceptable but your not actually arguing. Either way, have a great shabbos!
Thanks, you too!
I guess that's true, but that's nof really what seperatist means. Seperatist means eschewing engagement with external entities.
Seems there are different definitions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separatism#Types
The Qumranic spelling of ואהבתה לרעכה כמוכה is befitting for an article which argues for lack of material political engagement and instead the seperatist spiritual attitude of מלחמת בני האור ובני החושך 😊
To be fair, both sides are separatist in their own way. The whole idea of Zionism is pretty inherently separatist. The idea that people who are ethnically Jewish cannot survive in any other country even with assimilation and need their own. But maybe that's just a feature of being Jewish, you can't escape from it!