This post began as a response to a commenter on Aztec Queen's guest post.
Personally, I always heard that the Jewish People are supposed to be "the priests unto the nations." Yet, instead Jews have this callous attitude that who cares what they think of us, they're goyim. I also heard that one of our scholar summarized the Torah on one foot as, treat people the way you would want to be treated, "the rest is commentary. Go and learn."
If the Torah's main point is to treat people the way they want to be treated, and our men are expected to be coddled by not having to work under the GUISES of Torah study full time, why is it we have become a generation of thieves and swindlers? When you ask people who've gone BT and gone back off the derech why, they say that the people were clanish and they didn't find a place in the world. Yet the FFBs are always complaining about all the intermarriage or all the people who aren't Orthodox. Why SHOULD anyone not raised Orthodox want to PUSH themselves into a "club" that doesn't want them?
Anonymous commenter says since us women don't learn Torah, we don't understand. Why don't you explain to me? Wait, before you do, I want to ask you to admit that men hate women and the line about women having greater binah is just lip service. If we are exempt from most of the Jewish religion on the basis of being naturally closer to G-d, then why is it that we know nothing?
That, I suppose, though is a side issue. Why is it that those who are supposed to be the most religious don't follow the Torah and then claim that we don't know what the Torah is. WHERE does the Torah say to lie cheat and steal? The people on the right point their finger at the Modern Orthodox and say we're not observant. I argue that the Modern Orthodox ARE the only observant ones. STEALING IS ASSUR D'ORAISA! Yet, who is speaking out othere than bloggers like myself, Harry Maryles and occasionally Heshy Fried?
The LOR's keep spitting out these trite feel good sermon's as their weekly "musar." Then again, it's their rebbes who are doing these things. I would like to see more members of the community challenging others for change. Like Georgie said that real Jews stick together. It's crap. FFBs stick together. I wonder when was the last time Georgie welcomed BTs and converts into her home for a Shabbos meal and made them feel welcomed. I wonder if she's like the vast majority of the community who makes sure we know we're not welcome.
Good post. Alas true about most FFBs.
ReplyDeleteI too took offense at Georgie's sweeping defense of all torah jews, which makes me wonder about the truthfulness of her other statements. However, Georgie who was married does not have her hair covered so she is not frum, maybe not orthodox. But her bread and butter is selling sheitels to frum women.
For more on such frum shenanigans see my post: "Being Frum Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry." http://wp.me/pFbfD-pL
As the child of converts, educated in the "system", etc, etc, who is no longer frum, I look around and ask the same thing......why in the world would anyone want in this "club"...dare I say cult?
ReplyDeleteYea, yea - I get the pat "but frumkeit is so beautiful" crap. Maybe it is. Ive seen a few sincere ffbs and bts. Very few - and the majority of *those* people have that glazed-over-had-too-much-koolaide look in their eyes, which is neither spiritual nor inspiring.
So I anxiously await an answer to the "why???" question as well.
Although, more than likely, the answer will be something along the line of, "Gosh - that's so goyish to ask that in the first place..."
I could have fun with your entire post, but it would take too long and I don't have the patience. The one point I will make is that you're saying that Modern Orthodox Jews "ARE the only observant ones." You're saying that FFBs steal and transgress Issurei D'oraisa, how about tznius? Are none of those Issurei D'oraisa? Negiah when she's a niddah? Etc. Etc. Etc.
ReplyDeleteUgh, I can't help it. Your comparison makes no sense. Did you mean to compare right-wing people to Modern Orthodox? Because there are plenty of MO's who are FFB. So making that sort of generalization is completely nonsensical because you're including your "own kind."
As I said, I could go on, but the whole post makes no sense so I won't bother.
Yep, some of my post doesn't makes sense, you're right. I just finished my last final. I'll rewrite it later.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly upsets me when I see frum people not acting appropriate. However, I have a strong belief in G-d and try not to let other peoples actions influence how I view my religion. I live my life with the following creed: G-d and the Torah are perfect.....man is not.
ReplyDelete"How has she become a harlot, that faithful city? I filled her with justice, righteousness would reside in her; but now, murderers!"
ReplyDeletePowerful words....from the mouth of Yeshayahu Hanavi (First Perek)
Michal, you haven't stumbled on any new perfidy being done by jews in this generation. Neviim were already taking us to task for our misdeeds nearly three millenia ago.
So, what is your average jew to do? How to survive in a leaderless, free-for-all generation?
I've made this comment before: getting all bent out of shape about it doesn't really lead to positive energy. Most blogs, along with their loads of good info, lead us down a path of terrible negativity.
(Recent People's Court issue is a great example...there's no way to know from the clip what's really going on. Yet, many jumped on the "off with their heads" bandwagon.)
Instead, maybe we all need to fine tune ourselves first. One little step at a time.
It's easier to criticize others, I know, but that's not really going to change anything. Like the old saying goes, travel the world, and the only person we find we can change is...ourselves.
Daniel