-
Very appropriate that I came across this blog on tisha BAv. The question I have for you is when you will face Hashem will Hashem say you helped Moshiach come sooner or you were part of the Tishah BAv problem of sinas chinom etc. and delayed the Geula. In your heart I hope you have an honest answer and you will close down this hateful site before it is too late to fix the damage you are doing.
-
I agree with the comment that this is adding to sinas chinom and machlokos. I urge the blogger of "Daas Torah" to realize that this blog is against "Daas Torah".
The above comments need to be addressed. They are accusing me of producing sinas chinom and increasing machlokess. Both of them presuppose that if I didn't have this discussion on my blog there would be more peace and ahavas Yisroel in the world. That Lubavitchers and non-Lubavitchers would have greater love for each other if they didn't communicate with each other.
I strongly disagree with that assertion. In fact it is obvious from the strong feelings on both sides of the this dispute that I did not create any anger - but rather I am allowing the feelings to be expressed.
Is there anything to be gained by allowing feelings to be expressed? Perhaps it is best to keep the disputing parties separate and not encourage communication? From what I have seen on the many posts, I personally feel I have a much greater understanding of the issues than when I started. There have been some truly deep and insightful comments - even in those posts with hostile language.
There seems to be a built in assumption of many in Chabad that there is a genetic predisposition of the rest of us to hate them. They perceive any criticism as proof that they are being hated. What I hope has become obvious is that there is a sincere desire to hear justification for what they are doing. I have detected some awareness of the Chabad posters that they do in fact realize the need to do outreach to their fellow Orthodox Jews and that they are in fact viewed as acting or thinking in ways that arouse fears and concerns. I also hear that some Chabad posters are not fully convinced about the wisdom of the path that the organization has taken.
Finally regarding the accusation that I am not following Daas Torah. What Daas Torah am I not following? The Chofetz Chaim makes an insightful comment concerning the Torah command of not hating your brother in your heart (Vayikra 19:17) which he says is the prohibition of sinas chinom. Hatred which is kept in one's heart because it is not expressed - destroys and ruins the essence of a person. Hitting another effects primarily the external limbs of a person. It is better to express the anger and communicate to the other person that you feel he is doing something wrong.
If these discussion are creating more hatred and upset than existed previously than in fact they are problematic. While some have asserted that any criticism or questioning of their practices is proof of hatred, I hope at this point such an attitude has been attenuated in at least some of the participants. In short, there is a Torah obligation to give tochacha to those we feel are doing something wrong. This forum provides a controlled environment for both sides to fulfill this Torah obligation - and hopefully both sides will be improved by the experience.
I strongly disagree with that assertion. In fact it is obvious from the strong feelings on both sides of the this dispute that I did not create any anger - but rather I am allowing the feelings to be expressed.
Is there anything to be gained by allowing feelings to be expressed? Perhaps it is best to keep the disputing parties separate and not encourage communication? From what I have seen on the many posts, I personally feel I have a much greater understanding of the issues than when I started. There have been some truly deep and insightful comments - even in those posts with hostile language.
There seems to be a built in assumption of many in Chabad that there is a genetic predisposition of the rest of us to hate them. They perceive any criticism as proof that they are being hated. What I hope has become obvious is that there is a sincere desire to hear justification for what they are doing. I have detected some awareness of the Chabad posters that they do in fact realize the need to do outreach to their fellow Orthodox Jews and that they are in fact viewed as acting or thinking in ways that arouse fears and concerns. I also hear that some Chabad posters are not fully convinced about the wisdom of the path that the organization has taken.
Finally regarding the accusation that I am not following Daas Torah. What Daas Torah am I not following? The Chofetz Chaim makes an insightful comment concerning the Torah command of not hating your brother in your heart (Vayikra 19:17) which he says is the prohibition of sinas chinom. Hatred which is kept in one's heart because it is not expressed - destroys and ruins the essence of a person. Hitting another effects primarily the external limbs of a person. It is better to express the anger and communicate to the other person that you feel he is doing something wrong.
If these discussion are creating more hatred and upset than existed previously than in fact they are problematic. While some have asserted that any criticism or questioning of their practices is proof of hatred, I hope at this point such an attitude has been attenuated in at least some of the participants. In short, there is a Torah obligation to give tochacha to those we feel are doing something wrong. This forum provides a controlled environment for both sides to fulfill this Torah obligation - and hopefully both sides will be improved by the experience.
ספר אהבת ישראל - פרק א
בו יבואר גודל העון של שנאת חנם:
כתבו הפוסקים על לאו דלא תשנא את אחיך בלבבך וז"ל ספר מצות השם, לאוין קמ"ב - מצות לא תעשה, שלא לשנוא אדם כשר מישראל, שנאמר לא תשנא את אחיך בלבבך. ולא הזהירה תורה בלאו זה אלא על שנאה שבלב, אבל המכה את חבירו, ומחרפו, אינו עובר בלאו זה וכו'. וכשיחטא איש לאיש, לא ישטמנו בלב וישתוק, אלא מצוה עליו להודיעו ולומר לו (בלשון רכה) למה עשית לי כך וכך, וימחה הדבר מלבו. ונוהג בכל מקום ובכל זמן עכ"ל:
והנה בכלל אחיך, הוא כל אדם מישראל, וכדאיתא באבות דרבי נתן (פרק ט"ז) אאל תאמר לזה ישראל אני אוהב ולזה אני שונא, לאהוב את החכמים ולשנא את עמי הארץ, אלא אהוב את כולם ושנא את המינים, וכן דוד הוא אומר (תהלים קל"ט) הלא משנאיך ה' אשנא וגו'. ומין נקרא, הכופר בתורת ה' ובהשגחתו:
וכאשר נתבונן היטב ונעמיק לחקור תוצאות העון הזה, נראה שהאדם ממשיך על ידי עון זה רוח טומאה על עצמו. דהנה ידוע דכל אבר ואבר שנעשה על ידו איזה מצוה, שורה עליו רוח קדושה, וממילא ע"י קיום כל המצות נתקדש כל גופו של אדם, כדכתיב (במדבר ט"ו) למען תזכרו ועשיתם את כל מצותי והייתם קדושים לאלקיכם. ולהפך, ע"י עשיית העבירות נמשכת רוח הטומאה על אותו אבר, וכמו שאחז"ל (כתובות ה' ע"ב) אל ישמיע אדם לאזנו דברים בטלים מפני שהם נכוים תחלה לאיברים, שכונתם, ע"י שמיעתו דברים האסורים ממשיך על' אזניו רוח טומאה ועתידים להיות נכוים תחלה לאיברים, וכן כל אבר ואבר שנעשה על ידו איזה עבירה נמשכת רוח טומאה על אותו האבר, ואין כאן מקום להאריך. לבאר שמצינו ענין זה על כל אברי האדם:
לשנוא אדם כשר מישראל, שנאמר לא תשנא את אחיך בלבבך. ולא הזהירה תורה בלאו זה אלא על שנאה שבלב,
והנה חוץ מזה שהוא עונש רוחני על האדם, עוד מעותד האדם לבוא ח"ו ע"י עון זה לעונשים גדולים בעולם הזה, כדאיתא בשבת (ל"ב), בעון שנאת חנם, מריבה רבה בתוך ביתו של אדם, ואשתו מפלת נפלים, ובניו ובנותיו מתים כשהם קטנים, הרי רואים אנו כמה רעות גורם האדם לעצמו ע"י העון המר הזה:
והנה אילו יפגע אדם אחד בבנו הקטן להכותו, הלא יתקוטט ויריב עמו וישנאהו שנאת מות, ואילו הוא עצמו שגורם להם סיבת מות אינו חושש לזה כלל, ואינו מתבונן עד היכן עונו מגיע. אוי לו ואוי לנפשו, איה שכלו ואיה דעתו שבעצמו גורם לכל זה:
ועל כן מאד מאד צריך האדם להזהר מעון זה, ובכל רוחו ונפשו יתרחק מעון זה, ויהיה לו טוב בזה ובבא
Why does it have to be rebuke? Are you so sure you're right? Why not listen to the other side before you decide that they're wrong?
ReplyDeleteIf you really seek to understand Chabad, you need to study Chassidus Chabad and sichos of the Rebbe, because that is what truly defines Chabad. A blog is not the place to do that. Find a Mashpia or the like, and go through sources inside. B'hatzlocho!
It all returns (this post and the prior posts) to the same glaring question:
ReplyDelete"What Gadol or Posek did you ask if this blog of yours is permissible or not?"
Don't undercut your very reputation by denying that you are required to ask a Rav for "daas torah" on this question.