YNet Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar said that the recent wave of murders is the result of lax education and promiscuity. "A person who is allowed (to do) anything doesn't respect boundaries," the rabbi told Ynet.
"And so we've reached a situation in which young people – who aren't bad or criminals – murder someone who criticizes them; (a situation) in which women murder, children kill their parents and parents kill their children. I've heard about it and I'm frightened."
Amar said that there is a "terrible crisis in the education of the (young) generation," mainly a lack of boundaries. "Today, people think that anyone who wants to maintain minimal modesty is primitive and belongs to a different generation. Things that were condemned by every other generation, considered abhorrent by the Torah, have become legitimate."
Since Rav Amar is so knowledgeable about the universe and its intricate workings, could you find out from him who is going to win the World Series this year?
ReplyDeleteAh! And what about fanatic murderes, like Igal Amir or islamist terrorists?
ReplyDeleteThis statement is elementary commonsense and I don't see how any intelligent person can disagree with it. As regards Batmelech's comment- yes it is true there are other reasons for murders and killings. That doesn't change the fact that his statement is valid regarding a non- fanatic society. There are many more killings during war also. Bottom line - removing restrictions and morality or not teaching them leads to increased crime and killings.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Garnel that this is simplistic reasoning.
DeleteIt can happen in any society that a crazy person goes amok, against their spouses, children or parents or complete strangers. A cumulation of such facts might be a pure coincidence.
I have the impression that democratic societies with more or less fair repartition of wealth do quite well in keeping crime and casualties low, also when the children are educated in a spirit of democracy.
Although I believe there is some truth to R' Amar's statements, they don't explain everything. It is true that many Western European democratic countries with no value on modesty or traditional values often have very low crime rates (although immigration is driving them back up). So distribution of wealth and opportunity is one factor as well. Just think if we forgave all debts every seven years (Torah commandment) and made sure every parent was able to ensure each of the children learn a trade (rabbinic commandment) -- we'd probably have a much less unequal and violent society (whether in Israel or the U.S.)
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