On the topic of Chillul HaShem, but more directly related to an all too common absence of vigilance - often abject callousness - towards Sakonas Nefashos and basic Derech Eretz, before Yom Tov is a time to emphasize the need for elevated vigilance regarding road safety - for drivers, pedestrians, and especially those exceptionally dangerous scooters.
Living in Monsey, I very frequently witness such recklessness - in driving and scooting in particular - from those whose external appearance is clearly mechazeik the Chillul HaShem factor.
Just yesterday, my non-Jewish cab driver very narrowly avoided a crash with someone who opted to attempt to make a wild turn that was, shall we say, as "artistic" as it was potentially lethal.
With all of the bloodshed and threats our community is facing, perhaps we need to look in the mirror.
To those aware of common attitudes towards Sakonas Nefashos, at least one message cannot be more obvious, as per the Gemara in Brachos דף ה עמוד א, רש"י פישפש ולא מצא - as elucidated by Rav Chaim Volozhin in Ru'ach Chaim on Avos 4:11 - תשובה ומעשים טובים כתריס בפני הפורענות. Also see Nefesh HaChayim 3:29.
We need to look at sins corresponding to the tribulations we're facing. This isn't very complicated. If we're frequently tolerating endangerment of lives, is it a surprise that we're facing unrelenting threats to our safety? That selection of Ru'ach Chaim concludes with a chilling warning: If we refuse to heed the Divine wake-up call - even if we repent for sins others than those HaShem is signaling us to rectify - the yisurin will not stop.*
* In addition, the recklessness of local officials - and their enabling, influential community "leaders" - in allowing hyper-greedy, self-centered real-estate developers to build narcissistically, without any regard for public safety, and thereby contribute to the casualty count on the roads - is another ongoing avlah for which many in our community must answer.
On a positive note, I found the opportunity to make a small kiddush HaShem by tipping the driver, extra, after expressing sympathy for what he encounters regularly on the roads.
Having said that, this is just one area of urgently needed improvement. There are several additional acute communal shortfalls, clearly corresponding to increasing community endangerment, that need to be rectified immediately.
Overall communal silence in confronting the institutionalization of murder -- be it in the form of Physician-Assisted poisoning of the medically vulnerable ("Assisted "Suicide")**, or abortion-at-whim legislation, including Trump Administration support for homicidal abortion drugs (that every irresponsible mother or father can obtain and abuse) -- are prominent examples of communal failures - breaches that also constitute an ongoing public Chillul HaShem which receives almost no attention - beyond in a few select venues, including our weekly Thursday radio program, LevinAt11, at 11pm.
** Such "Aid-In-Murdering" legislation passed in NJ by a single vote - Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese from Passaic - for which Aguda's Avi Schnall is inexcusably responsible. This was documented via the audio of Rabbi Heshie Hirth (Z"L), on the day of passage, which we circulated shortly before Schnall's election to the NJ Assembly. Similar legislation also passed this year in NY - without any public outcry on the floor of the Legislature from any of the frum Democratic legislators. This all reflects on our failure as a community - which is primarily due to dereliction of leadership, including media, failing to properly alert and mobilize the tzibbur, in time.
In Eretz Yisroel, they face similar challenges. Why, for one topical example, do we see frequent demonstrations against the infringements of the Lite-Rail - and practically not a peep against the institutionalization of the abortions of over two million Jewish babies - far more than murdered by all external enemies combined, despite the formidable frum influence within the government?
Nor do we see very many such demonstrations against that which physically and spiritually endangers the next generation of Jewish mothers, namely, the institutionalization of the female draft of "nonreligious" girls - who don't have the figment of recourse to the "religiosity exemption.". The "religious exemption" is an Israeli military draft exemption which has, in any case, in recent years become far less accessible to girls from weaker backgrounds, or without political protexia.
The fact that, overall, communal leadership is derelict in speaking out against these glaring iniquities, among others, arguably even worse (pertaining to LGBTQ), is not a potair, but rather a mechayev to do what we each can to rise to the occasion to hold back חרון אף השם.
May we merit the Ge'ulah by - at least very belatedly - combating its impediments - as if it really makes a difference, because it truly does.
Good Shabbos,
Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter,
Executive Director,
Help Rescue Our Children
845.642.1679
Direct: 771.215.8892
Israeli Helpline: 03.721.3337
torahjewsfordecency@gmail.com
Tomim Tih'yeh [countering "New-Age" infiltration]:
Tomim1679@gmail.com
Presentations on New-Age dangers: 605-313-6831 ext. 2
Heard weekly on New Jersey's WSNR Radio 620AM, co-hosting the renowned Levin At Eleven program, every Thursday evening, 11pm to midnight (ET).
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בס"ד
ח ניסן תשפו, פרשת צו/ שבת הגדול
Rabbossai,
Anyone interested in partnering in our work is asked to reach out today. We're not out of the debts recently incurred in serving in the forefront (without exaggeration) in combating Physician-Assisted murder in NY. Simultaneously, we have massive opportunities - presented by our extremely successful expansion of הצלה work in E.Y. to save girls from falling into the exploitationist Army milieu. We're not more obligated than the rest of the tzibbur. It's well past time others carry more or their responsibilities on these issues.
Thank you all,
Rabbi Leiter 771-215-8892 // 03.721.3337 from E"Y.
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