3 weeks

Asked by ben · July 23, 2003 · Ethics

Question

As a teenager growing up in the "Bradley" days over 40 years ago, i must regretfully report that the observance of the 9 days incl;uding Tisha B'Ab was woefully inadequate. Most people did not fast and spent the day on the beach like every other day. The only thing i remember about Tisha B'Ab from those days in Bradley 40-45 years ago was that it was bad luck to go swimming--you could go in the ocean up to your knees. No body went to Shul except a few old men. The teenagers and young adults certainlly did not. Everyone wore shoes and no-one mourned the Churban. It was truly a churban. Compare what takes place today in Deal 2003. Everyone fasts. Literally thousands attend the various Shuls, not only for the Kinot in the morning but thruout the day to hear classes on the Churban,Holocaust and Mussar. To see the youth and young adults of our commuinity,boys and girls, men and woman, all wearing non-leather footwear, all fasting, attending the many Shiurim by the thousands is not only an inspiration but a testimony to the dedicated efforts of the Rabbis of the community (mainly the ones that studied in those Ashkenaz Yeshivot) To denigrate sarcastically the very people that are the most responsible for the return of Torah and Torah observance in our Sephardic community is a desecration of Torah itself. It is playing to the most base and juvenile prejudices of our people. You(whose entire family have studied in those Ashkenaz Yeshivot, including your illustrious father) should know better.

Answer

Answered by Aaron Abadi

Wonderful speech! Does that justify forcing a community to change its customs? Does that justify dishonesty in the representation of Jewish Laws? Besides, you are bringing up wonderful things about "Deal 2003." Do me a favor! There are wild parties on every block every night throughout the summer. Many Rabbis look the other way to a lifestyle of Aveirot in every category. (You can't bite the hand that feeds you.) Fasting Tishah BeAv and the shoes worn is just another sign of the times. It's the outer shell that seems so pious and so religious. But the reality is commonly the opposite. I've seen some of the most religious of the Sephardim and many of our Rabbis kissing the women, relatives, friends, anyone, at Bar Mitzvot, weddings, etc. Is this permitted? Parties, boys, girls, anything goes. Is that OK, too? The Rabbis don't mention that it's a problem. They'll talk about Lashon Harah, or the politics in Israel in their sermons. That's a smoke screen to cover up the reality. Our children are growing up with less morals and less ethics than before. All justified under the concept of "we are now right-wing, we are so religious, nothing we do can be wrong. If the Rabbis and the leaders wanted to follow the requirements of their position, they would be teaching the people the true Jewish Laws. The true ethics and honesty in business and in everything. The Talmud says that a Rabbi that is well liked by his community is not a good Rabbi, because he obviously does not rebuke them when they sin. Rabah who was one of the main pillars of Jewish Law in the time of the Talmud, was the Rabbi of Pumpedisa. His students questioned who would ever come to Rabah's eulogy at his funeral, knowing that no-one in Pumpedisa liked him. Rashi explains that he would rebuke the people about Jewish Laws, causing them not to like him. Our Rabbis today live off the community. They're not rebuking anyone. Unless they know that by rebuking Mr. A, they'll score big points with Mr. B., who hates Mr. A. and has more money than him, too. Hey! Get me in on the action, too. Let's not try to fool ourselves. Technically, the Churban (destruction) can possibly be worse now. In the old days, the people really didn't know anything. The ones that didn't fast on Tisha BeAv, didn't know about it. Today, we all know everything. But we are not asked to keep much. We are left alone to go to the beaches, the parties, the restaurants, and all the rest. No-one looks down at anyone. It's perfectly acceptable and welcomed. Deal 2003?! This your high point?! And yes, my family studied in Ashkenazi Yeshivot, but we kept our Sephardic identity intact. We were always proud of it. We never felt it was a lesser heritage than Ashkenazim or Chassidim. unlike many of our Sephardic Rabbis today, who push the Askenazi Minhagim on us, and who cannot get that spiritual high without putting on Payos or wearing a Gartel, and the like. We had a whole Bresslov movement going around. Every few years it's something else. Everybody is missing the point. God gave us a set of rules, the Torah, follow it! As simple as that. All the other stuff are distractions to keep you from just following the rules. I have nothing against you personally. You must be a wonderful man. I'm sure you're proud of the religious growth. But please face reality. The Churban is alive and well and still going strong in Deal 2003, & even spreading to the nearby areas. I'm not picking on anyone in particular, but if the truth hurts, I'll say it anyway. My favorite part of it all is that there are Rabbis telling congregants who eat in McDonalds, not to follow Rabbi Abadi's list for Pesach. How absurd can you get?! This happens every Pesach. AA