Indifference
there is something that i have noticed among people since I have been here. It probably exists everywhere i just didn't notice, It might be that i myself am lacking in this area and the mirror is reflecting my own deeds.
I have noticed an indifference towards judasim. People just do not care anymore about the sanctity of Shabbat. It is a well known reality in my program that many people in my class study on shabbat. I could never bring myself to do that. Besides, I asked my rav and he said no. Recently, I was talking to a guy in my class and he casually mentioned that he studies during davening. He gathers notes, he highlights. He has no problem with this. All this came out after I was going down on him for not learning on shabbat instead of studying.
Today I came into school and told my friend, its gonna be a long day! I woke up hungry and that is never good on a fast day. She looked at me funny "oh, your fasting day?" like it was a surprise. Of course I'm fasting today. I asked her why she wasn't-oh i don't do these fasts, i only do t'sha b'av and yom kippur.
It seems like kids are not interested anymore in Torah. I'm pretty sure most kids are not interested in pursuing kedusha. It takes training,learning and honing of sensitivities to truly appreciate Shabbat. It never ceases to amaze me that throughout history people died rather than violate 1/100th of shabbat. People lost their jobs weekly in order not to desecrate the holy day.But now...I'm bored so I'll study. Shabbat is too long. Is it ending yet?!!
We have become Jewish Americans instead of American Jews and herein i believe lies the problem. We are so busy living our lives, and we try to get our Torah life-style to fit into our secular lives that the edges, the sensitivities, the depth of Torah is lost. We feel as if we get all the "main" things in, shabbat, kashrut, davening,some semblance of tzniut then we've got it made. We've got the best of both worlds. But what happens when you try to fit an square into a circle, the edges fall off..it loses itself. It is no longer the same.
Yes, we live in a secular world. Yes, we must adapt. But let us keep the holy, holy. Allow shabbat to truly be a break from the tumah and gashmiut of the weekly grind. Allow Shabbat to elevate us at least for the one day to the people we hope to be. Let us make davening time, no matter how short or long sacred. A time when we talk to G-d and G-d alone, free of any distractions, cell phones, notes anything.
Let us be mavdil bein kodesh lechol
I have noticed an indifference towards judasim. People just do not care anymore about the sanctity of Shabbat. It is a well known reality in my program that many people in my class study on shabbat. I could never bring myself to do that. Besides, I asked my rav and he said no. Recently, I was talking to a guy in my class and he casually mentioned that he studies during davening. He gathers notes, he highlights. He has no problem with this. All this came out after I was going down on him for not learning on shabbat instead of studying.
Today I came into school and told my friend, its gonna be a long day! I woke up hungry and that is never good on a fast day. She looked at me funny "oh, your fasting day?" like it was a surprise. Of course I'm fasting today. I asked her why she wasn't-oh i don't do these fasts, i only do t'sha b'av and yom kippur.
It seems like kids are not interested anymore in Torah. I'm pretty sure most kids are not interested in pursuing kedusha. It takes training,learning and honing of sensitivities to truly appreciate Shabbat. It never ceases to amaze me that throughout history people died rather than violate 1/100th of shabbat. People lost their jobs weekly in order not to desecrate the holy day.But now...I'm bored so I'll study. Shabbat is too long. Is it ending yet?!!
We have become Jewish Americans instead of American Jews and herein i believe lies the problem. We are so busy living our lives, and we try to get our Torah life-style to fit into our secular lives that the edges, the sensitivities, the depth of Torah is lost. We feel as if we get all the "main" things in, shabbat, kashrut, davening,some semblance of tzniut then we've got it made. We've got the best of both worlds. But what happens when you try to fit an square into a circle, the edges fall off..it loses itself. It is no longer the same.
Yes, we live in a secular world. Yes, we must adapt. But let us keep the holy, holy. Allow shabbat to truly be a break from the tumah and gashmiut of the weekly grind. Allow Shabbat to elevate us at least for the one day to the people we hope to be. Let us make davening time, no matter how short or long sacred. A time when we talk to G-d and G-d alone, free of any distractions, cell phones, notes anything.
Let us be mavdil bein kodesh lechol
A person is not supposed to die rather than violate Shabbos. There are three specific things that one can give up their life for, but according to the Rambam even that is not so necessary.
ReplyDeleteIn general, there has always been a concept of quantity vs. quality. On the other hand, one cannot discern another's spirituality. It is not for us to say who is religious enough and who not.
Even if they are flip with davening and taanesim.
Yes, we are not commanded to die rather than violate shabbos, I am not aware of the Rambam to which you are referring to, but the way i always learned it-you are commanded to die for those three and in a situation where there is an agenda against Jews, like in the times of the Romans, one was to die rather than tie their shoe laces the wrong way. I believe its always considered a kiddush Hashem.
DeleteI was not making any judgements about anyone else's spirituality. I was just making an observation and taking a lesson from what i saw.
Hi, I'm a lurker, but I had to say that this is an excellent post. This is a tremendous problem in our generation and you hit the nail on the head. I even think you should develop this idea further and publish it in a more widespread forum.
ReplyDeleteim so happy you finally came out of the shadows. Thank you. Im not sure i have the authority to publish..but thanks for the vote of confidence
DeleteI have to say...I love this post. Not the fact that this is the reality but this post is a really good one.
ReplyDelete