WRONG!
We are approaching the issue backward!
Why do we crave Achdus? What truly unifies us? Simple — our Neshamas are all part of one unit and therefore we intuitively crave Achdus. Intuitively, we feel fragmented without Achdus.
Practically, what is the key to expressing the Neshamah’s desire for Achdus? Torah and Halacha. Simply put, adherence to Halacha unifies Yidden. Without Halacha as our guide, all efforts for peace will at best be temporary. Halacha creates true homogeny and guides us to a single cause. Why do we eat food that has a Hasgachah from a Rav that belongs to a community that is very different from us socially and ideologically? Because we share common ground --Halacha.
Op-Ed: Achdus among Chassidim (Yidden)!?
Let us sit together and ponder. We’ll come up with ideas on how to achieve Achdus.
WRONG!
We are approaching the issue backward!
Why do we crave Achdus? What truly unifies us? Simple — our Neshamas are all part of one unit and therefore we intuitively crave Achdus. Intuitively, we feel fragmented without Achdus.
Practically, what is the key to expressing the Neshamah’s desire for Achdus? Torah and Halacha. Simply put, adherence to Halacha unifies Yidden. Without Halacha as our guide, all efforts for peace will at best be temporary. Halacha creates true homogeny and guides us to a single cause. Why do we eat food that has a Hasgachah from a Rav that belongs to a community that is very different from us socially and ideologically? Because we share common ground –Halacha.
Chasidei Chabad were gifted with a special lens that crystallizes Torah and Halacha; that is that they have a Rebbe and Chasidus. This lens serves as an additional component that strengthens their sense of Achdus and homogeny.
In approaching a divisive issue, the Torah/Halacha way of doing so is by asking, what does Torah/Halacha say about the issue? If it’s a Chiyuv/compulsory then it’s not up for debate or compromise. Compromising Torah/Halacha undermines Achdus because it eliminates the sole component that brings us together.
When the issue is up for “debate” i.e. that we aren’t sure one way or the other, we ask a Rav. When the Rabbanim disagree, then we go by the majority opinion of Rabbanim.
When you continue to peruse an issue, even when a majority of Rabanim pasken differently, because you feel passionately for the issue, you are no longer guided by Torah/Halacha. Essentially you’ve made that particular issue your new g-d — avodah zarah R”L! There is no Achdus that can include Individuals who c”v choose this path. Unfortunately all efforts to make Achdus will fail. They’ve locked their neshama’s ability to express its identity and have thrown away the keys. They ignore Torah/Halacha so that they can peruse their selfish cause. They are yidden with neshamas, well intended but tribally misguided. The only thing that can be done for them is Teshuvah — Teshuvah by every single one of us who recognizes the problem.
May the Eibershter have rachmanus on us, accept our Tshuvah, return our foolish and misguided brethren and bring Moshiach.
Search Our Ways
Yasher Koach for the Mussar Shmooze. There’s nothing like a cryptic op-ed about something as simple as achdus and halacha.I’m wondering if/when people are going to be ready to talk straight about the issues in a respectful manner. Our children are not turned off because of differences of opinion and disagreement. They’re turned off because of the shameful way they see us interact and badmouth one another. The sooner the self righteous indignation and the finger pointing stops, the sooner our youth crisis will begin to slow down. Also, I’m not familiar with its author; is Aaron Zalmenson a pseudonym?
Yosef Slavin
The Rebbe told us ahavas yisroel to EVERY YID. Including people who don’t keep ANY of the mitzvos. How can you say “there is no achdus that can include individuals who c”v choose this path”?! Please point out to me, where in Lekutei Sichos, in discussions of achdus yisroel, there is the afore-mentioned qualification? What does achdus of EVERY YID mean?
Charles
What majority rabbonim and on what issue? This op-ed is ridiculous.
Chani
Here ye
here ye
but
we don’t respect others
bc
we don’t respect ourselves
gotta start with the self
menachem shuchat
This includes not posting on our websites fights against Rabbonim as a news item which in turn justifies it, since the website doesn’t in any way imply that there is something wrong. In turn this also means that the websites shouldn’t allow in the comments chutzpah against Rabbonim.
This also includes true Ahavas Yisroel to every single Jew, whether he says Yechi or not.
Learn Kuntres Ahavas Yiroel without any “buts” & apply every single word to our daily life.Learn Kuntres Heichaltzu. Be afraid to create machlokes. There are many prohibitions in the torah which are transgressed when being involved in machlokes. You’re checking your vegetables carefully b4 eating them since every insect is the transgression of many prohibitions. Well the exact thing happens in absolutely every machlokes We should be more afraid of machlokes than eating the bug.Eating the bug is “bein adam Lamakom”, which is forgiven on Yom Kipur. Machloles is “bein adam lachavero, which is not forgiven on Yom Kippur, unless you ask for fogiveness from the person you hurt.
Also very important is to realize that Ahavas Yisroel applies also to your spouse, parents & children!
Zalmenson
Ahavas Yisroel, really!
Love every yid even a yid who is not shomer torah umitzvos. However, they don’t create jewish policy. Would you eat in their home? No! But… Don’t you love them?
Mishichisten want to rule! They want to do things that were NEVER part of halachic Judaisim.
If peace means to implement their shtick then peace will never happen. Mishichisten are by definition radicals with new -non halachic- foreign ideas. There is NO way to incorporate them into normative judaisim. Chadash asour min hatorah!
menachem shuchat
p.s. It is wrong to say that we go according to the majority view of the rabbonim. Rather each person is to follow his Rav whom he always asks his shailos. It’s not our job to check the world to find out the view of the majority.
Chaim H.
For those who know a little thing or two about Dovid HaMelech knows that peace comes after war. Shlomo HaMelech had peace in his days because his Father Dovid fought off the enemies and made them Bittal/Nullified them.
If the only way we could have “peace” is to be Bittal to people who go against our way of life, then thats not real peace. Thats type of peace is only out of fear.
Real peace in Lubavitch will be when we finally separate from those causing Machlokes. Separating is sometimes the best solution.
Etc…Vda’l
zalmenson
Menachem,
The yechnick question is a question on shitas chabad. Yechisim is far removed from normatve Judaism. Therefore, it isn’t a hergesh, local issue or hidur mitzvah. It borders on issur, unless you have a roiv of rabnim that say its permissible. I’m sorry that Judaisim is so rigid. Yichinicks will have to find other outlets for their radical tendencies.
menachem shuchat
zalmenson, there is not one Rov in the world that has brought a proof from SHULCHAN ARUCH that Yechi is Assur.
For your information Lubavitch is not “normative” Judaism. Also,the Rebbe’s shitos were very often controvercial & the Rebbe didn’t shy away from his ideas because of that. He did not look for the haskomo of roiv Rabbonim of “normative Judaism”. It’s too bad that you are so encompassed with hate & darkness, that you don’t seek the truth!
Zalmenson
Uh! This is what I was waiting to hear.
You are absolutely wrong! Ask Rav Ezrah Shuchat or even any posheteh yodeah sefer.
The Rebbe did things that were halachicly qutionable!? Bist Meshugeh?!
The Rebbe launched every Mivtzah with first outlining the Halachic yesod.
Besides; it’s a question of shitas Chabad. Roiv Rabonai Chabad are apposed to yechisim.