Sunday, February 14, 2010
Scandal Revisited
8:29 AM | 
Posted by
Rabbi Chaim Coffman |
Anonymous said...
This is a graceful and useful response to such a discouraging event...important that it is talked about and not brushed under rug, no doubt - but it still hurts in some way. JH
Rabbi Coffman Responds:
Yes it is very important that this issue is addressed. When we are dealing with baalei teshuvah, some try to water down Judaism to the point we can try and bring them back to the fold.
There is some truth to that but in this day and age, sometimes we have to be a little "controversial" to uncover something that people may see and say "Gee, if he is religious how could that person do...."
What should we say, the person didn't do it? The point of that post was that this question addressed hundreds of non-religious Jews! If that is the case, then this organization must have felt that this was a serious enough issue that non-religious Jews had to hear a Torah approach to such a question.
None of the rabbis presenting their case said it never happened, let's change the subject...They dealt with a real issue and gave real answers as well!
It seems that in many ways fluff, meaning writing about touchy-feely type of things that make you feel good and give a little bit of a Torah perspective sells better and you will reach a wider audience.
Definitely true. At the same time, maybe it is time for a reality check and we shouldn't be bothered what people may say or it is not politically correct to say...Maybe none of these things should matter if we are trying to give over the truth.
This is a graceful and useful response to such a discouraging event...important that it is talked about and not brushed under rug, no doubt - but it still hurts in some way. JH
Rabbi Coffman Responds:
Yes it is very important that this issue is addressed. When we are dealing with baalei teshuvah, some try to water down Judaism to the point we can try and bring them back to the fold.
There is some truth to that but in this day and age, sometimes we have to be a little "controversial" to uncover something that people may see and say "Gee, if he is religious how could that person do...."
What should we say, the person didn't do it? The point of that post was that this question addressed hundreds of non-religious Jews! If that is the case, then this organization must have felt that this was a serious enough issue that non-religious Jews had to hear a Torah approach to such a question.
None of the rabbis presenting their case said it never happened, let's change the subject...They dealt with a real issue and gave real answers as well!
It seems that in many ways fluff, meaning writing about touchy-feely type of things that make you feel good and give a little bit of a Torah perspective sells better and you will reach a wider audience.
Definitely true. At the same time, maybe it is time for a reality check and we shouldn't be bothered what people may say or it is not politically correct to say...Maybe none of these things should matter if we are trying to give over the truth.
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2 comments:
I agree, it is important to hear from leaders a Torah approach to dealing even with the not-so-fluffy aspects of life and events. Especially when it comes to a scandal within the community, it seems that without such guidance it leads to chaos in regards to people trying to figure out how to stomach such an event, so to speak.
I don't know which scandal you are referring to, but as I've read of some scandals recently, as shocking as it was at first, and a little disconcerting as a convert-in-progress, it was in finding those who were willing to discuss the issues head on, who were attempting to deal with the reality of a situation and the very real effects of a situation, that I found comfort. It seems that by actually dealing with a situation any victims can be taken care of rightfully, and anyone who made a mistake can also be taken care of rightfully. It then becomes an opportunity to strengthen the whole community, it seems, when problems are dealt with and not hushed over. Whereas attempts to brush things under the rug very much weakens the community I think.
And it shows the value and power of Torah in getting us through difficult times.
Yes. JH
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