A Simple Jew
אַשְׂכִּילָה בְּדֶרֶךְ תָּמִים
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Bnei Avraham Ahuvecha: Gerim in Chassidic Thought
Sudilkover Rebbe's Advice
Chassidus
Degel Machaneh Ephraim
Shtetl Mysteries
Shtetl's Shul
Shtetl Pictures
Seforim Printed in the Shtetl
Shtetl Map
Shtetl Minhagim
Shtetl Niggunim
Highly Recommended
Chabakuk Elisha
Rabbi Dovid Sears
Rabbi Micha Golshevsky
Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky
Rabbi Lazer Brody
Rabbi Ozer Bergman
Rabbi Yakov Horowitz
Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum
Rabbi Nasan Maimon
Rabbi Chaim Kramer
Rabbi Binyomin Rosenberg
Rabbi Shmuel Rosenberg
Rabbi Tal Zwecker
Rabbi Zvi Leshem
Rabbi Fishel Jacobs
Rabbi Shlomo Slatkin
Rabbi Yitzchok Wagshul
Rabbi Eliezer Shore
Rabbi Tanchum Burton
Rabbi Perets Auerbach
Rabbi Betsalel Edwards
Rabbi Shais Taub
Rabbi Ephrayim Portnoy
Rabbi Yaacov Yisroel Bar-Chaiim
Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver
My Wife
Dixie Yid
A Talmid
Yoni Lipshutz
Shlomo Katz
Space Cadet
Akiva
A Yid
Mottel
Neil Harris
Yitz...
Michoel
Shoshana (Bershad)
Yossele Kvetch
Yitz
Moshe David Tokayer
Bob Miller
"Believing Gentile"
Alice Jonsson
Psycho Toddler
Avakesh
Treppenwitz
Chana Jenny Weisberg
Neshama
MoChassid
Jameel
Shoshannah Brombacher
Rafi G.
Yirmeyahu
Chaim
Vegetarian Chassid
A Mile Down the Road
Yossi Katz
Long Beach Chasid
Tzedakah
Some Rights Reserved
Online Torah Resources
Other Useful Links
12 Comments:
Jews take these strict practices on for various reasons, such as these positive ones:
1. Desire to come closer to HaShem
2. Desire to correct specific personal faults
3. Desire to live harmoniously in a community that already has these practices. (On the other hand, doing these practices where they are frowned upon can have the opposite effect)
But, as you quoted from Rebbe Nachman ZY"A, it's best if the Jew can lead a wholesome Jewish life without being unusually strict.
Of course, being extra strict in order to show off would have negative effects.
interested to know the picture fits the post. not a critiscm just interested to hear the kavonnah
To add to Bob's list:
4. Desire to emulate a Tzaddik by following customs s/he practices.
5. Desire to beautify a mitzvah by eliminating 'shortcuts', even when those 'shortcuts' are considered acceptable by halachic authorities. (Hence the term some Chassidim have to Hiddurim in Mitzvos as opposed to Chumros.)
Of course, any new practice needs to consider the collateral relationship changes that may result.
Reply to Bob Miller and Yehupitz:
All this may be true but decisions to take on anything by ones self are not advised. Daas Torah have the depth of knowledge and siata dishmaya to aid a person in accepting upon themselves those things which will help them in avoidas hashem and to not take on those things which will not. today everyone wants to be frummer than the next and take on things which they haven't spoken over with daas torah - this is a problem
Asimplejew is clearly not one of those people and boruch hashem often shares with us his conversations with great rabbonim who advise him.
Anon,
I have no problem with what you wrote. I don't see it as negating what Bob or I wrote. I agree: Any thoughts about a next level, stringency, hiddur mitzvah etc., should be shared with and evaluated by someone who fits the "Asei Lecha Rav" (and "Knei Lecha Chaveir") bill.
yehupitz: wasn't meant to sound as a contradiction to your post, although now i see how it sounds that way, more just an addition
You do realize that most of what we practice today is by adding on "stricter" practices that was originally given. Unfortunately, in today's frum community, the stricter you are the "better of a jew" you are.
I'm especially concerned about personal or communal one-upmanship in this area. As in scoffing at perfectly acceptable hechsherim and clothing in order to strike a pose.
Do you know where I can find the mekor for that quote from Rebbi Nachman that you linked to?
Likutey Eitzos, Temimus #4
I'd be interested to hear a Breslov scholar comment on this quote; I find it hard to believe that it's understood literally, to mean that one should never practices chumros.
R Oliver,
I think it is clear that R Nachman had a different approach to chumros from the Chabad derech.
However, it seems clear that despite the quote, members of Breslov communities do adhere to the hiddurim and chumros that have become part of general chassidic practice.
In any case, the quote seems to be referring to personal additional chumros.
Post a Comment
<< Home