Different Paths for Different Folks
You know it’s quite amazing, we are one people, “Am Echod” Over the last 2000 years and more, we have defined different way’s to serve Hashem, each with what we view as the correct path. But there are many paths, and not each path may be your path, so long as you get to your destination, I think that remains key.
What am I talking about? Religious intolerance from within. It’s so amazing; I’m not talking about Ultra Orthodox having issues with Reform Jews. I’m talking about people within the so called orthodox movement. I was raised Lubavitch, and throughout my years went in different directions, it took me some time to find where I wanted to be spiritually and with what made me feel like this was my place. I connected with the level that I’m at. Looking at another person, I try really hard not to judge. I may not agree, but I don’t judge the path another took. Who am I to say they are wrong. I fear tho that my view is not shared amongst most frum people. Litvish, Satmar, Belz, Lubavitch, Modern, Young Israel types, Moshava, Stern, YU so many different types of people and many more, yet we all keep Shabbos, we all keep pretty high standards of kosher, yes, a Satmar boy and a boy learning in YU may not shop at the same meat stores, but none the less they are both keeping levels way above most non torah observant Jews.
Over Shabbos we were at a friend’s house and they are more on the modern side of the orthodox road. They had very expensive and exotic chocolate they were all into that Shabbos. It wasn’t Cholov Yisroel, and I do keep that, it’s something that I didn’t for a few years, while trying to find myself and find my own level, and when I eventually did settle on what made me feel the most comfortable, I finally did decide that I wasn’t keeping Cholov Yisroel now cause my father made me, or cause my school made me, or my friends would look at me bad, but because I myself came to this decision. Getting back to the story, I of course could not partake in the indulgence of the exotic chocolate, and I was living just fine with that. But my friend’s sister couldn’t handle it at all. She was going nuts, “why can’t you eat it? Is it traif – No!, but you think your better? You know the whole reason for Cholov Yisroel isn’t around anymore, it’s outdated, such a dumb thing, just have some it’s so good.”
I was being very polite, not letting it bother me, my wife was trying to make a joke out of it. Smooth it over, but it did bother me on the inside, because why are you so upset about this? I’m not bothering you about anything you do that I don’t agree with. This girl only wears skirts, went to a typical frummie seminerary in Israel last year, goes to the typical modern orthodox camps in the summer. Many less religious people would ask her why she only wears skirts? Or when she gets married why she covers her hair.
What’s amazing, is no matter what level people are at, they feel no shame in being critical of someone else’s level. When I go to a shteeble in boro park, I know the Chasidim there with their shtreimels and long payos are looking at me lowly, I know cause I see them staring at me, and they’re sons walk past me and say nasty Lubavitch slurs.
I really don’t see why, I don’t. Part of being religious is being faithful, that to me is the core fundamental drive behind being frum. Faith. I have the faith in what I do that it’s the right level for me to serve Hashem. My friend’s sister has faith her level is the best. But it’s wrong for anyone to judge another’s level. I have many different friends. Most of my siblings aren’t Lubavitch, in fact some are borderline frum, they keep Shabbos, and the loosest levels of kashrus.
It’s bad enough the rest of the world thinks were religious nuts.
Do we have to cannibalize ourselves?
I guess they also voted for the war before they voted against it. I swear to you i did not create this image .. This is a real pic.