Shomer Negiyah: Part 1
"Rabbi, I have decided to become shomer negiyah."
How many times I have heard that statement over the years. It is definitely a positive developement. The foundation of ones service of Hashem is purity in these matters. The Arizal taught that the the entire exile is to overcome the tests we in encounter in this area. Indeed, in Kabbala, purity in sexual matters is called "Yesod" - foundation. If one is not careful about Yesod even if they excel in other aspects of Avodas Hashem, their relationship with Hashem lacks a foundation. And we know what happens to a buildiing without a foundation.
What strikes me is that after 12 years of Jewish education in "Modern Orthodox" day schools there are very few students who are "shomer negiyah". I have a book entitled "The Scandal Of The Mis-Education Perpretrated By Orthodox Day Schools". Students who spent thousands of hours in a classroom cannot read basic jewish texts, do not know the rudiments of Jewish belief, have almost no knowledge of practical halacha and are not committed to a halachic lifestyle [even those halachos of which they are aware].Imagine what a outcry there would be if after twelfth grade the average student could not read and understand a basic text in english or was on a third grade level in math. The average elementary school child that I know in Yerushalayim is much more advanced than the average Shana Aleph boy. Not to mention all of the other [much more serious] problems that exist. Vehamayvin Yavin. And for this parents pay in excess of 15,000$ a year PER CHILD. Now I am NOT blaming anyone in particular. Not the teachers, not the parents, not the students and not the general culture. I am serving in the role of diagnostician and not healer. There is a problem and something must be done. [When I think back to what I didn't know when I started Yeshiva I am struck by my almost complete ignorance. My "Tikkun" is to make sure that my own children are not similarily deprived.]
How do you get your hands on this book? I haven't written it yet. And I don't think I will. Even though I am very popular with my wife and children, I am well aware that most people wouldn't really care what I had to say and would certainly not make the radical changes that I would recommend in order to amelieorate the problem. So I will stick my nose back in my beloved seforim and hope that someone more influential does something about it.
Truth is, this post was meant to discuss the issue of "shomer negiyah". But I got off on a tangent [as is my wont]. So more on S.N. in our next post bl"n. In the meantime
SHAVUA TOV TO MY SWEETEST FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MAY YOU HAVE THE BEST WEEK OF YOUR LIFE!!!
How many times I have heard that statement over the years. It is definitely a positive developement. The foundation of ones service of Hashem is purity in these matters. The Arizal taught that the the entire exile is to overcome the tests we in encounter in this area. Indeed, in Kabbala, purity in sexual matters is called "Yesod" - foundation. If one is not careful about Yesod even if they excel in other aspects of Avodas Hashem, their relationship with Hashem lacks a foundation. And we know what happens to a buildiing without a foundation.
What strikes me is that after 12 years of Jewish education in "Modern Orthodox" day schools there are very few students who are "shomer negiyah". I have a book entitled "The Scandal Of The Mis-Education Perpretrated By Orthodox Day Schools". Students who spent thousands of hours in a classroom cannot read basic jewish texts, do not know the rudiments of Jewish belief, have almost no knowledge of practical halacha and are not committed to a halachic lifestyle [even those halachos of which they are aware].Imagine what a outcry there would be if after twelfth grade the average student could not read and understand a basic text in english or was on a third grade level in math. The average elementary school child that I know in Yerushalayim is much more advanced than the average Shana Aleph boy. Not to mention all of the other [much more serious] problems that exist. Vehamayvin Yavin. And for this parents pay in excess of 15,000$ a year PER CHILD. Now I am NOT blaming anyone in particular. Not the teachers, not the parents, not the students and not the general culture. I am serving in the role of diagnostician and not healer. There is a problem and something must be done. [When I think back to what I didn't know when I started Yeshiva I am struck by my almost complete ignorance. My "Tikkun" is to make sure that my own children are not similarily deprived.]
How do you get your hands on this book? I haven't written it yet. And I don't think I will. Even though I am very popular with my wife and children, I am well aware that most people wouldn't really care what I had to say and would certainly not make the radical changes that I would recommend in order to amelieorate the problem. So I will stick my nose back in my beloved seforim and hope that someone more influential does something about it.
Truth is, this post was meant to discuss the issue of "shomer negiyah". But I got off on a tangent [as is my wont]. So more on S.N. in our next post bl"n. In the meantime
SHAVUA TOV TO MY SWEETEST FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MAY YOU HAVE THE BEST WEEK OF YOUR LIFE!!!
I went to a modern orthodox HS and there are problems but on the other hand, someone who can go through it and still come out as a frum Jew, will be much more sincere than one who has a charedi education and does things by rote
Posted by
shatz |
4:53 AM
I agree and I would buy the book!
Posted by
Jessica Weiss Slomnicki |
7:01 AM
Dear Anonymous
Since your tone was defensive that means that you felt attacked. I am sorry for making you feel that way. That was not my intention.
Indeed Yeshayahu HaNavi already warned us about the danger of doing mitzvos by rote [29\13]. But I don't think that it is fair to imply that just because one received a Charedi education they do things by rote. Idefinitely agree that one can attend a mo high school and remain a passionate Jew. It is just a rarity [if not for post high-school study in Israel]. I am glad that you remain sincere and commited!!
Dear Rochel,
Thanks for the encouragement!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by
Rabbi Ally Ehrman |
7:40 PM
ANOYNMOUS- THE PASUK IN THIS WEEKS PARSHA ( I BELIVE ITS THIS WEEK) SAYS ACHREI RABIM LA'HATOS... WE SHOULD MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THE MAJORITY. THIS IS THE SOURCE I BELIEVE TO THE PHRASE ' MAJORITY RULES.' SO- IT MIGHT BE TRUE THAT SOME PPL GO TO RAMAZ AND HAFTR AND STAY FRUM THRU HS AND MIGHT EVEN BE FRUMER THAN THE TOP GUY IN THE MOST CHAREIDI HS.... HOWEVER, THE MAJORITY OF HS GRADUATES FROM MO HIGH SCHOOLS ARE LACKING IN BASIC KNOWLEDGE AND OBSERVANCE. ONLY A FRACTION GO ONTO TO STUDY IN ISRAEL AFTERWORDS AND ONLY A FRACTION OF THOSE RETAIN AND CONTINUE ON THE SAME PATH YEARS AFTER THEIR YEAR IN ISRAEL. ON THE OTHER HAND, MAJORITY OF STUDENTS IN ' CHAREIDEI' SCHOOLS HAVE BASIC KNOWLEGE AND FOLLOW BASIC HALACHA AND WHOSE OBSERVANCE IS SINCERE. THEIR ARE DEF. EXECEPTIONS TO EVERY RULE, BUT THEY ARE EXACTLY THAT :EXECEPTIONS.
Posted by
Chaim Yehoshua Hakohen Austein |
11:15 PM
While Rebbe wants to be דן לכף זכות here I think this is a matter so important and fundamental to the future of Jews in America that one is not allowed to do so here. The teachers are to blame, for their stated objective is to keep Jewish children from becoming at-risk kids by attempting to make sure they at least stay within the Jewish community. The parents are to blame, for they teach (if not directly then by action) things that do not correspond with the Jewish education that their children are given at school. The administration is to blame for they do not include parents in their educational system. The only people whom I think we cannot blame are the children - one cannot blame someone for being adolescent.
Changes need to be made in teaching, not in teaching students, but in teaching teachers. Suffice it say that a 23-year-old man or woman exiting Azrieli doesn't know the first thing about education. And yet the shortage of jobs means they are teaching one of the most precious treasures of the Jewish nation: our children. And besides educational institutions such as Zilberman's, or those modeled upon it (with which some take issue and clearly is not the solution for all Jews in America and Israel), the education system in Israel is not working too well either, though there parents are at least not paying upwards of $15,000 per annum.
The point is that something has to be done, but nobody really knows exactly what. The strokes of change must be made with a broadsword, but in which direction the obstacles exist is unclear. The target is vague, the problem amorphous, and the solution even more so.
Educators should not have to rely on kids being "fixed up" in Israel, as many do not receive the message sent by yeshiva institutions in Israel. Children should not have to go to Israel to be frum, and while it is indeed a beautiful thing to go and learn there for a year or more, it should be completely unnecessary for one to stay committed to Orthodoxy. Educators have upwards of 15 years to work their magic on children, giving them a strong foundation and commitment to Jewish Torah-centered life. I could not possibly learn everything I needed to in such a short stint in Israel, and I should not have needed to in the first place.
במכ"ת I think Rebbe is incorrect; I think many would listen to what Rebbe has to say. But that is only if Rebbe has possible solutions, or at least kernels of an idea. To simply decry the scandal that is our current educational system will do nothing - the children going off the derech is enough proof for everyone to see; we just avert our eyes for it means we are to blame.
Posted by
WillWorkForFood |
2:49 AM
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