B”H
This article is dedicated to my dear friend, Reuven Shalom Ben Avrohom a’h, are true Baal Thsuva, who passed away this year on Shabbat 26 Tevet 5772
Whose Baal Tshuva is it?
There is a battle/ war raging on the fields of kiruv. It is not only for the check book of the person being brought closer, but a struggle to capture the mind and hearts of those being first initiated into Judaism.
This battle is being fought in the youth programs and college campuses across American.
In the young adult programs in Europe and in the “free” trips and Yeshiva stays in Israel.
At the Kotel in Jerusalem and other holy places.
More then where the future funds of these people will go but of the form of Judaism they will observe and transmit to their offspring and future generations.
Though fought without physical arms it is still a conflict with various “techniques” used in the struggle.
We are not speaking here of non orthodox groups; as in Reform and Conservative Judaism etc.
Young people who are searching, will see quite fast that they are not authentic.
We are speaking of various streams within Orthodoxy, the emphasis of what they teach; what is important and central in/to Judaism and what is secondary.
As a general rule each outreach group has the right to teach the beliefs they believe in; their "brand" of Judaism.
However many times a Kiruv group wishes to overstep that line and establish for those they attract, who and what is mainstream Jewish practice and belief and who and what is not.
Most of the time, these players are sophisticated enough not to knock another group/person /brand of Judaism outright. And certainly not label them as a none authentic Jewish way, but they still know how to convey and hint to the beginner to stay away…..
However, we are getting a head of our self here, the first basic question in this discussion is:
Does not each kosher Kiruv group have the right to teach Judaism as they see fit?
And indeed every segment of Orthodox Judaism has that right to explain Judaism as they see it to be true.
The issue here is much more subtle.
Do you insist that your way is the only way and the best way and all others are suspect; or do you explain that you are teaching your way yet there are other accepted paths in Torah life?
Even when you allow room for other approaches.
How do you go about this?
For example a searching Jew with a question regarding Jewish belief or practice comes to you and asks you to explain:
The Oneness and Unity of G-d.
The need for Love and Fear in Serving G-d.
Reward and punishment.
This World and the Next.
Or say they ask you from which prayer book to pray or custom to observe.
What do you explanation and custom do you choose?
Ashkenaz, Sephard, Chassidic, Litvish, Modern Orthodox, Mezrachi, Zionist etc.
In general what is the right way to convey the diversity of authentic Torah Judaism?
From my perspective, the proper approach is that:
* It is okay to tell a person the path you practice first. The person is coming to you. You have a right to explain things as they were taught to you or how you now understand them to be.
*However let them know there are other types of orthodox Jews who practice differently. It is foolish to negate this. Eventually they will find out of all the various flavors of orthodoxy. You need to help them navigate it, not be overwhelmed by the differences or block it out.
*Allow each person to choose their own path. Understand each person has their own identity and needs to discover on their own what approach they wish to follow and where they feel most at "home".
I’d like to share a few stories of Baalie Tshuva and you will see what I mean.
Story #1 - A young Jewish man born in Brooklyn, Parents are Russian. His family name sounds very Ashkenaz . Though not religious themselves until later, his parents sent him to yeshiva at a young age.
After yeshiva, he went to college, struggled whether to where a “Kipa” there and as well, at interviews for work and the work place. In the end decided to wear it and now works in sales. Fine.
What is curious here is that somewhere between elementary school in an Ashkanaz yeshiva and his sales job, he decided to accept Sephardic custom and dress.
To own and wear a Sephardic talit, pray in Sephardic pronunciation , eat Bais Yosef meat. His end goal is to set up a Jewish home in Sephardic practice.
Why, if you ask him, did he decide to become Sephardi, when he was born in America to Russian parent. His answer is simple;
"I did not become Sephardi, I always was Sephardi. My family’s roots are in areas of Russia closer to Middle East and hence my original family’s Jewish practice was Sephardic. Now that I am religious I wish to go back to the custom of my ancestors".
Who in his family was Sephardic; his father or mothers side, is a different issue.
He chose the one he preferred.
Story #2 A Baal Tshuva born in the USA with all American parents, never went to yeshiva in his early years. Decided to become a Baal Tshuva later in life, now a young middle aged man.
Prays from a Ashkenaz siddur keeps shabbos, learns Torah from English translations and does much chesed.
Yet on the other hand, he questions the ways of Chasidim, the right to learn Chasidut, if it is really part of the Torah or necessary. Says, Chasidim are not mainstream Judaism and are either being mislead by their Rebbes g-d forbid or broke of from and/or lost contact with main stream Halacha and Torah long ago.
He follows the Yeshivish way and his Rosh Yeshiva who was Mekarev him. He is a bit of an elitist and seems to always know the proper Torah-Derech way.
Story # 3 A Baal Tshuva born from a Russian father and Israeli mother. Raised in a traditional home but not so observant. Went to a non Chassidic orthodox yeshiva and later college. Is introduced to the teaching of Chassidus and Chassidim. Is intrigued by depth of its teaching the warmth and joy of a Chassid and the way they pray.
Decides to grow a beard over the objections of his family and becomes a Chosid. Later returns to the very same school of his youth and teaches there. His students love him and he respects and he accepts all his students.
His does not try to make his students Chassidim but does try convey the warmth and positive approach of chassidus with stories of tzaddikim and by being a good example of it.
The same with each Jew he meets he respects and accepts their customs but practices for himself and family the way of Chassidim.
Here we have three stories, in # 1- The person has not only become religious but in addition has accepted upon himself, a new culture, one of Sephardic heritage.
He has a Sephardic Rabbi that he looks up to and is his mentor. Though early in life, he looked up to Ashkenazi Rabbis he now looks to Sephardi ones.
This particular one gives many classes and is very dynamic.
He likes to shock his people into thinking, as in saying; "The best proof that the Torah is true is the Holocaust. Why? Because all the terrible punishments that the Torah foretold will occur if we disobey G-d came true during that time R”L".
He has said: " One who desecrates the sabbath is like a non -Jew" and a woman who walks around immodest is a sinner who makes others sin and is worse than a murderer who kills only the body while she kills the soul".
This Baal Tshuva likes the strict structure and black and white life.
Personally I think this is extreme but perhaps the Jew in story # 1 likes extreme and in additional to family heritage choose Sephardi way because he might perceive it as more strict or more authentic.
In story # 2 the person has a Litvish Teacher, a Talmud Chochom born in America but taught the old school Litvish European derech. This Rosh Ha'Yeshiva taught him that “Schar-Reward” for a Mitzvah is important.
That life is a test to see if we will get to " Olam Habo- The World to come".
How this world is full of temptation, evil, lies and materialism.
The main thing is to study Gemara stay away from things that are too spiritual…they are too high for you and suspect.
Stay away from Mikvah-Chassidus-Zohar-Rebbe’s-being to much B’Simcha – Joy and clapping on Shabbat even for a mitzvah etc.
Whether this is what his Rosh Ha'yeshiva really meant or not, somewhere along the way he learned how not accept certain types of Jews and view them as misguided.
He learned how to feel elite and above other Jews and thinks that learning torah for its own sake is the greatest goal and is ready to sacrifice himself for "Daas Torah" and tell people what "Daas Torah" is regardless of how many people he will offend or rebuke.
Everyone else has gotten it wrong…he will explain to you what is the "real and our way". he is looking for perfection and the ultimate reward in heaven.
In Story # 3 , this person teachers varied and the process was a slow one. Going from teacher to teacher until finding the one that he felt was right. From a Non- Chassidic Rebbe to a Chassdic one. Spent some time in an Israeli Yeshiva.
Asked many questions to different Rabbonim and listen to the various answers that were given. Studied much Halacha and spoke to Posskim.
Learned much Talmud, Halacha, Mussar, Chassidus and became a real Ben -Torah.
After much struggle both within himself and with his family and he came to the path that he choice; Chabad Chassdus. It filled for him both the intellectual and emotional need that he was searching for.
He feels the main focus is what is g-d purpose for creating this world and how can he fulfill it.
Our Sages taught "Ma Ben Talmidov Shel Avrohom Avenu U'Talmidov Shel (Perkie Avoth 5:19) what is the difference between the student of Abraham our Father and the students of... Students of Abraham have a good eye, a humble spirit and a non pleasure seeking soul".
From the students of a movement one can perceive its teachers and the message of its teachings.
In these three stories each Baal Tshuva chose the path they decided upon.
True it might be due to how they themselves absorbed what they where taught.
Their own personal character.
Their family history or other reasons.
Yet it still does reflect on their individual teacher and each respective school of thought.
Even from the extreme in every case one can learn. As the world says; "if you want to know what is going on in a certain place ask the “Shtot Mishugana- the local Crazy Man”.
You can tell what a certain group is like by hearing what the crazy people in the group speak of.
Do they speak about Moshiach?
Do they speak about Purgatory?
Do the speak about love to every Jew?
Do they speak about Simcha, Prayer, Charity?
In summation every the Baal Thsuva belongs to himself and Hashem however it also reflects upon the group that brought them back to Yiddhskiet.
Yet very critical to this, is that the Baal or Balas Tshuva must choose their own path they wish to live by.
Their is no "cookie cut" Baal Tshuva nor is the goal to make a "mitzva machine" that does not think on its own.
Many times a Baal Tshuva is not the product of one group but of many different groups that he or she has chosen from.
Unfortantly , I know of more than one Baal Tshuva who decided to reject all teachers and paths and say they need no Rav or guide, they will go directly to Hashem.
What turned them off was how each group taught that they are the only path, and all other paths are wrong.
Not being able to see the tree for the forest they threw out the baby with the bath water.
They still keep Judaism and Halacha but are very hard to reach.
Sometimes they will keep the extreme form of halacha and be lenient in another.
They have no Rav that they discuss with issues any more.
If a earlier Rav approaches them to guide them, they view him as a representative of a group instead as as an individual who cares about them.
This is a by product of to many people and teachers trying to "force" their way upon them. They still want Judaism but do not trust the teachers who original taught them.
They way to avoid this is by accepting and encouraging all approaches that are valid. Point out what you as an individual believe and then allow the Baal Tshuva to choose and validate the choice instead of knocking it.
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Cong. Israel of Kingsbay Brooklyn 1718 934 5176
