Reply To: Chumros = Kids Off The Derech?

Home Forums Family Matters Chumros = Kids Off The Derech? Reply To: Chumros = Kids Off The Derech?

#629177
dovid_yehuda
Participant

I find this one of the toughest aspects of interacting with fellow Jews, i.e. those with various levels of observance or minhagim. We are taught to distance ourselves from an “evil” neighbor or friend, this is part of the daily davening. But we are also taught to love all Jews, no matter their midos, etc. In fact the Alter Rebbe said that we have two mitzvot concerning Jews who transgress, 1) love them as Jews and 2) hate them for the evil they do. This confused me for a long time.

But, what I have come to believe is that it is better to extend loving kindness to those who are separating themselves from Torah and attempt to respectfully and subtly give them another way of seeing these mitzvot and the benefit of observance when openings allow. And I find it amazing how often something in the parsha shavua will naturally make this possible.

But nothing is possible if there is a solid wall of separation.

The trick is in balancing the separation/involvement so that there is enough involvement to hopefully have a positive impact but enough of a distance to avoid being distracted from your own path of observance.