I think that many people mistakenly assume some things about chumras. The most glaring of which is that chumras make one closer to Hashem. I don’t think that this is necessarily true. Chumras do not generate piety, nor do they make one more holy. Rather it is the reverse. A holier person who feels more fearful of heaven will take on a chumra to stay further away from sin. It doesn’t work both ways. In fact, taking on chumras itself is a very shaky situation. One really needs to be sure that he or she is taking it on because of a fear or love of Hashem, not because that’s what is in style. Personally, I am not so afraid of heaven (unfortunately) that I feel I should take on Cholov Yisroel. My fear of heaven wouldn’t drive me to do it, if I would do it, it would be because everyone else was, and it looks “bad” not to, which is the wrong reason.
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