Benjamin Rubin, an 18-year-old Shomer Shabbos hockey player has the next week to choose between his religion and his passion — hockey. Benjamin was previously given permission not to play a number of games during Shabbos last year.
This year, the Montreal native was traded from the Quebec Remparts Major Junior team to the Gatineau Olympiques.
Many junior hockey games are played over Shabbos, and the governor of the new team, is trying to make Rubin more of a full-time participant. “No decision has been made one way or another, meetings are still taking place,” between the team, the boy and his family, Charles Henry said.
It is interesting to note, that YW had reported – (HERE) on April 29 – that Benjamin had been kicked off the Quebec City Remparts junior team) because he refused to play on Shabbos.
(With reporting by the Star Phoenix)
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8 Responses
The dillememas that MO Jews face….
As Jews we must thank Hashem daily for sports. The enthuasiasm, money, thought, and effort, that Goyim place in sports today, is the enthuasiasm, money, thought, and effort, they placed into pogroms in the old country. Baruch Hashem, they by and large don’t have time to think about Jews.
their is no dilemna for anyone who is Torah observant. As a shomer shabbos, he will make the right decision. the only dilemna is for the owners of the team as to what to do
People should be moderate in the strength of their posts about this. You have to appreciate the degree of yetzer hara and temptation here. For someone with an opportunity to become a star athlete, which is accompanied by tayvas and yetzer haras for fame (ie, kavod) and money – two of the strongest yetzers acc. to chazal – is very difficult. He is faced with the nisayon of a lucrative career playing a game he loves, with all the associated perks. I, for one, haven’t been tested with something that strong…
Many frum yidden have not been able to withstand smaller temptations of kavod and money.
He obviously loves the game (and possibly to make millions) and it must be very hard for him. I hope he can withstand the temptation and overcome this nisayon. poster of “their is no dilemna for anyone who is Torah observant” has boruch Hashem never faced this type of nisayon.
mdlevine,
According to your logic Torah observant Jews have no ethical or moral dilemmas. So why are we here???
May Hashem grant this boy the strength he needs to be Covesh his Yetzer Horah.
Flatbusher,
I believe Matzoh is referring to a midrash. the Midrash says that Hakodesh Barouch Hu created sports to occupy the goyim so they wouldn’t bother us. think of how crazy they get at football, soccor and so on, if that ‘energy’ were not channeled towards sports we would be the ‘game’.
hope that answers your question.
A gut year!
I will not question this young mans faith and trust in HaShem in face of this test. I am sure that as a Torah observant Jew, he will make a Kiddush Hashem and do the right thing!