For a few years now, I've been concerned about the response of the Jewish newspapers (including blogs) to acts of Jew-hatred and any kind of discrimination against Jews.
Jews who aren't fully committed to Torah observance mean well, yet lack the knowledge to respond properly.
But even some frum Jews get sidetracked - and again, it's all with the best of intentions.
Everybody cares about our fellow Jews getting hurt or harassed.
But much of what people mention is either not the solution or not the full solution.
I wanted to write a post on this, but Toras Avigdor beat me to it by putting out a brilliant 8:24-minute video.
In the clip, Rav Avigdor Miller explains how to completely overturn even the most genocidal gezeirah.
Then, at 5:25, he does something he acknowledges that many people don't like (but he does it anyway because it's absolutely necessary & absolute emet); he speaks of what he personally witnessed in Europe leading up to the Shoah, after Hitler (yemach shemo) was already in power...and what we can learn from this to apply to our times.
And also, in the name of the Chafetz Chaim, he blames the newspapers run by assimilated Jews.
And while this blog is far from being a newspaper, blog posts are the modern take on newspaper columns. So I'm taking his comments as personal mussar for myself too.
Anyway, the video packs a powerful punch. Yashar koach to Toras Avigdor for putting together such an important message at such a crucial time.
Here it is:
Rav Avigdor Miller on Our Response to Antisemitism (Please scroll down to the last video.)
Jews who aren't fully committed to Torah observance mean well, yet lack the knowledge to respond properly.
But even some frum Jews get sidetracked - and again, it's all with the best of intentions.
Everybody cares about our fellow Jews getting hurt or harassed.
But much of what people mention is either not the solution or not the full solution.
I wanted to write a post on this, but Toras Avigdor beat me to it by putting out a brilliant 8:24-minute video.
In the clip, Rav Avigdor Miller explains how to completely overturn even the most genocidal gezeirah.
Then, at 5:25, he does something he acknowledges that many people don't like (but he does it anyway because it's absolutely necessary & absolute emet); he speaks of what he personally witnessed in Europe leading up to the Shoah, after Hitler (yemach shemo) was already in power...and what we can learn from this to apply to our times.
And also, in the name of the Chafetz Chaim, he blames the newspapers run by assimilated Jews.
And while this blog is far from being a newspaper, blog posts are the modern take on newspaper columns. So I'm taking his comments as personal mussar for myself too.
Anyway, the video packs a powerful punch. Yashar koach to Toras Avigdor for putting together such an important message at such a crucial time.
Here it is:
Rav Avigdor Miller on Our Response to Antisemitism (Please scroll down to the last video.)
Note #1: It looks like this class was filmed in Rav Miller's later years. There are English subtitles for those who can't hear the rav clearly.
Note #2: Also, at minute 6:30, Rav Miller quotes the Chafetz Chaim regarding the Jewish community there of that time: "...ki ein bayit asher ein sham mes - There was no home which didn't have there a mes" from Sefer Shemot 12:30, regarding the Plague of the Firstborn in Egypt.
In Sefer Shemot, the word mes (or met) means "dead." But in the clip, Rav Miller translates it as "spoiled" for a metaphorical interpretation. (Please see Yaak's comment below for clarification.)
Note #2: Also, at minute 6:30, Rav Miller quotes the Chafetz Chaim regarding the Jewish community there of that time: "...ki ein bayit asher ein sham mes - There was no home which didn't have there a mes" from Sefer Shemot 12:30, regarding the Plague of the Firstborn in Egypt.
In Sefer Shemot, the word mes (or met) means "dead." But in the clip, Rav Miller translates it as "spoiled" for a metaphorical interpretation. (Please see Yaak's comment below for clarification.)
May Mashiach please come in a sweet way.
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