Saturday, November 18, 2017

Kedoshim Tihiyu

Everything in the news about the sexual depravity in Holloywood and politics and sports etc. is a million times worse than is actually reported. For every story that makes it to the press - countless stories don't. To use Talmudic terminology - לכולם יש חזקת מושחתים. Those who aren't are the exception and not the rule. What do you think, for example, athletes on the road do in their free time? Daf Yomi? Shnayim Mikra?? Why WOULDN'T they be sleeping around? Of course they are.

How do I know?

I know.

Why am I telling you this? To bring home the point that we are different and special. When I say "we" I don't mean the Jewish people, since many of those terribly corrupt people are Jewish. I mean that truly, honestly sincerely G-d fearing Jews are different [and of course not fakers who masquerade as religious Jews]. We don't have any sort of personal relationship with any woman other than our own wives. We don't look or even think about other women and when we do [because we are human males] we immediately distract ourselves and think of something else. 

These people should never be our heroes. Our heroes are people like Rav Moshe Feinstein who had a shyla about the mikva in his town in Russia so he separated from his wife for seven years [!!], although he easily could have found a heter for himself. Or Rav Kook, who when he was yeshiva bachur immediately agreed to the price offered by a woman for lodgings. When asked why he didn't bargain with her like everyone else, he responded that one should minimize conversation with women. 

Some people have no concept of what kedusha is so they knock it. But they are so immersed in the filth they don't even realize how dirty and tainted their souls are. How do I know? Did I peer into their souls? No. But Hashem told us what makes a person soul dirty and a major factor is a lack of shmiras einayim etc.  

A good place to start to understand for those interested in understanding is the Nesivos Shalom on inyanei kedusha.