There is a story abt. R' Naftali of Ropshitz that he gave a drasha in shul exhorting people to give money to the poor before Pesach. When he came home his wife asked if he was successful. He said that he convinced the poor to receive. Now all he has to do is convince the rich to give...
Since the Meron tragedy there has been a great deal of talk about the importance of unity and how we must weed out machlokes from Klal Yisrael.
Let's be real.
We hear this ALL THE TIME. During Elul and Tishrei ["Yom Kippur doesn't atone for Bein Adam La-chaveiro if your friend doesn't forgive you"]. During the three weeks preceding Tisha B'av ["The Beis Hamikdash was destroyed b/c of Sinas Chinam, it will be rebuilt b/c of Ahavas Chinam"]. Before Shvuos [e.g. "כאיש אחד בלב אחד"!!!]. When the Holocaust is mentioned ["Hitler threw all Jews in the gas chambers, regardless of what type of Jew"]. Purim time [the answer to Haman's decree was "לך כנוס את כל היהודים" - Achuds!!]. Pesach time [e.g. "שלא אחד בלבד עמד עלינו לכלותנו" - only that we are not one threatens to destroy us]. Succos [e.g. כל ישראל ראויים לישב בסוכה אחת" - סוכה כ"ז". The Succah unites all Klal Yisrael]. When we have national tragedies [such as when three boys who were kidnapped and murdered]. When someone gets up and talks about Moshiach coming. During the whole Covid disaster. When anti-semitism rears its ugly head. And whenever anyone wants to say something everyone can agree with and feel strongly about.
In fact what is the reality? There is crrrrazzzzzy machlokes allllll over the place. Chasiduyos quarrel with other Chasiduyos and among themselves [until they break off into separate groups which doesn't stop the sometimes violent fighting]. The "right wing" attacks the more "modern" and vice versa. Yeshivas [and other institutions] have infighting and all too often split up into two Yeshivos [except for the famous Yeshiva that has been involved for years on end in machlokes and functions as two yeshivas in one. Except when there is actual physical violence that is videoed and spread around the world. Then they unite into one yeshiva as the two groups called the מחבלים and שונאים go at it]. Charedi Yeshivos, Tziyoni Yeshivas - nobody is immune to Machlokes.
There are countless acrimonious, bitter divorces in our communities. There are so many families where various members are not on speaking terms. There are MANY otherwise fine people who follow Rabbonim who are known as Baalei Lashon Hara and/or Machlokes. If you say a word to them about their "Holy" Rebbi, they get very offended.
So I have a challenge: Does anybody have an idea how to REALLY create unity and respect in Klal Yisrael??
So many words, so much verbiage and sof-sof we are no better off now than we ever were before. There is still so much apathy for other [Frum!!] Jews in a better scenario and bitter hatred in a worse scenario. There are so many people who are suffering financially, emotionally and spiritually and so many others who care so little.
Of course there are many good, well meaning people. We are the Chosen People and there is nobody like us. But what can we do to REALLY bring people together?????
I DON'T KNOW but I am SURE that in a few weeks this whole Meron tragedy will be all but forgotten and the fights will continue [not that people made Shalom in the meantime]. The Rabbonim give drashos saying that these catastrophes happen to bring us to teshuva from our Machlokes but to no avail. Part of the reason is that people don't really believe that Machlokes causes Heavenly decreed death and suffering. Part of the reason is that [as R' Yisrael Salanter put it] it is easier to learn all of Shas than it is to change one bad middah. People are entrenched in their middos ra-os. Even quoting the Chazal that Machlokes is a TORAH PROHIBITION doesn't help. People who would never dream of not dipping their challah in salt or of eating Kitnoyos and Pesach - minhagim - have no problem transgressing the Torah איסור of Machlokes on a consistent basis.
So please - what can we do to REALLY get people to stop fighting and to truly care about each other???
