B'chasdei Hashem, over the past almost 20 years, Beis Mevakesh Lev has produced over 13,300 audio shiurim and over 31,000 written posts, unmatched by any one-person website - all completely free of charge. There are no paywalls or anything else. Now we are turning to you for help so we can continue - any amount will help. Even 99 cents! Thank you to my sweetest and most beloved friends!!!:-)!!
alchehrm@gmail.com
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The modern day Torah Jew lives with a dual consciousness, which can also be termed a "shatnez consciousness".
On one hand he believes in and lives by Torah principals. He spends a fortune to give his children a Jewish education. He keeps Halacha, even when it is difficult.
On the other hand - he is a product of modern culture and absorbs ideas foreign to Jewish tradition. He often is not even aware of how many diametrically opposed viewpoints he believes in simultaneously. This is reflected not only in his belief system but also in his behavior. [See the Beis Halevi and many mussar sfarim on אני יוסף העוד אבי חי and internal contradictions].
One expression of this shatnez is that we keep Shabbos. We spend a ton of money to keep Shabbos [food is EXPENSIVE and Jews EAT!! Kenain-a-hoorah!!!]. We ask shylos about minute details of Shabbos. We believe that transgressing Shabbos incurs CAPITAL PUNISHMENT!! We believe in the many poskim who say that a מחלל שבת has a דין גוי!!
Yet, we are very accepting of Jews who don't keep Shabbos. Even Jews who know better. We put them on the cover of our publications. We give them fawning interviews. We take great pride in them b/c they are not only accomplished in the secular world but also proudly identify as Jewish. But wait! They don't keep Shabbos [and many many other things]. They spit at Hashem in the face and trample the Torah with their actions. For mere convenience they reject a chain of 3,300 years of observance. They bring suffering to the world [that is what aveiros do. That is what we all believe but don't believe...]. Why give them all this kavod? Why glorify them? Why take pride in them? So he has a billion dollars. So he is buddies with Trump. So he has millions of followers on social media. For a Torah perspective none of this matters AT ALL!
All that matters is whether he is living the life Hashem requires of him. That is what we believe ... but don't believe.
That is b/c we are afflicted with shatnez-tivitis of the brain. We believe in the Torah. We believe that אין עוד מלבדו. We believe [as the Mesilas Yesharim teaches] that we are only in this world for the next world and all that lasts forever is our Torah and mitzvos.
But we don't.
Shatnez-tivitis.
The medicine?
Learning Mussar, Chasidus, Machshava and Pnimiyus Ha-Torah.
And lots of it!
And to be careful what other content we are absorbing. If you are careful about diet and eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, take vitamins etc. but ALSO fill yourself up with lots of Coca Cola, hot dogs and fries - well then you are not going to be very healthy. So all that Torah won't have the desired effect if one is also polluting oneself.
This short post attempted to put a finger on the problem b/c defining the problem is the first step in solving it. Many people go through their whole lives with serious emotional and spiritual deficiencies that are never attended to and thus just fester or even metastaize.
Let us unite and bring רפואה to the world!!:-)!!!
Much love!
