[Avodah] More on what constitutes chilul hashem

[Zev Sero]

Beth & David Cohen wrote:
> R Zev Sero replied to me as follows:
>>> The theoretical average frum Jew, otoh, thinks that the law itself has
>>> no application to him, that he is permitted to disregard it with
>>> impunity and any attempt by the State to impose a penalty is per se 
>>> unjust. IMHO, the attitudinal difference is what causes the chilul Hashem.


>> Assuming this attitudinal difference really exists, how does the non-Jew
>> know about it?"
  
> Just take a look at the public pronouncements concerning the shaimos 
> dumping without a permit, as quoted in the local press (whether accurate 
> or not) and you can see just how the non-Jews know.

Which pronouncements in particular?  Remember that the Shaimos guy
*didn't* flout the law, on the contrary, he took reasonable care to
clear what he was doing with the local authorities, and it's not his
fault that the DEP decided to involve itself.  I saw various opinions
expressed, but none that the law has some sort of built-in exemption
for Jews and not for others.

I think this whole distinction you're drawing is spurious; a normal
person sees nothing wrong with breaking the law whenever he finds it
convenient, as proved by the fact that he *does* so.   Yes, when he's
caught he accepts that the penalty is reasonable (provided that it *is*
in fact reasonable), and doesn't expect an exception to be made for him.
But the only lesson he draws is to be more careful next time, not that
he did wrong and deserved to be punished!  It follows that he cannot
possibly look down on others who do exactly as he does.


> And I will hazard 
> going one step further --- just like Caesar's wife, shouldn't a frum Jew 
> be especially extra careful not to violate a law just so there is not 
> even a possibility for the non-Jew to  erroneously think that the frum 
> Jew flaunts the law, so that there is no possibility of a Chilul Hashem?

Flouts, and no, there *is* no chilul hashem.  This whole idea that
breaking the law is a chilul hashem has no foundation.  The notion
that one must obey the law simply because it is the law is abhorrent,
and the fact that Germans believe it and Americans don't explains a
lot about those nations' recent history.

-- 
Zev Sero                      The trouble with socialism is that you
zev at sero.name                 eventually run out of other people’s money
                                                     - Margaret Thatcher