[Avodah] Chumros

[Doron Beckerman]

Rav Wolbe's piece on frumkeit is probably the most well-known Mussar essay
outside Charedi circles, because it is seen as a frontal attack on the
excessive Chumros being adopted by people who are not at the level where
they should, or for the wrong motives. True, and a very necessary message.

 But, I wonder whether some form of "frumkeit" is not a virtually inevitable
manifestation in one who strives for closeness to Hashem. (RYK went through
his own frumkeit stage, by his own testimony). The opposite of frumkeit
is Hiskarvus mitoch Daas - and how many people have sufficiently developed
their Daas to really honestly self-evaluate what is correct and what is a
"frumme Negi'ah"? How much of pulling out the red frumkeit card is not
merely a expression of one's own coldness and lack of progress and
enthusiasm. In some cases, perhaps even lack of Daas? IOW, how many people
calling out "frumkeit" are doing so due to their own "frumkeit" - expressed
by the need to show how true one's devotion is to Hashem is that he feels
the need to criticize others...
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