[Avodah] Chumros

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 09:56:44PM +0200, Doron Beckerman wrote:
: 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...

I would think that one who stives for such closeness isn't doing so for
the wrong motives (as you put it on the previous paragraph).

AISI, a "right motive", as opposed to frumkeit, are those chumeros that
demonstrably add qedushah. "Qedoshim tihyu - perushim tihyu. Qadesh es
atzmekha bemah shemutar lakh." But if one is relating to the chumerah on
a plane other than perishus and the pursuit of qedushah, then why bother?

By which I mean not only "Keeping up with the Cohens" or yuhara, but
also my reasoning would limit one's adoption of Brisker chumeros.
Stam being chosheish for the Rambam by someone whose own ancestors
followed a different pesaq is an expression of a problematic lack of
belief in the halachic process. LAD, there has to be more to the chumerah
than the cheshash alone.

Unless one finds the sevara compelling, such that is helps create a
relationship, an "ownership" of the mitzvah and thus gives the mitzvah
more impact, I'm not sure of the point.

To case my point into RSWolbe's terms: Rote practice without spirituality
is frumkeit, not the pursuit of qedushah. And perishus from the mutar
is supposed to be all about qedushah.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             "Fortunate indeed, is the man who takes
micha at aishdas.org        exactly the right measure of himself,  and
http://www.aishdas.org   holds a just balance between what he can
Fax: (270) 514-1507      acquire and what he can use." - Peter Latham