[Avodah] Ehrlachkeit, not Frumkeit

[Danny Schoemann]

In the "Consumer Alert: Minhog Scams On The Rise!"  thread, R' Micha
Berger wrote:

>> We live in an era ... where there is too much focus on
>> frumkeit rather than ehrlachkeit and yesodei haTorah.

R' Akiva Miller then continued:

> I wholeheartedly agree with this, and would love to coin a
> new slogan to help us focus on that idea.

Something original like "Derech Eretz Kodmo L'Torah" or "Im ein DE ein
Torah" or "Yofe TT im DE"  or (said in a cynical tone "Derech Etz?
Plishtim!")

> Something which
> can help us to realize that our ehrlachkeit is lacking, but
> without casting aspersions on frumkeit.

We'll ignore the obvious; if your not Ehrlich you are not Frum, you're Fake.

> But I want to be prepared for arguments and backlash.
> Many, for example, will point to the proliferation of chesed
> organizations as an example of ehrlachkeit.

I love these new-era Chessed organisations. "I have this Chessed
organisation. I need your time and/or money to run it. Meanwhile I'll
start another one while you run mine - even though you don't care /
are not cut out for this type of Chessed. But now I've done a double
Chessed; I got you involved in a Chessed."

I kid you not, this happened to my wife once... took her a while to
find somebody who was prepared to inherit this Chessed.

Reminds me of the fellow who hitched a ride with me a while back and
on his way out the door says "you need to thank me for providing you
with the opportunity to do a Chessed." I was relieved that he didn't
bill me.

> But that's not
> what we're talking about, is it? What we're really referring
> to is manners, common decency, and a realization that
> Bein Adam L'Chaveiro is also d'Oraisa.
>
> How can we communicate these ideas? This is especially
> difficult to people who don't appreciate that a problem even exists.

[Predictably] I would suggest concentrating on learning and spreading
Halocho. Simple old fashioned "no frills, no Chumros" Halocho. Seforim
like the Kitzur SA fit the bill; learn it and relearn it and start
becoming an expert in "the basics".

Seforim like the Mishna Brura have the following "drawbacks":

- You forget there are another 3 Chalokim to Shulchan Aruch
(especially the Bein Odom L'Chaveiro section); the Chofetz Chaim wrote
numerous Seforim about Bein Odom L'Chaveiro - but only mentions it
by-the-way when appropriate in the MB.

- Many of his non-OC Psakim are hard to find. Anybody know where the
MB talks about the Halachot of haircuts and Payot? (Answer: 252:2 in
the Biur Halocho *Afilu MiSapar Yisroel - Vol 3 page 30)

- He brings "too many" opinions and (unless you know and remember the
rules of how to "read" MB) you "play it safe" and keep all opinions
that he mentions. This itself can start chipping away at your
Ehrlichkeit... as opinions can contradict each other.

- There's way too much to learn and remember. Halachicly your memory
is valid for a year, so you need something you can review yearly. I
find that I can easily review the entire KSA 3 - 4 times a year by
spending 10 minutes/day on it daily after Maariv and the occasional 30
minutes while waiting for the Doctor/Chuppa/ etc.

- It's a commentary to an existing work, so you get confusing
commentary. E.g. in 261 the Mechaber talks about Shabbes starting long
after the visible sunset, as per Rabbeinu Tam. The MB explains that
and insists that we need to start Shabbes before visible sunset;
preferably 20-30 minutes before (MB 261:2:(23)) - then you wonder what
happens to Ehrlichkeit... :-)

 <Gets off soapbox>

- Danny