[Avodah] Making an Avodah Zarah out of it

Micha Berger via Avodah avodah at lists.aishdas.org
Thu Jul 13 03:33:51 PDT 2017


On Tue, Jul 04, 2017 at 10:54:43AM -0400, Akiva Miller via Avodah wrote:
: https://www.ou.org/jewish_action/06/2017/rabbis-son-syndrome-religious-struggle-world-religious-ideals/
:> Love of Torah does not always translate into love of
:> people -- or even love of God. Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk
:> caustically noted that increased religious observance is not
:> always for the purpose of worshipping God, but rather
:> sometimes it is for the sake of "worshipping the Shulchan Aruch."

In R' Shlomo Wolbe, Alei Shur, vol II, "Frumkeit"
<http://www.aishdas.org/as/frumkeit.pdf>, speaks of halachic obervant
not for the sake of worshipping G-d, but speaks to why one would "worship
the SA" if it isn't about G-d. A translation of the opening:

> Frumkeit is a natural, instinctive urge to connect to the Creator. This
> instinct is also found in animals. King David said, " The young lions roar
> after their prey, and seek their food from G-d." (Psalms 104:21) "He gives
> to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry." (Psalms 147:9)

> There is no need to understand these verses as [mere] figures of
> speech -- animals have an instinctive sense that there exists One who
> is concerned about their sustenance. This instinct [also] operates in
> man -- on a higher level, of course. This natural frumkeit [instinct]
> assists us in our service of G-d, and without this natural assistance
> our service would would be extremely heavy upon us. However, frumkeit,
> like any other instinctive urge that operates within man, is naturally
> egotistical and self-centered. Accordingly, frumkeit drives a person to
> do only that which is good for himself -- [in contrast, positive] actions
> between man and his fellow man, as well as wholehearted actions between
> man and G-d are not fueled by frumkeit. One who bases his service on it
> alone remains egocentric. Even if he were to impose many stringencies
> upon himself, he would not become a man of kindness, and he would not
> reach [the level of] altruistic service. This is what necessitates that
> we base our service specifically on intellect...

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Mussar is like oil put in water,
micha at aishdas.org        eventually it will rise to the top.
http://www.aishdas.org                    - Rav Yisrael Salanter
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