[Avodah] =?cp1255?B?w6LCgMKcdXBkYXRl?= =?cp1255?B?ZMOiwoDCnQ==?= version of a story

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Apr 15, 2026 at 06:19:40AM +0300, Joel Rich via Avodah wrote:
>                   . Rav Asher Weiss reported that a recent article reported
> an "updated" version of a story concerning Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer...
>                                The original story was that R' IZM walked
> around the block and didn't go into his apartment so as not to cause the
> widow who was cleaning his apartment to stop singing when he knew the
> singing brought her some comfort and joy. The revised story was that he
> didn't go in because of concerns of kol isha. This change speaks volumes..

The Orthodox Jewish Community, as a community*, went OTD when we stopped
trying to be "an ehrlicher Yid" and instead talk about being "frum".

It is indicative of our being so worried about losing the ritual halakhos
the heterodox communities have deprecated that we lost sight of the
Judaism described by Chazal. Of Hillel's "that which you loathe, do not
do to another; that is the whole Torah -- now go learn!" Or of R Aqiva's
making "veAhavta leRei'akha kaMokha" the Torah's overarching principle. Or
R Simla'i's "the Torah begins in Chessed and end in Chessed...", etc,
etc, etc....

For too many of us, from the time we get too old for "VeAhavta" on a
poster on the classroom wall, true Torah priorites start fading.

The vast majority of us learn using R Chaim's derekh... But living by
his values?

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

* Not speaking of any specific individuals. Obviously we have many baalei
chessed who are expressing VeAhavta leRei'akha, and not treating the
other as an "esrog" for their mitzvah. This is just an overall cultural
trend I am talking about.

-- 
Micha Berger                 Today is the 13th day, which is
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   1 week and 6 days in/toward the omer.
Author: Widen Your Tent      Yesod sheb'Gevurah: To what extent is judgment
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF                 necessary for a good relationship?