<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3>BACKGROUND TO QUESTION<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3>It is well accepted that the leading reason for churban bayis sheni was sinas chinam, baseless hatred:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Yoma 9b.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Other reasons cited for the churban bayis sheni, i.e. insisting on legal rights without a willingness to go beyond the letter of the law, cited in BM30b, and the refusal of Torah scholars to rebuke the people for fear of their disrespect, cited in Shabbos 119b, can all be classified under the broad category of sinas chinam. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(See article by Rabbi Mordechai Willig for discussion on the relationship of these causes:
</FONT><A href="http://www.torahweb.org/torah/2005/parsha/rwil_devarim.html"><FONT size=3>http://www.torahweb.org/torah/2005/parsha/rwil_devarim.html</FONT></A><FONT size=3> ) Sinas chinam can be characterized as deficiency in proper conduct bein adam lechavero. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3>THE QUESTION:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3>Given that eliminating sinas chinam, i.e. remedying the deficiency in proper conduct bein adam lechavero, is the key to geula and the re-establishment of the bais mikdash <SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';
mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">(<I>Yer. Yoma</I> 1:1),</SPAN> which is the highest and ultimate historical goal of Jewish existence, why is there not a more concerted and prioritized effort by Torah Jewry to teach and promote proper conduct bein adam lechavero? <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Shouldn’t this be a priority that is so well known and so well publicized that it is seen both by insiders and outsiders as characteristic of the Torah community? <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="TEXT-TRANSFORM: uppercase; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3>Notes on the question:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3>-My observation has been that there is an emphasis on learning mitzvos bein adam lamakom, e.g. all Orach Chaim topics.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Although in an important sense, the bein adam lamakom orientation is foundational, and so cannot be neglected, the paramount importance of addressing sinas chinam based on the above sources suggests to me that we are missing something fundamental.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3>-The potential for overemphasis on bein adam lamakom mitzvos seems especially problematic when there is an emphasis on chumros, which tend to divide.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </SPAN>The topic of chumros is complex though, since chumros can also be a way of achieving unity.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For example, if one observes all the chumros of kashrus, anyone can eat at that person’s house – though the down side is that they won’t be able to eat at other’s houses much unless they maintain different standards for eating out.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3>-It seems to me that chumros bein adam lachavero are much less divisive, and in fact have a unifying force that chumros in conduct bein adam lamakom lack. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In fact the kashrus example seems more an indication that there is a bein adam
lechavero aspect to kashrus rather than an illustration that chumros in mitzvos bein adam lamokom have a unifying force.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The essence of accepting a chumra on oneself regarding bein adam lechavero conduct is to restrict oneself and in doing so to give more latitude to others.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>By contrast, accepting a chumra in conduct bein adam lemakom is either neutral with respect to one’s expectation of others, or more demanding as one would implicitly tend to expect the same conduct of others. <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3>-Of course it is important to approach this issue in a constructive and positive way that does not use it as a stick for beating other parts of the
community that may be seen as more blameworthy on this analysis.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(See reference to Netziv in R. Willig’s article.)</FONT></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3></FONT></SPAN> </div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3>Michael Orr</FONT></SPAN></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3></FONT></SPAN> </div>