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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2>From: "Mandel, Seth" <mandels@ou.org>
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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000
size=2>>>I am coming from a different direction. I do not have
problem with <BR>people adopting new customs, as long as they pose no problem
halakhically.<BR>What I do object to is hypocrisy. While I doubt any
particular <BR>person here is being hypocritical, the stance of various
movements <BR>within Judaism is, if not hypocritical, at the very least
self-contradictory.<BR>If one does not object to adopting new customs, then why,
pray tell, <BR>do some groups make a big issue out of wearing the European fur
hats <BR>(AKA shtreimels or spodiks)? <<</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>>>>>></DIV>
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<DIV>There are two different trends at work here in Jewish history (not only
among chassidim but among all Jewish groups) and they are A. the tendency
to gradually change and adapt to the ways of the cultures around us and B.
the tendency to resist change. Although they seem mutually contradictory,
in fact both tendencies are constantly operative. Change is inevitable in
any human society. The notable thing about Jews (Torah Jews) is that we
approach any type of change very warily and cautiously. Changing while
resisting change is not "hypocrisy" but the normal Jewish way of doing
things. It has made us, Orthodox Jews, largely immune to the kind of
radical and extreme changes that would tend to lead to
our extinction, the kind of changes adopted by our C and R
brethren.</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"
PTSIZE="10"><BR><BR><B>--Toby
Katz<BR>=========</B><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>_____________________<BR></FONT></DIV>
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