B"H
Professor Abbie Hoffman, of blessed
memory, once said: "Holy cows
make the tastiest hamburgers."
Judaism in the intervening generations
since יציאת מצרים, when it was we who stood in proud
defiance of עבודה זרה, and particularly during the galut after the destruction of the
Second Temple, became bogged down and distorted out of all recognition with אמונות טפלות
(superstitions). These אמונות טפלות have
become part and parcel of what most Jews think Judaism is; but they are עבודה זרה nonetheless. It is
foolish and incorrect to think that simply because we are Jews we are incapable
of עבודה
זרה
as everything we practice automatically becomes kosher. The תורה tells us otherwise. The Talmud is
also wrong in teaching us that עבודה זרה has been rooted out of Israel. We see it today – in force. Before we
can enter the Temple again we must purify ourselves of all that which is not
Torah-true Judaism.
I know that my writings make people feel
unsettled. I know that I am often
very annoying, even infuriating. That is because most Jews have forgotten how
to distinguish between העקר והטפל. We see from
the expression העקר והטפל that just not distinguishing between that which is essential
and that which has been added on to Torah places us firmly in the area of אמונות טפלות, i.e., עבודה זרה. We must always remember the admonition:
לא תספו על-הדבר אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם ולא תגרעו ממנו לשמר את-מצות ה'
א-להיכם אשר אנכי מצוה אתכם
דברים ד:ב
Notice, please, that the word תספו is written with
a חלם
חסר
and a חירק חסר. This is to
instruct us to keep the מצות precisely and not add anything whatsoever.
To make matters worse, many unscrupulous Rabbis have
encouraged the generalized confusion among the Jewish People as to what is
permissible in or to capitalize on that ignorance. That is why the Rabbinut in
Israel is vanishing today. If it were a holy enterprise, ה' יתברך would bless it
and make it flourish in the Holy Land. Astrology, veneration of Rebbes to the
point of idolizing them, visiting graves (which confers ritual impurity that
makes us unable to approach the Temple), ascribing powers to stones, wearing colored
strings on the wrist, and so on are all practices that have been added on, come
from foreign cultures and are absolutely forbidden, no matter what the people
who are making money from these practices tell you, including Rabbis.
Understand this. Is it written anywhere in Torah to do these things? No! In
fact, we do not even know where משה רבנו is buried. This is because it was the Will of ה' that the grave
of ה' not become a
shrine.
I should like to add that the popular
amulets (קמעות) are עבודה זרה as well. The practice of placing a מזוזה to which people
ascribe special powers under the pillow of a woman in labor is a gross abuse of
תורה. תורה specifies how and where to place a מזוזה – under one’s
pillow is not one of them.
I once attended what I thought was a
lecture at a Charedi seminar. When I got there there was a table set up laden
with stones of all types, colors and sizes with price tags on them. Some cost
many hundred of shekels and this was some years ago. The Rabbi of the town
spoke in order to open the evening, including about the necessity of upholding
“Torah true Judaism”, whereupon he ended his speech and turned the evening over
to a Charedi lady who he lauded as an example of “Torah true Judaism”. Instead of talking, the woman turned
directly to selling stones of all kinds that she claimed conferred all types of
“segulot”. I left, not before
making an announcement that what was transpiring there was עבודה זרה plain and
simple.
If you will look carefully at my writings
you will see that I have preserved, cherish and protect עקרי-התורהfiercely, even as I dispose of theטפל as the rubbish that it is and afford it no respect
whatsoever, making a laughingstock of it in order to show people how ridiculous it is so that
they may be rid of it. I do not treat these matters in a
light-headed manner, however. I
refute them rigorously, scholastically and bring the many sources ה' has taught me
to bear in the vigil against ignorance and עבודה זרה.
Nobody likes a revolutionary. Nobody likes
those who tell the unadulterated, undiluted, unsweetened Truth. Nobody says
"thank you", we don't get invited for afternoon tea very often and we
don't get Nobel Prizes. Such is
our life and it all goes with the territory. I accept my lot. I do not expect honor, or even much respect
and I will forfeit the teas and the chitchat that goes on at them (gladly, I
should say), but I will defend the honor of the תורה.
Please see the discussion of this post on
the following URL:
Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Tzfat