First a few words regarding my recent column “I’m in Kollel But My Life Is a Sham” — about a young kollel man going through the motions of Torah life and learning with without feeling any connection to G-d or spirituality. The piece triggered a flood of responses representing a spectrum of opinions. Some complained that it was an unmentionable subject — in other words there’s a monster sitting in the living room but we mustn’t talk about it. Others expressed the feeling that there’s nothing we can do about the situation so we’d better learn to live with it. Still others claimed quite correctly that emunah is an emotional issue and quite incorrectly that no logical discussion can help if emunah is lacking. There were even some who felt that it doesn’t matter at all where one is holding in emunah as long as one is keeps the mitzvos and learns Torah. What I learned from all these responses is that the phenomenon in question is even more widespread than I thought and that the plague of mitzvas anashim melumadah robotic observance accompanied by weak faith is not being properly treated. A number of people wrote to tell me about various initiatives that are already in existence for inculcating emunah and some asked me to get in touch with them for more information about what is being done. Those letters were like a breath of fresh air and G‑d willing I will indeed contact those who asked.
But all in all the letters and oral comments require me to give further attention to this question and to set down before my honored readers whatever I have merited learning from my teachers on this subject as well as what I have learned from experience — particularly my contact with young people who were confirmed atheists when I met them and attained belief in G‑d the Creator through guided discussion. And what was effective for Jews coming from faraway spiritual places should also be effective for those who were raised in our own backyard but simply never received the right care for their ailment.
But before we attack this issue there is a related topic that needs urgent attention – the two are a package deal when we talk about the spiritual diseases creeping into our society and damaging the very tissues and ligaments that keep up healthy.
The following paragraphs appeared last week in the Hebrew edition of Mishpacha in light of a recently disclosed situation that has become pervasive in Jerusalem — and perhaps around the Jewish world. Of course I will write only about what occurred without bringing in any names or specific details but my hope is that people will understand the underlying nuances and hopefully they will be forewarned.
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