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recent column (Strength from Love August 12) and a subsequent addendum (My Son the Critic) generated a fair amount of response. And that response forced me to try to further clarify for myself some of the guidelines for relationships with not-yet-observant Jews.
I cannot say that I have yet achieved clarity for the way is crowded with paradoxes or so it seems to me. On the one hand we have a responsibility to try to bring our fellow Jews closer to Hashem. On the other hand if we are too obvious about our goal or too focused on it we are unlikely to be effective in achieving it. On the third hand (yes there really is a third hand) if we forget the goal we are also not likely to be effective. Herewith some preliminary reflections.
The Chovos Halevavos writes something truly shocking with respect to the reward of Olam Haba: “A person’s good deeds alone do not make him suitable for the reward of the World to Come. G-d considers him suitable only because of two other factors in addition to his good deeds. The first is that he teaches others about the service of G-d and guides them in doing good…” (Shaar Habitachon Chapter 4)
Rabbi Noach Weinberg explained citing the Rambam in Sefer Hamitzvos (positive commandment 3) that a Jew who does not seek to instruct others in the service of G-d and to bring them closer to Him is lacking in ahavas Hashem.
