Why Personal Change Is Not Enough

Nearly a year ago, an essay of mine titled “Era of Hidden Faces” appeared in these pages on the topic of hester Panim. In the lead-up to last Tishah B’Av, I tried to analyze the many tragedies that had taken place in the months prior, and the Meron tragedy in particular. I observed that even after all those hard shocks, each new one more painful and devastating than the last, we still had not seen any change in Klal Yisrael — or in “Reb Yisrael.”

Reactions from readers came pouring in. Even now, I’m still hearing their comments — no longer in written form, but rather verbally, while standing at a reception at a chasunah, following the Kosel neitz minyan, or sometimes in the aisles at Gourmet Glatt. I seem to have struck a nerve — a raw nerve.

Many disagreed; some were even offended, and others even took the time and space to share how they have changed. The general thrust of the responses was that change is internal; it comes from within, and may not be visible even to the most discerning eye. Perhaps the most notable response came several months ago at the Agudah Convention: I was both honored and humbled when one of the leading roshei yeshivah of our day politely called me over and whispered to me the personal kabbalah he had undertaken, which I took as a mild rebuke to the hypothesis in my article.

I stand my ground.

I would never be so bold as to make the claim that I know what’s in people’s hearts. Only HaKadosh Baruch Hu has that ability. And of course, what Yid with a beating heart would not react to these incomprehensible tragedies? My point was that these individual kabbalos and inner changes had not manifested themselves in the external behavior of our Torah tzibbur.