21.1.09

Sifosei Tiftach

I've had a lot to say lately, but not entirely sure how to go about saying it.
As Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance author, Robert M. Pirsig, might put it, I've fallen into a gumption trap. I don't feel prepared to write anything inspirational because I have been going through quite a few ups and downs in my spiritual life. But I also don't feel that it would be appropriate to write anything too depressing on this blog. What started off as a cry for a revolution has reached a plateau of bland nothingness.I suppose, however, that I should take a word or two of my own advice and "fake it until I make it." I recently came across an amazing blog, www.hasidic-feminist.blogspot.com (for anyone who is interested) about a woman who left the Kiryas Yoel Satmar community. Her story is amazing, but more than that, the way she presents everything is truly beautiful. Though the Torah forbids it, I must admit that I am a bit jealous of her writing skills. In any case, she recently brought up an interesting point, and one that I've been pondering for quite a while as it is: if one stops believing, then how does one get through pain or other various struggles in life? Yiddishkeit is very clear on how to approach all things in life, but especially pain and suffering. It is one of the things that makes classic Judaism incredibly appealing to me, who has Baruch Hashem not had to deal with that much suffering, but has had bouts of depression that were very hard to get over. Even before I became frum, tefila has been very important to me. I didn't always believe in G-d, or at least an Abrahamic G-d. I had ideas about a god who was far away, or at least not at all interested in our affairs. Or a god who was in nature, the grass, the trees. Then there was a period of time when I was considering xtianity (B"H I got over that shtus early on!) But no matter my view of G-d, I always felt I had to speak to Him. In hate, in love, in confusion, in pain, in joy, words to G-d were words to heal. Perhaps it was just words to myself, but I believe that too was a form of prayer. Words to say that even if there was nothing else out there, I existed, and I had power, and that I would not let anything tear me down. Now those words are repeated thrice daily, morning afternoon and night, reminding me who I am, where I stand, and providing a never-ending source of comfort. I truly do believe that davening, no matter your or anyone else's view on it, is the best form of therapy available. Honestly. People pay hundreds if not thousands to be able to talk to someone. We as Jews, as humans, as creatures, get that for free - if only we would open out mouths.

Hashem, sefosei tiftach, ufi yagid tehilosecha!
Peace!
Rochie

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

dont know y u r so inspired by hasidic feminist, and so helpful to her in her quest to deny g-d.

good shaboss

Anonymous said...

Anon: first and foremost, shalom aleichem. Welcome to my blog - and thank you for taking time to share your opinion.

I do not understand your questions. Why am I inspired by HF? I am inspired by her because she had the strength to stand up and leave when she felt the situation she was in was harmful. You may see this as my condoning her leaving frumkeit, but that is not the case at all. Rather, I am taking the advice of Pirkei Avos and doing my best to learn from everything, and everyone I meet.

You ask why I support her in her quest to deny G-d. Well, I can assure you, that I do not support her in denying G-d Almighty. Rather, being a chossid of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, I feel it is my place - being that I happened upon her blog due to Hashgacha PRatis - to bring her back to yiddishkeit. And anyone who has worked in kiruv for any period of time knows that "you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar." She is a Jew. She has a neshoma, and ahavas yisroel applies just as much to her as it does to you or anyone else. I am not, and do not believe I have ever, agreed with her assertion that G-d does not exist. Rather, I have tried to be encouraging, and to show her the beauty of yiddishkeit.

Davening need only consist of praise-bakasha-and thanks. That's it. Better that she should be encouraged to daven in that way than not at all. Eventually, I believe, her neshoma will do the rest of the work on its own.

I hope this has answered your questions.

A gut shabbos!
-Rochie

Anonymous said...

"I am inspired by her because she had the strength to stand up and leave "

still dont get whats inspiring about her, the lies about the mikvah? about a good community? about yiddishkeit in general?



"You don't have to believe in G-d either. You don't believe in the Torah? Fine. Have faith in the goodness of humankind. Have faith that man can overcome anything thrown his way. Talk. That's all that davening is - talking, albeit to G-d, but it is still talking. So you don't believe in G-d? Fine. Talk to friends. Talk to walls. Talk to animals"

is this the Lubavicher rebbes teachings?

harry

Chana P said...

Who are you to accuse a fellow Jew of lying? And in any case, I am not inspired by WHAT she did, but rather the fact that she had enough self-strength to DO it.

In regards to the comment I made on her blog, let me sak you a question:
What do you think is better for her neshoma? Not to daven at ALL, in any form, or to daven in her own terms, with her own words. Telling her she needs to return to yiddishkeit and go all the way back to complete faith, dvening, etc, is not going to get anything done. Better she should at least get used to the idea that davening in ONE form is not evil - G-d willing her neshoma will do the rest.

Gut voch
-C

Anonymous said...

i just asked if thats what the Lubavicher Rebbe would say. can you check that?

"You don't have to believe in G-d .. You don't believe in the Torah? ... Talk to walls... Talk to animals"

maybe you need to think a bit , before you dispense wisdom , on such an delicate theme.

Anonymous said...

forgot to tell you, i know she is lying, cuz i am there.

and where does it say , you cant accuse an apikores anyway.

Chana P said...

would the lubavitcher Rebbe say what I said?
I don't know - I'm not the lubavitcher Rebbe

it says that in order to be considered an apikores one has to be a true talmid chacham and STILL go against torah. If thats not the case, then the person cannot be treated in a way any less respectful or with any less kindness than one would treat any other Jew.
I'll have to check my sources for you on this one.

Thank you for your comments, and yes - I will think a little bit more in depth before I make another comment.

Kl hakavod - Chana

Anonymous said...

thank you, for listening.

one more think to think and ask about.

arn't you promoting kefira when ur posting about her site? "Real kefira"