Proper Priorities

Here's a front-row seat to "Proper Priorities", our weekly emuna lesson in English at the Chut Shel Chesed Yeshiva in Jerusalem. This week's lesson is centered on child education.

The demonstrations in Jerusalem today took place right outside our Yeshiva. You can hear the shouting in the streets in the background starting at about minute 52:00.

As an eyewitness, I saw amazing police restraint in the face of provocations from Haredi-looking riff-raff. Since no rabbis that I know of condemned this violence, which is a tragic defamation of Hashem's name, I'm on record in today's lesson from minute 1:03.21 to minute 1:07.10 totally condemning the rock-throwing and explaining how serious the offense of intramural hate is. The demonstrators in no way represent Torah Judaism. Lawbreakers should go to jail. They only perpetuate Diaspora and suffering.

Hashem, we need Moshiach now.

Comments

[moshe myers]

BS"D

Rabbi, I could not agree with you more on the demonstration/riots in Jerusalem. We have seen similar riots now in Beit Shemesh and it is a disgrace. I have talked with many people in these communities to try to understand their position. But the truth is and I mean this in all sincerity, that you will notice that most of the perpetrators are young, ranging from age 16-25 and what they really need is a good game of kadur regel, or soccer or some other sport/activity to let them vent their youthful energy and frustrations that are pent up for the most part. I am not excusing their behavior in any way, but stating a fact that they have too much free time especially in the summer and do not have the same basic recreational system in their communities that other teenagers have and need so badly. I urge you and all others in the hareidi communities to encourgage their Rabbis to set up some sports or other facilities that would allow them to use their energy in a more peaceful and productive way. The army would be a great alternative as well, but we know this is a sore point so I won't even go there! Thanks and maybe we should start a movement to get these programs to their Rabbis and communities before someone is G-d forbid hurt badly or worse.
Shalom and thanks for your great work Rabbi Lazer!
Moshe

[Amichai]

Greetings!

I would love to believe that the riots are an outcome of a lack of summer activities for charedi youth but I believe we all know that the issues are much deeper than that... If it is only the youth where are the parents where are the leaders to stand up and set them straight. The religious comm continues to loose credibility for such actions especially when the "leaders" stand in silence. I think some leading Charedi figures should atleast give some interviews in the media and apologize for this behaviour. These actions especially during the three weeks and with a nation allready so divided betw secular-religious, religious-religious, the leaders must for Hashem's sake take a strong stand against these riots and then look into their comm and start to heal some of this hatred that is brewing in the communities in Geula/Mea Shearim and Beit Shemesh..

Good Shabbos!!

[Emunagal]

Amen Rabbi Brody! The riots really upset me and I am proud to call someone who is not afraid to call a spade a spade and put real priorities straight my Rov.

[frank morris]

we as jewish people need to raise our standards higher, we have the torah and Hashem that will never leave us, the words that lift him up, will bring us closier to him.