I could tell you that in Eretz Yisroel everyone is on the highest level of kedusha but that would be a lie. Its a beautiful and holy country but it also has all kinds of shmutz. It “comes with the territory”.
Although we won't be using the internet over the summer, we will be visiting many places in Eretz Yisroel. While most of the time we will be in private groups, sometimes we will be in places that might not be ideal for a yeshiva bochur. We will be visiting beautiful waterfalls, hikes, mountain tops, market places and amusement parks, that will have other groups nearby. Even the holiest cities like T’veria, Tzfat, and Yerushalayim, will have many tourists that will be dressed with a lower standard than we are used to. This is the way they were brought up and we should accept them for that.
I know you are teenagers and I'm not judging you for the temptations you have, we all have them. In fact this attraction is normal and it means you are healthy. But not every urge you have, must be acted upon. As religious Jews we are taught moderation and self-control in all that we do. This is just one of the areas where it should be used.Rabbi Moshe Feinstein Z”L, who gave my father the guidelines for camp, said the following: Visiting Eretz Yisroel is a spiritual experience no matter the given situation. One should always take the path that will avoid pritzus, but if it is not practical, then try to look away. Never close or cover your eyes, because then you are acting like a shota (fool). R’ Moshe’s words not mine. (Igros Moshe).
God gave each of us Bechira (to choose right from wrong). Therefore, we all make our own choices and He encourages us to choose the good path. V’lo susuru acharei l’vavchem v’acharei eineichem. We will be making camp sunglasses this summer that will remind us of this. Imprinted on the side will say “do not follow after your eyes” on the other side it will say “Sdei Chemed Rocks”. They go hand in hand. One day I hope you will find that girl that you will love and cherish, and when that happens you will look back at these years and laugh at all the stupid things you did. Let’s hope you don’t do anything you regret.
Rabbi Yisroel Reisman once mentioned that there's a certain balance of kedusha and tumah in the world (I believe the topic of the the shiur was "centrist judaism") and that yes, even in Eretz Yisroel, there's plenty of shmutz that one should keep away from
ReplyDeleteYes, I was in his shiur. My father used to say it all the time too.
Delete