(יח) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂהּ־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃
-
(18) And the LORD God said: ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.’
-
My understanding of the intent of this verse is that it is neither good psychologically nor morally... We understand goodness to be that which is intrinsically morally good; not something which factually is desired, but something inherently valuable and desirable (Harav Ahron Lichtenstein zt"l, By His Light, 102)
-
(יב) וְעַתָּה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מָ֚ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שֹׁאֵ֖ל מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ כִּ֣י אִם־לְ֠יִרְאָה אֶת־יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לָלֶ֤כֶת בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיו֙ וּלְאַהֲבָ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ וְלַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃
(12) And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul;
-
Two elements... the existential, experiential relationship to G-d (love and fear), and the response to G-d's commands (keeping His mitzvot)... The move from an anthropocentric to a theocentric existence is the essence of Halachic living... Frumkeit for us surely does not exhaust itself in an emotional experience, but also responds to a divine call and transcendental demands.
-
Now, if we understand that G-d's will and His mitzvot are grounded in goodness, rationality and morality, then if we also submit that frumkeit means doing G-d's will, and that goodness is an integral component of that will- then of course ideal and comprehensive frumkeit includes goodness. It is not synonymous with goodness; it includes it... To us, certainly, this is a Davar Pashut. ( Harav Ahron Lichtenstein zt"l, By His Light, 111)
-
(י) שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה קְצִינֵ֣י סְדֹ֑ם הַאֲזִ֛ינוּ תּוֹרַ֥ת אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ עַ֥ם עֲמֹרָֽה׃ (יא) לָמָּה־לִּ֤י רֹב־זִבְחֵיכֶם֙ יֹאמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה שָׂבַ֛עְתִּי עֹל֥וֹת אֵילִ֖ים וְחֵ֣לֶב מְרִיאִ֑ים וְדַ֨ם פָּרִ֧ים וּכְבָשִׂ֛ים וְעַתּוּדִ֖ים לֹ֥א חָפָֽצְתִּי׃ (יב) כִּ֣י תָבֹ֔אוּ לֵרָא֖וֹת פָּנָ֑י מִי־בִקֵּ֥שׁ זֹ֛את מִיֶּדְכֶ֖ם רְמֹ֥ס חֲצֵרָֽי׃ (יג) לֹ֣א תוֹסִ֗יפוּ הָבִיא֙ מִנְחַת־שָׁ֔וְא קְטֹ֧רֶת תּוֹעֵבָ֛ה הִ֖יא לִ֑י חֹ֤דֶשׁ וְשַׁבָּת֙ קְרֹ֣א מִקְרָ֔א לֹא־אוּכַ֥ל אָ֖וֶן וַעֲצָרָֽה׃ (יד) חָדְשֵׁיכֶ֤ם וּמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם֙ שָׂנְאָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י הָי֥וּ עָלַ֖י לָטֹ֑רַח נִלְאֵ֖יתִי נְשֹֽׂא׃ (טו) וּבְפָרִשְׂכֶ֣ם כַּפֵּיכֶ֗ם אַעְלִ֤ים עֵינַי֙ מִכֶּ֔ם גַּ֛ם כִּֽי־תַרְבּ֥וּ תְפִלָּ֖ה אֵינֶ֣נִּי שֹׁמֵ֑עַ יְדֵיכֶ֖ם דָּמִ֥ים מָלֵֽאוּ׃ (טז) רַחֲצוּ֙ הִזַּכּ֔וּ הָסִ֛ירוּ רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם מִנֶּ֣גֶד עֵינָ֑י חִדְל֖וּ הָרֵֽעַ׃ (יז) לִמְד֥וּ הֵיטֵ֛ב דִּרְשׁ֥וּ מִשְׁפָּ֖ט אַשְּׁר֣וּ חָמ֑וֹץ שִׁפְט֣וּ יָת֔וֹם רִ֖יבוּ אַלְמָנָֽה׃ (ס) (יח) לְכוּ־נָ֛א וְנִוָּֽכְחָ֖ה יֹאמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה אִם־יִֽהְי֨וּ חֲטָאֵיכֶ֤ם כַּשָּׁנִים֙ כַּשֶּׁ֣לֶג יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ אִם־יַאְדִּ֥ימוּ כַתּוֹלָ֖ע כַּצֶּ֥מֶר יִהְיֽוּ׃ (יט) אִם־תֹּאב֖וּ וּשְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם ט֥וּב הָאָ֖רֶץ תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃ (כ) וְאִם־תְּמָאֲנ֖וּ וּמְרִיתֶ֑ם חֶ֣רֶב תְּאֻכְּל֔וּ כִּ֛י פִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃ (ס) (כא) אֵיכָה֙ הָיְתָ֣ה לְזוֹנָ֔ה קִרְיָ֖ה נֶאֱמָנָ֑ה מְלֵאֲתִ֣י מִשְׁפָּ֗ט צֶ֛דֶק יָלִ֥ין בָּ֖הּ וְעַתָּ֥ה מְרַצְּחִֽים׃ (כב) כַּסְפֵּ֖ךְ הָיָ֣ה לְסִיגִ֑ים סָבְאֵ֖ךְ מָה֥וּל בַּמָּֽיִם׃ (כג) שָׂרַ֣יִךְ סוֹרְרִ֗ים וְחַבְרֵי֙ גַּנָּבִ֔ים כֻּלּוֹ֙ אֹהֵ֣ב שֹׁ֔חַד וְרֹדֵ֖ף שַׁלְמֹנִ֑ים יָתוֹם֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁפֹּ֔טוּ וְרִ֥יב אַלְמָנָ֖ה לֹֽא־יָב֥וֹא אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (פ) (כד) לָכֵ֗ן נְאֻ֤ם הָֽאָדוֹן֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת אֲבִ֖יר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ה֚וֹי אֶנָּחֵ֣ם מִצָּרַ֔י וְאִנָּקְמָ֖ה מֵאוֹיְבָֽי׃ (כה) וְאָשִׁ֤יבָה יָדִי֙ עָלַ֔יִךְ וְאֶצְרֹ֥ף כַּבֹּ֖ר סִיגָ֑יִךְ וְאָסִ֖ירָה כָּל־בְּדִילָֽיִךְ׃ (כו) וְאָשִׁ֤יבָה שֹׁפְטַ֙יִךְ֙ כְּבָרִ֣אשֹׁנָ֔ה וְיֹעֲצַ֖יִךְ כְּבַתְּחִלָּ֑ה אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן יִקָּ֤רֵא לָךְ֙ עִ֣יר הַצֶּ֔דֶק קִרְיָ֖ה נֶאֱמָנָֽה׃ (כז) צִיּ֖וֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט תִּפָּדֶ֑ה וְשָׁבֶ֖יהָ בִּצְדָקָֽה׃
(10) Hear the word of the LORD, Ye rulers of Sodom; Give ear unto the law of our God, Ye people of Gomorrah. (11) To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? Saith the LORD; I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, And the fat of fed beasts; And I delight not in the blood Of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. (12) When ye come to appear before Me, Who hath required this at your hand, To trample My courts? (13) Bring no more vain oblations; It is an offering of abomination unto Me; New moon and sabbath, the holding of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity along with the solemn assembly. (14) Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hateth; They are a burden unto Me; I am weary to bear them. (15) And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you; Yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear; Your hands are full of blood. (16) Wash you, make you clean, Put away the evil of your doings From before Mine eyes, Cease to do evil; (17) Learn to do well; Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. (18) Come now, and let us reason together, Saith the LORD; Though your sins be as scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, They shall be as wool. (19) If ye be willing and obedient, Ye shall eat the good of the land; (20) But if ye refuse and rebel, Ye shall be devoured with the sword; For the mouth of the LORD hath spoken. (21) How is the faithful city Become a harlot! She that was full of justice, Righteousness lodged in her, But now murderers. (22) Thy silver is become dross, Thy wine mixed with water. (23) Thy princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Every one loveth bribes, And followeth after rewards; They judge not the fatherless, Neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. (24) Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, The Mighty One of Israel: Ah, I will ease Me of Mine adversaries, And avenge Me of Mine enemies; (25) And I will turn My hand upon thee, And purge away thy dross as with lye, And will take away all thine alloy; (26) And I will restore thy judges as at the first, And thy counsellors as at the beginning; Afterward thou shalt be called The city of righteousness, The faithful city. (27) Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And they that return of her with righteousness.
-
This is the prophet's message. To be sure, these verses focus primarily upon avodah: sacrifices, prayer, the Temple service. When these are attempted by a person devoid of goodness, they are particularly problematic, inasmuch as they entail an audacious advance towards G-D, an attempt at a rendezvous with Him... "One may not approach the king's gate in sackloth" (Esther 4:2), actual or figurative. To the extent that one penetrates ( so to speak) G-D's domain, one must be not only physically but also morally pure... "Prepare for your G-D, Israel" (Amos 4:12) - not only in terms of of clothing and physical purification, but in terms of one's inner being" ( Harav Ahron Lichtenstein zt"l, By His Light, 114)
-
(י) אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בָּאָדָם. הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ, זוֹ מִדָּה בֵינוֹנִית. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, זוֹ מִדַּת סְדוֹם. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלָּךְ וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלִּי, עַם הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלָּךְ וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ, חָסִיד. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלִּי, רָשָׁע:
(10) There are four kinds of people: the one who says "what is mine is mine, and what is yours is yours" -- that's a "beinonit" (intermediate-level person). There are some who say that is the kind of people that were in Sodom. [A second type is one who says] "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine" -- [that's an] "am ha'aretz" (uneducated or low-level Jewish person). [A third type is one who says] "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is yours" -- [that's a] "chasid" (righteous person). [A final type is one who says] "what is yours is mine, and what is mine is mine" -- [that's a] "rasha" (wicked person).
-
#ThatmomentwhenIwassomeantomysisterandthenitwastimetodaven....
-
(כז) זֶ֣בַח רְ֭שָׁעִים תּוֹעֵבָ֑ה אַ֝֗ף כִּֽי־בְזִמָּ֥ה יְבִיאֶֽנּוּ׃
(27) The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more, when he bringeth it with the proceeds of wickedness?
-
...We encounter in a particularly sharp form the revulsion against avodah which is unaccompanied by inner purity... With regard also to prayer, there is a concept of to'evah (abomination), a term which is not equally applicable to other mitzvot. (Harav Ahron Lichtenstein zt"l, By His Light, 114)
-
(י) הוא היה אומר, כל שרוח הבריות נוחה הימנו, רוח המקום נוחה הימנו.וכל שאין רוח הבריות נוחה הימנו , אין רוח המקום נוחה הימנו...
(10) He would say: Anyone from whom the spirit of creations receive pleasure, from him the spirit of God finds pleasure. And anyone from whom the spirit of creations do not receive pleasure, from him the spirit of God does not find pleasure...
-
Rambam: Regardless of the ultimate relative value of the two, Bein Adam LiChaveiro must be the foundation upon which Bein Adam LiMakom rests!
-
Story: (In video as well): One story the Rebbe told began as a metaphor for a leader's responsibility to his flock - and ended as a teaching about the current state of Jewry. He would tell the story of Rebbe Dov Ber of Lubavitch, the son and successor of the Alter Rebbe. Rebbe Dov Ber was known for his unusual powers of concentration; while engaged in study or prayer, he did not hear or see anything around him. Once, while Rebbe Dov Ber was immersed in study, his baby - who had been sleeping nearby - fell out of his cradle and began to cry. Deeply focused, Rebbe Dov Ber did not hear the cries, and continued with his study. The infant's grandfather, the Alter Rebbe, was on an upper floor of the house, also studying - yet he did hear the baby's cries. Interrupting his studies, he went downstairs, soothed the infant, and retyrned it to its cradle. Rebbe Dov Ber still did not notice. Later, the Alter Rebbe reprimanded his son: "No matter how lofty a Jew's pursuits, he must always hear the cry of a child" (My Rebbe by R' Shteinzalts, 70-71)
-
But we simultaneously recognize that inasmuch as moral goodness is part of G-D's will, and inasmuch as Yirat Shamayim means accepting and responding to His will, then moral goodness is part of what we understand by Yirat Shamayim and part of what we strive for when we talk about frumkeit
(Harav Ahron Lichtenstein zt"l, By His Light, 118)