RETHINKING THE FRUMKEIT VS. MENSCHLICHKEIT ISSUE

Have you ever bought “stuff” on eBay? I confess that I am addicted. Linda knows and has threatened to cut me off, despite my promise of occasional trinkets for her . . . purchased at incredibly low prices!

Even as an addict, though, I do practice some common sense to hedge against rip-off. I buy only from reputable dealers verified from independent sources, do not promiscuously give out my credit card number, and set myself strict (and I hope realistic) upper limits for bidding. So far, only one quasi-rip-off: An otherwise lovely Turnbull & Asser tie that was five-and-a-quarter inches wide . . . and this after I had given away my last double-knit suit!

Now, confess: Have you ever purchased anything Judaic from eBay? OK, OK, so I have. In fact, I recently purchased a new pair of tefillin from a seemingly reputable dealer for a ba’al teshuvah member of my congregation. I say “seemingly reputable,” because he proffered upfront that the tefillin were strictly kosher, and so on. After the purchase was locked in, however, he offered a number of heretofore-unlisted and rather costly “upgrades” (hiddurim). And, while he repeatedly reassured that he was exerting “no pressure,” he also averred that to some scholarly opinions the tefillin that I had purchased were kosher only bide’eved (in the second, but not the first, instance).

Great.

Now, what I do with this information is my business. Shortly after the specter of rip-off came into view, though, I thought of how careful I ought be in retelling this story to people who are eager to point out every instance of hypocrisy when people claiming the mantle of religion act in a disreputable manner.

No use arguing or justifying. We must accept as axiomatic that the misdeeds of a purportedly religious person will inevitably be seen as a stain on religiosity. This is the very essence of “chillul ha-Shem.” And rightfully so. The defiance of ethically driven divine imperatives is certainly as grievous as an infraction of any ritual law, if not more so. In a word, a truly religious person should know better. Unethical people cannot exonerate themselves by doing some empty ritualized abracadabra. It gives a bad name to religion. So let us agree that Frumkeit must inspire Menschlichkeit, or it is not Frumkeit at all.

But, let us also not be so swift to let off the hook those folks who deftly – and oft emptily – claim no need of religious folderol to attain the highest level of moral expectation. Yes, there may be a few folks here-and-there who are entirely bereft of religious conviction that nonetheless live exemplary menschlich lives. My own experience has taught me, however, that for every one of them there are a hundred people who are smugly self-righteous in their abhorrence for self-righteousness, but would not know a virtuous act if it bit them on the nose.

Yes, outwardly religious person might cheat his worker, or begrudge a request for charity, or gossip about another member of the schule. But, it is equally true that people who eat traif with relish and willfully desecrate the Sabbath and holy days, yet claim moral superiority, are just as venal, selfish, and ethically vacuous. The critic of the religious hypocrite may be no worse than the object of his criticism, but he is rarely better.

We should never settle for “at least,” but “at least” the frum person is forced into a daily confrontation with a pushke (charity box). “At least” he routinely gains exposure to sermons, discourses, and rabbinic lessons. “At least” he shuts off the TV and liberates himself from enslavement to the car, telephone, and PC, on Shabbat. “At least” he eats more at home or with friends because he has no access to Burger King and the Colonel. “At least” may not make the mensch, but it certainly creates the distinct potential for Menschlichkeit. It is a potential that the critics cannot claim.

So, let us vigorously prosecute and not give a moments rest to religious hypocrisy. But, let us be equally critical of the critics who likely have no more claim to moral superiority than the outwardly religious folks that they deride. Let us thus at least ensure that the alternative to empty-religion-without-basic-human-decency is not empty-un-religion-without-basic-human-decency. And let us ultimately resolve that God’s instruction attains its intended integrity only when Frumkeit and Menschlichkeit enter into a divinely ordained symbiosis.

Thank you, eBay, for inspiring this moment of contemplation.