The Rebbe Spoke a Painful Truth
Gerrer Chossid Yisrael Yeret explains in his parting post, What our Rebbe said- is basically that we are addicted. He's right.
- Yisreal Yeret
- ג' אייר התשע"ו
"V'assia Kchol Asher Yorucha.- that's what one says when he needs to justify something he did. This is what my rabanim say- and that's the end of the debate…
There is no shame in saying that it is challenging to be a Jew, and even more challenging to be charedi and more so to be a chossid, and on top of everything it is hard to be a Gerrer Chossid...
I am not embarrassed to say that until today I enjoyed sitting on the fence…to as if be a Gerrer Chossid but then to do whatever I wanted. I admit it.
But yesterday there was an incredible keness…the Rebbe himself, not a gabbay and not an askan stood up and practically called out," מי לה' אלי?" , Who wants to be my soldier? Who wants to follow in my path?
Yesterday the takanos fell upon me like lightening on a clear day. In the beginning I was upset, but after a couple hours of thought, got a grip and said- one minute what's at stake here? What am I weighing? The promise of the Rebbe that whoever takes this on will be zoche to בני, חיי, ומזוני- against WhatsApp? Facebook? Instagram?
I hit my head against the wall and said, "are you for real?" Aren't you willing to trade in Olam Hazeh for the promise of בני, חיי, ומזוני from such a holy person?
What do we have in this world already other than to marry and raise a generation after us that will follow in the footsteps of our ancestors? What do I really want my child to grow up in a virtual world? To grow up in Facebook? That he should go to cheider with a selfie stick? That he should learn to pose for pictures all day? That he should constantly check in with the whole world updating them where and who he is?
In truth yesterday's keness struck deep within me. It held up a mirror before me pressing me to decide - how do I want to live my life from here on? Without a doubt I can say that I partied, I enjoyed, got addicted. But maybe the time has come to begin a real life. Maybe the time has come to have a life with some internal quiet without being addicted to my cell phone?
Let's be honest with ourselves. How many hours a day are we stuck on our phone? How often do I make up to meet friends for coffee, or we go out somewhere and everyone is stuck on his phone and there is no one to talk to? And each one of us is writing to the same WhatssApp group- when in fact we are sitting right next to each other?
Ever see 4 people travelling in the same car- and each one is busy with WhatsApp? Let's not lie to ourselves. Let's admit the truth. We are addicted.
Anyone who thinks that I am a gibbur- that my Rebbe says something and I change my entire lifestyle in a second- is living in a movie. This is going to be hard. Very hard.
I, Yisrael Yeret who lived off of all the action, and who more than you know the uproars and balaganim that I used to do- that I really enjoyed? Now I will have just a kosher cell phone. And another gadget that will be for work purposes and chessed only- and nothing more.
Let's understand together what the Gerrer Rebbe has asked of people.
He basically said,"I know that there are people who deal in business. I know that there are many technological advances today. I know all this. But what I want is one simple thing. I don't want you to be addicts.
"I don't want you to come home and be all the time with your phone- and not with your family and your children.
"You need a smartphone for business? No problem. We have a vaad- send them the list of what you need for your business and you will get everything. But one thing you will not get- this smartphone will not have the ability to make or receive calls. It will be a wrok platform- and that's all. When you get home you will be able to calmly put it aside without having to worry about missing a call.
To make and receive calls you'll have a kosher phone like all charedi Jews. Work, emails, WhaysApp- if you need it- you'll have it on the other gadget."
Don't have pity on me- I'm just going to be a better Jew. And from now on I will have all the time in the world for you- to speak with you, to meet you- but not via messages and WhatsApp and Facebook.
There is no shame in saying that it is challenging to be a Jew, and even more challenging to be charedi and more so to be a chossid, and on top of everything it is hard to be a Gerrer Chossid...
I am not embarrassed to say that until today I enjoyed sitting on the fence…to as if be a Gerrer Chossid but then to do whatever I wanted. I admit it.
But yesterday there was an incredible keness…the Rebbe himself, not a gabbay and not an askan stood up and practically called out," מי לה' אלי?" , Who wants to be my soldier? Who wants to follow in my path?
Yesterday the takanos fell upon me like lightening on a clear day. In the beginning I was upset, but after a couple hours of thought, got a grip and said- one minute what's at stake here? What am I weighing? The promise of the Rebbe that whoever takes this on will be zoche to בני, חיי, ומזוני- against WhatsApp? Facebook? Instagram?
I hit my head against the wall and said, "are you for real?" Aren't you willing to trade in Olam Hazeh for the promise of בני, חיי, ומזוני from such a holy person?
What do we have in this world already other than to marry and raise a generation after us that will follow in the footsteps of our ancestors? What do I really want my child to grow up in a virtual world? To grow up in Facebook? That he should go to cheider with a selfie stick? That he should learn to pose for pictures all day? That he should constantly check in with the whole world updating them where and who he is?
In truth yesterday's keness struck deep within me. It held up a mirror before me pressing me to decide - how do I want to live my life from here on? Without a doubt I can say that I partied, I enjoyed, got addicted. But maybe the time has come to begin a real life. Maybe the time has come to have a life with some internal quiet without being addicted to my cell phone?
Let's be honest with ourselves. How many hours a day are we stuck on our phone? How often do I make up to meet friends for coffee, or we go out somewhere and everyone is stuck on his phone and there is no one to talk to? And each one of us is writing to the same WhatssApp group- when in fact we are sitting right next to each other?
Ever see 4 people travelling in the same car- and each one is busy with WhatsApp? Let's not lie to ourselves. Let's admit the truth. We are addicted.
Anyone who thinks that I am a gibbur- that my Rebbe says something and I change my entire lifestyle in a second- is living in a movie. This is going to be hard. Very hard.
I, Yisrael Yeret who lived off of all the action, and who more than you know the uproars and balaganim that I used to do- that I really enjoyed? Now I will have just a kosher cell phone. And another gadget that will be for work purposes and chessed only- and nothing more.
Let's understand together what the Gerrer Rebbe has asked of people.
He basically said,"I know that there are people who deal in business. I know that there are many technological advances today. I know all this. But what I want is one simple thing. I don't want you to be addicts.
"I don't want you to come home and be all the time with your phone- and not with your family and your children.
"You need a smartphone for business? No problem. We have a vaad- send them the list of what you need for your business and you will get everything. But one thing you will not get- this smartphone will not have the ability to make or receive calls. It will be a wrok platform- and that's all. When you get home you will be able to calmly put it aside without having to worry about missing a call.
To make and receive calls you'll have a kosher phone like all charedi Jews. Work, emails, WhaysApp- if you need it- you'll have it on the other gadget."
Don't have pity on me- I'm just going to be a better Jew. And from now on I will have all the time in the world for you- to speak with you, to meet you- but not via messages and WhatsApp and Facebook.
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