Politically Correct Torah

I received quite an interesting and varied response to my recent article, Women-Haters of the Wall. Many felt the same way I did, and others took offense with my harsh language and apparent lack of sympathy for these women. These responses helped me clarify several things.

First, to those who had a hard time swallowing my bitter pill; I just can’t sugarcoat my opinion, nor should I have to.

Next: We live in a society that has pushed many values on us, and we’ve internalized those values without giving them much thought. For example, we don’t yell at others when we’re having a disagreement with them, unless we’re on Jerry Springer. Then we yell at the audience, too! Okay, so this is not a bad value to have.

However, sometimes, our values go to extremes- and as a result, they may go directly against Torah values.

Herein lies the problem. Many people assume that political correctness and Torah values go hand in hand. Guess what- they don’t. In fact, many of the P.C. values actually undermine Torah values.

For example, it’s P.C. to support gay marriage and relationships. Many Jews would never dream of telling their gay friends that they’re doing something sinful and against G-d’s wishes. No way. So they either keep their feelings to themselves and fake approval, or they really feel that there’s nothing wrong with being gay.

Why don’t those Jews take what the Torah says into account? In a previous article, titled Scream if it Hurts, I discussed an excellent observation Rabbi Wallerstein made regarding Hurricane Sandy. He noted that for two years in a row, New York has suffered major hurricanes exactly one week after it passed votes in support of gay marriage. The week before Sandy, there was a potential to overturn the previous year’s vote, and it was not overturned.

Rabbi Wallerstein pointed out that not one person from the Jewish community objected. Why is this so? Does most of the New York Jewish community approve of gay marriage? If so, on what grounds? If not, why do they condone it?

His point was that we, as Jews, are already given a set of morals, and they are in our holy Torah. No, they are not politically correct according to the latest whims of modern society. However, they are eternal and given from a Divine source.  Therefore, they have an inherent wisdom that is light years beyond our limited rational understanding.

“To each his own” is the mantra that most of our society lives by, even the most frum Jews. Does anyone actually care what the Torah says about all of the controversial issues we face? Or would we prefer to not rock the boat and just live like the rest of the world?

Look at what assimilation has done to us! Most of us don’t even know what the Torah says regarding Jewish etiquette, and we don’t seem to care either.

Here are some examples that show how the Torah is definitely not politically correct. It tells us that a woman’s primary role is in the home as wife and mother. Many modern feminists just can’t deal with that. It tells us that we shouldn’t have sex before marriage. Most singles under 50 just can’t deal with that. It tells us that we should be fruitful and multiply. Most married couples don’t want more than 2 or 3 kids.

There are times when we are tested; times that reveal which side we’re really on. Such a time is now, when there are all sorts of indecencies and abominations happening all around us. Sure, it’s easy for many people to support the Gay Pride Parade that shoves its nose at Hashem as it struts through Jerusalem, the holiest city on earth. That’s P.C.. It’s easy to support the Reform movement as it attempts to strip away all that is holy from our traditional Judaism, through its antics of women praying like men at the holiest site on earth. That’s also P.C..

To all the liberals out there, I ask just one question: who is standing up for Hashem? Yes, they might think it’s great to be a forward thinker; to embrace every person’s decision as the right one for him or her. Have they given any thought as to what Hashem wants? Have they contemplated how insulting it is to Hashem when people go right up to His home in Jerusalem and arrogantly yell at Him that He’s got it all wrong?

What’s more important to them- doing what’s accepted or doing the right thing?

Each of us is obligated to look within and really discover how we feel about the morals of modern society. How much of us is living as a Jew and how much of us is living as a gentile?

Now, I’m not saying that we all have to go out and demonstrate our disapproval for certain actions. What’s important is that we tell Hashem directly, “Hashem, I don’t like what these people are doing. It goes against what You want for us, your children. I stand with You, Hashem.” No anti-gay parades necessary.

So the question is: whose side are you on?