The non-Jewish way of thinking and way of life, which center
around the aspiration for a life of comfort and luxury, have
filtered into our midst. Every fad Parisian tailors invent is
leaped at in Eretz Yisroel as well. And when New York
Bohemians grow their hair long the trend is imitated here,
too. All this is part of the secret of shibud
malchuyos, our state of bondage to foreign rule. We
consider ourselves independent but in reality Klal Yisroel
is in a state of total concealment.
Today shibud goluyos is on the rise. It used to be
more palpable in gashmiyus, whereas now it is felt
more in ruchniyus. This bondage has penetrated our
circles. We all sense it. And even those who conquer their
yetzer and do not pursue it, still see beauty in it.
We like their songs and their cheap secular newspapers are
not muktzeh to us, even though everybody knows and
feels how much damage can result from every glance at the
lengthy descriptions of base crimes and heretical views. How
much have we already been poisoned by spiritual shibud
malchuyos?
It seems surprising that HaKodosh Boruch Hu found it
necessary to warn us so many times to avoid idolatry. " . . .
Be very careful not to fall into a deadly trap by trying to
follow them. Do not try to find out about their gods, saying,
Now, how did these nations worship their gods? I would like
to try, too" (Devorim 12:30). And, "You know full well
that we lived in Egypt and that we also passed through the
nations you encountered. You saw the disgusting, putrid idols
they have, made of wood and stone, silver and gold. Today
there must not be any man, woman, family or tribe among you
whose heart strays from Hashem Elokeinu and who goes
and worships the gods of these nations. There must not be
among you a root whose fruit is gall and wormwood"
(Devorim 29:15-16).
How and why could a Jew consider pursuing their abominations
and idols, which are "fetid like dung" (see Rashi Ibid.),
and why should it be necessary to warn against such an
unlikely occurrence?
My master and teacher R' Yeruchom, zechuso yogen
oleinu, revealed a profound insight: Adulation of the
wicked is not simply a matter of subjugation of oneself to
them but rather a certain inclination to find favor in the
eyes of everyone, even someone who is totally insane. When a
person is in another's presence, he wants to be liked —
even by a crazy man. And if someone, even at the other end of
the earth, does not admire him, he will be unable to sleep at
night and will search for ways to turn him into an
admirer.
This is the power driving people to idolatry! If one merely
passes in the vicinity of idolaters he already wants to find
favor in their eyes. And how can one find favor? By
subjecting himself to the bondage of their gods!
This is the terrible drive to accept fashion trends, to chase
after every new product the fools of the world devise. People
will do anything not to be considered a fool, but rather to
be seen as one of the group and to be held in high regard.
This is the greatest danger taking hold of our souls and it
has the power to drive one out of his mind and away from
Yiddishkeit, chas vesholom, if he merely feels derided
because of his belief and his pursuit of a life of Torah and
mitzvas. This is the extent to which the external yetzer
hora holds us in its grip and we must beware and flee
from it, not accepting any fashions or mode of conduct that
comes to us from sources of tumoh!
And in the short time remaining before the arrival of
Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days amen, we must
buttress ourselves like a wall not to get dragged after
tumoh or secularism or any foreign views and customs.
We must temper ourselves to withstand all forms of
humiliation and degradation and even to be considered fools
by the whole world throughout all our lives, and not to be a
rosho before HaKodosh Boruch Hu for even a
single moment!
According to hilchos geirus the prospective convert is
asked, "Don't you know that nowadays Yisroel is
afflicted and oppressed?" And if he replies, "I know and I am
unworthy," he is accepted right away, for he is a ger
tzedek. He understands the penimiyus of Klal
Yisroel and that for the sake of this penimiyus it is
worthwhile to tolerate all of the degradations in the world.
For what great profundity and penimiyus we receive as
recompense for the degradations of the world!
And who is to say whether this is perhaps our task today,
i.e. to come [ourselves as it were] to convert, saying "I am
unworthy" of the joy. This is what it is to be a true Jew,
even if we have to suffer all of the degradations in the
world!
And this should be the whole of our perspective on our lives
during these days of teshuvoh, to direct our fight
against the outward yetzer in all of its
manifestations, and not to get dragged down by it in the
least. Thus we will merit the penimiyus of the heart,
for HaKodosh Boruch Hu is called the heart of
Yisroel!
