The Greatest Q&A From My Collection
Real questions, submitted by actual OU Torah followers, with their real answers. NOTE: For questions of practical halacha, please consult your own rabbi for guidance.
I don't normally get to know what results from a Q&A. This is an example of the rare exception.
JULY 2012:
Q. We cannot afford to move, there is no Orthodox minyan where we live, and we want an Orthodox connection! We currently drive one hour to reach a good shul, but drive only to and from, with no diversion. This is the best we can do, given our limited income and the economic situation. We kept Shabbat at home for awhile, but it became lonely. We hoped that a modern Orthodox situation would be forgiving of our predicament.
A. It’s a bind, I’ll admit. Sometimes we’re caught in a catch-22 situation and all we can do is our best given limited options. Sometimes one wants to give tzedaka but has no money. An easy answer would be to steal the money and give it to the poor except, you know, we’re not allowed to steal. If we do, the wrong thing (stealing) cancels out the right thing (charity).
I read an article once that may be analogous to your situation: it’s a mitzvah to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashana. But when Rosh Hashana falls on Shabbos, the Sages declared that we not do so as a safeguard to the sanctity of the Sabbath. This pains us - we long to do the mitzvah! But, just as it’s a mitzvah to do so under normal circumstances, it’s also a mitzvah NOT to do so on Shabbos. The fact that we refrain from blowing the shofar even though we really want to IS the mitzvah!
Similarly, you may want to attend shul but live too far. Under the circumstances, staying home rather than driving IS the mitzvah! As far as having an Orthodox connection, there are six other days in the week. The shul most likely has services, classes and other activities in which you can participate on other days and drive without a conflict of interest.
FIVE YEARS AND TWO MONTHS LATER:
Q. I’d like to share with you the results of this message, sent to me so long ago.
Your admonition to stay home rather than to drive to shul was hard to read. We couldn’t stand the thought of being so isolated; yet our livelihood was centered in the area at the time, which had no Jewish presence of any real observance level or love of Torah. We could not afford to move at all. What did we do? We prayed! Hashem answered our prayers by introducing us to a Chabad rabbi who needed someone to stay over weekends to manage the shul and property. We now had a place to stay, a G-d-fearing community, and could still drive home to our jobs. Further, as a result of the Chassidic teachings and three years of continuous halachic changes and teshuva, we realized we could no longer stay in the Diaspora. The result of your letter is that we made aliyah one year ago and are honored to be in Israel.
May you never become slack in speaking the truth of Torah to everyone who has the good fortune to cross your path!
Rabbi Jack's latest book, Ask Rabbi Jack, is now available from Kodesh Press and on Amazon.com.