Reply To: Gan Eden & Gehenim

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#1097980
Avram in MD
Participant

Wolf,

I am guessing that Mod80 did not mean that you were satirizing the Rambam or Rav Miller, heaven forbid, but rather posters to an Internet forum whom you perceive are quick to condemn someone they never met.

I have read statements from religious Zionists that condemn Jews for living outside of Eretz Yisroel when there is a Jewish state in power. They implied that Jews living outside of Eretz Yisroel now are over the mitzvah of settling Eretz Yisroel and would not enjoy living in Eretz Yisroel at the coming of Moshiach. On the other side, as you wrote earlier, are those who condemn anyone who supports the Medina in any way. It seems that no matter who one is, there will always be someone else somewhere in this world condemning him to Gehenim. Even if this person were to uphold every single mitzvah in a way that is pleasing to every single Jew, the religious non-Jews of the world would condemn him still. What’s ultimately important is what Hashem thinks of us, not people.

I personally think that you are misinterpreting the Rambam (and I have the feeling that you would agree with me), and possibly misapplying the words of Rav Miller, who was trying to warn the kehilla of the dangers of television to our soul, not pointing to specific people and saying, “You sir, Plonie, are bound for Gehenim.” Hashem gave us a conduit to connect to Him and our sages best know that conduit. What Hashem does with us after we die is entirely out of our hands.