Reply To: A basic Torah Hashkafa unknown to some.

Avi K,
“Haimy, what about working side by side with people who say rechilut and lashon hara, cheat on their taxes, lie to day school scholarship boards, etc”
I would Absolutely feel uncomfortable associating with an unrepentant destructive person! Especially if they proudly announced their belief in the validity of those behaviors.
That is exactly my point! If Hashem hates certain behaviors then we should develop a revulsion to them even if the society around us embraces them. Don’t mistreat them, don’t make a chilul Hashem, don’t cause sinas Yisroel. Do feel sick in your stomach when a man shows up in a dress! Do feel sick in your stomach when you see people proudly celebrating their breaking Hashem’s cardinal rules for mankind.
Am I a big Baal Madreiga? Not at all! but I feel some basic respect to the borei olom & would never say that it makes no difference to me how people act as long as they perform well on the job.
Homophobia? I believe that is a natural instinct Hashem put into mankind to make it easier for us to abide by Hashem’s laws. I also have smoke phobia, I feel uncomfortable when I smell plastic or wood burning. My fight or flight system warns me of danger. 2 zechorim holding hands also awakens withing me similiar feelings. These feelngs are a gift from Hashem that I cherish. This entire discussion is only about people that openly flaunt Hashem’s laws. I’m not refering to the painful struggle certain people face privately in this area. I empathize with them & do not look down at them. They are the giborim who were given a very difficult nisayon to overcome in this world.