Philosopher, I didn’t say nor need I say that everyone of the kids I know came back. Nachas is not tied up in only returning to Yiddishkeit. Nachas is also tied up in becoming healthy, clean and sober. Nachas is tied up in knowing a child is alive and well and I am no longer waiting for a death call and I am no longer on a suicide watch.
I’m very happy that your nachas is that these OTD’s are clean and sober but what about nachas to the Aibishter? He gave us the Torah and COMMANDED us to keep it. He warned us not to forsake it. Klal Yisroel is married to the Torah and when we forsaken it we have forsaken our bride. We have broken our bond with the Aibishter.
Hashem has billions of non-Jews that when they are clean and sober and lead decent lives give him nachas. But not us Jews. We Jews, even if we are clean and sober and have good careers and whatever else one need to be a good citizen of the world, it is not enough. Hashem DEMANDS of us that we heed the Torah. It is certainly not a nachas for Him that there are children of His that violate the laws of Sahbbos and eat tarfos r”l.
And yes my Nachas is also tied up in those who have returned, married, had kids, went to E”Y, back to yeshiva, etc. All sorts of nachas, b”h.
This indeed should be you’re nachas, if you were the shaliach in that happening.
As far as Judging is concerned you don’t need to use the word in order to judge. Your whole speech is judgment itself.
Let’s anylyze this.
If I say
Rechy is going to the mall.
In that context going means walking, driving, physically getting there.
But if one says Rechy is going bananas then that means she is mentaly becoming wacky.
So the same word going means can imply two different things depending on the context that you use them.
The words, judging and respecting and disrepecting is the same thing (as are basically all words) which take on a different meaning in the contexct that you use them.
If I say that I disrespect OTD’s – it means I disrepect them for their choices in life.
It doesn’t mean I act in a disrespectful or demeaning manner to them.
When I say I don’t respect my baby as of yet, it doesn’t mean I don’t respect him a human being, as a Jew, as my own flesh and blood. What I meant when I said that was that at this point in life, I he didn’t earn my respect through his actions.
Now judging is the same thing. As far as I know humans have the bechira, the ability to choose. If we want to excuse negative actions we can excuse the likes of Hitler y”s too. Do you think Hitler wasn’t a completely insane human being? I do. And I still know he is judged by HB”H for being the murderer that he was. So not to compare, but the point is that everyone has bechirah to choose right from wrong OTD’s included. Therefore, my opinion is that nobody can use excuses for going OTD or davka doing evil.
I have not judged OTD’s circumstances or decided if and what kind of heavenly retribution they will get. That is not my business.
But I am allowed to have an opinion whether bechira is THE cause of OTD or not. Now you can call that judging. That’s fine with me. We all judge each others by our speach and actions.
You can judge me as having a holier than thou attitude over OTD’s, which is true. Mitzvos make a person holy. You can judge me as conceited because I don’t agree with your viewpoints but I don’t feel that I am, I feel that I have a valid viewpoint which is different than yours.
I am judging you that you do not understand the significance of being a frum Jew. I’m judging you of downgrading the importance of not violating halachas even if you want to gefel those who might come back one day.
I have to go now, my baby woke up from his nap. Maybe I’ll continue my rebuttal to your post later (not that I think you’re wating for it with baited breath).