Regarding “On Friday The Rabbi Called For War On The Arabs,” Nov. 28: Thousands of Israelis have been killed in terrorist attacks, terminally ill Jewish children suffer, America is in serious danger, and yet we can’t seem to understand that sinat chinam (baseless hatred among Jews) has been the cause of much of our problems.
Jewish leaders bashing each other and to what end? The inability of self-proclaimed leadership to understand that they are to lead by example is very sad. We are where we are today because in reality we have no leadership.
Many years ago I went to help make a minyan for Rav Moshe Feinstein, [the acclaimed sage of his generation]. I was all of 13 or so, Rav Moshe was not well at the time and was at his son-in- law’s house in Monsey. After the service Rav Moshe got up and thanked every person in the minyan. And many years ago I attended a bris with Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky, who moved quickly through the room so that no one should have to stand up as a sign of honor for his presence.
Torah knowledge without midot, or good behavior, is not Torah. I am not a resident of Teaneck, N.J., nor am I a community leader with any kind of stature. I am just an ordinary person, bringing up six children in a challenging world. People need to place ego elsewhere; there is no place for this in the Jewish community. We are living in very precarious times, therefore the Orthodox Union and Rabbi Steven Pruzansky need to come to some sort of amicable solution.
Elizabeth, N.J.
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