Others have also turned to social media, Twitter, in particular to bring awareness to the plight of the 3 missing yeshiva students. A hash tag #BringBackOurBoys, a takeoff of the twitter campaign for the kidnapped Nigerian girls #bringbackourgirls. This campaign is well intentioned and well meaning. People now have another venue to air their pain and frustration or show support.However this campaign has taken on a life of its own, with bumper stickers, photo submissions and what not. It has now become that only those who display the hashtag or bumper sticker are the ones that really care about the boys. Those who dont, well they are labeled anti Zionist, among other names and therefore it is as if they are not supporting and feeling or doing anything for the safe return of the abducted yeshiva bochurim.
Is davening quietly not enough? Does every action we do have to be broadcast? does everyone have to walk around with a sticker on their head. If its strictly a awareness issue
there are other ways to go about it. A hash-tag will nor pressure the PA or the USA to get involved. (One can sign a petition to the white-house or lobby your local congressman). People like to be associated with an emotional cause and advertising it through social media gives them recognition and a sense of ownership to the cause. Those who just daven quietly and dont advertise it to the world are somehow not doing enough. Let us approach this tzorah as we have always done when faced with such tragedies. #Justdaven,
Make up your mind. Your previous post lauded Rav Shteinman and his recommended actions for helping bring the boys back. This post says "Just daven". Which is it?
ReplyDeleteRav Shteinman said to be mechazek in Torah he did not say to hashtag and bumperstickers. Justdaven means do what yidden always do daven and listen to the gedolim who tell you how to respond to a crisis.
DeleteYaakov Avinu applied 2 helpings of hishtadlut and 1 helping of prayer, and this is the model that we should follow.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying that a hashtag is hishtadlut? A bumpoer sticker is hishtadlut? That's just inane.
DeleteYes, advocacy and hasbara are certainly forms of hishtadlut. They will definitely increase the achdut of Am Yisrael, and further our unity of purpose.
DeleteEven if you contend that advocacy and hasbara are hishtadlut, which I don't concede, Hashtags and bumper stickers are neither of those, No one was saved by a bumper sticker, unless it was used to tape closed an open wound.
DeleteAnd they are certainly not the form of hishtadlut that are weighed 2:1 in place of tefilah.
Every little bit of adding awareness and concern is a welcome demonstration of Ahavat Yisrael and contributing factor to the freeing of our captives, IY"H.
DeleteIt's clear that hashtags and blogging are a fulfillment of many mitzvot d'oraita.
May we always merit to see all our fellow Jews in such a positive light!