Yiddish lessons at County Court

Photo From Here

So the Tzig was caught "speeding" by a Sheriff's deputy a couple one lazy Sunday afternoon, and was told to show up in court a few weeks later. I guess when you live in a non-crime area cops still need to earn their keep somehow, and property taxes can only go so far. So they lie in wait for us. Let me tell you; night court is not what you thought it was, and make sure to bring a chair and a good sefer/book, because you may be in for an "all evening" wait with nothing to do but stare at the ceiling and walls. However, being that this was my first visit there, and hopefully my last, I wasn't privvy to that information and came empty-handed, thus subjecting myself to an evening full of grunts and sighs. G-d, however, did not foresake me, and put right behind me online a group of very interesting Jewish characters: Yiddish-speaking kids from New Square who look like kids from the Five Towns, and probably never want to see that little village again. Don't get me wrong here, nowhere am I saying that I fail to see the epidemic of dropouts within the CH/Lubavitcher community, but what I saw seems to buck conventional wisdom, namely that as long as you shelter your kids they'll turn out as pure as the wind-driven snow.

There's a story told of a young boy, the son of a Porush who was sheltered - literally for eighteen years. He was locked in a room and was taught and learned Teyreh all his days and nights. His Bar Mitzvah was held in his room, with a Minyan attending. When he turned eighteen he was ready to get Semichah from the local Rov, but needed to go to the Rov's house and get tested, since it wasn't considered respectful to have the Rov come to him, even in such an extreme case. So the young man left his home for the first time and walked with his father through the town's streets. Suddenly the boy - who for some reason was not blindfolded - sees a Vaybel walking along and is, um, intrigued by the sight, since it's his first time. So the lad asks his father: "Tatte, vos is dos?" so the father answered: "ah katshke." The kid accepts the answer and continues walking. A few minutes later he tells his father: "Tatte, koyf mir a katshke." VeHaMayvin Yovin.

What I saw with these kids at court, and the discussions about their indiscretions in Yiddish they were having for all to hear, is that as soon as they no longer feel need to worry and care what people in their community think about them they're outta there! (Let me tell you: You haven't heard about a rock concert, the state of a New York baseball team, and about the um, attractiveness of a female, till you've heard it in New Square Yiddish!) They no longer care about anything Jewish, let alone the color of their shirt or the length of the skirt. They believe nothing about what they were taught to be the truth, and they make new lives for themselves. That leads me to believe that in today's day and age the concept of teaching Yiras Shomayim is over, all there is Mah Yomru HaBriyos, and that can only go so far. Granted, it works for many/most people, but when it fails steer clear, because it crashes with a vengeance.

Many educators will tell you that it's the only thing that works, that the only way you keep kids in line - and adults for that matter - is by making feel uncomfortable if they step outta line. (They'll also tell you that the problem in CH is that no matter what people do, and what they look like, they NEVER seem to feel uncomfortable, but we'll leave that for another time.) The Alter Rebbe in Tanya speaks about not serving Hashem for reward or fear of punishment, and many "open-minded" Lubavitchers seem only to want to reach that level. They'll never do it just because the Torah says if they don't feel like it. How silly of them. But just as silly is doing it ONLY for the all the wrong reasons.