Administrators of the decade-old Beit El Yeshiva website say they continue to be inundated with letters from youngsters asking for advice as they struggle with their families and friends to become Jewishly observant.
-- Third in a series --
The website, which provides thousands of Torah articles and classes and features a popular "Ask the Rabbi" section, attracts many visitors who are not religiously observant, but who want to learn more about Judaism. The website's response team replies with initial answers and explanations, and then matches up those who wish with a local rabbinical advisor who can provide more hands-on help.
In recent months, website administrator Ezra Cohen says, "the wave of requests for spiritual direction - particularly from young readers who have not been formally exposed to Judaism - has been increasingly strong. We sense an undercurrent of a tremendous process of awakening and desire to return to authentic Judaism among young teenagers."
The yeshiva website released 16 pages (!) of letters from mostly young readers indicating this phenomenon. Several translated samples have been provided in previous articles [first in the series, second in the series], and a third collection follows:
Shalom. I am a 25-year-old male, having come close to Judaism over the past five years, and have been observing the Sabbath for about six months. My family's home is secular, and they don't exactly welcome my religious observance, to put it mildly. It makes it very difficult for me, to the point where I feel that this is too difficult of a test and that I am not able to pass it. I have no idea what to do, and I am unable to serve G-d under these circumstances. People around me are insensitive to my feelings about religion, and are quick to mock and scorn. I am in tremendous pain and sorrow; I have to study Torah secretly, and I don't think my family will ever accept this. I feel as if there is a large wall in front of me that I cannot pass! Can you help?
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Thank you for answering; your response helped me greatly with my complex problem... I am still a young boy, around 17, and I am growing up in a house that swings between secular and slightly traditional. I am beginning a process of returning to observant Judaism, but I am dealing with many difficulties because of this, thank G-d... I have a girlfriend that I love very much, but I wonder if that itself is a sin... and there are great tensions at home. Rabbi, what am I supposed to do? I am trying to become observant gradually, so as not to hurt anyone, Heaven forbid, or cause sorrow to my parents. How am I to do this? I am sorry to waste your time on such questions.
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Our eldest daughter has become more religious, and in order to respect her, we try to set a nice Friday night Sabbath table, and after she returns from synagogue, we try to sit down for Kiddush all together. But the problem is that it doesn't work out that way. Our son, 14, doesn't want to come in from the basketball court so fast, and the other daughters are tired and are not always anxious to come in and join us... And then my husband gets angry and then he tells my daughter that this is the last time, and then I get involved and get angry at him, and he gets angry at me, and then instead of sitting together and greeting the Sabbath, I just end up crying. I beg you if you have an idea or advice. I would like to mention that sometimes we made Kiddush without the other children, but it's not the real thing. Thank you.
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I'm from a lightly-traditional family, and I put on tefillin every morning. I wanted to know what other prayers there are to read...For instance, is there a special prayer before going to sleep, and the like... I hope you will answer me.
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[From a teenage girl] I have a girlfriend who has been becoming religious for nearly two years; her father was very opposed at first, but now it's a bit better... We were together in a class, but I left when the teacher started teaching all sorts of heresy - but my friend remained... She called me yesterday to tell me that she doesn't feel so connected to religion anymore; she says she doesn't want to be secular, but she feels sad because she doesn't go to parties anymore like she used to... She is all mixed up; she says she doesn't feel like she is making progress in religion, and she doesn't know if she should remain religious because her family is not. I want to help her but I have not been able to. If you can help me, I would be very happy.
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I am almost 16 and my mother is pregnant with twins. I am a believing type, and my family is also traditional and are people of faith. I have been getting more religious of late, and I study more Torah and keep the Sabbath as much as I can (not so little... pretty much). My question is: What can I do to ensure that the babies will be 100% healthy and whole, and that they will be connected with religion and will believe in G-d?
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed, the yeshiva's founder and dean, and community rabbi of the town of Beit El, said in his annual Repentance Sabbath lecture to some 500 people before Yom Kipppur:
"There is some kind of bug in the air, a bug of spirituality and holiness, and it infects those who are even a little bit sensitive to it. It is going around, and this generation is particularly prone to catching it, and we have to recognize it and encourage it and realize that we are taking part in a critical cultural battle for the religious character of the State of Israel. This is a special moment; all of us gathered here, as if to receive our special instructions and take on our special assignments in this battle. Everyone should try to increase helping others spiritually and materially, as well as Torah study and good deeds, and with G-d's help we will emerge victorious!"