Paraphrased -"My software converting my speech to text was anti-Semitic, every time I said the Prophets of Israel, it spelled "P-R-O-F-I-T-S". PM
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| Rabbi Berel Wein ZTL |
No Opinion (excerpted From The Wein Press)
For the past few decades, I
have written two articles every week for distribution in my synagogue
and through the Destiny Foundation. One article has always been based
upon the teachings and insights that one can derive from understanding
and studying the Torah portion of the week that will be heard publicly
in the Sabbath services.
The other article was based upon my own
personal thoughts and opinions concerning events, personalities, issues
and societal controversies that were then under general discussion.
Since everyone else had an opinion regarding these matters, I took the
liberty of expressing my opinion as well. And the truth be said, I did
have an opinion regarding almost every issue raised in Jewish and
general society over the past number of decades. In fact, I so valued my
opinions that I collected quite a number of them, edited them and then
published them in a book entitled “In My Opinion…”. I was quite
satisfied with the reception and distribution of this book, and I have
received many comments regarding its contents. Needless to say, not
everyone agreed with my opinions, but that never bothered me because
deep down in my heart I always know that I am always right.
However, as my years have advanced and my eyesight has declined. it
has become increasingly difficult for me to produce these two articles
every week. It is not so much that I lack what to say as it is that I
find it harder and harder to find the energy and the simple physical
skills necessary to produce and write these articles. I therefore
decided, beginning with this year's Torah cycle last month, that I would
only produce the article about the Torah reading of the week and cease
continue writing and producing the opinion article. The opinion article
always was longer and, in many ways, much more difficult to write and
produce. It always required heavier and more detailed editing because
opinions are by their very nature controversial ideas and are about
personal controversy, and I was always hesitant about my producing and
publishing these types of articles. But nevertheless, the opinion
articles flowed on for a number of decades. However, as I mentioned
above, my energy level and my eyesight have declined over the past year,
and I therefore resolved that I was no longer going to produce any
opinion articles for general circulation.
Somewhat naïvely, I thought that this would pass relatively
unnoticed. There is no shortage of printed material published by
excellent writers and noted rabbinic scholars every week so I certainly
felt safe in assuming that the opinion article that I wrote would not
necessarily be noted as being missing. However, I was wrong because I
received quite a number of messages from people demanding to know why I
stopped sending them my weekly opinion article. In one sense, I am very
flattered that apparently people have noted that my opinion article no
longer appears. However, I have also been forced through the medium of
this newsletter to apologize and explain why my opinion article no
longer appears. Again, my friends, it is not for any lack of opinion
that I do not publicly express my opinion any longer. It is simply that
the process of writing it and distributing it has become difficult and
burdensome to me. I long ago learned that when there is no longer any
enthusiasm for the project at hand then it is wiser and safer to close
down the project and let it rest on its previous laurels. So, I simply
decided to close down the project of writing an opinion article every
week. I am never happy to give up on a project but I have always prided
myself on being practical and realistic and being able to say when
enough is enough.
I had thought that when I no longer have to write about my opinion,
I would have fewer opinions.
However, this has not been the case. In
fact, I am afraid that I have become even more opinionated than I was
before when I was still writing an opinion article every week. It is
simply human to have an opinion about everything that goes on around us.
Life itself is little more than a series of incidents that lead to
decisions that form the type of life that we live in general terms
through the creation of the society in which we exist. There are very
few individuals if any that have no opinions about the country and
society in which they live, about the governmental leaders of that
society and about their own personal goals, ambitions and plans.
Sometimes our opinions are obvious to all and sometimes they are so
delicate and sensitive that we ourselves don't quite recognize and
appreciate them. They are certainly there, and they certainly guide and
lead us in myriad ways, even if we do not acknowledge or understand
their presence and importance. It may be possible to abstain in
expressing one's opinion, from voting in an election process, from even
acting upon one's own opinion, but I feel that it is almost impossible
to say honestly that one has no opinion. We all have opinions on issues
that matter even if we do not reveal them to others and sometimes we
even stifle them within our own selves. So, I am certain that all of you
are aware that even if I do not resume an opinion article every week
for distribution, I still have opinions about the life and society that
goes on around me. Advanced age serves as a stimulus for achievement in
life goals, no matter what age we attain or infirmity that we may
unfortunately suffer from.
And as I write these words, the sneaking
suspicion has crossed my mind that perhaps occasionally in the near
future I will once again write about my opinion concerning the events
and personalities of the time. Just as one should be able to say that
enough is enough, one should also be able to say never say never.
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