LISTEN: The Plague of “TORAH UGEDULAH” – Over-Indulgence and Opulence – That is Destroying the Frum Community

10:45 pm
44
>>Follow Matzav On Whatsapp!<<

The following presentation was delivered by Rabbi Simcha Klein, rov of Khal Ahavas Olam in Southfield, Michigan.

LISTEN:

UPDATE: The audio of this shiur has been removed by request of Rabbi Klein.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

44 COMMENTS

    • BTW, I believe Rav Eliezer Gewirtzman (Lakewood) has also spoken at length about this. These two can be added, I believe, to Rav Heineman, Rav Yisroel Reisman, Rav Elya Brudny.

    • BTW, I believe Rav Eliezer Gewirtzman (Lakewood) has also spoken at length about this. These two can be added, I believe, to Rav Heineman, Rav Yisroel Reisman, Rav Elya Brudny, and more.

  4. WOW. I’m blown away by such a talmid chochom with such articulation and common sense like I dont hear very often. That was an amazing talk. Thank you.

  8. Great points, but my guess is that this speech is not directed to the Detroit community. My impression of Detroit is that they are more normal. If only the people elsewhere would hear this and realize how their lifestyles hurt others and how “UnJewish” it is

  9. Reb Simcha is a mature talmid chochom beyond his years. He is in Detroit where the problem isn’t near what it is in places in the east coast. If he would say this there, they will laugh at him.

  13. I would add when friends of mine make simchas it also gives me a pit in my stomach. I’m what would be considered upper middle class and I don’t live big. That said I know every time there is a simcha when the person is a pretend to be rich I’ll get a knock on my door for helping to pay for these out of control simchas. I give but always feel it’s like enabling a drug addict to stay addicted. It has to stop. I think that will only come when a large enough group say enough is enough.

  15. Great speech but when parents seek advice from the local Rabbonim and Rabbeim they are told to give the kids what they ask for..that the children shouldn’t feel different than their peers. They are told not to say no. First the Rabbonim need to get on the same page about this situation before anything can change. There needs to be more chinuch in general about Lo sachmod.

  16. Beautiful speech! Beautiful delivery! Hopefully his words can make an impact to some degree on today’s world where any lecture over 3-4 minutes loses its listeners.
    I do have one הערה, a מחאה of sorts.
    He talked about the letter the Steipler zatzal wrote to a אדם חשוב וגדול מאד; a yid who was a תלמיד חכם מופלג עד למאוד, a yid who had סמיכה and was a doctor who was an expert in חולי הנפש and helped thousands of yiddin, yet the only way he could he could refer to him is as A.J. Twerski? I don’t think the Steipler referred to him that way! And then he segues into how we need to revere Gedolim.

  18. Amazing Speech!

    I just found it ironic that the advert right under the speech was for a bachelor’s degree, after the Rov spoke about Reb Ahron Kotler, being against college……and respecting other things over Torah…..

  21. How absolutely true! I am one of those who cries (literally) every day about the pressures my kids feel and what they think is normal. B”H we make what in the secular world is a nice income. Can’t make it paycheck to paycheck, and BH we’re making a simcha. I don’t feel it. I am crying everyday just about covering the takana and basics! Why can’t more rabbanim speak out? And don’t get me started on seminary, which our Rav encouraged, knowing we couldn’t afford it! I have started the conversation with my daughter’s school. I really am hoping we can make a small dent. I shudder to think what will be when they grow up and raise their kids. I will not come to their rescue.

  23. Just drive down Cross Street in Lakewood and you will find yeshivah after yeshivah associated with so-and-so company.
    What should we do? Girls are not ready to give up on gashmiyus. Period. We cannot deprive our children, so if Totty wants to be a Rosh Yeshiva and marbitz torah he MUST marry money.

  24. Most boys can name famous Roshei Yeshiva, but not the biggest Talmidei Chachamim learning in BMG.

    This is due to the fact that the Moezes picks only Roshei Yeshiva, but not BMG Tamidie Chachamim.

    • I agree with almost everything Rabbi Klein said but it makes a lot of sense that a kid is going to know the name of a gevir who keeps a high profile before he knows the name of a Talmid Chochom learning in BMG who has no meaningful interaction with anyone outside of it.

      This is a not due to a lack of value for Torah or value for Gevirim. Bottom line is those who keep high profiles and are involved in communal causes will be heard from before those who keep low profiles and have no community involvements are. Even if the communal involvements is limited to being a major employer of frum people

  27. This is slightly off topic but it is very kdai to learn Rabbi Klein’s seform in general. They give tremendous chizuk and hadrocha for todays time.

  28. Giving too much kovod to gevrim is not new. There is an old Yiddish expression “When someone has a lot of money , people think he knows Torah, his wisdom to impart and knows how to be a chazan too…”

  29. The Rabbonim have to do more than give speeches. The summer camps have “rabbinical boards”. The rabbis should be enforcing standards or refusing to lend their names to the camps. The Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshiva, Admorim, etc should refuse to attend the simchas, refuse to be mesader kiddushin, etc until the gashmius is brought under control. So long as the rich people know that they will not be called to account, no change will happen.

  30. While the Rov had an excellent message his not refraining from alluding to different mosdos התורה in a negative manner regrettably diluted it.

  31. We need 100 drashos like this. I have never seen people so farkoifed in stupid purchases like new cars that cost so much. We used to look down on people who overspent on things. Overspending on fastfood, clothing etc. When did we become so silly about how we spend our money, even if you can afford it? Rabbi Klein addresses the fundamental reasons why this is happening.
    WE NEED TO WAKE UP!

  33. I love jews! This speech is so spot on.

    There’s a farkoifed ucchy bashing of extravagance that I heard from certain misguided people growing up, that to me seemed to be coming from the same place as buying rav chaims pants, or assuring a meatboard. It makes the claim that our values are somewhere where they aren’t actually.

    However, the way he lays out the danger of where this has taken us and will continue to lead us, strikes a chord of truth that resonates with my chelek elokai.

    May we find a healthy way forward in a gentle and holy way, may we all truly lift each other up biachdus b’hisoyrirus.

    Happy lichtig channuka yidden.

    PS if anyone can zelle me 300$ so I can buy my 3yo’s class 8$ donuts, I’d appreciate it

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here