To be Shtark, or to be Emet (True)

It happens all the time. You know you do it yourself sometimes. We all sometimes do something which looks religious in order to look “Shtark”. “Shtark” is the yeshivish word used to describe what someone does when he does something which looks religious.
I have a big problem with this reality we live in. I have a big problem with the fact that many religious people today worry more about looking “Shtark” then about their personal relationship to God. They worry more about being the “Shtark” kid then being the kid who does most for Am Israel. They worry more about being “Shtark” then connecting to the land of Israel.

Why does being Shtark even matter?
Since when is the Jewish religion limited at what looks religious?

This has become ridiculous. I know many people who wear a black hat and go clubbing at nights. Why not? A Black Hat is shtark. True, its not halacha. True, there is probably no requirement to wear one. But its still Shtark! (Don’t get me wrong, I never criticize the fact of wearing a hat… to each its own. I am criticizing the reason for which SOME wear it). Clubbing is a sin on so many levels – girls dancing, girls touching, girls not dressed tsniout. But you can still look shtark with your nice black hat, so who cares?

A beard makes you look shtark – the longer the better! (Note: I do let my beard grow, so again, not criticizing that fact, just criticizing the mentality behind some people who do it). Yes, learning torah is much more important. But its so hard to learn a daf of gemara. I can always let my beard grow and look shtark and my learning… well…. No one really knows how much I learn anyways.You know what? Even the learning people do is defined by that. How many people will refuse to learn any Machshava (Jewish Thought) because if someone sees them learning this, its almost “bitoul toyreh”! True, the GRA wrote some books in Machshava, and he probably wanted some read it. But no, I’ll what the GRA wrote in the gemara because its shtark. Learning his machshava books is not shtark! The rambam did write moreh nevuchim, shmona prakim… But no, I’ll just learn Mishnei Torah in my Iyun seder because that is what is Shtark!
Last but definitely not least. How many Shtark people who are careful to follow all the houmrot of halacha live in Chuts Laaretz? They ignore the fact that according to many, they are going against a Mitzvah Mideoraita. Even according to one of the most lenient opinion who says the mitvah of Yishuv Haaretz is a mitzvah Kiyumit (only a mitzvah when you do it, but its not a requirement), this is also true of Tsitsit! Do you know any of these shtark guys not wearing tsitsit? No, but that’s different! Wearing Tsitsit (and preferably long ones) is shtark. Living in Israel, being Zionist, not so shtark. You know what? Rav Kook has said, about 100 years ago, that the reason why people are leaving the religion is because they were looking for truth, and all they found in the jewish community was a superficial practice of this truth. 100 years later, in chutz laaretz and in some places even in erets Israel, the problem is still the same! How can you expect someone looking for truth to join a community where one needs to change his kippah in order to get a better shidduch? How can you expect someone who looks for truth to be a part of Todays “Shtark” community? How can you expect someone who walks half naked (untsniout) to impress her friends to change her ways and start walking with the “shtark clothing” not because it is right and emet (true), but because it is “Shtark”?

If someone wears a black hat, let him do so but not because it’s Shtark, because he believes its Emet! If someone lets his beard grow let him do so but not because its shtark, because its Emet! If someone starts dressing tsniout, let her do so, but not because its shtark, but because its Emet! Instead of caring about being shtark, lets start caring about our relationship to God!

The assimilation in today’s world is our problem: Not just because we care of other jews, but because we, the religious community, are responsible for it! The world is asking for authentic Judaism, they are asking for Emet, and all we provide them with is “Being Shtark”

Stop caring about accepted norms. Start looking for the real truth! Hopefully, our brothers and sisters who are not religious can see past this “Shtarkness” and understand the truth is really found deep into our torah, even if we, as religious jews, are not good ambassadors for this truth.

To be Shtark, or to be emet… Its your choice!

NOTE : I got 2 comments on my this post basically saying that someone who starts practicing Judaism for shtarkness can evolve to practice it for the right reasons. “Ma Shelo Lishma Ba Lishma”. I want to make it clear. I am not telling people: “Stop being Shtark, be secular”. I would much rather you be Shtark than secular. Keep being shtark if the only other option is secularism. What I am doing is encouraging you to take the next step. To live Judaism not just to practice its religious rituals which make you look shtark, but to internalize the deep principles of Judaism in a way which will let your Jewish practice be an expression of these principles and every mitzvah you do be a an step towards a deep relationship with God. Hope I made it more clear this time. more...