Achdus. One little word, yet it means so much. Simple, really, to include everyone, no?
But there seems to be a little problem with translation. If, say, one of the descriptions of achdus is "tolerance," then there is a wee bit of a glitch.
According to Dictionary.com:
tol·er·ance
[tol-er-uhns] Show IPA
noun 1. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.
2. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one's own.
3.interest in and concern for ideas, opinions, practices, etc., foreign to one's own; a liberal, undogmatic viewpoint.
4.the act or capacity of enduring; endurance: My tolerance of noise is limited.
5. Medicine/Medical, Immunology .
a.the power of enduring or resisting the action of a drug, poison, etc.: a tolerance to antibiotics.
b.the lack of or low levels of immune response to transplanted tissue or other foreign substance that is normally immunogenic.
It would appear that "tolerance" is not limited to the people that can put up with one; tolerance means being able to withstand quite a bit, even malicious bacteria.
That is why it disturbs me when individuals claiming enlightened Judaism scorn other "brands" of the faith.
Those who consider themselves at the ideal location for "frum" (where you stand is the "u"; everyone else is "fr," "far right," or "m," "modern") that does not mean disparagement is permitted, on either side. Some find it hard to swallow what they consider "modern"; others cannot stand the "far right."
Those who consider themselves at the ideal location for "frum" (where you stand is the "u"; everyone else is "fr," "far right," or "m," "modern") that does not mean disparagement is permitted, on either side. Some find it hard to swallow what they consider "modern"; others cannot stand the "far right."
Many don't even realize their intolerance. Take for instance, the classic line, "Some of my best friends are ________." Yeshivish? Chassidish? Modern? Observant?
Below is a segment from "The Daily Show," filmed at the Democratic National Convention. How tolerant are democrats? Watch and see.
That was some serious mussar (yes, even with the bleeped-out bits).
Chaverim kol Yisroel.
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