Our values vs theirs

amother

Sun, Jul 02 2023, 2:33 am

OP in a different instagram thread wanted that thread locked, which should be respected. We’ve also had several threads recently about instagram influencers and their personal lives and preferences so I'll start this as a new thread about a chazal in this weeks parsha that is amazing in how it directly addresses this phenomenon.

Bilam tries to curse Klal Yisrael but is forced to bless them instead. What impresses him most is what sets them apart from the non Jewish world he is exposed to. According to chazal
מה טובו אוהליך יעקב
שראה פתחיהם שאינם מכוונים זה מול זה
Bilam saw that the openings of each family’s tent was offset from the other tents so that no one would be tempted to focus on the private lives of another family.

This attribute of Klal Yisrael is so paramount that each morning as we leave the privacy of our homes and encounter other people we say מה טובו אהליך יעקב to remind ourselves that our lives and the lives of others are meant to be private and not broadcast into the public domain.

It should be obvious that what takes place on IG is the antithesis of what makes Klal Yisrael great, and is a sad sign of the penetration of the non Jewish culture of taking all that is meant to be private and putting it on public display. Sure there are inspirational posts and how tos and the like and that not what I’m referring to, but when IGers let us into their personal lives that is not in consonance with a standard we have cherished for thousands of years.

SuperWify

Sun, Jul 02 2023, 4:24 am

You right beautifully and I totally agree with your point.

I look at it almost the same way, but a drop differently.

It’s funny because I was always taught and understood that the interpretation of Bilams words were about the Jews keeping things tznius and private between them. Then, this Shabbos I was reading my Tzena Urenah and the interpretation it brought there and the reason the tents weren’t facing each other was that no one should see in and get jealous from their neighbor , why do they have more then me/ do this not like me ect..

I find that when wealth and high levels of living standards are shoved in our faces it’s so hard not feel that resentment and jealousy creep up. It’s almost like they are saying- look at my lifestyle, cars, clothes, home, vacations… this is what you should be striving for. Yes, you should totally be jealous of me.

It’s the complete opposite of Mah Tov Hu.

Either way, your point still stands and I completely agree. Just wanted to bring this side as well.

amother

Sun, Jul 02 2023, 9:14 am

SuperWify wrote:

I would say that the above is a corollary of the concept, which encompasses a broad range of malaises that result from public exposure of that which is meant to be private.

PinkFridge

Sun, Jul 02 2023, 9:25 am

OP, you are right. And making me think it's time to reread Wendy Shalit's A Return to Modesty which I only vaguely remember. I'm pretty sure it's about more than tznius. Here are a few random, possibly intersecting thoughts:
- We are being influenced by the outside world which is getting increasingly superficial. Celebrity culture, oversharing, and more.
- We are also just getting more superficial all around. Attention spans, fragmented thinking, all those watch out for the internet books like The Big Disconnect, The Shallows, et al warn about. We enjoy soundbites.
- Technology can and has been used for the good. Think of how much Torah is shared, real relationships being built, kiruv initiatives, and more. We have to use this tool very very carefully. We're all creating boundaries and we need to regularly recalculate if they're working for us. And honestly assess if and how much we're being influenced by the current zeitgeist.

ETA a few words for clarity

Last edited by PinkFridge on Sun, Jul 02 2023, 9:41 am; edited 1 time in total