Overcoming Sinat Chinam: An Elul Reflection

There are far too many forms of bias to which people, in general, subscribe. Some of these preconceptions are based on affinity, i.e., shared attributes, on real and attributed middot, on relative comeliness, on conformity, on shared perspectives, on gender, on particular personal features, on comparisons and contrasts, on age, and on (ethnicity of) names. Sadly, among Jews, there are additional inflexible notions (“Understanding different types of bias” [sic]) such as hashkafot, perceived relationship to Hashem, relative religious schooling, etc.

Consider the social ruptures that we suffer because of our foregone conclusions about each other. This profound, “justified,” often highly destructive, ill will, which is borne against other members of the Klal rents our society’s interconnectedness. It’s insufficient that we recall, on Tisha B’Av why we lost the Second Temple. We must reflect, at present, on how and why we’re ripping apart Am Yisrael.

“[E]very Jew is as Jewish as Moses himself” (“Propoganda We’re Not Falling For”). It’s not our business nor within the range of our knowledge to judge another Jew’s suitability. Erecting fences around out mitzvot means that we are mindful of how we, not our associates, do business. It’s likely that the people, whom we deride, are not only our spiritual equals but even our generation’s hidden tzadikkim.

What’s more, keep in mind that “Chazon Ish demonstrate[d] most convincingly that popular convictions of right and wrong may often be at odds with Halachah. Halachah is the Divine decision and by definition its conclusion is ethical and moral” (Pollak). Essentially, not only do we remain ignorant of the true nature of other persons’ neshemot but we remain stupid, crude, basically imprudent per our assessments because we are fatuous per claiming wisdom. More to the point, the greatest of our sages were regularly the most tolerant people. Look upon the legacies of Hillel and of the Baal Shem Tov, as examples.

See, baseless hatred, has no place among G-d fearing people. That demeanor demonstrates a lack of trust that Hashem correctly orchestrates existence as well as displays a haughtiness that borders on idolatry. After all, if we insist that our prejudices are legitimate, then we are contending that we don’t need a relationship to Him who fashions everything.

Furthermore, if, has v’shalom, we continue to embrace the foolishness found in secular predispositions, we are, likewise, culpable.

[I]t is imperative to judiciously analyze the building blocks to the destruction taking place in the historical and Biblical Jewish Homeland, Israel… a none too insignificant portion of the Jewish people are, tragically, susceptible to this mental besiegement (Kutnicki).

Viz., never were measurements of beauty, of fawning, of life station, or of cultural background reason, even informally, to countermand concern for a fellow Jew. Weigh, for instance, the contributions of, respectively; Yiftach, David HaMelech, Hezekiah HaMelech, Ezra and Nehemiah, the Maccabees, and Rav Chiya (“16 Jewish Heroes Who Beat the Odds to Preserve Judaism”).

Take into account that much of the divisiveness among us is not due to our people’s high aspirations to be of service but due to limited numbers of persons’ aspirations to wield power. E.g.,

[t]he debate over the role of the Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, particularly regarding military service and government funding, is an important issue. However, it has been cynically weaponized … to create division rather than to actually solve [problems.]

We all want a fairer, stronger Israel. But that won’t happen through political manipulation. It will happen through honest conversations, gradual societal change, and policies that prioritize long-term success over short-term political gains. Let’s focus on the real issues, not the political games. (Abelow).

Despite our shortcomings, we can judge favorably, we can embrace the extended family to which we belong. In a Janglo post, the real life actualization of this sort of behavior is described (“Jewish strangers on a train” [sic]). Simply, via mundane goings-on it is possible for us to take steps to live cohesively.

The Yomim Noraim are a time of Hashem’s adjudication of the good and bad in our lives. Elul, the month preceding that auspicious period, ought to consist not of our rationalizing, minimalizing or denying our partialities but of our becoming aware of and embracing the diversity that constitutes us, and, hence, of our renewing our connection to The Boss. We must not prejudge each other.

Shana Tova to modern, ultra & just plain Orthodox Jews, Haredi Jews, Mitnagdim, Chasidim, Conservative, Conservadox, Reform & ConForm Jews, Gartel Jews, non-Gartel Jews, Jews with sheitels & without, Tichel Jews, sheitel, tichel & hat Jews, frum from birth Jews, baalei teshuva, black hat, kipa s’ruga, payos in front of the ear Jews, payos in back of the ear Jews, kipa only in shul / hat in shul / no shul at all Jews, [Mizrahi Jews, Aguda Jews, Jews by choice, bathrobe on Friday night Jews, cardiac Jews, Black Jews, White Jews, 3-day-a-year Jews, JTS, RJJ, HUC, HTC, MTJ, BMT Jews, NCSY Jews, feminist Jews, traditional Jews, Kaddish Jews, political Jews, intellectual Jews, tomato Jews & orange Jews, Birthright Jews, single Jews, married Jews, wish I was married Jews, Galitzianers, Litvaks, Polacks, Greener Jews, Redder Jews, Jews in kapatas, Jews in T-shirts, Hungarian Jews, Romanian Jews, Czech Jews, Jews on the Hungarian-Czech Border Jews, Ashkenazim, Sefardim, Yemenite Jews, Jews with an accent, Jews who speak perfect Midwestern English Hebrew, Zionists, non-Zionists, anti-Zionists, post-Zionists, closet Jews, shnorrers, baalei tzedaka, tzadikim, Kohanim, Levi’im, Yisraelim, machers, m’vinim, & poshet Jews, EVERY KIND of Jew in this vast Universe: May we all unite – without a fight! (Limits of Labels).

Sources:

Abelow, Avi. “Solving the Ultra-Orthodox Draft Issue Means Seeing Through Political Manipulation.” Israel Unwired. 27 Mar. 2025. israelunwired.com/solving-the-ultra-orthodox-draft-issue-means-seeing-through-the-political-manipulation/?utm_source=israelunwired.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=solving-the-ultra-orthodox-draft-issue-means-seeing-through-the-political-manipulation-cracking-the-divine-code-israel-s-historic-moment-reclaiming-our-land-restoring-the-truth&_bhlid=9db0b45ab1f1609141cebea6c81c1a82aa557180. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.

“Jewish strangers on a train” [sic]. Janglo. 28 Aug. 2025. janglo.net/item/JzP5gTiYGi8. Accessed 7 Sep. 2024.

Kutnicki, Anta. “Giving in to mob rule” [sic]. Israel National News. 30 Mar. 2023. israelnationalnews.com/news/369419. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.

“Limits of Labels: Addressing the Challenges to Jewish Unity.” The Israel Forever Foundation. israelforever.org/interact/blog/limits_of_labels_addressing_challenges_jewish_unity.Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.

Pollak¸ Rabbi Chaim. “Parsha Mishpatim.” Parsha Divrei Torah Michlalah. michlalahmachal.com/_files/ugd/0e1622_2c73c2f945854d99b44df1acb6410c1b.pdf. Accessed 22 Dec. 2023.

Posner, Menachem. “16 Jewish Heroes Who Beat the Odds to Preserve Judaism.” chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4191441/jewish/16-Jewish-Heroes-Who-Beat-the-Odds-to-Preserve-Judaism.htm. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

“Propoganda We’re Not Falling For.” Chabad.org. 5 Aug. 2025. chabad.org/blogs/blog_cdo/aid/6975513/jewish/Propaganda-Were-Not-Falling-For.htm#utm_medium=email&utm_source=1_chabad.org_magazine_en&utm_campaign=en&utm_content=content. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

“Understanding different types of bias” [sic]. National School of Healthcare Science. England. 13 Oct. 2022. nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/about/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/conscious-inclusion/understanding-different-types-of-bias. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.