I would like to supplement what has already been said on this thread with four sources.
I: Rav Hirsch on Shabbath
II: Rambam on Half Observance (Teshuva 3)
III: The wicked Eglon who merited Ruth for respecting prophecy
IV: The Chafetz Chaim and the Army person.
I:Rav Hirsch On Shabbath
Elisha Paul in his "list of texts" explaining Shabbath omitted a major modern thinker, Rav Hirsch, who in Chorev and his biblical commentary greatly enhanced our understanding of Judaism. I of course agree with Elisha's basic thesis - any corrective program must emphasize a teaching of values.
II: Rambam on Half Observance (Teshuva 3)
Rambam clearly states that observance is quantifiable (albeit by God). True a single desecration entails a death penalty but each observance entails everlasting reward. Thus, the 50% creates an odd sort of balance. This balance is the basis of outreach. Although Lubavitch is cited as an outstanding example (Well they are good at outreach) it is important to emphasize that "Lubavitch type outreach" is found in the Talmud and standard acharonim as the next two citations show. So the outreach approach mentioned by several discussants is not a sidestream Lubavitch thing but rather mainstream Judaism.
III: The wicked Eglon who merited Ruth for respecting prophecy
Although everyone on the list knows this beautiful Aggadah, how many appreciate it. Eglon was a wicked person! He conquered the Jews and subjugated them for 18 years until they screamed to God. What a beautiful scene is depicted in Judges 3:20. Ehud comes to this evil person, Eglon, and says, to catch him off guard, "I have a prophecy for you" at which point, and quite shockingly, Eglon, gets up. Gets up? Respect for prophecy from a conqueror and murderer. Although Ehud was immediately killed the Talmud says "In the merit of this small observance - respect for Prophecy - this evil person merited that Ruth the ancestress of King David, descended from him. Isn't this remarkable? A good deed - a mere gesture - by a person steeped in conquest and murder - leads to reward?
Certainly, our attitude to teenagers who text but do many mitzvoth should be modeled after this Talmudic passage. Let us respect them for their good deeds. Let us remind them of the great reward they will obtain (and even if they deserve a death penalty (which is not that clear)).
Again: This "outreach aggadic passage" is not side stream Lubavitch - it is mainstream Judaism in the Talmud.
IV: The Chafetz Chaim and the Army person.
All sects of Judaism respect the Chafetz Chaim. A famous story relates that once when he was in a bar there was a person - kidnapped into the Russian army when he was a young boy and recently discharged after 25 years. Everyone avoided the man who cursed and drank. Everyone that is except the Chafetz Chaim. The Chafetz Chaim went over to him and said "My friends tell me that you are saint - you endured 25 years in the Russian Army and yet your only vice is drinking and cursing. I would like to befriend you to learn your great character traits." And of course, the man repents.
SUMMMARY:
Everything said so far is true. We should discuss this. We should certainly tell teenagers the seriousness of their transgressions. We should certainly deal with them psychologically. But we must **supplement** such an approach with Talmudic outreach methods!
Russell Jay Hendel; Phd ASA [
www.Rashiyomi.com]
Dept of Mathematics
Towson University
Towson Md 21252
