MoC Takes Stock

I have been blogging for exactly six months.

I think I'm done.

I have tried to make a few points over the past six months at the same time trying to add a little humor to the J blogosphere.

I have written a lot about Jewish music, in particular the sorry state of Shiny Shoe music (and am very pleased that the term "Shiny Shoe" music has stuck).

I have written about the trend in some parts of the MO world to reduce observance to the lowest common denominator, with things such as casual dress on Shabbos, the disappearance in America of a focus on Erev Shabbos, the disappearance of the communal third meal on Shabbos (to say nothing of melaveh malkah), the sorry state of tefilah in the Orthodox world (not limited to the MO world), escaping for Pesach (again, not limited to the MO world) and a few other things. I certainly do not purport to have the formula for 'authentic' Yiddishkeit. But, as a father of four children, all of whom are teens or older, I think I have a certain perspective that many do not and feel strongly about the importance of ritual and minhagim on the raising of frum children and that minimizing their importance is ill considered. I feel strongly, too, that children should see their parents be moser nefesh for Yiddishkeit.

I have written (influenced greatly by the writtings of Moshe Koppel) that our schools and institutions have sadly sacrificed heimishkeit for ideology.

I have written a lot about my own shortcomings which are many.

Yet, despite the name of the blog, the one thing I haven't written about directly is Chassidus.

Nevertheless, the comments on my posts often degenerate into rants and screeds by misnagdim against Chassidus. My last post was instructive. I wrote that I thought it was disturbing that many MO shuls with which I am familiar have institutionalized early selichos and the blowing of the shofar in Elul just after shemonah esrai rather than just before the end of davening to accomodate commuters. Are these two issues the end of the world? No. But they are two examples of the trend of which I spoke above. The comments, on the other hand, became a series of attacks on the very legitimacy of Chassidus!!! What does my post have to do with Chassidus?

I will no longer be blogging here because I don't really see much point in continuing.

I will keep writing my personal journal about preparing for my biking trip to Israel and you are all welcome to follow my progress (and sponsor my ride!).

I have also started writing a personal blog about the struggles and courage of a boy who has spent the last half of his ten years in the foster care system, in five homes and three institutions (the second and fourth of those years in our home).

If I have offended anyone I apologize and ask your forgiveness. It takes a lot to offend me and none of the comments so far has succeeded but I am moichel anyone who thinks he or she needs mechilah.

May Hashem bless you all with a year of health, parnasah, and, above all, peace and a chasima v'chasima tovah.