Tikkun Olam
Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 20:01:17 -0500
Subject: visitor feedback about your site
To: [email protected]
I would like to ask you a question. Is plastic surgery against the
Jewish religion too? Is that not a stretching of the skin in some
cases? And as far as tattoos are concerned, you imply that it would be
bad for a Jew to get one. Can we not be good Jews AND have a safe form
of self-expression? If anything is abominable, it is your site in that
it is entirely close-minded.
Furthermore, you seem to have taken on the
role of "parent" to all the Jews out there. Tattoos are personal
decisions and honestly, you should not care what people are doing to
their bodies. Rather than focusing on other people's form of
self-expression as a such a heinous act in the name of Judaism, don't
you think that more emphasis should be placed on Zionism, Tikkun Olam,
etc.? Your site is useless and should find a more positive method of
reaching to the Jewish community. With so many issues concerning the
survival of our religion today, you'd think any person would realize
the
matter of tattooing is quite trivial. Our people are being slain on a
daily basis in Israel and you only care about ink on skin? Wake up!
- A.
Hello A.,
Thanks for the feedback.
With regards to plastic surgery, read what one
of the great latter rabbinical authorities, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein,
had to say. You can see it on the "Ohr Somayach" web site at
http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask073.htm .
I'm not IMPLYING that it is bad for a Jew to get tattoos, I'm
stating quite explicitly that tattoos are prohibited by the Torah.
As far as self expression goes, I think that you would agree with me that a Jew can find many ways to express himself without violating one of the Torah's commandments.
For instance, my web site is a form of
self expression. One can dance, sing, write, draw, paint, etc. It is true that the Torah limits self expression by forbidding tattoos, but on the other hand the Torah still leaves many avenues of self expression open.
You object to my taking on the "role of 'parent'".
To rebuke those who are doing things that the Torah
prohibits(Leviticus 19:17), is something
that every Jew is required to do. The Talmud states,
'Rav Amram the son of Rabbi Shimon Bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Shimon Bar Abba who
said in the name of Rabbi Chanina, "Jerusalem was destroyed because the people did not rebuke one another "(Shabbat 119b).' A society that adopts a "live and let live" or
"mind your own business" philosophy, a society that scorns rebuke, will soon find
that its moral and spiritual fabric has deteriorated.
In general, people do not like
to be criticized. However, our sages teach us that loving rebuke is a necessary trait
for acquiring Torah(Avot 6:6). One who wants to improve himself should
always be ready to accept constructive criticism.
I certainly agree with you that there are more pressing issues facing the
Jewish People than tattoos. However, the violation of one of the Torah's
commandments is not a "trivial" matter, and it should not be ignored.
The web is full of sites that deal with Judaism, Zionism, the political
situation in Israel, etc.
Why should I do what others have already done? As far as I know,
my site is the only one on the web devoted to the tattoo fad from a traditional Torah perspective.
As one who lives in Israel and serves in the army,
I am quite aware of the security situation.
The Torah tells us that one of the best things that we can do to
improve the physical security of the Jewish People is to diligently learn Torah
and keep the its commandments(Leviticus 26:3-6).
All the best.
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