It has become an almost universal custom to call those righteous individuals who have returned to Authentic Judaism by the name “Ba’alei Tshuva”.
I personally don’t like the term.
First of all, Tshuvah is an ongoing, lifelong process. It only ends when you are dead. It is not something that you do once and then it is behind you.
Dovid HaMelech AH said “My Sins are always before me” even though Dovid HaMelech AH was the ultimate “Baal Tshuvah”.
Second of all there is a slightly negative connotation to the term which is certainly undeserving by those individuals who have progressed so far to come close to Hashem.
So what should they be called?
They shouldn’t be called anything, just regular Authentic Jews.
You see, if someone had the unfortunate “MAZAL” to be brought up in a non-authentic Jewish atmosphere, and has changed his ways and returned to Authentic Judaism, absolutely no-one should ever know about it.
They should never tell anyone that there was a time when they were not authentic Jews.
They should never say “Before I became frum….” or “When I was reform” or “When I was a Reconstructionist” or whatever.
The reason for this is, as it is expressed explicitly in the Gemarah, that someone who publicizes his sins does not receive atonement for them. Rashi ZAL explains because he shows he is not embarrassed about what he has done.
If someone had the unfortunate history of being a pedophile or a murderer would he say “When I was a pedophile….” etc.? Not keeping Shabbos is worse than being a pedophile or a murderer, so how could one have the ability to even mention such things? If he does, he is obviously not embarrassed about his past, and is lacking true authentic Torah Ideology.
So if you are a righteous returner to Authentic Judaism, get into a mainstream Torah atmosphere and never, ever, tell anybody about your past.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
” someone who publicizes his sins does not receive atonement for them”
But is one publicizing his sin or publicizing his regret of doing it? Isn’t useful when speaking to others who are less frum to show you can relate?
Legitimate point.
You are right that if the context is that he is regretting publicly it could be different. There are specific halachos regarding this in Hilchos Tshuva.
I was referring to a phenomena that I encounter often where the individual is just casually talking about his past, which is wrong as I wrote.
Thank you for the comment
RB
I have not used my name for the very reason you state above. I have worked most of my life (30 years out of my 45) to be Torah observant and I agree it is nobody’s business what my initial upbringing was and I don’t dwell on it. I am proud of the fact that people assume I grew up religious, I think it shows I take my frumkeit seriously. So the question is, what do I say when people ask me a pointed question such as where I grew up and what school I went to? I can’t lie, but the truth reveals my background….
Thanks especially for your comments re YU. My husband and I find the place reprehensible but we can’t say a word as there are many in our community who send their children there. Some of the actions engaged in by their ‘top rabbis’ are extremely damaging to Judaism.