Thank you for an inspiring shiur. However, wouldn’t a more immediate conclusion be that pious leaders shouldn’t be so intimidating? That leaders and teachers should always look for ways to bridge the gap and reach out to their talmidim and the public? In our generation, should we try to find ways to work with other Jews, and show them a kind inclusive, albeit halachakly permissive, attitude?! Regretfully, everything is ייהרג ואל יעבור, we rarely compromise, even with regard to what could be, a questionable מנהג. I would think that the lesson from this shiur would be is to always engage even in the most questionable circumstances, or beware of the the most terrible consequences....

Thank you for an inspiring shiur. However, wouldn’t a more immediate conclusion be that pious leaders shouldn’t be so intimidating? That leaders and teachers should always look for ways to bridge the gap and reach out to their talmidim and the public? In our generation, should we try to find ways to work with other Jews, and show them a kind inclusive, albeit halachakly permissive, attitude?! Regretfully, everything is ייהרג ואל יעבור, we rarely compromise, even with regard to what could be, a questionable מנהג. I would think that the lesson from this shiur would be is to always engage even in the most questionable circumstances, or beware of the the most terrible consequences....

Thank you for an inspiring shiur. However, wouldn’t a more immediate conclusion be that pious leaders shouldn’t be so intimidating? That leaders and teachers should always look for ways to bridge the gap and reach out to their talmidim and the public? In our generation, should we try to find ways to work with other Jews, and show them a kind inclusive, albeit halachakly permissive, attitude?! Regretfully, everything is ייהרג ואל יעבור, we rarely compromise, even with regard to what could be, a questionable מנהג. I would think that the lesson from this shiur would be is to always engage even in the most questionable circumstances, or beware of the the most terrible consequences....