Our era is characterized by the breaking of the clear lines that previously separated black and white.
Years ago there was a tendency to cut things sharply. Either I am religious or I am not religious. Today, the number of those who define themselves as standing in the middle is steadily increasing. They are not religious, but they observe certain commandments. This one prays. This one lights Shabbat candles. This one eats kosher. This one says 'I confess' in the morning.
This public is subject to comments from both directions: Religious people may scoff at a person who declares that he eats kosher, and in his speech says that when he goes to a restaurant in London or Thailand, he only orders chicken. On the other hand, non-religious people mock a woman in immodest clothing who kisses a mezuzah. They tell her: Decide, if you believe, behave as a religious person is supposed to behave.
Wonderful trick
In the Sabbath Haftarah, we read about Elijah the prophet standing before the people of Israel on Mount Carmel and demanding that they cut things off one way or the other. "How long will you waver between two opinions," he says to the people. "If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is, follow him.".
Does the prophet Elijah really deny the phenomenon of traditionalists?
Here it is important to draw a line between two phenomena that may seem similar, but are completely different in essence. There are the traditionalists. These are Jews who feel the need to connect with the Creator of the world, with Judaism, with their roots, but they do not have the strength to adopt a full Jewish lifestyle. They observe the commandments in a partial way, because that is what they can at this stage.
On the other hand, there are those who turn their weakness into an ideal. If it is difficult for me to keep kosher, I will determine that nowadays it is not necessary to eat kosher. If I am uncomfortable keeping Shabbat, I will declare that there is no need to keep Shabbat. If I am too lazy to put on tefillin, I will declare that putting on tefillin is an outdated thing that is not relevant today.
Such an approach is a completely different story.
Here man tries to change the Torah and create a new religion that will suit what is convenient for him.
While the traditionalist has the desire to progress and become stronger, and he knows that the failure to fully observe the Torah stems from his weakness and difficulties, the second type frees himself from all reflection on repentance. Everything that is difficult and uncomfortable for him – he simply erases.
What a wonderful trick!
When placed against the wall
This was the phenomenon of the Baal worshipers in the days of Elijah. They lived in peace with belief in G-d and with the worship of Baal. It was as if they had created a new religion, in which one could believe in the one and only Creator of the world and at the same time worship Baal. To them Elijah said: Cut it off, one way or the other!
This omission of both sections is more serious than the worship of the husband itself in two respects. First, the worshiper of the husband knows that he is sinning by worshipping idols, and one day he will mend his ways. Likewise, other people will know to stay away from him, because it is clear that he has deviated from the straight path. However, the one who omits both sections will not repent, because in his eyes everything is fine, and he is also liable to lead others astray in his wake.
Therefore, Elijah pinned them to the wall and called on them to choose between Baal and God, and then they cried out together: "The Lord is God!".
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