Kiruv is simply reuniting a Father with his lost children. What can be more important than that?
Recently, I was asked by someone if I could discuss the issue of whether Kiruv (Outreach) is relevant to the average Orthodox Jew’s life. I almost fell off my chair at the question. Is breathing relevant? Is eating relevant? Is one’s heart pumping blood throughout the body relevant to one’s life????? Even though I find the question bewildering, I will attempt to elucidate the infinite importance of Kiruv with some support from Tanach.
When Hoshea was faced with the Jewish People’s impending punishment for failing to serve G-d, he says to G-d, (Pesachim 87A) “Nu, so you’ll get another Nation?”. In response, G-d then commands Hoshea to wed a woman with a less than impressive reputation. Hoshea obeys G-d’s command and proceeds to father three children with this woman. G-d then commands Hoshea to divorce the woman and send the children away. Aghast, Hoshea explains to G-d that he cannot possibly send away the children that he loves so dearly. G-d then responds to Hoshea, “So too, I cannot reject the Jewish People for they are my children and the children of my beloved Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!”
G-d truly feels that each Jew is His child and G-d loves every single Jew. Therefore, how can we not help these aimless children find their father? Our Father is crying for his children. Can we truly answer that we had no time for our brothers and sisters? Can we answer that, “Yes, the Jew I saw every day at work was just waiting for a Shabbat invitation, but I was too busy to deliver it”? Will we tell G-d that his children were not worthy to be included in our religious communities?
Kiruv is simply reuniting a Father with his lost children. What can be more important than that?
I Just have to say that without NCSY, i would not be an orthdox Jew today i’m a senior in high school and the President of my JSU Club. Thank you NCSY
Posted by Dana Schechter on 04/04 at 06:19 PMRabbi Burg u r awesome. so is ncsy. if it weren’t for ncsy i have no idea where i would be today.
Posted by rachely on 02/07 at 11:29 PM
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