Dear Matzav Inbox,
I’m writing to follow up on a Matzav letter that appeared earlier this week.
Not so long ago, there was a notorious website known as Failed Messiah. For years, it thrived on a diet of scandal, real or imagined, aimed squarely at destroying the frum community from within. Its goal? To sow discord, mistrust, and division by revealing every potential shortcoming, every possible mistake, every fabricated outrage—tearing down kehillos, rabbonim, and individuals with glee.
But, in a moment of Divine mercy, Failed Messiah was put out of its misery.
And yet, here we stand today, and it seems that we no longer need Failed Messiah. Why, you ask? Because now we have our very own, frum people—or very own “unzere”—doing the job for him. That’s right. We have become our own worst enemies, doing the damage ourselves, with the help of WhatsApp do-gooders.
These aren’t outsiders looking to destroy us. No, these are members of our own frum community, who have taken it upon themselves to expose every flaw, every imperfection, every moment of human frailty that exists within our frum world.
Of course, they’ll tell you, every day, with constant reminders, that it’s all lesheim Shomayim. Isn’t it always? Pure intentions, noble goals—after all, they’re just trying to help, right? Yes, they’ll admit, they make mistakes sometimes, but they really mean well. They’re not in it for the money, fame or recognition, they say. Just lesheim Shomayim. They eat, sleep and post with Hashem on their mind. So holy!
Well, let me remind them: the road to Gehennom is paved with good intentions.
Today, we don’t need an external force like Failed Messiah to showcase every alleged weakness in the frum community. No, we’ve got our own self-appointed arbiters of truth, our very own do-gooders, who have picked up the mantle to address, expose, and broadcast every so-called problem.
They’ve taken it upon themselves to correct us, to educate us, to guide us on how to behave as the Am Hanivchar. Boruch Hashem! They’re here to help us avoid the chillul Hashem of poor parking habits in shopping centers, of people cutting the line at amusement parks, of dressing improperly in supermarkets, of credit card and loan shark scandals, of people not behaving the way they should, of ostentatious simchos, of extravagant bands, of terrible school-owners, of selfish askanim, and so on and so forth. They’re the ones to highlight every financial misstep, every instance of someone who’s been dishonest or less than perfect.
And why? Because, of course, the rabbonim aren’t doing their jobs, right? The leaders of our community are apparently failing us, so these modern-day Failed Messiahs feel it’s their sacred duty to step in. If they don’t expose every problem, every scandal, every challenge, then who will? If they don’t point out every flaw in our society, how will we ever become better? How will we ever achieve the perfection they so desperately seek?
I suggest that we start calling these people “Failed Messiahs.” Let’s call them what they are. Let’s identify them by those whose mission they have embraced.
To these people, I say: You are making Failed Messiah proud. You’ve taken up his mission, and you’ve made it your own. Congratulations. Aren’t you proud to have inherited his legacy? Aren’t you proud to be the ones to carry the torch of destruction from within? You’ve taken a page out of his book, and you’ve written a new chapter.
But here’s the truth you seem to have forgotten: Our community was built on the wisdom of our rabbonim, on the guidance of our gedolim, and on the foundation of Torah values. We don’t need your self-righteousness, your criticism, or your so-called lesheim Shomayim crusade.
So before you rush to expose the next scandal, the next flaw, the next chillul Hashem, take a moment to consider what you’re really doing. Consider whose legacy you’re truly upholding. And ask yourself: Are you building our community or are you tearing it down?
Sincerely,
Saying the Truth
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