I previously wrote a column I titled, Fakeadox, in which I described people who appeared pious and machmir on keeping mitzvot like davening with a minyan three times a day, but behind closed doors were lax with perhaps family purity rules, or eating food with questionable hechserim, or perhaps leaving a TV on during Shabbat. They rationalized that in some circumstances they were upholding the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. They found loopholes to justify their activities.
But the men and women I refer to as Fraudadox, are religious frauds, I consider them to be closet atheists. To be frum, one must have yirat Shamayim, to be G-d-fearing. The belief in Hashem who is all-seeing and all-knowing is at the core of Yiddishkeit. Yet the egregious behaviors and practices of these frauds indicate they have no fear of G-d, because they obviously do not believe He exists. If they did, they would not commit horrific acts that break the Ten Commandments. Fear of being duly punished in the Next Life is not a deterrent, for they obviously consider it a fairy tale. This lack of true conviction gives them a green light to act in ways that would shock the average Jew – and even gentiles.
The obvious atheists in our midst are pedophiles and sadistic deviants and those who enable them with their silence or feigned ignorance. They are the batterers, both men and women who inflict physical and emotional damage on the vulnerable. They are the long-term get with-holders, with no shred of remorse or compassion as the years go by, stifling potential future generations.
They are the thieves and swindlers, and conmen who convince the trusting to invest in shoddy real estate or stock market deals, and who abscond with the hard-earned money of their victims, many of whom could not afford to lose small amounts of money, let alone enormous sums. They have no conscious, no empathy. They are atheists in frum clothing, with no yirat Shamayim, of having to answer to a G-d of Justice.
Over the years, people have shared horrific stories of financial and verbal and emotional abuse from family members and friends, and I ask myself, how could these so called frum people sleep at night. But of course they do – no dread of having to answer to Hashem for their despicable deeds and activities and acts of omission.
One friend, ‘Miriam’ (not her real name) who is battling cancer and is divorced, has instructed her children that if she die before her older sister and her brother, that they be barred from entering her funeral. I told her that’s very harsh. She shared that when her sister heard that her cancer had come back, and she was having chemo again, she sent a text wishing her a refuah shelaima. That’s it. No offer to send a meal. To have her spend Shabbat with her family, no offer to accompany her to her chemo. Just refuah shelaima. Kind of when you get a greeting card from the local politician wishing you a happy new year.
As far as my friend was concerned, her sister acted like she was deceased. Hence no need to help a dead person, so it would be the pinnacle of hypocrisy if her sister showed up at the funeral, acting bereaved.
She portrays herself as being pious, running to package tomchai Shabbat, and volunteering for several charity functions, but is fraudadox. A Torahdik Jew would have shown some flicker of empathy for her ill sibling who never did anything to alienate her sister except she had no “social value” – not chashuv..
As for her brother, there was a relationship although Miriam finally figured out that he was verbally and emotionally abusive to her, constantly being critical of everything she said or did. He humiliated her in front of his family. Yet he goes to minyan and shiurim.
Another friend shared that her sister’s husband had power of attorney when their father died, but doled out just enough funds for his wife’s mother to get by, and not live a more comfortable life. Another friend shared that her brother cut her out of his life when she hired a lawyer to get the bulk of her yerusha after waiting patiently for many years. He insisted she could live without it, but his kids needed it more than her. His wife and children were instructed to have nothing to do with her, even though she was their favorite aunt.
It amazing how these atheists rationalize what they do; and actually justify their actions. I always said that through out history, when two countries went to war, each believed their cause was right and that G-d was on their side. I am sure Hamas and their ilk believe their murdering of innocent babies has heavenly approval. All these bad actors are maestros in the art of delusion.
But at the end of the day, the fraudadox in all religions will have a very rude awakening.
