Y-Love on Jewschool wrote about the Matisyahu story. He doesn’t agree with my thoughts, but thats ok. Debate is healthy right? Over Shabbos and the last week I’ve run into mostly only people who agree. I also got a lot of “I Told You So’s” from people who always thought this way. I responded to his post in the comments section. You can read that here.
Let’s see whats happening with Matisyahu in a year and then reevaluate. I mean, come on, Lubavitch is the most open and accepting group in the frum community.
We were basically the only ones condoning and endorsing the guy. Do you know in Lakewood and Monsey they sell versions of HASC 18 that have Matisyahu CUT OUT of the entire show?
Why is that?
What do you think?
This isn’t a baal teshuvah thing, or a ‘he left lubavitch thing’. This is a big picture thing. It’s about hip hop Judaism and commercialized kiruv. It’s about keeping your principles, standing by what you are and being a devoted religious Jew. It’s about the spirit of the law, hashkafa and worrying that kids who are in midst of “frying out” don’t have gateways to becoming even less frum.
Matisyahu is still young and learning about himself, at least spiritually. I hope he lands on his feet and plants himself somewhere. Anywhere. But the lifestyle he’s leading now is not conducive to a healthy spiritual life.
He needs good advice, real friends and a stable frum environment.
What he doesn’t need is to be lifted up as some infallible music deity.
The Life of Rubin Archives 