Terms like “toxic masculinity” are so damaging because they ascribe qualities to masculinity that have nothing to do with it. A bully, for example, is not expressing masculinity at all. Someone who picks on someone weaker feels a lack of pride and self-worth, and seeks to elevate himself by putting others down. So the bully is actually behaving in a needy, effeminate way.
It is G-d’s will that there should be death. It is G-d’s will there should be exile, rachmana litzlan. But G-d gave us the challenge of mortality, of exile, for us to harness its frightfully powerful energy, so that we can assert ourselves over the world and conquer it, as we see from these immortal tzaddikim – Yaakov Avinu, Moshe Rabbeinu, and Dovid HaMelech.
As the leader and prophet of our generation, the Rebbe has heralded the imminent redemption, yet still we wait and wait. As discussed in last week’s editorial, so much time has elapsed since then that the very dignity of our beloved Rebbe is at stake. We react with outrage and scream “ad masai?!” But how do we summon the audacity to approach the Alm-ghty with such intense emotions
So many years have passed since then – even decades. It’s an absolute disgrace that the Rebbe’s prophecy of imminent redemption has been delayed this long!
March 15, 2019