Friday, December 08, 2006

Funny What Sets People Off

Unless you've been living under a J-blog rock, you've certainly heard about the story of the woman who was beaten up on a bus for refusing to sit in the back of the bus.

I don't know whether the story is true or not, nor do I have any way to verify it. However, it should be noted that the issue involved is only one of a chumra, a stringency, and certainly not one that is universally held. There was certainly no Rabbinic or Biblical commandment being disobeyed here.

And yet, could you see this story happening because she was eating treif on the bus? Could you see it happening because she was eating chometz on Pesach? Could you see it happening because she was returning from having been on the Temple Mount? Could you even see this happening because she had a tattoo?

Personally, I cannot. If someone were to tell me that she were beaten up for violating a mitzvah d'oreissa, I'd have a hard time believing it - but for this, it sadly sounds plausable.

Funny which "violations" will cause people to react violently.

The Wolf

5 comments:

Ezzie said...

Ooo, I think this is the best point I've seen on the whole story.

tmeishar: said...

My Rabbi always says that it's too bad "lo tignov" is in the aseret hadibrot because is it was a "yesh omrim" in the mishna berura everyone would follow it. It's funny cuz it's true.

Agav - this Rabbi also says that if girls were told that they weren't allowed to eat seudah shlishit, they would all make sure they do it.

and so it shall be... said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

It is interesting that the victim was able to travel on the bus without attack for quite a while. It sees this crazy man that spit at her really set things into a crazy spiral.

Anonymous said...

It's interesting and disgusting. Thank you for the link--I don't read DovBear much any more.

Brooklyn, I'm guessing you don't really advocate beating people up for eating chametz during Pesach.