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| Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation ad in Mishpacha |
This picture, depicting what appears to be a Shabbos table
where the father is happily engaging his two sons, is glaring in its
omission—and outrageous in its message, even though I am 100% certain that this
was not the message intended.
The message conveyed is that there need be no mother at a
Shabbos table. She may as well be on Mars for all the two children and their
father seem to care. They are perfectly happy enjoying the warm glow of a
Friday night seudah without the presence of their mother. In place of the
mother? An empty chair.
This picture was a full-page ad in Mishpacha Magazine by the
Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation (CCHF), advertising a program called ‘Aderaba’.
Which a program that promises ‘connection, positivity, and meaningful
conversation’ at your Shabbos table via a weekly newsletter. It’s apparently yours
for the asking.
I don’t really know that much about this organization, but
by its name I assume they focus on disabusing people of lashon hara - commonly
understood as gossip about others for no constructive purpose. Although it is
far more complex than that, this is the basic understanding. I believe the
organization also encourages the development of additional positive character
traits to promote peaceful relations between husband and wife - and among fellow Jews generally. I am fairly
certain it is endorsed by right-wing rabbinic leadership, such as Agudah’s Moetzes.
To the best of my knowledge, this is a fine organization
that should otherwise be supported by everyone. I don’t know whether it has a
policy opposing the publication of pictures of women. It is quite possible
that, when submitting the ad to Mishpacha, they were simply bowing to the
magazine’s modesty rules against it.
Either way, the idea of enjoying a Shabbos table without the presence of a mother is so foreign to me that when I saw it, I thought: How could they do that? How could they not include the ekeres habayis - the foundation of a Jewish home in this picture? In what way would that be a violation of modesty...
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