Question:
Does G-d want me to keep only chumrot [stringencies above and beyond what the halacha requires]? It is, after all, the safest way to make sure I am keeping to Jewish law. If the answer is yes, I am in big trouble as I am not prepared to be so strict.
Response:
No, God does not want you to keep only chumrot . The Good Lord wants you to live al pi halacha, in accordance with halacha. Halacha can be defined as the body of law learned out from the written and oral Torah, as well as works such as the Gemara, Mishneh Torah and Shulkhan Aruch, and others. Contrary to how some in the orthodox world hold, halacha is a pretty big box, capable of accommodating a range of observance both lenient and strict…within limits. Violating Shabbat, eating non-kosher food, ignoring the mitzvot, etc. are actions clearly outside the boundaries.
Halachic restrictions are designed to create a buffer zone between us and the action prohibited by the Torah. The idea is simple: if we follow the halacha, the likelihood of us doing an aveira, a misdeed, becomes much more remote. And there’s nothing wrong with that. We can use the help.
A chumra is essentially an additional fence designed to put even greater distance between us and the Torah prohibition. As the secular, material world encroaches upon orthodox communities, rebbeim and community leaders struggle to keep it out. Imposing chumrot is one way in which they try to accomplish this. The problem arises when they impose a chumra that is over-bearing in its proscription and/or bears little, if any, resemblance/relationship to the targeted prohibition.
By making the halachic box smaller, more people are brought closer to the edges, seemingly forcing them to either conform or leave. These same individuals may be perfectly content within the established, time-tested restrictions but are put off by the added stringency. To be fair, ‘extreme’ is a subjective term. If someone accepts upon themselves to adhere to chumrot, that is his/her preference. Even if it strays decidedly from traditional, orthodox frumkeit, as long as it is grounded in Torah and not forced upon anyone, live and let live.
So, what can you do?
When confronted with a chumra, do some homework. Ask yourself some questions: 1. What Torah prohibition is it intended to strengthen? 2. Does it address the issue? and 3. Who is promoting it? Armed with answers to these questions, decide if it is something you feel is necessary and doable. Remember, as long as you are already living inside the box, you do not have to change your behavior. If you think the chumra will bring you to a higher spiritual level, b’simcha, embrace it. If you feel that it will drive you farther away and give aid and comfort to the part of you that struggles with keeping halacha [we all have that challenge to differing degrees], than it is not for you and that’s fine.
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