It was suggested a while back on this blog that women be banned. While this is certainly an important step towards maintaining a proper level of ruchnius in our communities, I submit that it does not go far enough. We should submit a petition to our gedolim asking them to ban anything that may cause us to experience pleasure through any of our senses. Banning concerts should be expanded to a ban on all forms of auditory stimulation, such as music and non-torah lectures. Visual art of any type should be banned, and of course, food should be restricted to stale bread, water, and vitamin supplements. Only in this way can we hope to free ourselves from the physical influences of the world around and truly be able to live a life of kedusha.

I’m sure Hashem will be very pleased that we managed to withstand the test of this beautiful, pleasure-filled world that he so cruelly placed us in.

a) They must be respected if they are according to the process of paskening. You can’t just select a minority opinion and follow it just because it is easier for you.
b) If Chassidim stormed into Teaneck, NJ and started pulling down ads with gourmet food on them, they could be said to disrespect other views/paths in Yiddishkeit. But in this case they did so in their own community. Would you also have a problem with Chassidim pulling down a similar ad (hung in their community) for kosher shavers or trimmers? How would people in Teaneck react to a “Yechi Adoneinu” poster in the middle of their community?

>And, as your own post shows — you bring, as a mekor for your limud zechus (which I give you love for, because we should always always attempt to be m’lamed zechus with all individuals) a quote from Tanya, not Shulchan Aruch. Not saying it’s not valid, but it’s not a halacha sefer.

So what? A volume of Gemara is not a halachic seifer either. Or a volume of Pirkey Avos. Or a work of mussar. People quote principles from them all the time. Chassidic minhogim and general outlook on Yiddishkeit are based on the philosophy expressed in Tanya and similar seforim, and I am free to quote from them to support Chassidic opinions and minhogim.

>The above “?”s are “‘minhag’ otiyot ‘gehinnom’”.

I doubt that a minhog focusing on mitzvos and not chitzoinius falls under this category. What does are minhogim for the sake of the gashmius — I shall refrain from citing examples to avoid loshon harah.

>A neshama does descend into this world to do mitzvos — and giving tzoris to ppl is no mitzva.

Hanging an offensive ad in a community is not giving tzuros to people?

>How is the world made into more of a dwelling place for G-d by having everyone choose from a one-line menu and by closing sub shops?

As I explained, the problem is not with diversity of choice. The problem is with visual imagery of food as a gourmet item as opposed to a necessity to sustain one’s existence in this world. I don’t expect simply advertising of a Grill on Lee would leave people wondering: “What the hell is a grill? What kind of food do they serve? I wish there was an example photo of food hung on this ad, so I could make up my mind, whether I want to chose going there today or not.” Indeed, the address remains visible on the above photo — I was able to find it online myself (with information about mice infestation). What the image of food does is appeal to our nefesh ha’bahamis — which is precisely what Chassidic philosophy is against.

As I said above, the way some of Chareidi world reacts to some of the problems in the outside world is not a proper way, because it hurts other people (ahavas yisroel, anyone?) and does Chillul Hashem (or Chillul… specific group). Clearly, a little more seichel and ahavas yisroel are necessary.

The response of the outside world (or the non-Hareidi world), however, is equally lacking in understanding of the reasons why Hareidim found something offensive. Here, for example, everyone assumed it’s about choice. Since the modern liberal ideas are all about freedom of choice (a pursuit whose worth I do not deny), it is immediately assumed that something like that is violated.

>“assur actions taken against Jew who was perfectly halachically in the right”

I want to ask my rav a question about this (not that I am planning on tearing any ads down myself), so I’ll get back on this point… Overall, as I said, obviously one cannot violate Halacha. I think FrumSatire’s problem was primarily not with violation of Halacha (or at least, not only with it), but with the spirit of the deed, so I addressed that point in my comment.

People who rely on chumras/stringent opinions are totally free to do so — however, since halacha is a Divine thing which is also multifaceted, the people who rely on kulos must also be respected, as they are also following halacha.

And, as it is written, if a minhag directly contradicts with the halacha, ???? ?????? ????.

And, as your own post shows — you bring, as a mekor for your limud zechus (which I give you love for, because we should always always attempt to be m’lamed zechus with all individuals) a quote from Tanya, not Shulchan Aruch. Not saying it’s not valid, but it’s not a halacha sefer.

There’s no halachic basis (if VIN was accurate and we really are talking about an issue of wide selection) for refraining from offering 250 entrees on the menu, or having an appetizer list so expansive it requires a DVD-R — therefore, to me, actions like these come off as : “assur actions taken against Jew who was perfectly halachically in the right”.

A neshama does descend into this world to do mitzvos — and giving tzoris to ppl is no mitzva. How is the world made into more of a dwelling place for G-d by having everyone choose from a one-line menu and by closing sub shops?

By the time the generation of Shoah survivors’ immediate descendants will be completely gone, you will have no Jewish descendants left. So, this whole story is not for you to worry about. Go, eat a cheeseburger, screw a shiksah, whatever you want…

”Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.” (http://nyc.everyblock.com/restaurant-inspections/by-date/2008/8/5/1540785/)

Eww… Maybe Chassidim simply wanted better sanitary conditions.

G-d forbid anyone relies on a strict opinion, on a chumrah, on a minhog!

As it turns out, you don’t need to have your life made into a living hell by anybody’s regulation (except our socialist government). This is a free country, and you are free to live whichever way you want. By all means, don’t let anybody convince you to rely on any opinion in Judaism, outside of whatever you personally deem as “Torah”. You don’t even have to rely on the oppressive oral tradition of how to read the said “Torah” with nekudos.

Regarding the fact that the practice of slashing somebody’s ad is a clear violation of halachah, that’s a separate matter…