Q:
What is your opinion about frum plays that are put on? Is it a goyishe idea that should be avoided?
A:
Plays? You mean plays that are put on to raise money for tzedaka for instance?
Q:
Yes.
A:
In general, the whole concept of drama is non Jewish — that you know. However, we have many things that are practiced today that do not have their origin in Jewish customs – and it could be in the course of the time that they will be discarded.
I’ll give an example. In some girls school, even frum girls schools, they have color war. Now color war has nothing to do with Judaism; it’s stam naarishkeit. But still the mechanchos, the people in charge, find it useful. In order to interest the talmidos and to give them something that’s lively, something exciting, so they bring this in. It’s not harmful, but it’s not Jewish either.
And so, there are things we condone for the time being. I’m certain that when the generations will improve, that people will no longer need many of these things. But for the time being, as far as what our reaction should be – we have to play it by ear. Better people already know what to do. Those that are on the way to becoming better, will eventually become better, and they’ll know what to do. But as I said, you have to play it by ear.
TAPE # 502
