The Tikun Olam Hypocrisy: The Pot Calls The Kettle Black

Since my initial entanglement with Richard Silverstein, one of the main aspects of his anti-Jewish hate blog that has most annoyed me (and others) is the use of the term "Tikun Olam" to describe his political/religious outlook. Thankfully Rich has fallen into his own trap by attacking Mark Sanford in the recent U.S. political scandal. In his hastiness and ignorance, Richard Silverstein has given us a glimpse into the mind and soul of a lost American Jew who was given a botched (Conservative) "Jewish" education.
What exactly is Tikun Olam, or fixing the world? The Mishnah (Gitin 4:2) states:

At first a person used to convene a Court in another place and cancel it. Rabban Gamliel the Elder enacted in the public interest (mip'nei tikkun ha-olam) that they should not do so. At first a person used to change his name and her name, the name of his city and the name of her city, and Rabban Gamliel the Elder enacted in the public interest (mip'nei tikkun ha-olam) that he should write, "The man so-and-so and every name that he has," "The woman so-and-so and every name that she has."

משנה מסכת גיטין פרק ד
(ב) בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה בֵית דִּין בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר וּמְבַטְּלוֹ. הִתְקִין רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הַזָּקֵן שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ עוֹשִׂין כֵּן, מִפְּנֵי תִקּוּן הָעוֹלָם. בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיָה מְשַׁנֶּה שְׁמוֹ וּשְׁמָהּ, שֵׁם עִירוֹ וְשֵׁם עִירָהּ. הִתְקִין רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הַזָּקֵן שֶׁיְּהֵא כוֹתֵב, אִישׁ פְּלוֹנִי וְכָל שֵׁם שֶׁיֶּשׁ לוֹ, אִשָּׁה פְלוֹנִית וְכָל שֵׁם שֶׁיֶּשׁ לָהּ, מִפְּנֵי תִקּוּן הָעוֹלָם

Are Silverstein's comments in the "public interest"? Not according to the Rabbis who coined the phrases that he uses. In fact, it is a cynical lie to use the words of חז"ל as a weapon against that which those Jewish Sages did and would bitterly oppose. This behavior is similar to that were non-Orthodox "Rabbis" make legal halachic decisions in direct contradiction to the Shulchan Aruch and then snicker at Orthodox Jews who protest such actions. This is most likely the training ground where people like Silverstein learn their outlook towards Judaism.

special thanks to Barnaby for following my blog!