The Lyricist Sholom Keller

REMBRANDT, Return of the Prodigal Son, 1636, Museum Het Rembrandthuis, Amsterdam. This is a pen version of this oil painting.

Sholom Keller commenting to The Warrior Sholom Keller post (original question are linked to the names):

I'll be responding in order of comments.

S.H.: No, I became a vegan after I moved to Boston. When I was in the Army I was eating Treif, at some points I ate Chazer and at other points I did not. I have spoken with Malkie Schwartz and I would disagree with you, she hasn't earned it. It's just another example of CHers, OTniks, and other such types being quick to spout off at the mouth with rabid vitriol.

My perception of the community's reaction to my defection from Lubavitch is that those who actually cared for me encouraged me and believed that it would be better than for me to stay in CH. Whereas those who only claimed to care about me (the Kugel-throwers) tried to discourage me from doing it. However, you're absolutely right, it's not as black and white as it seems.

Actually, the cussing I had before I enlisted. You can probably lay the blame on Phil for that particular little habit of mine.

Shmuel Beis: Since you choose to take advantage of the anonymity offered by this medium, I have no idea as to who you are. It's possible that I know you offline, but that's your decision to make as to whether or not you want to take off your mask.

However, based on your comments, I can state two facts with certainty.
1) If you do know me, you definitely do not know me very well. If you were in Yeshivah with me, you were either one of those who bullied me (physically or emotionally), or you were one of those who couldn't stand me because I was an undesirable splash of color in your perfect, pristine, black & white world.
2) You are one of the aforementioned kugel-throwers. For the record, I was not necessarily talking about people who literally throw kugel, although those exist too. The fact that you immediately assume that I surrendered to a desire for Freikeit shows how little you know me. If that were the case, would I still be keeping Kosher? Would I still be davening every day? Do you know my current life? You think I live a Hefker existence because I dress different than you and use Nivul Peh?

By the power vested in me as Sholom Keller, coolest fuck on earth, I hereby dub thee PUTZ!

BTW, here's a question for everyone: If, as Americans, we so value our freedom, then why is being "frying out" and "becoming frei" viewed so negatively in the Orthodox community?

Maidel: Not a simple question, I actually get it alot. Regret is a waste of time, no use crying over spilt milk. The past has already happened. We benefit from all of our experiences, even the negative ones. If I was not happy with my life as it stands right now, I would change it.

Rose: I've read the book and I disagree. Echad Yachid Umeyuchad is not like the mathematical "One." In the metaphysical sense, "One" cannot be understood by its parts. If you try to identify the parts of "One", it loses its definition as Echad Yachid Umeyuchad. Further discussion of this will have to be reserved for another medium, feel free to email me if you're interested. You can get my contact info from TA.

Shmuel Beis: Your primary problem is that you're seeing things in terms of black & white, Frum & Frei. Sorry chief, hate to piss in your cornflakes, but there's an entire world full of color out there.

Yossi: I agree.

Sto: thank you.

Lipovitzer: That is a topic best reserved for another medium. Feel free to email me.

Sto: You are correct.

Shmuel Beis: It's possible that I misrepresented my story? You're saying that I may be biased towards my own viewpoint? NO SHIT, SHERLOCK! Are you claiming to know me better than I do? Or perhaps you assumed that an interview with me would contain anything OTHER than MY point of view? Hey! Guess what? You retain the title of PUTZ!

Berl: Nothing's changed. Those who knew me while growing up still fall into two categories - friends and kugel-throwers. Those who genuinely care about me are happy to see me and do not judge me no matter what mishegas I had picked up since my last visit. Tattoos, cowboy boots, vegan diet, anarchism, they don't judge me on the basis of it. The others either shun me or are full of fake smiles in an attempt to somehow get me "back in the fold" or some shit like that. Ain't happening, dude.

S.H.: There's no spite for the community or my old time buddies, the spite is for the system. Or rather, certain extremely negative aspects of the system. Maidel WAS to some extent right. The whole "Mishichist or Anti" thing was one of the primary factors. Crown Heights did not spit me out. I made a conscious decision to leave the community and drop the system; and I will pull no punches, that decision has changed my life for the better.

Class project: Locate my old classmates and find out what were my rants and diatribes during the period leading up to my dropping out.

K. Tuchos: Let me guess, the "K" stands for Kushin? I completely agree.

Neal: That was uncalled for. Sure, talk bad about my father, he's dead and can't respond. You've just added yourself to my shit-list, congratulations!

LAJew: And that's exactly why I'm an anarchist.

-Sholom

LEONARDO da Vinci, Allegory with wolf and eagle, c. 1516, Red chalk on paper, Royal Library, Windsor.