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Hiding The Disappointment

Recently, a Rabbi I know exhibited a behaviour that can only be described as unbecoming of his Office. I am extremely upset and to be frank, disappointed with the way in which he treated a very good friend of mine and the whole episode sits on my stomach like a badly digested meal.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I was brought up to respect people in high positions. I always look to men of the cloth (if that's the correct term to use), because I expect them, albeit naively, to be untainted by human frailties.

Am I wrong to hold these human beings up to a higher moral standard? Why can't I just accept that these people are just like me, only with a more developed sense of what is right and wrong?

I wish I could banish my childish fantasies that a Rabbi is a better person because of who he is and what he represents. I wish I wouldn't feel so let down by this particular individual, who has disappointed me to the degree, that I find it extremely hard to look him in the face.

The more I look, the more distaste I feel because in my eyes, his behaviour is all the more disgraceful, granted that he should know better. How do I continue to hide my disgust without being openly disrespectful, which is something that I want to avoid becoming?

I was brought up to respect people in authority, whether they be members of the Police, Military of Clergy. I therefore find myself in the unenviable position of having to hide my feelings towards someone that I held in high esteem less than a month ago.

Any ideas friends?

Comments

The VP said…
I think you need to realise that they're only human Claude... that's Police, Milatary, Prime Ministers, even Clergymen.

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