Q&A: The Holy One, Blessed Be He, does not make excessive demands, etc.
The Holy One, Blessed Be He, does not make excessive demands, etc.
Question
The Rabbi relies a lot on the principle that we need to live like normal people, etc. I wanted to understand more—how far do we say this goes? Where is the definition? Is it possible to say that speaking slander is normal and therefore would be permitted? And in truth, most commandments are not normal, since the proof is that there is no other reason to do them and not a single non-Jew does them, etc. (And on what basis would one say such a thing to begin with?) Hoping to understand. Thank you very much!
Answer
There is no fixed criterion. Common sense determines it. When there is a commandment, it is obvious that it must be fulfilled. One does not cancel a commandment because it leads to a non-normal life. But in interpreting the commandment and the scope of its application, there is room for this consideration—like the principle that the Torah was not given to the ministering angels, and other such considerations.