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“The Professional Soccer Player” A Moral Dilemma for the Shabbos Table

By Rabbi Yitzy Weiner

Posted on 06/30/16

Parshas HaShavua Divrei Torah sponsored by
Dr. Shapsy Tajerstein, DPM - Podiatry Care.
(410) 788-6633

This week’s Torah potion discusses the mitzva to wear Tzitzit. (Bamidbar 15, 38)


The following true story reflects an interesting moral dilemma that relates to the mitzva of tzitzit as well as the mitzvah to avoid a Chillul Hashem, desecrating Hashem’s name.


Ronen was a thoughtful, secular Israeli Jew. He was also a professional soccer player, playing for a pro team in Israel. He was used to playing in large stadiums filled with adoring and passionate fans.


One day, after an encounter with an inspiring Torah teacher, Ronen decided that he would like to slowly become more observant of mitzvot. He began to wear tzitzit. He even wore them while he played on the field, and his tzitzes were often seen flapping in the wind  as he would run and play. Even when he tucked them in, they would invariably come out as he ran around the field. (Click here for a similar news story about a different player,)


Many of Ronen’s soccer games were scheduled on Shabbat. Traveling to the games and playing the games often involved several violations of Shabbat observance. Still early in his spiritual development, Ronen was not ready to give up his dream of being a professional sports player in order to keep Shabbat. He knew however that one day he would like to keep Shabbat and be fully Shomer Shabbat.


Ronen continued to learn Torah and learned about the mitzva of making a Kidush Hashem and not making a Chillul Hashem. He understood that a Jew has a mission to be an example for other people. He understood that a public desecration of Shabbat was a Chillul Hashem, a desecration of G-d’s name.


Ronen  approached his teacher with the following question. He enjoyed observing the mitzva of tzitzit. He was proud to wear it publicly and demonstrate his unabashed commitment to observing mitzvot. At the same time, if he wore tzitzit while he played on Shabbat, it would give the impression that a religious Jew was publicly violating the Shabbat.


He wanted to know if when he played in the stadiums on Shabbat, he should no longer wear tzitzit.
On one hand it is a mitzva to wear tzitzit. It is still a mitzva even though he is not yet Shomer Shabbat. On the other hand, perhaps wearing the tzitzit when he played in the stadium on Shabbat would be a desecration of G-d’s name.


What would you answer Ronen?


(See Veharev Na Volume Two page 371)


Answer to last week’s moral dilemma


This story is discussed in Chashukei Chemed Yoma page 48


Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein explains as follows.
If Arye suspects that his wife is correct and that there is a chance that knowledge of her illness may harm her parent’s health, he should not let them know about it.


However, our Sages teach the the payers of a parent for their child are very powerful. In this case, if it won’t harm the parents, one should tell the parents about their child’s grave condition. We are allowed to assume that if Devorah fully understood how important it is for her parents to know, and pray for her, then she would agree with his decision.


Have a beautiful shabbos!