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From: Russell Hendel <rhendel@saber.towson.edu>
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 01:21:34 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Who are we afraid of---A Halachic Answer

Carl Singer in Mj-v31n42 asks
>>>>>>>
<< It was NOT treyf to work in Europe. It was not treyf to be part of
the world. What happened?  And who changed it? Who made these new rules
that are clearly driven by fear of coping? >>

Ms. Friedman has hit the nail on the head -- be it fear of coping or
fear of copying (perhaps a typo) Who or what are we afraid of?
>>>>

I feel compelled to answer this FROM A HALACHIC perspective.

The Rambam in the Laws of Characters Chapter 6 clearly answers this
>> It is the nature of man to be drawn in his deeds and opinions after
his friends and acquaintances and to behave like the people in his
county. THEREFORE people should befriend the righteous and sit
among scholars in order to learn from their deeds; people must also
from the wicked who walk in darkness in order not to learn from their
deeds >>>

Thus the Rambam clearly states that we **should** fear a bad environment
and we **should** seek a good environment. This advice is halachic!

Russell Hendel; Phd ASA; Math; Towson University
Moderator Rashi is Simple
http://www.shamash.org/rashi/