However, my son Eli, who managed to take out a drumstick and start playing on the desk in the middle of a HS interview, has far better control of his temper than I do, is far less lazy, more readily volunteers to help others (e.g. take out the trash without being asked), etc… We all have our unique challenges. Among them, not letting ourselves use those challenges as an excuse to let oneself off easy.

Another recurring theme in my blogging is the notion that we aren’t assessed by where we are, but by how we are traveling. The ideal person is one who is climbing upward. After all, Hashem knows what He gave us to work with, what challenges to overcome, and what life situations He set up for us to encounter. The ideal person isn’t the one with perfect middos, that is only partially under our control anyway; it is the one who is perfecting them to the best of their ability.

Does that address your question?
-micha

However, I don’t think the way Orthodox history portrays Mendelssohn makes this astounding. How did Orthodox history portray Mendelssohn then? In Lita, among non-Chassidim, not so badly in the 1840s. Actually, Lefin was far more radical than Mendelssohn.

However, that is a sidetrack from this excellent post. It’s nice to see someone take the time to actually compare these side by side.

-micha