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May 4, 2014
the value of extremism
Rav Moshe Shternbuch, Raavad of the Eida, had some very important things to say in his weekly lecture. What he said was not really anything new, but many have forgotten these positions and what is behind this lifestyle, and think it can easily be changed, whether by being nice, by making things attractive, or even by legislation.
Bechadrei quotes some of what Rav Shternbuch said:
Remaining in isolation, and educating our children in extremism, is crucial and the way to ensure our children will remain strong in Yiddishkeit. Keeping them in isolation from those who are free and raising them in a way that through their entire life they will be protected and different will ensure that they will be completely detached from the evil ones.
Regarding staying separate from the Dati Leumi community, whom he still uses the outdated term of "the Mizrachi" to refer to them by, Rav Shternbuch quoted the Chazon Ish who said in response to a rav who claimed that we should not fight against the Mizrachi, as they believe in the tenets of the Torah, they keep Shabbos and don tefillin, eat only kosher food - so why fight them so strongly? the Chazon Ish responded to that the Mizrachi are against the extremists by policy, as they say it hurts "darkei shalom" - trying to build peaceful relations. The truth is, just the opposite is true, it is extremism that stands guard and saves from compromise. If we would go the way of the Mizrachi, said the Chazon Ish, the free ones would rule over us and take us all away from religion, so we must fight the Mizrachi.
So, Rav Shternbuch said, it is true that not every Jew is an extremist, but those who fight against extremism are definitely causing a great churban to the nation of Israel.
using legislation or goodwill to encourage integration is nice, and might work with some people on the fringes, but with the haredi community idealizing isolationism and extremism, it won't work for the mainstream. Unless the Eida and the Chazon Ish no longer represent the average haredi fellow - but I am not convinced that that is the case.
Bechadrei quotes some of what Rav Shternbuch said:
Remaining in isolation, and educating our children in extremism, is crucial and the way to ensure our children will remain strong in Yiddishkeit. Keeping them in isolation from those who are free and raising them in a way that through their entire life they will be protected and different will ensure that they will be completely detached from the evil ones.
Regarding staying separate from the Dati Leumi community, whom he still uses the outdated term of "the Mizrachi" to refer to them by, Rav Shternbuch quoted the Chazon Ish who said in response to a rav who claimed that we should not fight against the Mizrachi, as they believe in the tenets of the Torah, they keep Shabbos and don tefillin, eat only kosher food - so why fight them so strongly? the Chazon Ish responded to that the Mizrachi are against the extremists by policy, as they say it hurts "darkei shalom" - trying to build peaceful relations. The truth is, just the opposite is true, it is extremism that stands guard and saves from compromise. If we would go the way of the Mizrachi, said the Chazon Ish, the free ones would rule over us and take us all away from religion, so we must fight the Mizrachi.
So, Rav Shternbuch said, it is true that not every Jew is an extremist, but those who fight against extremism are definitely causing a great churban to the nation of Israel.
using legislation or goodwill to encourage integration is nice, and might work with some people on the fringes, but with the haredi community idealizing isolationism and extremism, it won't work for the mainstream. Unless the Eida and the Chazon Ish no longer represent the average haredi fellow - but I am not convinced that that is the case.
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Well then that explains why the Charedim took it personally when Eli Cohen said he was going to fight against the Kitzonim.....
ReplyDeleteOn one hand, it's important to show strong leadership, on the other hand, it does seem inevitable that the Haredim will be assimilated to Israel. The question is, to struggle to delay that as far as possible, or to try and slowly ease into it?
ReplyDeleteAs for the use of the term 'Mizrachi', they are definitely misleading themselves in stereotyping all the srugim as lite Mafdali-types.
There's no such thing as "the average haredi fellow" either. Not today.
ReplyDeletexyz I'm not so sure - specifically, can you say large groups within Charedi society actually reject Rav Shternbuch? He has Anglo roots, is the "moderate" leader of the Eida Charedis, the most widely accepted hechsher and one of the only organized mouthpieces of Charedim (other than politicians) - he claims to represent Charedi society as a whole, and no one actually rejects that.
ReplyDeleteAt most, you get some people who mumble that extremist violence doesn't represent them, but I don't see Charedim taking any organized action to demonstrate rejection of such "extremist" leadership.
I know many who consider themselves chareidi who wouldn't hold by any psak of his. Among Litvish chareidim the Eida is respected for its hechsher and nothing more. Most Litvish chareidim here in RBS don't even hold by the Eida eruv. Many people, pollticians, rabbanim, etc. "claim to represent Charedi society as a whole" but in reality do not because they can't because there is no such thing as "Chareidi society as a whole." They tend to be ignored by all except the media.
ReplyDelete