Once again Sinas Chinam rears its ugly head amongst Charedi rabbinic leadership. In a post to Areivim a someone writes of the experience he had when he first went to yeshiva in Israel (in Mattersdorf) . He had rebbeim that found it necessary to criticize and demean other factions of Judaism and even frumkeit that were not up to their standards. Students there were even told that knitted yarmulkes had many holes in them which allowed their yiras shamayim to escape.
He eventually left and went elsewhere. But he said he learned that it's even possible for rabbis to feel that they need to step on others to feel good about their own lives. Not all rabbis… probably not even many, but some.
I am thoroughly unsurprised by that story. It corroborates my own experiences in Charedi environments. I suspect that there are more Rebbeim in Charedi Chinuch like this than he thinks. True, there are some that are a bit more open minded. But I believe it is probably more of a mainstream approach than not.
Oh, I’m sure to hear from all the naysayers. They are going to say I shouldn’t paint all Charedim with the same broad brush. Well, the truth is I’m not. But I do think it is more widespread than most Chredim would like to admit publicly. How many stories like this do I need to bring to demonstrate this?
To say that a Kipa Serugah has holes through which Yiras Shamyim escapes is laughable. Even if he meant it as a humorous Moshol, it is a stupid one. (It is my guess that he did not intend it as a Joke) Does anyone truly believe taht someone who studies in Merkaz HaRav and is as machimr on the minutia of Halacha as much as their Charedi couterparts have their Yiras Shamyim leaking through the holes in their gigantic Kipot Serugot?!
This is not only laughable it is an insult the the Yireim u Shlemim who populate the halls of Merkaz HaRav. And of course it isn't only Mercaz HaRav that is insulted by such talk it is the Yereim uShlaeimim of YU and HTC who wear such Kipot as well.
The Kipah Serugah is only a symbol for them to target. They use it to criticize and put down anyone who is not of their own as the poster soon learned after his arrival in a Charedi Yeshiva. They look down at Modern Orthodoxy accusing them of being less religious and point to the behavior of MO Lites as the proof when they speak to their Talmidim. They never distinguish between MO Lite and RWMO (or Centrists). To them we are all MO lite. Mixed swimming, mixed dancing, and the lax attidudes of MO Lite Teens and younger adults with respect to Negiah when dating are the behaviors they constantly cite and generalize that to all of MO.
Either they are ignorant of true Centrist Hashkafos or they know about them and don’t want to confuse their Talmidim with the facts. If challenged by pointing out someone like Rav Hershel Shachter, then they will say that they are few and far between and don’t count against the vast majority of MO who are not really Frum. Or they will somehow disparage their Hashkafos saying that they are Krum.
How many times have I heard my own Rebbe’s Hashkafos called Krum by some in that circle?! And when it comes to Rabbi Joseph B. Soleveitchik there is rarely any respect and often ridicule calling him JB! Can you imagine calling Rav Moshe or Rav Aharon Kotler by their initials?! And if anyone thinks it is just the HaMon Am and not their rabbinic leadership, just remember the Jewish Observer obit on him. What an insult!!! And they continue to be unrepentant.
There is a pervasive mindset of condescension and derision of Modern Orthodoxy that borders on Sinas Chinam and outright lying (by omission). By not acknowledging that there are Yereim uShlemim amongst them that are not exceptions but are quite common they are lying to their Talmidim and perpetuating baseless hatred. And in the service of …what? In the service of perpetuating a system that is far less than perfect…to say the least. The saddest thing about this is that they could learn a lot from MO. And MO from them.
But that’s not happening... at least not anytime soon. The baseless hatred is too strong.
