There is an interesting article that asks whether opposition to Chasidim moving into a town as a huge block should considered anti-Semitic.
That got me to thinking about a phenomenon mentioned in this article that I believe is quite real. Here is how the writer puts it:
“Hasidim have zero interest in any social interaction with the outside world. By outside world I don't mean only Gentiles, but any non-Hasidic Jew. Mainstream Jews are not only invisible to Hasidim, they are also seen as apostates, and therefore worthy of contempt, as opposed to the indifference shown to Gentiles.”
I would not go as far as the author does. I do not believe that these Chasidim look at other Jews as apostates. At least not the religious ones. Not all of them anyways. But the phenomenon does exist. I have experienced it myself as have others I know including non Chasidic Charedim.
Here is a possible theory for why Chasidim are like this. First of all I do not think this applies to all Chasidim. Nor is it a function of Chasidus itself. Quite the opposite is true. Chasidim as a rule are very warm and welcoming people. Satmar for example is known for the many kindnesses they do, such as Bikur Cholim... visiting the sick.
What I think many of us experience is the result of several factors. The Chasidim who tend to act this way in my view are the ones who are the most cloistered. That is, they are the ones who have lived in an exclusively Chasidic neighborhoods all their lives and have been entirely sheltered from the outside world.
‘Outside’ to them is anyone who is not form their immediate neighborhood or Chasidus. A modern Orthodox Jew, even if he is right wing modern Orthodox, or a Litvishe/Yeshivishe type individual is seen as an outsider, a stranger who has no interest in Chasdidm. Chasidim in turn do not see any interest in them.
They are raised to believe that their difficult and separatist way of life is the holiest way to live. Other even highly religious Jews are looked at as less religious to one degree or another. It's not that they don't value the rest of Orthodoxy. But Chasidus is by definition to them on a higher Madrega …a higher degree of holiness that every Jew should aspire to..
Because of their appearance, which is so radically distinct and different from others, and the indoctrination about the superiority of their lifestyles they might feel more aloof. Chasidus being the Frummest lifestyle, is also in many ways more expensive. The difficulty of living so radically different from other people… even other Frum Jews… can only add to their feelings of aloofness.
Their radically separatist clothing styles aren’t only about not wearing ‘Goyishe’ clothes in the spirit of Lo Selechu, not copying the ways of idolaters. It is about purposely making oneself as different and distinct as possible. The goal is to separate themselves from the anything in the culture that is not based in Torah as viewed through the lens of Chasidus. By being so different they have a better chance succeeding at avoiding the culture. Anything outside the scope of Chasidus is seen as evil and detrimental to Yiddishkeit. That they sacrifice so much ‘societal normalcy’ compared to the rest of the world also adds to their sense of a superior and holier life.
Interaction with the rest of the world is on a need basis only. They will shop at a store, go to work, and generally paricipate in society only as a means to survive and prosper. They might go into businesses and create relationships based on the needs of the business. In some cases a true personal relationship with ‘outsiders’ may develop, but I think these Chasidim try and avoid that.
Their overall approach to ‘outsiders’ may also reflect a general suspicion of non-Jews that carries over into their interaction with even other Orthodox Jews.
That’s probably because of historical centuries old anti-Semitism experienced in Europe by their immediate ancestors: parents, grandparents, aunts. and uncles and who had experienced it personally. This suspicious nature is perhaps transmitted at a very early age. It is nurtured by way of their highly insular lives and has become ingrained into their collective psyche.
This general attitude of suspicion of others may then be projected to even Frum Jews outside of their community as well. They simply do not trust anyone except one of their own. And they probably believe that the ‘outsider’ no matter how religious, feels the same way about them.
Is any of this true? I don’t know. It is just a spur of the moment theory. But am I that far off?
