There is a wonderful and thought provoking essay written by Miriam from Jerusalem. Her sentiments are certainly appropriate for the 3 weeks. I couldn’t agree more about many of the Midos she feels are lacking amongst many of us. As she so astutely points out, there should be a lot more emphasis on who ‘we are’ and not ‘who they aren’t’. Inward focus is always good during a period of mourning for the Beis HaMikdash that we are now in. As she says, “Remember ahavat Hashem, yirat shamayim, Torah, prayer, middot, derekh eretz...” and now indeed is the time where we should be, “Refocusing the attention towards yirat shamayim...”
The title of her essay is, “The Battle Ground”. Events taking place in the Torah world are then charcaterized as two sides at war. That is not my perspective at all. It is not a war between ‘us’ and ‘them’. I do not see my Charedi, Chasidic, Modern Orthodox-Lite or Religious Zionist brethren as enemies of Centrists, God forbid. The Jewish people are beloved to me. All of them. I do not go to war with the people I love.
There is perhaps an ideological battle for the hearts and minds of Klal Yisroel in how to do our Avodas HaShem. And that war is well and proper in the sense of Hillel and Shamai, Rava and Abaye, the Rambam and the Raavid and in the modern era... the Satmar Rebbe and Rav Kook. Such wars are legitimate. They are all a search for truth. It is a Milchemta D’shmaya. And both sides are ‘right’ in the sense of Elu V’Elu, Divrei Elokim Chaim.
We can and should argue our Hashkafic positions using sources that support our views. And we can look to various rabbinic leaders who express our sentiments to back us up. But each side should not be out to conquer. Only to convince.
I will agree, however, that are many people who do look at others as the ‘enemy’ and say they are at war with them. That is truly sad. But that is not me. I am not at war with anyone or any group.
I am at war with ignorance and intolerance. I am at war with decisions by rabbinic leaders which I believe are harmful to Klal Yisroel. I am at war with any individual or group that causes a Chilul HaShem. And I will continue speaking out on those issues. NOT because I am at war with people, but because I am at war with what they do. Even if they do so in the name of God! Those who act in ways which create a Chilul HaShem while claiming to be doing a Kiddush HaShem will succeed only in the former and fail in the latter.
Am I always right on every issue? That is my hope, but I freely admit that I may be wrong on some issues. Since I am only a human being with only finite wisdom, all I can do is follow my conscience. A conscience that was formed by my upbringing, my education, and my experience. I see an injustice and I use my own God given intelligence to analyze and comment on it. That is the least anyone can ask of a human being.
But to sit silently by while our world, the Torah world, goes to hell in a hand-basket, even though the road to it is paved with the best of intentions... is to violate at least the spirit if not the letter of the Torah’s admonition Lo Samod Al Dam Reiacha. Do not stand idly by, while your friend’s blood is being spilled. And my friend is Klal Yisroel, all of it... or an individual part of it.
To look the other way when an individual or a group of people who identify... and are identified by others... as religious Jews, while they commit grievous Chilulei HaShem...to ignore decisions that affect the well being of tens of thousands of religious Jews by rabbinic leaders who refuse to make necessary changes in their communities... to sweep under the rug violations of a sexual nature by others because it reflects badly on 'us' at the expense of the victims... well, I’m not going to do that.
Just to be clear. I do not say that I have an exclusive monopoly on the truth in those instances in which I speak out. And I am not in any way accusing any of the rabbinic leadership of our people of nefarious motives or evil, God forbid. They are all certainly great people who are far more knowledgeable than I am in Torah. People with great wisdom indeed. And I am absolutely convinced that their decisions are based on their best interpretation of justice and right as seen through the eyes of the Torah as they understand it. But even though I am not as great as these people, I will still speak out if I feel their decisions are wrong in spite of their great wisdom. People can disagree with me and that is their right. But I am not going to stop.
And anyone else who sees injustice should speak out as well. Often! Until they are heard. When there is injustice in the world, especially in our world, the Torah world, we must do everything in our power to try and stop it, without creating other injustices in the process. That is why I speak out. That is why we all should.
