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| Rav Aharon Feldman |
Yet another troubling missive. This time from 2 prominent Charedi leaders: Rav Aharon Feldman and Rav Shlomo Miller. They have shown their disdain for the State of Israel in a letter to students that will
be spending time in a Yeshiva in Israel. This letter which has been published in the Baltimore Jewish Life - explains in detail how to qualify for deferments from the
Israeli army.
I don’t really have an issue with telling American students
to be careful about that. They have a right to know how to legally qualify for a deferment and to be careful not to make any mistakes. What is troubling to me is how
they end the letter.
They call the Israeli army dangerous to one’s Mitzvah observance
and spiritual health. They include Nachal Charedi in that warning.
I don't know that much about Rabbi Miller other than the fact that he is a highly respected Rosh Kollel in Toronto, a Kanoi who has in the past been a zealous defender of Charedi values. But I know a bit more about Rabbi Feldman who is the main subject of my complaint.
How sad that an American educated Rosh HaYeshiva who has in the past published some fine Jewish literature for the English reading public… a man who
is the head of a Yeshiva known to facilitate their students attendance at a
fine University in Baltimore - has such animus towards the institution responsible
for the safety of all Israeli residents. Including the very students he urges
to avoid going into that same army.
All Jews living in Israel for any length of time - or even those of us that don’t - should have an immense degree of
Hakoras Hatov (gratitude) to the army. Gratitude for the sacrifices that even the most secular of soldier
offers. Let alone the thousands of Hesder boys who both now give - and in the past have given - six
years of their lives alternating Torah study with army service (often taking
the most dangerous assignments in groups). Does he really believe that the Hesder boys are
endangering their spiritual health and dropping out of observance?!
Furthermore, to say that Nachal Charedi is included in this
warning is truly mind blowing. How can he say that about all the devout Jewish
soldiers serving in those units now? By saying something so outrageous he has unwittingly justified all of the verbal and sometimes physical attacks heaped upon religious soldiers in certain Charedi circles.
Even if I were to concede that every thing he says is true
(which I absolutely reject!) where is the recognition of what the IDF is all
about? Protecting not only these Yeshiva students but his own grandchildren
living there?
I suspect that having lived in Israel for so many years
prior to his return to the US has
something to do with his attitude. There is little doubt in my mind that this is how most Charedi
leaders in Israel think. Israel is the devil. The army is the devil’s lair. Stay
out! Rabbi Feldman surely absorbed this mentality
during his years there and brought it back with him when he returned to Baltimore to become the Rosh HaYeshiva of Ner Israel. It remains unchanged.
To be clear, I have no illusions about the secular nature of
the IDF. It is not a Yeshiva. Nor do I question the fact that there are influences there that can
negatively impact one’s observance. But the fact is that there are two very clear
options that cater successfully to observant Jews: Hesder and Nachal Charedi.
Nor is it true that the
regular army will necessarily hurt your spirituality. There have been countless
idealistic religious American enlistees into the regular IDF that have served admirably. Their spirituality was
not negatively affected at all. I strongly suspect that those whose religiosity
is negatively affected already had issues with their observance and spirituality long before they ever set foot into the army.
I wish I could say I’m surprised. But I’m not. This is not
the first time Rabbi Feldman has bashed the state. Or in this case one of its important components. He did it in a book published
7 years ago entitled, Eye of the Storm. Therein he engages in a polemic against
the state that is little more than an angry one sided rant characterizing it as
having no redeeming value.
Rav Aharon Lichtenstein took him to task for it at the time:
(W)hen we note that the source and precedent cited (by Rabbi Feldman) had not merely sought to justify criticism but to be stirred to hatred; that “the parts which are not Jewish” did not allude to unhalachically converted pseudo-Jews but to presumed ideological aberrants; and when we realize that these include a very significant segment of the Israeli yishuv, as well as its Diaspora supporters–many of us will, understandably, be shaken.
Rabbi Feldman’s lack of any expression of gratitude to the Israeli army reflects
the mindset of far too many Jews on the right. It is certainly OK to criticize when
appropriate,. If one believes there is something wrong, they have not only a right - but an
obligation to say so. Especially if they are a public figure like Rav Aharon
Feldman. But to do so without expressing the legitimate gratitude the army
deserves is to slight every single soldier in Israel that ever gave life and limb to protect the
Jewish people. It is also a slight to their families. And I protest it.
