Part of the negative fallout with the ascendancy of the Charedi world
is the well known phenomenon of sliding to the
right. (Which I prefer calling the great Chumra chase.) One might ask, ’What’s
wrong with being more religious?’ Nothing wrong with it. Whether as individuals
or as a group. People have the
right to incorporate every Chumra they choose in an effort to serve God in the
best possible way. Unless it impacts people beyond their world.
With the Charedi world growing by leaps and bounds the Chumra chase filters into other Orthodox communities. Many of which use the Charedi
model as the standard one should aspire to. Even if there is no Halachic requirement
to do so. Which is why so few mainstream weddings and banquets have
men and women seated together. I understand why they do it. They see it as a
Hiddur – a better form of modesty between men and women to not have them sit at
a table together. But it is certainly not a Halachic requirement. Especially at banquets.
This mentality is why organizations like the Eida HaCharedis
Hechsher (Kosher certification) is seen as the most reliable
Hechsher in Israel. They are probably the most widely accepted Hechsher. One sought by many food producers and restaurants. Even though there are other
trustworthy Hechshers, this one is by far the most trusted.
I was told why by one
Charedi individual in Israel: They do not compromise. If you do not meet
their standards, they do not give you their Hechsher. Whther they are worthy of that reputation is another question. But that is how thy are seen and every food purveyor wants one. Since it increases their
business by enabling every consumer in the Frum world and beyond to buy their products
and services.
Which of course gives them a lot of power. That kind that has enabled the Eida to do set whatever
standards they choose regardless of whether those standards are Halachic or
not! They are also the most expensive certifiction to get. If I understand
correctly their fees are the highest in the industry. If you don’t want to use
them, they don’t care. They don’t need your business and it’s your loss!
So far all of this is perfectly legal and ethical. Their growth and
power is an outgrowth of the basic economic principle of supply and demand.
What makes this problematic is the demand side of the equation. The slide to the right is what
keeps them in power - increasing it as the Charedi community grows. Even though new Kosher certification agencies in Israel have increased that has not helped matters. The more Hechsehrim
there are, the more confusing the Hechsher equation becomes. The more then - one might
seek the tried and true Eida Hechsher so there can be no doubt about the
prodcut or service you are buying.
That kind of power enables the Eida not only to set high Kashrus standards,
it enables them to set racist standards and even Hashkafic standards. Which
they have recently done with the Kosher wine industry.
There is a special Halacha in Kashrus that applies only to
wine. Briefly it is based on the biblical prohibition against drinking or using
Yayin Nesach – wine used in idolatrous practice. There is a rabbinic extension
of this law that applies to Stam Yeinam – wine of idolators even if not used in
idolatrous practice, even if they are not idol worshipers themselves. Even if they only touch it. This prohibition applies even to
Jews that do not observe Shabbos. (There is secondary reason mentioned in the
Gemarah of preventing intermarriage which drinking wine with non Jews might
lead to.)
The Eida has decided that to receive their Hechsher - no Ethiopian Jews may
work anywhere near the wine being produced. This has been called racist by
Israel’s Sephardi Chief Rabbi, Yaakov Yosef.
And now even I am now considered
to be unfit to touch wine. Why? Because I wear a Kipa Seruga (knitted Kipa). In order to get
an Eida Hechsher, the Eida now requires that
Kipa Seruga type Jews (who are mostly
associated with Religious Zionism) must be removed from all areas where wine is processed in order to be qualified to receive their Hechsher.
This of course has absolutely nothing to do with observing
Shabbos. It has to do with politics, plain and simple. With this new condition
they have essentially declared that if a bottle of wine is touched by me or anyone
who wearing a Kipa Seruga it must be
poured out and not used in any way.
The unmitigated gall of Pasuling so many religious Jews because of
this nonsense is breathtaking in its scope. Remember how trusted they are by the growing Charedi
world. Which as noted above impacts the entirety of Orthodoxy. Does this mean that the Charedi world now sees anyone wearing a Kipa
Seruga to be Pasul L’Eidus - are they going to retroactively void Gittin (religious divorces) where a Kipa wearing Jew was a witness?
This is sick! And in my view a major Chilul HaShem that
should be called out, not only by the Sephardi Chief Rabbi, but by every single
rabbinic leader worthy of that title anywhere in the world. They should not continue to be seen as
the most reliable Hechsher by anyone.
Not to mention the fact that the Eida looks the other way when some of their
own people cause one Chilul HaShem after another. Like when some of their constituents harass
Charedi soldiers.
This is the price of Frumkeit gone wild. Sure, they are very
Machmir on certain things. They are very careful to avoid being influenced by
outside culture. They urge isolation from the rest of the world toward that
goal. Their interpretation of modesty is
far more stringent than the rest of Orthodoxy. To the point of erasing women
from the public sphere as much as possible.
And yet, Frumkeit seems to be prevailing regardless of the
cost. Other observant Jews be damned!
It would be great if Israelis could boycott their Hechsher, but they might as well boycott food, that is how pervasive their Hechsher is.
I don’t see things getting any better. As long as Frumkeit is king and they are
seen as the Frummest among us, things can only get worse.
