Is Full Time Torah Study the Will of God?

Image from Tablet

There is some encouraging news about the economic viability of Charedi families in Israel. News that does not involve more government stipends. News that actually means educating and integrating Charedim into the wider Israeli society.

An article by Paula Jacobs in Tablet Magazine reports about the uptick in the number of Charedim in Israel that are  successfully seeking careers that require a higher education. Considering the fact that Chardim have absolutely no secular education at all beyond 8^th grade – barely having one at all before that, this is quite an accomplishment. Many of them do not even know how to speak English, let alone have any decent knowledge of other basic secular subjects. But after taking the preparatory courses designed for them - they actually catch up. As was the case with...

Yehuda Sabiner, then a 20-year-old married father and Ger Hasid

In 2010, when Sabiner started at Technion’s mechina—the first university preparatory program in Israel for ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, students—he knew no math other than simple arithmetic. Soon he began studying physics, and eventually aced the highest-level math and science courses. Two years later Technion admitted him to medical school. 

While this is great news, it does not help the vast majority where catching up is not an option. Not everyone is able to learn in 2 years what most people learn in 4. Which leaves a lot of Charedim out in the cold. Limiting it even further is the social pressure involved in leaving the Beis HaMedrash to go to college! Not a very popular thing to do in the Charedi world, even if they didn’t need those ‘remedial’ courses. The challenges of  a higher education are hard enough even with a good secular studies background. Which leaves only the brightest and most determined capable of taking advantage of these programs.

Be that as it may, at least those with the intelligence and determination to succeed that are willing to go ‘outside the box’ of their insulated world now have a decent opportunity to do so. But that does not eliminate the natural obstacles built into the Charedi world. As Jacobs notes: 

Some are afraid to tell even close family members that they are studying at a secular university—especially women whose families don’t value higher education and feel women should be at home with their families… 

Haredi students often feel isolated and struggle with reconciling their Haredi identity with the academic environment. This is even true at Hebrew University, which has a relatively large Haredi student population

“This is related to a feeling of loneliness, where they feel that their family and community might not understand their experience, and their peers at the university are alien to their Haredi way of life,” said Michal Barak, executive director of the Center for the Study of Multiculturalism and Diversity at Hebrew University. “Israeli students are embarrassed and often unsure how to approach their Haredi peers.” 

There is a reason for this attitude on both sides. For Charedim the fear is that any participation with the world ‘outside’ will be detrimental to their spirituality. The more participation there is, the greater the danger. On the other hand, secular society is not all that eager for Charedim to enter their world either because of the negative perceptions they have about them. Perceptions that may or may not be accurate. It is a kind of mutual un-admiration society – each agreeing to stay away from the other.

However this new phenomenon is helping to reverse that trend. By having more Charedim in higher education societal barriers are sure to come down. The gap between the 2 worlds is being bridged.

And that is a good thing. The fear that Charedim will be negatively influenced is overblown. In fact I think the opposite is more likely. Secular society will see that Charedim are not the monsters they are often portrayed to be in the media. Much of which is based on some truly vile behavior by Charedi extremists and the apologetics offered by Charedi politicians and some of their leaders.

I truly believe that such integration will enable secular Jews to see religious Jews in a far more favorable light and might even motivate some of them to seek a bit of that for themselves. On the other hand I don’t see any of the Charedim integrating into the secular world and suddenly buying TVs and attending rock concerts. (Not that there is anything necessarily wrong with that as long as Halacha is not violated – but that is a subject for another discussion. Point here being that their own standards will very likely not be compromised.)

Nevertheless I am very happy to see the trend Jacobs describes. At the same time, however, I still firmly believe that the lack of a basic secular education in the Charedi world hurts them. I believe that in spite of those great remedial programs where Charedim can catch up - the vast majority of Charedim will not avail themselves of it. Or will not be capable of catching up if they do. Whereas if they had these studies all along, they wouldn’t have to catch up.

That being said, I doubt the current anti- secular studies paradigm of Charedi schools in Israel will change. Their world has evolved from one where supporting one’s family came first – into one where learning Torah comes first.  Supporting their families is now pushed off to other people or entities that among other things include working wives, government stipends, charity, and free loan societies. 

How sad. I wonder how many of Charedim really know what the Rambam says about this paradigm?  Let me enlighten them if they don’t. (Mada-Hilchos Talmud Torah 3:10 - free translation): 

Anyone that sets his heart to occupy himself with Torah; does not work; and instead seeks charity – this is a desecration of God’s name; it denigrates the Torah, distinguishes the light of Jewish law; it causes evil for himself; and removes him from his place in the world to come… (quoting Chazal) Any Torah that is not accompanied by work, will in the end result in being worthless - and causes sin. 

I wish that the attention and respect the Charedi world has for the Rambam would extend to what he clearly states is his view of Halacha - the will of God.