Teaching Charedim in Israel to Fish

Image for illustration purposes (Matzav)

The importance of Torah study to the Jewish people cannot be understated. First because it tells us exactly what Judaism is all about. Which is what God requires of us, His chosen people. Without the Torah we would not exist. Secondly the study of Torah for its own sake is considered one of our most important Mitzvos. To these ends the Charedi world more than anyone else rises to that occasion.

But like all things taken to excess, a virtue becomes a liability. This is true even with Torah study. I have always maintained that Torah study should be supported. What should absolutely NOT be supported is a lifestyle where every single male Jew is encouraged to try and seek a life of full time Torah study. A lifestyle that would exempt virtually all of them from the obligations required for the survival of the very society in which they live.

There is no way that every single male should be encouraged to study Torah full time. To that end only the best, brightest and most importantly, those most motivated to do so, should be encouraged to live their lives that way. A lifestyle referred to as ‘Torah Umnaso’ - Torah is his profession’.

The reality – as is often pointed out by Charedi defenders is that most Charedim do end up working for a living at some point. And do not spend their entire lives learning Torah only. By which they mean that all the criticism about them not working and supporting the economy is false. 

The problem with that is that because of the abovementioned paradigm promoting a lifestyle of Torah study only as the most ideal way for a Jew to live - every single Charedi male is encouraged to first try and go that route. To the end they are denied any education that is not in furtherance of that goal. So that when the typical Charedi finally realizes that he needs to make a living, he is ill prepared to do so in ways that will pay them the kind of wages those who have been given that opportunity get paid. 

True – a lot of Charedim are somehow able to ‘catch up’ and get the kind of education post Kollel that can get them decent jobs. But I fear that the majority of them do not - for one reason or another. Leaving them at a great disadvantage to their secular/Dati counterparts. 

A policy where Charedim who want to enter the workforce are left to their own devices without having been given any help during their educational years is not something to be proud of. It is something to be ashamed of, in my view.

Which brings me to the outrageous policy change under consideration by the current Israeli cabinet. From Matzav: 

The Israeli cabinet will convene today to deliberate on a proposition aimed at providing an additional NIS 164.5 million ($44.4 million) to bolster stipends for yeshiva students. To fund this increase, a uniform cut would be implemented across all government ministries.

This supplementary amount would be in addition to the discretionary funds already allocated in the budget to enhance stipends for chareidi men who opt for full-time limud haTorah.

The demand for this increase has come from chareidi coalition parties. 

I am speechless. The idea of ‘solving’ the financial crunch faced by perhaps hundreds of thousands of Charedim by siphoning off funds from the entirety of Israeli society (as represented by all of the government ministries) is an exercise in Chutzpah of monumental proportion. The vast majority of Charedim that are studying Torah full time (because that is what they are all encouraged to do)  are incapable of reaching greatness in Torah study that only the few elite (who should be supported) can.

Instead of providing them with the means to earn a living on their own by giving them an education in Limudei Chol, they are asking for more government charity. Put another way: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. (A statement often attributed to the Rambam.)

Chazal tell us that it is the obligation of every father to teach their sons how to make a living. Either by the fathers themselves or through teachers hired in their place to do so . Which is what schools in our day do. This is not being done at any level in the vast majority of Charedi schools in Israel. Instaed they want the government to give them a lifetime supply of ‘fish’ At everyone else’s expense! 

Add to this another outrageous ‘ask’ by the Charedi parties: unconditional exemption from army service (and even national service) for all those studying Torah full time – which in essence translates to virtually all Charedim. 

Is there any wonder why the Charedi parties are so hated by both secular and non Charedi observant Israelis? This is one of the primary things being protested by the left. Rightfully so, in my view. This facet of the protest is not anti Torah. As Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet recently noted:

Chareidim, by and large, do not serve in the army. This is both anti-halachic and anti-democratic -  and Chareidim generally (but not all) negate the Core Curriculum. This is anti-halachic and leaves a public message that you will support us. 

Could not agree more!