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| UTJ head, MK Moshe Gafni (Arutz Sheva) |
Those words uttered by Moshe from this week’s Torah portion sum up the current ‘Charedi problem’ in Israel.
Charedim in Israel are in the unenviable position of being hated by almost every other sector of Israeli society. Perhaps ‘hated’ is too strong a word, and ‘every’ an exaggeration. But it isn’t far off.
I take no pleasure in making this assessment. It’s tragic
that the fastest-growing segment of Israeli Jewry – one that is so deeply
committed to Torah study and to leading lives that reflect those values - is so
resented. This reality is surely recognized by Charedi leadership and their
political representatives. And surely, they understand why. Yet they are doing
little, if anything, to change that perception. In fact, it often seems they
are doing their best to perpetuate and even exacerbate the resentment. And don
Their goal, of course, is to maintain the path they've followed since the founding of the state: ensuring that every Charedi male pursues a life of full-time Torah study for as long as possible, which requires exemption from military service.
This is how the Yeshiva world sees it. The Chasidic world,
on the other hand, sees IDF exemption as a religious imperative. A defense
against what they perceive as the state's attempt to secularize Jews. For them,
it's not even about Torah study. Even if a Chasid isn’t learning full-time,
military enlistment is absolutely forbidden. They are told to resist
conscription to the point of imprisonment if necessary.
The Yeshiva world accepts this rationale as well. So for
them, both reasons apply. Both Charedi sectors are intransigent on this issue - despite recent
failed attempts at compromise. And while blame for the failure may be shared,
it would not surprise me if Charedi leadership was quietly relieved that the
compromise failed. After all, in principle, they oppose any Charedi enlistment.
Nowhere was this attitude better illustrated than in the Charedi leadership’s reaction to the recent tragic deaths in Gaza of five Charedi soldiers from the Netzach Yehuda Battalion. One prominent Charedi leader expressed sorrow over the deaths, but noticeably omitted any mention that the fallen soldiers were Charedi. That omission was surely deliberate. Acknowledging that such a battalion exists undermines the argument that IDF service is incompatible with religious observance.
It’s almost as though these fallen soldiers were no longer
considered Charedi - just IDF soldiers like any other. Had it been
acknowledged that they were Charedi, it would have contradicted one of the core
arguments used to justify their total opposition to IDF service.
Meanwhile, the rest of Israel is enduring the trauma of war.
Whether by serving themselves or by having close family members (sons,
daughters, fathers, husbands) sent on long and often life-altering
tours of duty. Even when there are no deaths or injuries, the burden is heavy.
And while all this is happening, Charedim (who are exempt) don’t have to worry
about it.
This isn’t a ‘left versus right’ or a ‘religious versus
secular’ dispute. The resentment crosses every sector of Israeli society,
including the most devout religious Zionists.
To all those Israelis, it seems that Charedim simply don’t
care. While others, including many deeply religious Jews, are sacrificing,
Charedim offer little more than to rush through a verse or two of Tehillim after davening.
If that. What the rest of Israel sees is a relentless effort to preserve the
draft-exemption status quo at all costs, while the rest of Israel bears the
burden of defense on behalf of everyone, including the exempted Charedim.
Is it any wonder that there is widespread resentment against
Charedim?
Before October 7th, this status quo was tolerated
even though it was widely recognized as unfair. There was no full-scale war, no
mass mobilization of reservists, no life-threatening combat. But now there is. The
resentment is real. The anger palpable.
What’s surprising is how few Religious Zionist rabbinic
leaders have spoken out forcefully against the Charedi refusal to serve. But
one Charedi Rosh Yeshiva finally has had enough after Charedi MK and UTJ head
Moshe Gafni made the following remarks, as reported in the Times of Israel:
“The ones who are leading the war against Torah students are the religious Zionists,” he stated, adding that “those who are leading the incitement against us… they are worse than the biggest haters of Torah scholars.”
I cannot imagine a more insensitive remark. Or one that more
accurately reveals what Charedi leaders and politicians really feel about Religious Zionism. It’s
one thing to disagree in principle. But to vilify Religious Zionists in this
way tells us everything. Charedim don’t just view Religious Zionism as a
misguided form of Judaism. They consider it anti-Torah - worse than secularism.
Words spoken in anger are often more reflective of someone’s
true beliefs than the carefully filtered statements made in more composed
moments.
This time, even a Charedi Rosh Yeshiva had enough. Though,
to some in the Charedi world, his credentials have long been “disqualified” by
virtue of the type of Yeshiva he leads. As reported in an Arutz Sheva
article:
Rabbi Avraham Borodiansky, head of the Barkai Charedi Hesder Yeshiva, issued a sharply worded response to MK Gafni's remarks:
“I try so hard to avoid expressing my opinion during this time,” the rabbi wrote, “but tonight is different. It is unforgivable for anyone to speak against a public which, merely for not dancing to the tune of ‘Moshe Emet,’ is labeled as enemies of Torah and haters of Israel.”
“This cannot be brushed aside. A community that has buried its finest sons, where young women raise their children alone, where every knock at the door brings fear—for you, they are not Torah-loving Jews?”
Rabbi Borodiansky added: “The Torah says, ‘And He said to Moshe: Remove your sandals from your feet!’ You have no right to tread upon their land—it is too holy for you. I was never enthusiastic about your fiery speeches, but I restrained myself. Today, you have revealed your disgrace.”
Is it any wonder that so many Israelis - including many
devoutly religious Jews - harbor such bitterness toward Charedim? If even one of
their own can speak this way, one can only imagine what the rest of Israel is
saying.
Frankly, I don’t know how the Charedi community can live
with itself, knowing how deeply resented it is. How must it feel to walk into
any public establishment - most of which are staffed by people sacrificing
daily - and not feel the weight of that resentment? A resentment that only grows
with every passing day as Charedi leaders fight tooth and nail to preserve
exemptions.
Even if one were to concede that Charedim have a point - that they were misled by successive governments promising exemptions they didn’t deliver - how can they not understand the backlash? And how can they continue to attribute it solely to ‘hatred of Torah’? How blind can they be?
Even as the Netzach Yehuda Battalion exists and some
Charedim do serve - the vast majority do not and still believe this storm will pass and the
old normal will return.
But that ‘normal’ can no longer stand. Not now. Not after the trauma the rest of Israel has suffered.
At the very least, the serious Torah study of Hesder Yeshiva
students must be recognized as legitimate, not condemned as anti-Charedi. And
that’s just a starting point.
More importantly, I hope a new Charedi leadership
emerges. One that recognizes the imbalance their community has created, and
takes responsibility for correcting it. That would go a long way toward
reversing the widespread resentment and fostering genuine respect for their
dedication to Torah study.
That respect can only be earned if Charedi leaders and their representatives in government end their hateful rhetoric against the IDF and the state of Israel itself. And learn to respect differences of opinion by devoutly religious leaders that are not Charedi.
