Here We Go Again!

Demonstrators clash with mounted police in Bnei Brak (Arutz Sheva)

According to Arutz Sheva, yet another protest is about to occur in Israel. Once again it is by the usual gang of suspects: Eitz -the Jerusalem faction political party formed by Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach. They have called for a major protest in Bnei Brak over yet another arrested draft dodger. It seems like there is a never ending cycle of protests about an issue that should have been resolved long ago when the mainstream Charedi leadership located in Bnei Brak supported a peaceful resolution to new rules regarding the draft of Yeshiva students.

There have been so many of these protests that I have come to almost expect them on a regular basis. But because it is tearing apart the Yeshiva world, it bears making note of and condemning forcefully. Yet again!

These protesters are not the Israel hating Neturiei Karta or Satmar. They are not even Chasidim. They are mainstream Yeshiva students that have been sold a bill of goods by their misguided (now deceased) rabbinic leader. And now that he is gone, Achrei Mos Kedoshim. Prominent leaders that pass away become icons larger than life. Whatever iconic status they had before they died has been multiplied by their death. 

I do not want to see the Yeshiva world torn apart. I know there are some people that might take great pleasure in seeing that. But I am not one of them. While I do have my issues with some of their Shitos (Hashkafic positions) I value their contributions greatly. As should we all. Most of them are idealistic young people whose goal is to be Mekadesh Shem Shomayim by learning Torah and having a highly developed sense of ethics. (Unfortunately there are also enough of them that aren’t like that and tend to cause a serious perception problem. I am however a firm believer that most of these young men are sincere in their devotion to serve God according to what they strongly believe is His will. Those that are not - are a small minority.) 

What is not such a small minority, however, is Eitz. They too believe they are serving God by these protests. But most of the Charedi leaders have made clear that they are not. They are serving the machinations of a misguided dead leader. One who was virtually condemned by that very leadership for going his own way.

Normally I might say that this is an Elu V’Elu situation. Meaning that when there is a conflict between rabbinic leaders, Divrei Elokim Chaim - the conflict is valued by God. But the fact that the renegade position taken by R’ Auerbach does so much damage - not only to them but to the entire Yeshiva world, I don't see how it cold be. They are seen as street gangs (sometimes violent street gangs) dressed in the uniform of the yeshiva world - black suits and black hats. 

The casual observer that sees this does not distinguish between Eitz and the rest of the Yeshiva world. They conclude that violent protest to get what they want - is what the entire Charedi world is all about. What these renegades are doing is perpetuating that image. And each time it happens that image is reinforced. The result is that Torah and those who study it are hated!

Making matters even worse is that it doesn’t stop at  Israel’s borders. There are the foolish rabbinic leaders (Roshei Yeshiva) in America that support Eitz.  Rabbi Yaakov Perlow recently lamented that fact publicly and expressed great pain at the foolishness of these American leaders. They are being  Poretz Geder - separating themselves from the mainstream and siding with the renegade faction instead. I agree with him but would take it a significant step further and say that they are pouring fuel on the fire – as Eitz takes succor from such support.

Pouring even more fuel onto the fire is the fact that American students have taken sides on the issue too. The venom I hear about the 'other side' is unprecedented.

In my lifetime I do not ever recall this type of conflict in the yeshiva world. Yes, there have been some disagreements between Roshei Yeshiva in the past. But there was still a fellowship among all of them whose rai·son d'ê·tre  was the same. Never have those disagreements caused the level of conflict I see now. No matter how one feels about the Charedi world, this is not a good thing.

All of this could have been avoided if the common sense approach taken by the acknowledged elders of the mainstream would have been listened to. Which is to do what the government has asked them to do in exchange for being left alone to do their own thing: Register for the draft and get an automatic  exemption/deferment until such time they want to stop learning Torah full time.

I have my own Shita with respect to Charedi military service in a country where it is mandatory. Which is different than those of even the mainstream Yeshiva world. But that is irrelevant to this issue. My goal here is to highlight the great damage R’ Auerbach has done (and his followers continue to do) to the fabric of the Yeshiva world and by extension the entire religious world.  And to condemn it!