What is Going on in Agudah?!

Rav Aharon Feldman and Rav Malkiel Kotler (VIN)

I have certainly had my issues with Agudah. Not that I am anywhere near the stature of the Rabbinic personalities that are currently on their Moetzes. But when I disagree with something they say or do - based on the teachings of people like Rav Ahron Soloveichick (who is easily in their league if not more so) - I speak up.

I am in good company it seems. I have in my possession a recording made in the 70s of Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik addressing Yeshiva University alumni. During the course of his lecture - he made an astonishing comment (in Yiddish) that went something like this (in translation): 

                 I could not care less what’s going on in Agudah! 

His tone was very dismissive - showing his disdain for an organization to which he once belonged as a member of their Moetzes. Why he left is beyond the scope of this post. But that’s the comment that came to mind when I read a story yesterday about the Agudah Moetzes at VIN.

They reported about a major conflict between Moetzes members that has become very public. Something that rarely happens. Which is by design. Being accepted into their rabbinic circle requires an agreement never to publicly dispute any statement issued by them. They want to show a unified position on every public pronouncement. Whether there was any internal dissent or not. Once they vote, the majority rules. It’s not like the Supreme Court which publishes minority dissent.

The Agudah Moetzes does not want their public to know that. Which gives their pronouncements far more potency. They call it Daas Torah. A concept that has the effect of being the infallible will of God. How many times have I heard speaker after speaker at an Agudah convention say something along the lines of ‘When Daas Torah speaks - we obey!’ ‘No questions asked.’ (Or even permitted to be asked.)

Not this time though.  And as one might suspect it is based on opposition to Zionism in any form. Which in this case is voting in the World Zionist Congress election. What could be wrong with that? It might be explained by an email sent by Jennifer Brodkey Kaufman & Rabbi Rick Jacobs of the Union for Reform Judaism - excepted by VIN which in part reads: 

So much of the dramatic growth of our Movement in Israel throughout the past five years can be traced directly to our success in the 2015 WZC election. This year, our Reform partners in Israel have asked over and over again, with deep concern, about our campaign work here in the United States – and they cannot stress enough the importance of a strong showing by our Movement…

However, it is with both sadness and alarm that we have witnessed some truly ugly efforts to undermine us, carried out by those who recognize that our success will allow us to more effectively advance our Reform views and values…

They fear that our victory would be critical in advancing religious pluralism, peace, and economic justice in Israel. They are right to be afraid – because that is exactly what we intend to do!… 

It is with this in mind that many rabbinic leaders have urged Orthodox Jews to vote in the WZO election. Among them 2 Agudah Moetzes members: Mir (New York) Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Elya Brudny and Philedelphia Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky. WZO allocations to their constituent streams are based on proportionality. The more Orthodox Jews that vote, the more money they get for their streams. Which by default means the less money non Orthodox streams like Reform get.

VIN reports that Rav  Brudny was branded a Zionist (Oh no!) on photo-shopped signs that were hung all over Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG) in Lakewood. Which appeared to be generated by Moetzes member, BMG Rosh Hayeshiva Rav Malkiel Kotler’s opposition to Rav Brudny on this matter. Rav Kotler was joined in his opposition by fellow Moetzes member, Ner Israel Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Aharon Feldman.

(It’s probably not a coincidence that- as noted by VIN - both are supporters of Rav Shmuel Auerbach’s position on IDF draft resistance. Which urges students in Israel not to register for the draft even on pain of prison time. Instead urging them to violently protest it. 

That is in diametric opposition to the peaceful path  taken by Rav Aharon Leib Steinman, ZTL and Rav Chaim Kanievsky who urge compliance with the draft laws.

I guess some people do not see the value of compromise even if it is to the benefit of their own goals. It’s really hard to imagine why a great Yeshiva like Ner Israel could ever choose a hard liner like that to head their school.) 

Back to the WZO issue. How strong is their opposition: More from VIN: 

Well placed sources tell VIN that Rabbi Feldman and Rabbi Kotler have threatened Rabbi Kamenetsky that they will quit the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Agudath Israel if he does not pull his endorsement. 

I think that is actually good idea. I think they should quit. So that common sense will have a better chance of prevailing in all future pronouncements.  Who knows? Maybe they will invite some YU Roshei Yeshiva to replace them. (Never gonna happen. But it’d be nice if it did.)