This is apparently a key component for membership in the ‘Daas Torah’ club. To be absolutely clear about this, I use the term ‘Daas Torah’ here in a political sense. Meaning how the Charedi world uses it. Not in its actual meaning which of course every observant Jew should follow.
In the political sense ‘Daas Torah’ in the Charedi world is determined by those who are considered leaders in that world. One becomes a leader in that world by being a recognized head of a major Yeshiva; or is a huge and recognized Talmid Chacham; or has written Sefrom filled with Chidushei Torah (novel interpretations of - or commentaries on the Gemarah or Rishonim) and/ or Seforim of Teshuvos (responsa) that do not contradict mainstream Charedi ideology; or in some other way recognized for his Torah wisdom. It is their public policy pronouncements that constitutes the Charedi version of ‘Daas Torah’.
This does not mean to say that they are always wrong. On the contrary. Many – perhaps even most of their pronouncements are exactly right. The problem is when they start making pronouncements like the one above.
If you are a card carrying Charedi, it means that you follow his example and eschew modernity, too. Implied by the above comment is that if you don’t embrace that view you are outside the pale of God’s good graces – possibly even forfeiting your Olam Haba! What seriously religious Jew wants to risk that?
It is with that in mind that Charedi youth protesting the draft at the behest of their ‘Daas Torah’ – R’ Shumel Auerbach - is a no brainer to them. Even when violence ensues.
Although the Chasidic world doesn’t use that phrase, they have their own verision of ‘Daas Torah’. Which is even an even stronger influence. Their version of ‘Daas Torah’ is simply ‘whatever the Rebbe says’. So when for example their Rebbe expresses strong opposition to something, they take it as the closest thing to a Godly decree that can be made by any human being. Which makes it fair game for protest and ridicule... and even violence.
Religious Zionists have their ‘Daas Torah’ too. It does not involve so much on any particular leader as it does their philosophy about resettling all of Eretz Yisroel – biblical Israel. To what ever extent there is an impediment to that is to the extent that they oppose it. And among their rabbinic leaders are some who have made some truly vile comments about Arabs in general.
Sometimes the way they express their philosophy is so extreme that it can result in the murder of even fellow Jews. As was the case with Yigal Amir, a Religious Zionist Jew who assassinated former Israeli Prime Minister, Itzhak Rabin. Some of the more extreme elements among Religious Zionists consider him a hero. As they do mass murderer, Baruch Goldstein. Whom they consider to be a martyr for their cause.
In some cases all of these disparate segments of observant Judaism have overlapping views about current events that will bring them together in common protest. Which can and has resulted in violence and other disgusting behavior. Even though they otherwise have little if anything to do with each other.
It is that kind of authority that makes ‘Daas Torah’ so dangerous. If one believes that he must follow ‘Daas Torah’ then anything goes. Even violent behavior. Regardless of any negative consequences. Which they see as trivial and irrelevant in the face of their ‘valiant’ efforts on behalf of their ‘Daas Torah’.
The result of all this ‘Daas Torah’ is one Chilul HaShem after another – all in the name of the ‘Daas Torah’ espoused by their leadership and/or their philosophy. That explains what happened recently at a Conservative Bar Mitzvah at the Egaltarian space reserved for them at the Kotel.
It explains the incident from few years ago when extremist Ramat Bet Shemesh – Bet Charedim harassed the 7 year old daughter of a Religious Zionist family in a dispute over a new school building. Unfortunety there have been tons of similar cases. All in the name of their ‘Daas Torah’. It also explains any tepid criticism combined with apologetics like, ‘Their hearts were in the right place.’
The latest example of this is the following:
Charedi Jews opposed to the regulation of yeshivot wore controversial yellow stars in a demonstration outside the Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Westminster this week.
Around a hundred demonstrators from Stamford Hill in north London gathered outside Parliament on Tuesday, claiming that the Government’s plan was a “spiritual Holocaust” which would “tear apart” their rights.
“It is antisemitic because it is not targeted at the general population. The House of Lords admits it would affect mainly yeshivot.
“Nazi Germany wanted to destroy the Jewish body. The British government wants to destroy Jewish souls.”
Of course their accusations are nothing of the sort. The UK just wants them to teach the same secular studies that the mainstream Orthodox schools in the UK do – and have been doing for decades without any government interference. Even the UK’s new insistence on respecting LGBT people is not an issue if the mainstream schools have managed to comply without violating base Halacha.
Characterizing their government’s plan as a Holocaust of any kind is both false and inflammatory. And a Chilul HaShem. Do they think that all the mainstream Orthodox schools in the UK that teach those subjects are also guilty of a spiritual Holocaust?!
This is why ‘Daas Torah’ is so dangerous. If it were up to me, I would get rid of this kind of ‘Daas Torah’ philosophy. I would eradicate it from our midst. It endangers our very existence as a wise and beloved people among the free nations of the world and the good relations we enjoy with our secular countrymen. And in its stead replacing it with a view of us as a people filled with ignorance, hatred and intolerance of anything outside of our own little world.
