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Haredim and morality

שו”תCategory: generalHaredim and morality
asked 2 months ago

Hello Rabbi Michael,
I saw that you deal quite a bit with the thinking and behavior patterns of Haredi society in your columns on the site and analyze them – among other things, how can a rabbi pepper the wisdom and genius of the Gemara and say things that do not correspond with reality at all, and more of that sort…
Therefore, I wanted to ask you the following question. I saw an article about a Haredi yeshiva head who was furious at one of the yeshiva students who stole groceries from the kitchen without permission (https://www.kikar.co.il/haredim-news/sze7eb) or alternatively the members of Rabbi Edelstein’s household who made a great effort to repay a two shekel debt to a taxi driver 23 years ago (https://www.bhol.co.il/news/1667960)
 
These stories about such and such grammar, I assume, are a product of the education that was in the yeshivahs of the 19th century morality movement in Europe, and there is no shortage of such stories… But my question is, how can there be, on the one hand, this grammar in a person towards his fellow man (and even one that seems a bit exaggerated at times) with their conduct (especially that of the rabbis and activists) around public issues, and in particular the issue of conscription, on the other? After all, they know (most of them) about the losses and the price that the families of soldiers (especially those of reservists) pay.
I’m curious how you explain this phenomenon.


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מיכי Staff answered 2 months ago
They are babies who have been captured. They have no understanding that they are acting against morality and the Torah. Furthermore, the cases you cited are a simple halakhic obligation. Their public conduct does not seem to them to be against direct halakhic provisions. Morality is less relevant to them, certainly when it is against the “pure view.”

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