Q&A: Haredim
Haredim
Question
Good afternoon, Rabbi.
People on the site talk a lot about Arabs, atheists, the far left, the far right, stupid people, etc. —
and it seems that Haredim have a special place in the Rabbi’s disgust. A revulsion that isn’t expressed even toward other destructive ideologies or destructive groups.
It seems that this goes beyond the severity of the ideology or the actions, and that the Rabbi has some personal stake in it, as if the Rabbi has experienced their foolishness in a particularly direct way, more so than Arabs, for example.
Is there a rational explanation, or perhaps some other pedagogic one?
Sorry if I’m mistaken.
Full disclosure: I’m not a fan at all of the Haredi public (in general) or of its bizarre and detached outlook. But the revulsion in the Rabbi’s answers and articles, which are usually calm and cool-headed, strikes me as consistent and especially noticeable.
Answer
That is indeed true, but the disgust is toward Haredism (the outlook and the way it operates), not toward Haredim. If there were another distinct social group that conducted itself in such a warped way, I assume I would relate to it similarly. Especially if it were close to me and I felt that it was trying to represent me and my faith. The Sages already related to desecration of God’s name more extremely than to any other transgression. By the way, my criticism of them is entirely substantive.
Discussion on Answer
I meant, of course, Haredism or the public as a whole.
Did I understand correctly?
Is the point that it presumes to represent you? Because I assume extreme Islam is no less a “distinct social group,” and it’s also destructive and specifically harms us quite a bit. And I have no doubt that you hate radical jihadist Islam incomparably more than Haredism. That is:
Everyone understands that you hate terrorists, and of course no one asks whether you’re connected to them.
Not everyone understands that you have no connection to Haredism, and you feel a need to dissociate yourself from them.
After all, they behave according to the Torah, according to the fine details of Jewish law; they are the only ones engaged in Torah study in the greatest quantity — no other public can compare to them in this!
So what if they don’t behave like sages (in your understanding…)? That is a question on the Torah and on the One who commanded us it — why it looks this way… Well, about that there is the rule that the Torah’s view is the opposite, etc.
They are the only ones who have sacrificed themselves for His blessed name, and in their world there is nothing but the four cubits of Jewish law.
Extreme Islam is not part of me but my enemy. What does that have to do with this? I also don’t criticize terrorist organizations in Africa or governmental terror in China or Russia. I most definitely do have a connection to Haredism, because they belong to my religion and presume to represent it, and they commit their crimes and their desecration of God’s name in its name.
This discussion has been completely exhausted.
To the Haredi commenter: I suggest you read around a bit here on the site. Your arguments are suited to propaganda that children hear in high school. I suggest we leave these matters here.
So I understood correctly.
What is this distinction between Haredism and Haredim? If Haredim behave this way, why not hate them too?
I’ve written in several places about the relationship between the group and the individuals who make it up, and about how there can be a situation in which the group conducts itself well and the individuals are bad, and vice versa. People who belong to a group operate according to rules they themselves did not create, and that can cause them to behave badly, both individually and collectively, even if they are good people. There are many examples of this.
It follows that, in the final analysis, the state and the economy can be ruined by good people. About this it is said: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
By the way, I really wasn’t especially harmed by them. It’s entirely substantive disgust, even though I actually received quite a bit from them, and some of my best friends were such people.