Q&A: The Haredi Torah World
The Haredi Torah World
Question
Hello Rabbi,
I agree with your various criticisms of the Haredim, about draft evasion, etc., and I agree that nothing justifies it—not Torah scholarship, not meticulous observance of Jewish law, and so on. But even so, I find myself wondering about one thing. Personally, I’m not at all satisfied with the Religious Zionist Torah world. I think the level of learning in the yeshivot is not high enough in the overwhelming majority of them, and even in those where it is, in my opinion it still isn’t where it could be. A lot of the outstanding prodigies / halakhic decisors who come out of there, in my view, succeed not because of the yeshiva but because of themselves, and despite the yeshiva. At one point I ended up moving to study in a Haredi yeshiva (I’ve also seen that the Rabbi recommends doing that to various people on the site).
In addition, there is a feeling that in large parts of Religious Zionism, Torah and commandments are not at the center—even if people are careful about Jewish law—but rather just one part of life. Meaning, if Passover is coming now, it’s not that my life right now is the preparations for Passover; it’s something that, unwillingly, I have to squeeze in somewhere in the schedule between the things that really interest me. The respect for Torah and for rabbis is smaller, etc.
The question is:
A. Aren’t these things inherent? Meaning, if the Haredim study the core curriculum, work, and serve in the army, won’t their lives simply end up looking like Religious Zionism? Won’t the level of their yeshivot become like that of the Religious Zionist world, and their attitude toward Torah become like that of Religious Zionism?
B. Does the Rabbi think it is possible to sustain a Torah world at the Haredi level (or at least at a higher level than the Religious Zionist one) even without Haredism? If so, how can that be done? Does the Rabbi have practical ideas on this subject?
Answer
It is obviously harder to preserve Torah when it is not the only thing in your world. Still, the Torah was brought down to earth, and the goal is that we keep it in this world and not in monasteries. Therefore there is no justification for not living in the world in order to preserve the Torah better. And if this involves not bearing one’s obligations, then it is even forbidden.
'Torah observance at the Haredi level' is a problematic concept, since they do not observe broad parts of the Torah. Therefore the claim that things are done better there is not one I accept as a generalization. In my opinion, one should do what is required, and within that framework make an effort to adhere to one’s religious obligations, even if there is a price regarding some of them.
As for Torah study, there is indeed a gap in level between the good yeshivot in the Haredi world and what is commonly found in the Religious Zionist yeshivot. It’s not terrible. No disaster is happening. If you study properly, you will grow even in a non-Haredi yeshiva. Today the gap is smaller, and I assume it will continue to shrink. There are also advantages to non-Haredi learning (more common sense, more conceptual definition, and more systematic thinking).