Q&A: A Moral Dilemma at the Hitchhiking Stop in Bnei Brak
A Moral Dilemma at the Hitchhiking Stop in Bnei Brak
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Recently I happened to pass by the hitchhiking stop in Bnei Brak, and as usual there were masses of Haredim there looking for rides. As I was passing by, I started wondering whether I should stop and give someone a ride, giving up a bit of my own comfort (privacy), and I began factoring in the fact that the Haredim evade army service and do not assist in the war effort. My question is whether it is right to take something like that into account in this case. Isn’t there an improper generalization here about all Haredim (since perhaps some of them support enlistment)? Or perhaps one should relate to them as people who were taken captive as children by the views of the leading rabbis of the generation? Or maybe this should be offset by all the Haredi charitable organizations that do not distinguish between Haredim and those who are not Haredi?
Answer
A good question. In principle, if there is someone whom you know for certain is evading service, there is definitely logic to not stopping for him. He is not one who acts as "your fellow" does. But it is hard to generalize that everyone who looks Haredi is like that. Therefore, in practice I don’t think there is justification for it, although I can completely understand someone who does act that way.
Discussion on Answer
You should have run them over.
And now seriously, it doesn’t seem to me that Haredim do what they do out of wickedness, but rather מתוך faith that this really is the right thing. I don’t think one should relate to them as wicked people.
That’s not what you should have asked.
The question is whether it’s okay to plant an explosive device in a place where masses of Haredim gather, or whether one should worry that a Religious Zionist or a secular person might happen to be there when it goes off, and there is concern that he too might be harmed.
A ridiculous question. If he studies Torah and does not enlist out of faith that this is the right thing, then even if in your opinion he is mistaken, he is completely righteous.
My demand for payment from Haredi hitchhikers was a scholarly move: they should say over some yeshiva learning they learned in yeshiva (not just little Torah quips).
I very much appreciate the Rabbi for not being afraid to express his opinion on this explosive issue. As a consummate egoist who worries only about himself, I would never stick my hands into this smoldering fire.
According to the Rabbi’s statement that the Haredim are not included among those who “act as your fellow” does, one also should not compel them to serve in the army by the rule of “feed the wicked and let him die”; on the contrary, let them continue in their wickedness and not enlist.