9 Adar Bet 5774
Besides its definition of "relating to citizens," the word civil has another meaning: "adequate in courtesy and politeness," as in civil discourse - something which is sadly lacking in Israeli society. For all the threats of a civil war erupting in Israel, what is happening right now is a very un-civil war. It is being expressed right now throughout cyberspace - the final frontier - on blogs, op-eds, article talkbacks and facebook comments in the most discourteous and impolite manner possible. And let me tell you, it's about as bloody as it can get out there. Just keep in mind that this is yet another battle in the war for hearts and minds.
I self-identify as chareidi-leumi although a chareidi will likely deny that I am in any way chareidi because I don't dress in dark colors or wear a wig or live in a 100% religious neighborhood or listen to their rabbis and a leumi will surely deny that I am really leumi because I reject the worship of state and army and take neither pride nor pleasure in the accomplishments of either. In any case, I say that because I think that enables me to see both the right and the wrong on both sides of this conflict. I think it affords me a bit more objectivity than those who are fully committed to one side or the other.
That said, I am inclined to believe that the chareidim are closer to the truth in these issues than any other group. Why? Look at who is attacking them... and why. For all their faults and erroneous ideas (who doesn't have those?), they are the ones perceived by both chilonim and goyim as the authentic representatives of Torah Judaism. Whoever hates Judaism immediately targets chareidim and just like it was always acceptable to hate Jews in foreign lands, today, God forbid, it is acceptable to hate chareidim in Israel.
Today, there is a real ideological battle going on in the city of Beit Shemesh. It may even be historic. This thing has been coming on for a long, long time. I was aware of it at least in 1997 when I lived in Beit Shemesh. I was still studying for my Orthodox conversion after making aliyah as a "Conservative Jew." I was placed within a very modern Orthodox, dati leumi group and I have to tell you that I was appalled beyond belief at the snide remarks, hateful commentary and borderline antisemitic accusations I witnessed from this group against our chareidi neighbors. It wasn't so different from the anti-Orthodox sentiments the co-called "Conservatives" directed towards the Orthodox.
I'm thinking of giving some examples and I can't even bring myself to write such horrible things. What would make one kind of religious Jew speak about another kind of religious Jew in terms that the goyim used in Nazi Germany about all Jews??? How can that be?
Again, I say - look at who the perpetrators are and the methods they are using and it will give a clue about where all this is coming from...
In Beit Shemesh, a battle for every voter
Interior Ministry Checking into Mounting Complaints in Beit Shemesh Election
We're all caught between the Erev Rav and the Erev Zeir - like a mouse between the paws of a snarling cat.
There are many, many reports such as this from religious recruits...
ReplyDeleteReligious Persecution in the IDF
This is the proof that the intent for drafting yeshiva bachurim is to strip them of their piety. They are neither wanted nor needed. It's just a social experiment!
I agree
ReplyDeleteIt is like one side is right for the wrong reasons and the other is wrong for the right reasons though only one of the sides is closer to the truth then the other.
The former in that while they may be a little closer to the truth their lifestyle is ultimately unsustainable, their outlook is not the way of our forefathers nor do they have the right to claim a monopoly on tradition / outlooks by dismissing the more authentic traditions of Sephardim / Mizrahim (which is unfortunately the impression I get given the instances of discrimination) and that is not to mention that many of their negative actions at times do more to turn people off Judaism than whatever our worse enemies can think up.
The latter in that while their proposals are great in theory and on the surface do appear to help in advancing people with otherwise limited to no prospects in making a living, their motives are ultimately impure (with the goal being nothing less than the dilution of Judaism).
Meaning that however flawed and disagreeable I find the former side above, they have every right to reject the latter side’s proposals.
Just my limited 2 cents
The stronger the Torah is in a community, the stronger the kedusha and consequently the stronger the Erev Rav who attaches to that kedusha. The dogged adherence to Torah among the chareidim is not only their strongest point, but also their weakest point. Because the Erev Rav seeks power over the people, many of those to whom the chareidim look to for daat Torah are in fact Erev Rav. When the day comes that they awaken to this reality, they will really be a force to be reckoned with, imho.
ReplyDeleteInteresting point- especially where you write "just look at what/who they are attacking." (not verbatum, yet it is somewhere in your opening lines....
ReplyDeleteWhen I first took on a frum lifestyle, I wanted so to belong to a "group." It was important to me. Now, after almost 2 decades, I am secure in the thought that I am a Jew and that I understand that there are 613 commandments. I am a part of all of my brothers and sisters- klal Yisrael. THIS is what is important to me- not a label, not a faction. We are all from Hashem's Divine Spirit.
Just like, the commandments, we cannot pick and choose which ones we want. So, too, I believe, we really need to see that all yidden are holy, all yidden are special and we should be treating each other in such a way that suggests to Hashem that we want Moshiach now. Really.
We could be done with this mess already....yea, yea, I know- not so easy, but impossible? No.
True words, Leah. Thank you.
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