Our Sages speak of a partnership between the tribes of Yisachar and Zevulun. Zevulun economically supported the Torah learning of Yisachar. A
Yisachar-Zevulun relationship works best when learners shows love and
respect for those who support them.
For decades haredi yeshiva students were generously given money and relieved of army service. Even if it came about through political bargaining, it happened, and
warrants gratitude. The Israeli public, for all its flaws, has been like a father-in-law to every kollel student, and is hungry for recognition. I can understand them.
Haredim frequently quote the Rambam about how not only the tribe of Levi but those who dedicate themselves to completely serving G-d have a privileged status. Could one reason Israeli society does not wish to accord us the status of Levi is because our conduct is not worthy of Levi? Is it possible they devalue our contributions in part because they sense their own contributions are not fully appreciated? Is it pure coincidence that Yair Lapid's popularity followed shortly after well-known reports of uncivil behavior by some haredim?
Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz writes, "While the bulk of the ire and anger from the charedi community over the “Sharing the Burden” initiatives are directed at Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, many of us who work with the teens-at-risk population feel strongly that some of this resentment should be redirected toward the radical kanoim (zealots) who have been contributing to the charedi-secular divide in Eretz Yisroel for decades now. Why? Because over the years, they have employed tactics of intimidation and violence to antagonize our non-observant brothers and sisters, and to disrupt the efforts of our gedolim (sages) in Eretz Yisroel to make the type of changes that are now being forced upon the charedi community."
Cheshbon hanefesh is the Jewish way. Finger pointing is tempting but distracts us from the work that needs to be done. Our enemies had no right to destroy the Beis Hamikdash but our Sages wisely put the focus on our own shortcomings which led to the tragedy. We can oppose the agenda of Lapid and Bennett and still ask what we did wrong to bring this about. Hashem did not put these politicians in power for nothing.
Had the Chareidi leadership preached the value of gratitude to their community the situation might today be different.
ReplyDeleteIf every Chareidi yeshivah said prayers for the safety and well-being of the State and for the success of the army, if all the Chareidi kollelim made efforts to show they are a caring part of Israeli society, Lapid would not have found so much traction for his intiatives. But mostly the opposite has happened. The more money secular Israeli has poured into the Chareidi community the more ingratitude it has received in exchange and now it's tired of that.
Thank you MGI for reading and commenting.
ReplyDeleteI am not so dogmatic about prayers for the State. You are assuming ingratitude is the sole or at least a necessary reason not to have such a prayer, when in fact there may be other reasons. The challenge for charedi society is to find ways within their own religious framework to show gratitude. So far they have not been successful is my view.