Page 9 - HaMizrachi Rosh HaShana - Yom Kippur 5783 USA

In addition to significant differences, there is the question of
when to promote elu v’elu. At times, we can speak about two
legitimate approaches; on other occasions, we feel that the
opposition has gotten something seriously wrong. Take army
service in Israel as an example. An entire community exempt-
ing itself from such service while showing no gratitude for
those who enlist is a moral and religious failure which gen-
erates justified complaints from secularists. da’as Torah, as
currently practiced, also qualifies. Scholars in their nineties
with little exposure to broader society are not equipped to
make decisions relating to that society. Furthermore, the
doctrine helps promote a controlling communal atmosphere
stifling critical and independent thinking and leading to a
denial of the diversity of thought in our rabbinic tradition.
Rabbi Moshe Taragin’s portrayal of da’as Torah as a “throwback
to a bygone era of prophecy, when supernatural insight was Eden Hills
widely accessible” is far too benign.
Finally, Rabbi Meir writes that the liberal rabbis of the Reli- Occupancy is
gious Zionist community make reconciliation difficult. I have
also criticized overly liberal Orthodox voices, but many rela- Drawing Nearer!
tively left-wing rabbis make enormous contributions to Am
Yisrael. We will not throw Rabbis Benny Lau, Yuval Cherlow,
and Yoel Bin-Nun under the bus for the sake of unity with On August, 2023, the first families of Eden Hills will be
Charedim. The shameful treatment of Rabbi Eliezer Melamed receiving their keys! Tremendous efforts are being taken
by the Chardali [Charedi National Religious – Ed.] rabbinate to make sure the incredible community facilities, such
should not become a communal norm. We do not want to join as synagogues, kindergartens, pool, sports areas and
the world of pashkivilim [posters used in Charedi communities shopping venues, will be available as soon as possible —
– Ed.] and endless whispering about who qualifies as a her- all established with the new residents in mind
etic. Beyond the above, Rabbi Meir should also address how
extreme elements in the Charedi world hinder reconciliation.
As this exclusive yishuv begins to fill up,
A fuller treatment would note distinctions between Israeli don’t miss your chance at this opportunity
and American Charedim but that will wait for another forum.
The Charedi world has many fine institutions, people, and of a lifetime to reside overseeing the
qualities and we have what to learn from them. However, it breathtaking rolling hills and valleys of
also has deep flaws and highly objectionable attitudes and Emek HaEla
positions. The admirable desire for greater unity should not
influence us to deny differences or prevent our standing up
for our dearest values.

Rabbi Yitzchak Blau Eden
Alon Shvut, Israel All the beauty of Israel, all the luxury you deserve. Hills

From the Editors:
Though we appreciate and may agree with many of Rabbi Blau’s
insightful comments, our goal in the Tisha B’Av edition was to find
ways to overcome the divisiveness that too often characterizes the
relationship between the two communities.
The prophet Zechariah (8:19) directs us to “love truth and peace”, but
he does not tell us how to balance them. “Where there is justice, there
is no peace, and where there is peace, there is no justice” (Sanhedrin
6b). Though we have our own strongly-held beliefs, peace requires
emphasizing the points on which we agree instead of our deep and
substantive differences.
As Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook once wrote: “The holy
work of paving a path and building bridges across the chasms that
separate us – this is the work that I wish would be as beloved to
all those who are immersed in the soul of Torah as it is to me… My
current priority is to write letters of friendship, more so than debating +972-50-77-222-94
our differences.” (Igrot HaRa’ayah #266) rivka@sternhartz.com
www.sternhartz.com
REAL ESTATE PROJECT MANAGEMENT