Page 17 - HaMizrachi Tisha B'av 5782 USA

Sha'arei Shmuos Beit Midrash (PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS) Midreshet Lindenbaum Beit Midrash (PHOTO: MEIR ZAROVSKY)
it seems to me that the complete exclusion of the Religious Zionism at arm’s length. It is certainly possible that benefits
Zionist beit midrash from the Charedi world, as though Reli- and flaws are inseparable, whether in their batei midrash or
gious Zionists were tzedukim, is a mistaken policy. Charedim in ours. Yet, we should learn to distinguish between them,
should learn to distinguish between rabbis and between a critically assessing what is right and beneficial to import,
society’s subgroups – just as the Charedi world asks non- and what price is appropriate to pay in doing so.
Charedim to do concerning its own sectors and leading
figures. Even if maintaining distinct educational systems Advantages of the “other beit midrash”
and batei midrash remains legitimate, there is no reason to Choice and love of G-d: The Religious Zionist community does
refrain from being acquainted with the rich Torah literature not assume its youth will automatically be receptive to
that Religious Zionism has produced. Moreover, though their community’s aspirations, and so Religious Zionist
Charedim often pretend otherwise, the dangers of liberal- education tries to provide students with internal motivation
ism are present even within the Charedi camp. Rejecting to remain religious. Religious Zionist education focuses on
the Religious Zionist world wholesale does not protect us love far more than on fear. At the Carlebach minyan I attend
from it, and on the contrary, we have much to learn from on Friday night, I see Religious Zionist young men praying
Religious Zionists who have strengthened themselves reli- with remarkable energy, a countenance of devotion to G-d
giously despite exposure to elements of liberal culture and on their faces. Charedi prayer, by contrast, can be cold and
ideology. fearsome – in particular in its Litvish incarnations. For
It seems to me that despite the differences, both com- those who take to the Charedi style, it may work well; but
munities would benefit from a cross-pollination of batei there is little available for those who would benefit from a
midrash along the lines of Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel. more spiritually animated touch. Teaching children to serve
Our differences should not be ignored, but neither should Hashem because they want to rather than (just) because
they be exaggerated. Dialogue, not cold shoulders, is the they have to is a Religious Zionism strength the Charedi
response to our decreasing but ongoing estrangement. We world would do well to replicate.
share many aims and goals while disagreeing about strategy The Religious Zionist approach is not without its dangers.
and execution. Institutional unification at the moment is Fear of Heaven is an absolute virtue and mitzvah obser-
neither possible nor desirable, but mutual understanding vance is an absolute duty. Basing religiosity on personal
may be within our grasp. The convergence produced by desire could lead to a waning of religiosity when that desire
circumstances outside our control should now be advanced diminishes. But fear of Heaven can wane too. I myself try
through conscious efforts. to combine the two approaches in my own life and in the
In fairness, our communities do not bear equal blame for lives of my students.
the lack of dialogue. Serious Religious Zionists have never The focus on a personal connection with G-d has produced
denied that they have much to learn from Charedim. They a serious study of emunah in the Religious Zionist sector.
admire our resistance to secularism, and many Religious Tanach, aggadah, Talmudic philosophy, and the important
Zionist rabbis have studied in Charedi institutions. To one texts of Jewish thought supplement lectures in hashkafah
degree or another, the Religious Zionist community knows from the heads of Religious Zionist yeshivot. The aim is to
it can benefit from engaging with us; when the two groups know and understand Judaism from within itself, in the
of yeshivah students held their joint panel, no objections spirit of the vision of Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch, who
were voiced from the Religious Zionist side of the fence. promoted a “self-aware Judaism”.
It is time for Charedim to recognize that the same is true in One of the serious problems in Charedi yeshivah education
the other direction. The benefits of dialogue may strike the today is students’ lack of familiarity with the philosophical
Charedi reader as Pyrrhic; some may seem to derive from foundations of Judaism, which can breed misunderstanding
the very flaws that caused Charedi society to keep Religious of why we learn Torah in the first place. Following the

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