Yated Ne'eman's exposure of the corrupt attempt to establish a so-called `yeshiva gedolah' which combines Torah study with a secular academic curriculum calling itself a Yeshiva University sent shock waves throughout the ranks of Torah true Jewry. This institution is not geared to those who were unsuccessful in the yeshiva world and for weak students who have not found their place, but on the contrary, for the cream of the top, established yeshivos, offering limudei kodesh in the morning and secular/academic subjects in the afternoon.
This dangerous initiative reared itself in the past when, forty years ago, the Steipler and HaRav Shach accused such a plan as being "an ax wielded against the Torah world." At first, this project was thought to emanate from the shatnez-hybrid camp with its nefarious world views which is always seeking ways to entrap unwary yeshiva students into programs with secular studies, but it was quickly revealed that behind this attempt is a major plan to create a new public within the chareidi ranks, a modern orthodox sector and offshoot of the pure chareidi yeshiva community.
The discredited people behind this have openly and brazenly declared that this is a realization of a vision and aspiration: "We are not tailoring to dropouts! We will enroll students from well-known yeshivos. This year, there was no one to talk to. That's the way things are now. But our vision is to create a model similar to Ner Yisrael of Baltimore. We are looking to the future even though this may smack of novel connotations. But let us be specific: Yeshiva University, they will study Torah subjects half a day with definite goals leading to exams for the rabbinate... while the afternoon hours will be devoted to academic subjects and advanced professional training. This is our vision. We have already begun implementing it even though this year we have to tread water but I call it the bell effect which will swing upward with time..."
Our own roshei yeshivos who heard about this dangerous initiative examined the series of activities being engaged in by the reprehensible people behind it and revealed worrying facts showing that they have already held joint meetings to discuss the future of such a stream of education for the gifted, rather than for marginal youths. They wish to create a new model of student rather than provide a solution for the weaker segment, a new ideology, a new stream within the chareidi community.
The Rosh Yeshiva Maran HaRav Shteinman shlita wrote:
"To our Jewish brethren. It is known that even though Klal Yisroel was in exile for so many years, it did not assimilate with the indigenous people, because they observed the Torah which we have received on Sinai. This includes the fact that they sacrificed to study and fulfill Torah, because without learning Torah there is no persistence. In places where the study of Torah was weakened, they were not able to stand fast and they assimilated Rachmono litzlan. The study of Torah is preserved until this very day in the holy yeshivas and the chadorim and all the places in which they study only Torah. They are the cornerstone of the preservation of the character of Klal Yisroel. This refers only to the yeshivas in which they learn exclusively the holy Torah.
"Those who think they will bring salvation by establishing places in which they will study other subjects, so that they do not go to worse places to study, the end is that the youth leaves the study of Torah since they think that from the other studies they will have a profession which will bring in a respectable income, and they forget that this destroys the purpose of Klal Yisroel, as the posuk says, "They have left Me in order to hew broken cisterns ." Under no circumstances no study places should be established except places that learn only Torah without any other studies.
"We were pained to learn that some want to set up institutions for advanced secular learning. This is a stumbling stone that distances the heart of youth from yiras Shomayim. Every one is commanded to stand against this and not to help in any way to change what our forefathers sacrificed themselves over the generations. To those who heed my words it will be pleasant and they will merit all good things in ruchniyus and gashmiyus and they will be blessed with the blessing, `Blessed is he who supports this Torah.' "
In a letter written on 25 Teves 5758 Maran the Rosh Yeshiva shlita wrote, "It is known that the holy yeshivas in which they study only Torah and yiras Shomayim without admixing and secular studies, they and only they continue the tradition of our fathers handed down over the generations. All those who mixed in secular with holy were not successful and did not achieve either Torah or yiras Shomayim, and among their products are those who destroy the vinyard of Israel. This is true for the individual and for the community. Every youth who in his youth was not educated exclusively on holy foundations, his character and his yiras Shomayim is lacking. It is not proper to discuss this at length because it is known to all in our people of the great loss suffered by anyone who budges from the path of our fathers."
