Strong protests have been voiced and unequivocal dissociation
has been expressed in all chareidi circles, from initiatives
to hold "dialogues" and to identify "common values" that
chareidim and secular Israelis share. All chareidi groups
have
likewise distanced themselves from a recently publicized
"Joint Covenant," that is totally opposed to our community's
outlook. Speaking about the dialogues, HaRav Eliashiv said,
"There is nothing to be gained from dialogue, while the
negative influences are certain -- people should not
participate in such meetings."
Over the last year, a number of secular and National-
Religious groups, particularly an organization calling itself
Tzav Piyus (Conciliation Order [a play on the better
known term, Tzav Giyus (Conscription Order)], have
been
arranging meetings between chareidi and secular women and
between chareidi and secular men, to which they have been
especially trying to attract chareidim with social influence,
such as educators and those involved in the written and
spoken media. The attempts were made in the name of
"dialogue" and "communication", although they really
represent an attempt to violate the chareidi community's
unique character, to remove the barriers that separate those
who fear Heaven from those who throw off the yoke of Torah's
authority, and to undermine the principle of separation that
the gedolim of the past generation set down as being
of
crucial importance to the chareidi community's ability to
survive, unaffected by outside, alien influences.
Rabbonim and communal activists made it clear that such
initiatives are firmly opposed by daas Torah. The
gedolim have expressed their opposition to these
ideas,
which attempt to introduce the false notion that there can be
mingling between the upholders of Torah and those who profane
it, as though it were a question of there being two equally
valid sides in a dispute, who can still find "common ground"
between them by holding meetings that have an extremely
deleterious effect upon those who participate in them.
HaRav Eliashiv expressed his displeasure at the recent
initiatives and said, "Dialogue has no purpose and the damage
it does is certainly greater. We will not influence the
secularists to change their ways in this manner, while simply
hearing their views, and the way they talk, influences us
negatively. Even if there were some remote possibility of
having some positive impact on them, since the damage is
clear and the negative influence is certain, people should
not take part in such meetings."
There is also a letter from HaRav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz,
which is also signed by HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman, and a
letter from HaRav Shmuel Auerbach, on the subject.
Publicizing the views of the gedolim will hopefully
bring an end to the meetings between chareidim and
secularists, since those who organized them have up to now
misled innocent people into thinking that they had the
backing of rabbonim for their initiatives.
Another item concerning the search for "common ground" that
has recently been in the news, is the publication of a "Joint
Covenant," that was issued by a group calling itself The
Forum For National Responsibility, whose members hail from
right across Israel's political and social spectrum, secular
and religious Jews, and left and right wingers, among them
anti-religious figures, as well as the leader of the Reform
Movement in Israel. No Arabs are on the Forum, since it only
purports to represent "Zionist Jews."
Both the efforts at dialogue and the so-called Covenant
between secular and religious appear to be backed by the
Avichai Foundation, founded originally by Sanford (Zalman)
Bernstein z"l, founder of the large Wall Street firm
that bears his name who later became a baal teshuvoh
associated with the modern Orthodox community in the United
States. Mr. Bernstein left a significant portion of his huge
fortune to this foundation.
Newspapers carried reports of the group's major initiative, a
"Covenant" between all the citizens of the State of Israel,
rightists and leftists, religious and irreligious. The
document is entitled The Kinneret Covenant, to
commemorate its having been put together in talks that were
held five months ago in a hotel in Tiveria.
The reports say that the covenant "is supposed to represent
fresh, firm and solid common ground for Jews in Israel; a
resounding answer to the eternal question, `What are we doing
here? What vision do all of us share?' emphasizing what
unites us and what is common to all of us, to refresh and
rejuvenate the foundation for our renewed presence here as a
single nation." The planners hope that their covenant will be
"just the first step on a great and lengthy path, that will
sweep the entire population along, on the way to attaining
social cohesion, stressing unifying factors and playing down
divisions and factionalism."
The Covenant is a declaration of ideological principles that
claims, amongst other things that the Jewish people's
devotion to its heritage and its Torah are the factors that
"gave rise to Zionism." It also declares that the State's
"Jewish character" finds expression in "its Hebrew language"
as well as "in its symbols and its anthem," and in an
educational system that inculcates a range of subjects like
"general education and pan-human values, loyalty to the State
and love of the land and its scenery," along with other
topics. At the end of the list, mention is made of the link
"with Israel's heritage and with the Book of Books."
Unfortunately, the entire document is written in the
heretical spirit of "with my strength and the might of my
hand," that typified the State's founders and their present
day heirs.
According to reports in the newspapers, the religious camp
made "a colossal concession" in agreeing that the covenant
should contain no mention of faith, or of Heaven's Name --
this in response to the secular camp's strong opposition.
Moreover, the secular participants demanded recognition of
their "spiritual" contribution and the covenant accordingly
contains a paragraph stating that, "We, irreligious,
traditional and religious [Jews], acknowledge each other's
contributions to the Jewish nation's physical and spiritual
existence."
Throughout, the covenant stresses nationalistic ideas and
humanistic principles, and secular pluralism and democracy,
couched in the kind of problematic phrasing -- such as, "full
equality of rights, without any differentiation on the basis
of religion," and "freedom of religion and conscience" --
that serves as ammunition in the hands of liberal-secular
groups and high court judges in their incessant attempts to
impose an atmosphere of secular spiritual abandon on the
Jewish people in Israel.
Following the covenant's publication, the chareidi community
declared clearly that it does not view itself as a partner to
the understandings expressed therein.
Rabbonim and chareidi activists said that our community
strongly opposes the Zionist and National ideal in any shape
or form and that it cannot find any "common tongue" with
groups that represent irreligious and heretical outlooks, due
to our belief that it is precisely the uprooting of Torah and
the profanation of all that is holy that puts us in both
physical and spiritual danger. There should be no illusions
about building "bridges" and finding "common ground" between
outlooks that are diametrically opposed and can never meet.
The very attempt to hold discussions are eloquent testimony
to the lack of minimal understanding on the part of the
secular groups who initiated the idea, of the vast chasm,
that cannot be bridged, dividing Jews who fear Heaven from
those who abandon Torah's yoke.
Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz
Zichron Meir
Bnei Brak
BS'D, the twenty-sixth of Teves 5762
One of the foundations of observing Torah and mitzvos is the
extreme caution that the Jew is obligated to exercise to keep
clear of anything forbidden. While this applies in every area
of Torah and mitzvos, it is especially important regarding
mitzvos of the heart, in ideology and outlook, concerning
which Chazal said, " `And you shall not stray after your
hearts...' (Bamidbor 15, 39) this refers to heresy"
(Brochos 12) , and "Heresy is different [i.e. more
dangerous] because of its attraction" (Avodoh Zora 27)
and in respect to which one must maintain superior and very,
very great distance and vigilance, keeping far away and
making sure that one doesn't hear any ideas or views that are
alien to the mitzvos of the holy Torah, whatsoever.
Everything of this nature that one hears has a definite
influence upon one's heart, sullying the purity of one's
soul, even though a person may not feel it. The damage is
tremendous and it cannot be undone. Nobody can say that he is
assured of immunity and that it won't harm him.
We have heard that there are some who have lately been
arranging meetings between chareidi women and teachers and
secular women and teachers, so that they can exchange views,
with the aim of fostering closeness and conciliation. The
organizers speak in the virtuous name of peace and
coexistence, saying that they wish to increase brotherly love
among the nation's various factions. There are some chareidi
teachers who have stumbled and have taken part in such
meetings, thinking that they may succeed in drawing others
closer and in having a beneficial influence, however, this is
opposed to daas Torah. As long as there is even a
slight possibility that they may have to hear, to discuss and
to argue with them about their views and how they live, it is
absolutely forbidden, especially since the secular
participants have no intention of drawing closer to Torah and
mitzvah observance.
The truth is that all this is part of the yetzer
hora's
ploy, so as to influence us negatively. There are no grounds
whatsoever to permit taking part in such meetings. The way to
draw our errant brothers closer is to come and learn with
them, to point out the path of Torah and mitzvos to them and
to show them the light contained therein, that will lead them
back to the path of good.
Today we are witness to the blessed influence of all who
engage in outreach in this way but [one must] not chas
vesholom exchange opinions and the like. Plainly, anyone
who takes part in such meetings is influenced negatively and
this in turn has an effect on the upbringing of their own
family. Women and teachers who participate in these meetings
are risking their domestic harmony and their children's
education and are not fit to educate Jewish daughters.
Torah can only be upheld in our times if we separate
ourselves completely from the population at large, who follow
the dictates of their hearts, and keep completely away from
their talk and conversation, esconsing ourselves within the
Torah strongholds and the yeshivos, fortifying ourselves in
Torah and fear of Heaven. Therefore, whoever is able, must do
whatever he can in order to cancel this phenomenon, which is
a grave and serious breach.
. . . Who writes on behalf of the holiness of Yisroel,
Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz
I also affirm these truthful words,
Aharon Yehudah Leib Shteinman
The Foolishness Of Those Who Are Enticed To Supposedly Find A
Common Language With Those Who Dwell In Darkness
By HaRav Shmuel Auerbach
HaRav Shmuel Auerbach, rosh yeshiva of Maalos Hatorah,
addressed a gathering of avreichim last week and
warned
against the ideas of conciliation and dialogue. Here are his
remarks, which were prepared from the notes of one of the
listeners, and reviewed by the Rosh Yeshiva.
In his introduction to the book of Shemos, which we
have recently started reading, the Ramban explains that while
the book of Bereishis deals with the creation, and
tells us about all the deeds of the ovos, which were a
type of creation for [later events that would befall] their
descendants, the book of Shemos comes to tell us about
the first exile and the redemption from it.
The Ramban explains that the exile did not end until "they
returned to the level of their forefathers" and therefore,
when we left Egypt, even though we were leaving the place
where we had been enslaved, we were still classed as exiles.
It was only when we came to Har Sinai and erected the
Mishkon, whereupon Hashem brought His presence to rest
upon the nation, that they returned to their ancestors'
level.
The departure from "the iron crucible" (Devorim 4, 20)
of Egypt represented the birth of Klal Yisroel and
brought us a large measure of perpetual freedom, without
"still remaining the servants of Achashverosh"
(Megilloh 14). However, this everlasting freedom
depends upon us and on [how we use] our free will, in the
same way as the Egyptian exile itself depended to a large
extent upon our free will.
In the past we have mentioned the Vilna Gaon's comment that
the inner comprehension of the redemption from Egypt hinges
upon Yaakov Ovinu's not having chosen to settle there,
despite all the advantages it would afford him, with his son
the king etc. He only went down to Egypt under Divine
compulsion and he [therefore] lived there in perpetual
freedom. This was the inner preparation of the entire
nation's redemption from Egypt.
Neither did the tribe of Levi choose this exile, even while
they lived in Egypt, even when it seemed that they stood to
benefit from drawing closer to the Egyptians -- and they
remained free men [even] in Egypt. Just as there is a bone in
the body that remains alive [after the body expires] and
there is also the concept of havlo degarmei, a
vitality
within the bones, that is a preparation for techiyas
hameisim, the members of sheivet Levi also
constituted the living spirit within Klal Yisroel that
was the inner preparation for the entire nation's
redemption.
How important it is for us to contemplate this "perpetual
freedom," which affects us and which obligates us at every
moment. This is the purpose of remembering the departure from
Egypt each day and night. We always have the free will to
choose to merit living a life of perpetual freedom, to the
extent that we ally ourselves with the tribe of Levi -- the
Rambam's words, "and not only the tribe of Levi, but
anyone..." (end of Hilchos Shemittah Veyovel) are well
known.
In actual fact, all the various spiritual attainments belong
to the entire nation, even those which were concentrated in a
particular group, which the tribe of Levi, or others,
merited. The actual attainments themselves are common
property, as the Chovos Halevovos writes, that the
extra mitzvos that were given to the cohanim are
really
for anyone who receives any benefit or station from Hashem
yisborach, whether material or spiritual. Gratitude
obligates such a person to accept additional mitzvos upon
himself. The main virtue of such added mitzvos is the
enhancement of one's service of Hashem, with greater power
and resolve, with a willing heart and with joy.
How foolish are those who allow themselves to be enticed by
those who pursue them into approaching, joining and becoming
conciliated R'l, with those who are [wallowing] in the
darkness of exile. Abandoning or weakening one's
identification with the unique qualities of sheivet
Levi
-- "and not only sheivet Levi . . . " -- represents a
departure chas vesholom from perpetual freedom. We are
dutybound to protect ourselves and to flee far away and to
warn those in positions of authority about those under them.
[It is true that] a little bit of light dispels a lot of
darkness, even a little, but only if it is pure light and not
the sort that is "light and darkness working together." It
can
only be done by strengthening the power of the light.
We are commanded to distance ourselves from every shadow of
alien influence and closeness. We must remember what Amolek
did to us, [that they] "cooled you off" (Devorim 25,
18) etc. Moving nearer and trying to find some supposed
"common language" between those who fear Hashem, who "hate
evil," and others who dwell in the darkness, may Hashem
protect us, represents the beginning of this cooling off,
whose final results are unforeseeable -- may Hashem save
us.
It is incumbent upon us to strengthen ourselves with the
force of holy power, for all that remains to us is this holy
Torah that is our heritage and to distance ourselves from all
foreign influences that do not originate within the vineyard
of Yisroel. In this merit, may Hashem grant the fulfillment
of, "And all the land will be filled the knowledge of Hashem"
(Yeshaya 11, 9) and may Hashem's glory be revealed
swiftly, omein.
