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NEWS
Gedolim Oppose Attempts to Introduce Secular Studies into
Chareidi Yeshiva High Schools
by Yated Ne'eman Staff
Upon the instructions of the gedolei Torah, Yated
Ne'eman is publishing some of the letters that were
issued in past years by the Torah leaders zt'l and
ylct'a, opposing yeshiva-high-school-type institutions
and related initiatives to provide our youth with secular
studies.
Torah leaders of the past decades repeatedly raised the issue
of preserving the traditional forms for Torah's transmission
and for yeshivos, warning against allowing any breaching
thereof and voicing their strong opposition to attempts to
open any alternative educational frameworks. The
gedolim always stressed that youngsters should see
themselves spending the years of their childhood and youth
solely within yeshivos kedoshos, amassing Torah
knowledge in purity, with no extraneous additions.
Recently, attempts to open more institutions of this sort and
to broaden and enlarge the existing ones -- to which the
rabbonim voiced their strong opposition at their inception --
have come to light. Over the past months, there has been
activity within talmudei Torah, within Chinuch Atzmai
schools and within other chareidi educational institutions,
to try to influence students and their families to take this
unwholesome path. New options are being offered of various
combinations of Torah and secular studies, in preparation for
obtaining a Bagrut certificate.
Some institutions also advertised in the chareidi centers and
in certain religious periodicals. They circulated flyers that
present them as Torah or yeshiva-type institutions that aim
to prepare their students for entry into yeshivos
gedolos, while "graduating in general studies" at the
same time. Several such institutions declare that they
particularly mean to address parents of fine students who
desire to learn but "for whom uninterrupted Torah study is
beyond their capabilities."
It should be noted that these are the methods employed by
both new institutions that seek to open, and also by existing
ones. They work among families whose children study in all
the various streams of chareidi education.
News of the latest initiatives was met by the trenchant
opposition of the contemporary Torah leaders, who called for
every effort to be made to bring a halt to this activity and
to block all attempts to broaden the programs that adulterate
Torah learning with secular studies.
Some of these institutions actually call themselves "Chareidi
Yeshiva High Schools" (Yeshivot Tichoniyot Chareidiyot
as opposed to plain Yeshivot Tichoniyot, which in
Eretz Yisroel are all associated with the National Religious
camp). Others portray themselves as having a Torah or
chareidi ambience, or a yeshiva atmosphere, which is
particularly misleading and dangerous.
In one of his letters addressing this subject HaRav Shach
zt'l, mentions the need to ensure "that all of a
talmid's time is utilized solely for learning the holy
Torah. It is forbidden to give the talmid any
possibility of engaging in secular studies and how much more
so is it forbidden to open a yeshiva or Torah institution
under a different name, and to introduce any changes in the
program of study that we have received from our teachers
ztvk'l."
The Current Outcry
In view of the recent developments, the contemporary
gedolim -- led by HaRav Eliashiv -- instructed
Yated Ne'eman to publish the letters that were issued
in past years by the Torah leaders zt'l and
ylct'a, in which they expressed their staunch
opposition to all such new programs.
The protest of the gedolim and the letters'
publication in the paper's Hebrew edition last erev
Shabbos had some immediate effects. One individual, who
had planned to open such an institution in Tel Aviv, withdrew
last week after rabbonim and roshei yeshiva conveyed
to him HaRav Eliashiv's instructions that he was to cancel
the initiative immediately. Many of the parents who had been
preparing to send their sons there, expressed their
willingness to send them instead to yeshivos kedoshos
and efforts are underway to place these students in
institutions that will suit them.
There are however, other parties that have not heeded the
call of the rabbonim and who continue to work towards opening
improper institutions. Some of them are trying to hide their
plans, while others are going about them quite openly. One
recent attempt to open a Chareidi Yeshiva High School was
made in the grounds of the educational complex at Yad
Binyomin. The project had the official backing of one of the
political parties.
In 5721, the Tchebiner Rov, HaRav Y. Abramsky, HaRav E. Y.
Finkel, HaRav Y. Sarna and the Steipler, zt'l,
protested against, "people who are attempting to breach the
guidelines laid by geonim . . .of yesteryear and
introduce secular studies into yeshivos kedoshos."
They point out that this undermines the yeshivos' aim
of training G-d-fearing Torah scholars with superlative
character traits, of upright conduct, "without any admixture
of secular studies chas vesholom . . . It is quite
superfluous to expand on the severity of this matter, when
the opinions of earlier gedolei hador both in Eretz
Yisroel and abroad are so well known. They warned in the most
vehement terms against implanting alien grafts into the soil
of the holy yeshivos and against becoming ensnared in the net
of haskoloh, which consumes both body and soul."
The signatories convey a dire warning that, "this matter
contains within it the seeds of the destruction and
devastation of the remnant of our Torah in the holy Land".
They end their letter with a heartfelt plea to parents not
to, " . . . prefer the glitter of [a more comfortable]
temporal life, over the eternal light [that is the reward] of
a life dedicated to timeless values."
The False Equation
The subsequent twenty years saw further attempts to open such
institutions. In a number of his letters, HaRav Shach spoke
out strongly in opposition to these initiatives, calling for
every possible action to be taken against them. Responding to
this directive, Yated Ne'eman made a point of
publishing articles and essays denouncing the phenomenon and
encouraging parents not to be enticed by such institutions.
HaRav Shach declared unequivocally that during the youthful
years, there is no place whatsoever for secular studies and
therefore, neither should institutions be opened, "that
enable talmidim to study other disciplines at
home."
HaRav Shach writes of his profound shock upon hearing that an
institution with plans to combine Torah with secular studies
was about to open, "and they entice the students' parents by
telling them that by engaging in these studies, they will
have a more comfortable life. . . . It is obligatory to
realize that comfort and success in life come only from
Hakodosh Boruch Hu, who is the sole Source of blessing
and success, not from secular studies, chas
vesholom."
In another letter HaRav Shach writes, "It is imperative that
one amass ever more Torah knowledge and is strong, during the
years of youth, then, `even in old age, he will not veer from
it [i.e. Torah].' Everything is determined by what one
acquires in his youth and how much [of it] he holds onto.
Nothing about this prevents a talmid who has attained
maturity and has married, from being able to engage in
worldly pursuits in search of a livelihood, if he is one of
those who sole occupation is Torah."
Writing sadly about new initiatives like those that are being
launched at the present, HaRav Shach notes, "In fact, now is
the most auspicious time for opening yeshivos ketanos
and gedolos that are [dedicated to] untainted [Torah
study], without any admixture."
At the end of the letter he conveys the severity of the
matter with a fearsome warning that, "all who introduce
changes and who wreak damage and all those who abet them, are
in a weak position and will be called to account in the
future; their fate is stated [by the Torah] explicitly in
parshas Re'ei."
A Call from the Heart
Several years later, a call was issued by a number of
distinguished roshei yeshiva zt'l and ylct'a,
who were joined by HaRav Eliashiv. They wrote that, "[an
integral aspect of] the Torah that has been transmitted to us
from previous generations is that a point was always made of
teaching Torah in the yeshivos without the inclusion of any
other disciplines. Our teachers in every generation were
utterly devoted to this principle, not allowing any foreign
disciplines to take find their way into the Torah. This
principle is being continued in our generation too, boruch
Hashem, in the yeshivos hakedoshos, whose sole
vocation is Torah alone. They are continuing our teachers'
Torah tradition from generation to generation.
"Parents and teachers therefore have a holy obligation to
guide their children and students to yeshivos kedoshos
where Torah study is the sole occupation and not to send them
to institutions where secular studies have been added.
"Addressing you, precious youths, we say, `Do everything that
is in your power in order to merit the crown of Torah and
arouse yourselves to toil in it. Know, that the yeshivos
hakedoshos are the source of our vitality and within them
-- and only within them -- will the embers of the holy Torah,
which will be your strength and your light, be preserved.'
"
Rabbonim and Torah disseminators have expressed their hope
that the publication of these letters will lead to a
widespread arousal and will heighten the community's
awareness of the great dangers to which gedolei
Yisroel have been drawing attention for decades. They
urge whoever has any ability, to do everything possible to
prevent destructive elements from undermining the walls that
protect faithful Jewry by damaging the ongoing transmission
of Torah in purity.
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Teves 5721
We have heard rumors that there are people who are attempting
to breach the guidelines laid by geonim and
tzaddikim who supported the world of yesteryear and
introduce secular studies into yeshivos kedoshos.
"As is known, the aim of the yeshivos is to train great Torah
scholars, who possess abundant fear of Heaven, adorned with
fine character traits and of upright conduct and [all]
without any admixture of secular studies chas
vesholom."
Now, it is quite superfluous to expand on the severity of
this matter, when the opinions of earlier gedolei
hador both in Eretz Yisroel and abroad are so well known.
They warned in the most vehement terms against implanting
alien grafts into the soil of the holy yeshivos and against
becoming ensnared in the net of Haskoloh, which
consumes both body and soul. However, since recently there
are parties that have been enticed by the counsel of the
yetzer hora to introduce high school studies into
yeshivos, we are conveying a dire warning, in order to remove
obstacles from the path of Hashem's nation, and to make it
known that this matter contains within it the seeds of the
destruction and devastation of the remnant of our Torah in
the holy Land. Choliloh that anyone should be take the
step of introducing high school studies into the yeshivos.
"We call out loudly to you our brethren, bnei Yisroel,
the holy descendants of Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov, who
cherish divrei Torah: don't breach the wall of the
holy education that your children are receiving and do not
adjust the boundaries that have been set for us by the
angelic leaders of earlier times. Place your sons in yeshivos
that, with shackles of love, are perpetuating the tradition
of the yeshivos within Klal Yisroel, without any
veneer or embellishment. Don't prefer the glitter of [a more
comfortable] temporal life, over the eternal light [that is
the reward] of a life dedicated to timeless values.
"Those who hearken to our words will live in security and
will merit seeing the swift raising of our holy Torah's
prestige, with the arrival of the righteous redeemer,
bimheiroh beyomeinu, omein,
Signed, in the month of Teves, this year of 5721 . . . in our
holy city of Yerushalayim
Dov Berisch Weidenfeld, Yechezkel Abramsky, Eliezer Yehudah
Finkel, Yechezkel Sarna, Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky
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BS'D, Erev Shabbos Kodesh, 10th Iyar, 5744
To my precious friend . . .
I shall reply [only] briefly, due to the many demands on my
attention. The roshei hayeshivos of the yeshivos haketanos
and gedolos must certainly ensure that all of a
talmid's time is utilized solely for learning the holy
Torah. It is forbidden to give the talmid any
possibility of engaging in secular studies. How much more so
is it forbidden to open a yeshiva or Torah institution under
a different name, and to introduce any changes in the program
of study that we have received from our teachers ztvk'l,
in order to enable talmidim to study other disciplines at
home. It makes no difference whether the talmidim are
from Eretz Yisroel or from abroad, for it is imperative that
one amass ever more Torah knowledge and is strong, during the
years of youth, then, `even in old age, he will not veer from
it [i.e. Torah].'
Everything is determined by what one acquires in his youth
and how much [of it] he holds onto. Nothing about this
prevents a talmid who has attained maturity and has
married, from being able to engage in worldly pursuits in
search of a livelihood, if he is one of those who sole
occupation is not Torah."
From one who honors and respects you,
Elozor Menachem Man Shach
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BS'D, Yom Chamishi leseder Ki Siso, 5755
I was profoundly shocked by the evil tidings that I heard,
that people are about to make a breach and open an
institution for youngsters called . . . that will be ordered
differently from the yeshivos hakedoshos, adding and
mixing the holy and the profane, studying and being engaged
in secular and worthless studies R'l. They entice the
students' parents by telling them that by engaging in these
studies, they will have a more comfortable life. Naturally,
this later leads them to engage in more and more secular
studies. It is obligatory to realize that comfort and success
in life come only from Hakodosh Boruch Hu, who is the
sole Source of blessing and success, not from secular
studies, chas vesholom.
I hereby declare, choliloh, choliloh that one should
be a pupil at that place, where they alter the accepted
method of Torah transmission, that we have received from our
righteous teachers zy'a, who transmitted Torah from
generation to generation [in the way that] has been
instituted in the yeshivos kedoshos that are our
legacy. Chas vesholom that other studies be
incorporated in the yeshivos hakedoshos. All who
introduce changes and who wreak damage and all those who abet
them, are in a weak position and will be called to account in
the future; their fate is stated by the Torah explicitly in
parshas Re'ei.
In fact, now is the most auspicious time for opening
yeshivos ketanos and gedolos that are
[dedicated to] untainted [Torah study], without any
admixture.
from,
Elozor Menachem Man Shach
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BS"D, 15 Av 5748
Chazal tell us that divrei Torah need [constant]
strengthening. Our obligation to raise our children to Torah
is part and parcel of this rule.
[An integral aspect of] the Torah that has been transmitted
to us from previous generations is that a point was always
made of teaching Torah in the yeshivos without the inclusion
of any other disciplines. Our teachers in every generation
were utterly devoted to this principle, not allowing any
foreign disciplines to take find their way into the Torah.
This principle is being continued in our generation too,
boruch Hashem, in the yeshivos hakedoshos,
whose sole vocation is Torah alone. They are continuing our
teachers' Torah tradition from generation to generation.
Parents and teachers therefore have a holy obligation to
guide their children and students to yeshivos kedoshos
where Torah study is the sole occupation and not to send them
to institutions where secular studies have been added to the
study of Torah.
Addressing you, precious youths, we say, "Do everything that
is in your power in order to merit the crown of Torah and
arouse yourselves to toil in it. Know, that the yeshivos
hakedoshos are the source of our vitality and within them
-- and only within them -- will the embers of the holy Torah,
which will be your strength and your light, be preserved."
Signing in honor of the Torah and with blessing to those who
study it,
Meir Halevi Chodosh, Simcha Zissel Braude, Chaim Pinchos
Scheinberg, Shlomo Zalman Auerbach,Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, Ben-
Zion Abba Shaul,
'Blessed will be whoever perpetuates the teachings of this
lucid and accepted Torah'
Yochonon son of moreinu Moshe zt"l Sofer of
Erlau
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