An emergency meeting for the principals of Talmudei Torah
defined as "exempt institutions" (mosdos petur --
chadorim) was held motzei Shabbos parshas Vayeiro
at the home of HaRav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz to discuss the
recent enticements and pressure exerted on talmudei
Torah as part of attempts to limit the independence of
schools educating tinokos shel beis rabbon in holy
purity.
The pressure is designed to persuade the talmudei
Torah to change their current status to "recognized but
unofficial," which would allow the government to interfere
with curriculum and to subjugate them to the Education
Ministry. The Education Ministry has also proposed sending
melamdim to various advanced training courses
(hishtalmut) and to have their salary levels set in
accordance with the courses they take.
Led by Maran HaRav Eliashiv, shlita, maranan verabonon
warned against the inherent danger and encouraged the
talmudei Torah principals not to capitulate or succumb
to temptation at all.
The decision to make talmudei Torah "exempt
institutions" was made decades ago based on a directive by
gedolei Yisroel and that directive has been upheld by
today's gedolei Yisroel ylct"a as a fundamental
principle. Participation by melamdim in advanced study
courses of any kind is viewed as a serious abrogation, since
training for educators of tinokos shel beis rabbon
must be done through Torah and yir'oh in accordance
with our longstanding tradition.
At its last meeting Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah also issued a
directive not to consent to any changes through government
intervention and that talmudei Torah must retain their
"exempt" status.
Talmud Torah principals pledged to stand fast despite the
financial strain they face, and not to agree to any changes
in the status of their institutions or the way the studies
are run. Nevertheless they spoke of the financial pressure
they are under after the Education Ministry's cruel budget
cuts over the last several months further reduced the meager
amounts they were accustomed to receive.
Dozens of principals from chareidi areas around the country
gathered at HaRav Lefkowitz' home for the emergency meeting
during which it was announced that a special fund for
talmudei Torah is being set up with the help of
generous contributors who have promised to lend a hand.
Maran HaRav Eliashiv sent a letter calling on the principals
to stand firm and asking potential benefactors to help the
talmudei Torah maintain their education system
unchanged. HaRav Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman, HaRav Moshe
Shmuel Shapira and HaRav Shmuel Halevy Wosner, shlita,
also signed the letter and wrote brief additions.
HaRav Shmuel Auerbach dispatched a separate letter calling on
the principals not to submit to enticements, referring to
them as the forces of Amolek and calling on the generous-
hearted to support these Torah institutions.
The meeting was begun by HaRav Meir Kessler, the rov of
Kiryat Sefer, who spoke about the great danger inherent in
the Education Ministry's plans to introduce secular studies
and Ministry oversight, saying that the Ministry has already
made an incursion by slashing the talmud Torah
budget.
"We have gathered together here this evening with the
blessings of maranan verabonon gedolei Yisroel shlita,
who sent letters of blessing and support for this important
gathering held in the home of HaGaon R' Michel Yehuda
Lefkowitz shlita," he said. After reading the letters
he recounted the war waged by HaRav Yisroel Salanter and
HaRav Yitzchok Elchonon against attempts by the Russian
government to force the melamdim to take tests. Forty
thousand melamdim withstood this nisoyon
despite heavy fines. They displayed such mesirus
nefesh because they understood their work was a holy
task, said HaRav Kessler.
"The talmud Torah principals must be aware that they
are the parents' shlichim for the education of their
children. If they have the ability to carry out their
education, fine. But if not they must return the obligation
to the parents," continued HaRav Kessler, noting HaRav
Abramsky's letter on this matter. In conclusion he cited the
directives issued by HaRav Shach and HaRav Yaakov Kanievsky
to several educational institutions--including talmudei
Torah Tashbar and Kamenitz--not to accept State funds.
"We must realize that educational institutions and
talmudei Torah can be maintained even if the State
funding is cut off, choliloh. Therefore the principals
must stand firm in carrying out the instructions of
maranan verabonon in the face of attempts by the
Education Ministry to turn the `exempt' institutions into
`recognized but unofficial' institutions. We must object to
advanced study courses and not allow the [Education Ministry]
any foothold, not regarding study hours and not regarding
curriculum."
Rav Avrohom Maklev spoke about the grave danger hovering over
Torah education. We must withstand these difficult tests and
"mi shemekayem es haTorah mei'oni sofo lekayemo
mei'osher." We must raise up prayers to Hakodosh
Boruch Hu to allow us to face the nisyonos and to
annul the difficult decrees.
HaRav Lefkowitz also addressed the principals, focusing on
the current obligation to oppose Education Ministry attempts
to interfere with curriculum. He opened by saying the
gathering was lesheim Shomayim and was grounded in the
words of the Nevi'im. "In Mal'achi, HaKodosh Boruch Hu
demands, `Return to Me and I will return to you' (2:7). Later
the verse reads, `Your words have been strong against me,
says Hashem' (3:13). Am Yisroel spoke harsh words saying,
`You said, "It is vain to serve Hashem and what profit is it
that we have kept his charge...?"' (3:14).
"Later it reads, `Then they who fear Hashem spoke to one
another and Hashem hearkened and heard it . . . ' (3:16). In
a case such as ours we need the `Then they who fear Hashem .
. . ' We have an obligation to gather and talk, and this is
rotzon Hashem.
"The evildoers in the government are uninterested in any
reckoning. Soldiers are getting killed and they concern
themselves only with calculating how to uproot the Torah from
Klal Yisroel and there is a need for `Then those who
fear Hashem . . . ' for their deeds can influence and cool us
as well. We must seek strategies for how to stand up to them
and then the verse, `And Hashem hearkened and heard it' will
come to fruition in us. If we gather together as `Then those
who fear Hashem,' then HaKodosh Boruch Hu hears and
writes in `the book of remembrance written before Him.' This
is a gathering for the sake of sheim Shomayim and it
has the potential to offer us great benefit.
"Klal Yisroel's existence is based on education as a
foundation. When the children are taught by the Torah and
keeping the mitzvas and good middos they are being
taught how to conduct themselves in life, for the holy Torah
is the only Toras chaim and ahavas chessed, and
this is what they want to uproot through calculations and
schemes. They say they want nothing, just to bring in an
overseer and a principal of their own. Not all of the
principals can comprehend this is a small opening that can
later bring in a large thief who will destroy all. And this
is what the Education Ministry wants--to uproot education . .
.
"Talmud Torah principals must strengthen themselves in order
not to surrender to what the Education Ministry is demanding
of us and it is forbidden to be educated in the programs they
want, and it is forbidden to give in to the demands to sign
onto these grave plans, and one should not cooperate with
them, for this is an opening to put education into their
hands. Every principal must know that if he transgresses this
he will be guilty of bringing destruction on education, and
this includes both overt and surreptitious acts. In Chutz
La'aretz benefactors realize the need to set up a fund to
maintain the chadorim, and those who have submitted to
them should reverse themselves.
"The end of sefer Doniel says at the end of Golus
there will be a state of confused thinking. The situation
will be so obscure that people won't know what they want and
will not realize what danger they are in. And only the
`enlightened will understand.' The Rambam writes in
Iggeres Teiman that even the enlightened will
encounter new trials, that even the enlightened who
understood the trials of the past will not understand the new
trials.
Avrohom Ovinu faced ten tests and met them. These tests are
an inheritance from the Ovos and we must meet all tests, for
the test of Akeidas Yitzchok instilled mesirus nefesh
in Klal Yisroel and in our souls. This is the
education we received from one generation to the next -- not
to alter even kutzo shel yud. And if we stand with
mesirus nefesh, HaKodosh Boruch Hu will help us. The
wealthy in Chutz Laaretz and in Eretz Hakodesh will join the
call to take part in funds to help the talmudei Torah,
to allow them to survive. We pray to HaKodosh Boruch
Hu that He help us meet the tests He gave the principals,
[that he will give them] the health and broad-mindedness to
meet the tests, both those that are open and those that are
hidden, and that we merit the complete Redemption."
At the conclusion of HaRav Lefkowitz' speech HaRav Chaim
Kanievsky blessed the principals of the talmudei Torah
and chadorim with the strength to withstand the tests
and wished the benefactors brochoh and
hatzlochoh.
At the end of the gathering Rabbi Avrohom Maklev, based on
the opinion of HaRav Lefkowitz, announced that in the coming
days gedolei Yisroel would select representatives to
head the fund intended to assist the talmudei Torah
and with a tefilloh for the annulment of the Education
Ministry decrees the gathering dispersed.
