How is it, Rabbi Gafni, that all the antagonistic elements in society have suddenly ganged up on the Torah world?
This trend has been gaining momentum for the past year and a half. The policy makers of the secular public have suddenly noted the rate of population growth in the chareidi sector with great alarm, both from the increases in the ranks of baalei teshuva and elements in the religious public leaning increasingly to the right and even the large numbers of secular citizens sending their children to Torah schools. Like Pharaoh, they fear we will outnumber them. They are able to exactly pinpoint the crux of the `problem': gedolei Yisrael, Torah scholars and students. Their solution is to control the `damages'.
How do they operate?
They work on two fronts: "From my brother" and "from Eisav." Primarily, they work on blasting the chareidim and smearing their image, especially with the traditional public. They have created a whole set of lies, blaming us for all of society's ills by accusing us of racial discrimination, denying women's rights and whatever else their imagination can conjure up, week by week, until the furor dies down.
But each time, the propaganda leaves its mark and causes damage.
True, and that's the problem. Even though these are gross lies, they put us in a terrible light. They accuse us of racial prejudice. They say we have racial prejudice but what can they say for themselves? Let's examine the elitist Supreme Court. It didn't have a Sephardic judge until a tumult was raised, whereupon they appointed one just to quiet things down. The academic faculty of Tel Aviv University is made up of 93% Ashkenazim, with a 91% average in other universities. And they dare to accuse us of ethnic favoritism? By us, half of the roshei yeshiva, which is our elite, are Sephardim.
Take the uproar around feminine equality, an issue which died down quickly enough. Can you compare how we respect this segment and how they treat it? By us, a husband is expected to "care for her as himself and respect her more than himself." We cannot begin to go into the detailed differences between the two societies. It's all a big lie, a libel, with premeditated intent and purpose. This is only one arm of the battle being waged against us.
The war against the Torah public is much more significant and the incitement is more dangerous. To highlight how absurd it all is, let us glimpse at a column by Salman Matzalha, an Arab writer for Ha'aretz: "Living on someone else's generosity is not a new phenomenon here; they used to called it `chaluka.' A certain segment of the population, growing by leaps and bounds, is being supported by the working public." How ironic? Is there no limit?
This is the real part of the contention. Torah students? Someone devoid of emunah will never understand. Someone without eyes in his head will repeatedly ask: Of what benefit are the rabbanim? A spiritually blind person cannot fathom that the world, as well as Jewry, cannot exist without Torah. There is no other explanation for the incredible, supernatural phenomenon of Jewish survival, of a sheep among seventy wolves. But go explain it to a spiritually blind person!
You spoke about the front of "the hands of Eisav." What about their tactic of "my brother"?
We hear the many voice of those who claim to be concerned about our welfare. They don't want us to live in poverty, to lack jobs, to lack a secular education. But here, too, you see the hand of Eisav in making every effort to choke and stifle us, to tie our hands with their demands for academic degrees, without which all doors are closed. They want to force us out of the beis medrash and tailor us in their image. Their smooth talk promises that we need not change our lifestyle in our attempt to adapt ourselves to their demands, while the less clever ones cannot conceal their goal and come out frankly: "Be like us." I hear this very clearly in the Knesset and the media.
And both of their motives are identical?
For sure. They are both right, for the moment that we join and integrate ourselves into their society, we will necessarily change, sooner or later. It is inevitable. That's why I pray, "Rescue me from my brother, from Eisav, for I fear him lest he come and smite me, mother and child." Very literally.
