If there is one thing that truly upsets me about the right wing it is their rabid antizionism. And I say that even though I am not really a Zionist or even a religious Zionist in the sense that it understood today. (In its purist form - all Jews are Zionists. Why that is the case, however, is beyond the scope of this post.)
This issue has come up here from time to time. One of the uglier of which was when I became aware of what one Gadol, R’ Yoel Teitelabum (the Satmar Rebbe) had said in print about another Gadol, R’ A.Y. HaKohen Kook who supported religious Zionism. Because of that R’ Teitelbaum described R’ Kook in terms reserved for one of the worst tyrants in Jewish history, Haman. (About which we will be reading in a few days.) He might as well have been comparing R’ Kook to Hitler since both he and Haman had the same goal: the physical annihilation of the Jewish people.
It should be noted that R’ Kook was considered the Gadol HaDor by someone who at the time was himself considered the Gadol HaDor, R’ Issar Zalman Meltzer – even though he strongly disagreed with R’ Kook on this matter.
Unfortunately it has come up again. Only this time it involves an existential cause. Which is whether the Reform Movement will be given any recognition by the Israeli government. That would be a tragedy of major portion. To illusrtate that, let us take one very important result that might accrue if that happens. It would mean that Reform conversions to Judaism would be recognized by the Jewish state. Reform conversions do not require any of the three essential requirements for conversion: circumscision, mikvah, and a declaration to observe all of the Mitzvos. The only thing they require is a declartion that they want to be a Jew and live like a Jew. (Hard to know exactly what living like a Jew means when there is absolutely no requirement to observe a single Halacha. But I digress.)
The Reform movement has made it their mission to become recognized in Israel. They have declared they will all the resources they can muster to achieve that goal. Which brings me – once again – to the WZO elections. remember that the WZO is an organization that uses all the money they raise to support their member streams. The money is divided proportionally among member streams The bigger the bigger the stream the more they get. The Reform leadership has urged its members to register and vote in order to maximize their take. Which they have promised to use to gain legitimacy in Israel. They are pulling out all the stops! That is clear.
If we want to prevent the virtual chaos that would result in who is and isn’t a Jew in Israel, it is imperative that we vote for one of the religious slates. One of which is Charedi. Which is where R Aharon Feldman comes in.
He is considered a Gadol by Agudah and is on their Moetzes. As noted in a few earlier posts, he had opposed voting in those elections for ideological reasons. He opposes Zionism in all its forms and considers it sinful to be a part of even a religious version of it. He said so explicitly in a recent letter..
He felt this way even as at least 2 of his colleagues on the Moetzes who also oppose Zionism in all its forms nevertheless felt that - not only is it not a sin - it is a Mitzvah to vote in the WZO elections. Even though one becomes a member by doing so. They apparently both correctly feel that this is an Eis La’asos - a time to act for existential reasons. A time to change the long held tradition of opposition to participate in any way with Zionist organizations.
When R’ Feldman was made aware of another Gadol in Israel, R. Chai Kanievsky - whom he correctly considers superior to himself, he backed off his strong opposition to voting.
This has once again changed. He is now just as opposed as he was before, stating that the R’ Chaim was misinformed about what is at stake. And he reasserted his ban on voting. He even asked those that voted to rescind their vote if they can.
It always troubled me that R’ Feldman refused to express even the slightest bit of gratitude to the state of Israel for creating an evvironment where unprecedented numbers of people are now studying Torah full time. Whether I agree with the propriety of that is bedside the point. R’ Felmand does and it it is a fact.
He maintains that his level of opposition is the same as was the opposition of Gedolei Yisroel From the very beggining of Zionism. Even when it would have been to the benefit of the observant community to do so. He says he is just following their example.
Even from a Charedi perspective I think he is wrong. Here’s why.
First he has no real way of knowing how those great rabbis would react to the situation as it is today. The Chafetz Chaim (whom he cites) understood that sometimes long held traditions need to be changed in light of new circumstances that present existential challenges. That is why he ultimately agreed set up religious schools for women (the Beis Ya’akov Movement). That was unprecedented. But since women were no longer tied to their homes and were seeking education outside of Judaism where Apikurusus was rampant, the time was right to create religious schools that would accommodate woman seeking to learn outside the home.
The threat is different now, but the danger is real. We have to stop the Reform Movement from achieving their stated goal to gain legitimacy in Israel. Even if you are Charedi and it means changing how you feel about Zionism - and joining the WZO in that goal.
Does, R’ Feldman really believe he is furthering the goal of Judaism by hurting these efforts? I am at a loss to understand how sticking to a view that can undermine Judaism makes even the slightest bit of sense.
I found it particularly disturbing that he in essence accused R' Shumel Kamenetsky of misleading R' Kanievsky in order to get him to agree. It is also disturbing that he essentially called Mishpcha editor, Rabbi Moshe Grylak, a liar because of his own explanation about why one should vote in the WZO elections.
I get it. to the Charedi world Zionism is evil. But ignoring an opportunity to use one of their organizations to further your own goal whille thwarting theirs is extremely perplexing. I hope he does not succeed in this battle. Because if he wins the battle, it might cost him – and all of us - the war.