COVID-19 - A Moment of Introspection

This lament was not made by a Religious Zionist. It was made by one of the most respected Charedi leaders of the 20^thcentury, Rav Shlomo Wolbe. He directed it to the students in Be’er Yaakov, the Yeshiva  where he was the Mashgiach during one of his famed Sichos (lectures).

I never met R’ Wolbe. But he is one of the many Charedi leaders of the past that I truly admire. There are very few like him today. He understood what Achdus is all about. It is not about agreement on Hashkafa. It is about respecting those whose Hashkafos you disagree with. I have always respected those to my right – even in the case where the disagreement was strident. Elu v’Elu. Unfortunately it is a one way street. The favor is not returned these days. With some notable exceptions, many of those to my right don’t even recognize the existence of those whose Hashkafos are different from theirs.

To illustrate, I recall many years ago being impressed with the Hasmadah (diligence in Torah study) I saw in the Beis HaMedrash of Merkaz HaRav. Which is the flagship Religious Zionist (Dati Leumi) Yeshiva in Israel. It matched anything I had ever seen in Yeshivos like Lakewood (BMG). The religious standards of the Merkaz HaRav students were every bit as Charedi as those in Lakewood in every respect but one: The belief that the return of the land of Israel into Jewish hands for the first time since the destruction of Bayis Sheni (the second Temple) was the first flowering of our final redemption from exile. (They are often referred to as Chardal - combing the word Charedi with the DL - an acronym for Dati Leumi.)

I recall mentioning what I saw to an Avreich in one of the most prestigious right wing Yeshivos in Israel. To which he responded something along the lines of: ‘That’ s true. Nonetheless, we are not Goreis them.’ 

To the world of the right it is as though they do not exist. As if to emphasize this view, I am also reminded of the time the elderly Rav Elyashiv, ZTL (who was considered the Gadol HaDor at the time) decided to join in the funeral procession of the 8 Merkaz HaRav students that were massacred in a terrorist attack.  While I applauded him for doing that, it did not escape my attention that he did so as an exception to the unofficial policy of ignoring them as though they don’t exist. That momentary Achdus was an illusion that passed very quickly.

I mention all of this not because I think things will necessarily change. Old habits die hard. I mention it because it was gratifying to see one of the most strident defenders of the Charedi world, Mishpacha Magazine columnist, Eytan Kobre, actually recognize that failing in his own community.

I guess that is one of the blessings of the COIVD-19 pandemic. It has given people like Eytan Kobre a chance for a Cheshbon HaNefesh – a bit of introspection about the lack of Achdus that has contributed to the exclusionary world of Charedim. Last week, he  penned a column that reflected on this very issue. This week’s Mishpacha featured a letter written by Rabbi Akiva Stolper, LCSW, - that expressed his approval a lot better than I would have. That is where my reference to Rav Wolbe comes from

I have had some serious issues with some of Eytan Kobre's past columns. But he has also had written  columns that expressed views that I wholeheartedly endorse. This is one of them. And as I have in the past I applaud his moment of clarity about what Achdus really means. (More on yet another amazing column by Eytan Kobre tomorrow.)

When the right usually talks abut Achdus, it is expressed as doing it my way or the highway. Meaning that we should all have Achdus under the banner of Charedi Hashkafos. But many people (including yours truly) see that as uniformity, not Achdus. It’s easy to say that we should ‘link arms’ when we all believe exactly the same things - and believe in the same religious leaders to the exclusion of others. It is a lot more difficult to accept those with whom we disagree. 

Obviously there are lines that still need to be drawn. You cannot for example say Elu V’Elu about Jewish denominations that have departed from Halacha (or movements  that have departed from centuries of tradition without having an existential reason for doing so). But there is a lot of space between the right and the left of Orthodoxy where differences should be accepted in the spirit of Elu v’Elu.

Rav Wolbe understood that. And now I am hearing voices among the right that are beginning to recognize this. Last week it was Rav Aharon Lopainsky, who I believe has always thought that way. This time it is Eitan Kobre who has for the first time (to the best of my knowledge) expressed these thoughts publicly.  

Perhaps we can now move one step closer to the kind of Achdus I have sought all of my adult life. As Rabbi Stolper writes, if parents, educators, and Rabbanim celebrate diversity, surely children, students, and Baalaabtim (typical religious householders) will do the same.

I agree. And I hope it happens. It would be nice to see all factions within the Orhtodoxy begin to respect each other, instead of continuing to see those outside of our immediate orbit as ‘the other’ and not part of us. 

Unfortunately experience has taught me that once the crisis that brought us together passes, it is business as usual. Will it be the same after this unprecedented crisis passes? Will Rav Wolbe become the model by which we all follow? I guess we will find out. But I am a realist. And I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.