Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth

The Ideology of Hesder (Tradition)

I have to take issue with Rabbi Natan Slifkin’s recent post. It’s not so much that I disagree with him. On the contrary, I have said many of the same things he has. My problem is with his taking a positive development and spinning it negatively.  

As noted, Mishpacha Magazine featured an article by columnist, (Rabbi?) Gedalia Guttentag. He is clearly in the Charedi camp and yet took to task that world for not fully recognizing what the Dati world is doing for the Jewish people. After describing the ultimate Kiddush HaShem of Yedidiah Eliyahu, a long time Hesder Yeshiva student, Guttentag made the following observation: 

Yedidiah Eliyahu’s story is just a drop in the ocean of the spiritual strength that has poured from the dati-leumi public over the last five months. They have volunteered and died in disproportionate numbers. At their levayos, the bereaved have repeated the same message over and over again: that their sons and husbands died fighting to defend Klal Yisrael.

These are men like Yedidiah who willingly gave themselves up al kiddush Hashem. They’re a generation of soldiers who stole time in Gaza to keep up with daf yomi and daven Shacharis, and fought as they lived — to bring honor to Hashem’s name.

This is the great hour of the national-religious world, but, on the defensive yet again about the draft law which threatens the yeshivos, the chareidi world in Israel and beyond has been slow to recognize the unfolding story. We should call it what it is: authentic Jewish heroism, both physical and spiritual. 

That is quite the statement coming from a card carrying Charedi in a magazine that caters specifically to the Charedi world. A prominent Charedi columnist praising the Dati world while criticizing his own world is not something you hear every day. 

My reaction is to give him tremendous credit for having the courage to call a spade a spade in world where criticism of Daas Torah is tantamount  heresy! I have had my disagreements with Gedalia in the past. But for this I give him my sincere appreciation. He deserves noting but pure credit.

What, one may ask could Rabbi Slifkin possibly have possibly found  wrong with that column? It is the what Gedalia added: 

Acknowledging that does nothing to alter the fact that the Torah learned in yeshivos and kollelim is the guarantor of Jewish national survival. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said last week that “without physical existence, there’s no spiritual existence.” It’s a materialistic worldview that we’re taught to see in reverse. Without the Torah, there is no Jewish People. 

It’s not that I disagree with Natan’s criticism. But to water down an amazing expression of Hakoras HaTov to the Dati world and recognizing the level sacrifice and Kiddush HaShem they are making - is  not only wrong but counterproductive. To the best of my knowledge Guttenatag’s comments were most pro Dati comments ever written by a card carrying Charedi columnist. It should be recognized that way and fully applauded. 

I agree with Natan that the original Achdus we experienced in the immediate aftermath of the October 7^th massacre is no longer the same. And for good reason. Mostly over the utter lack of Charedi sacrifice during this war compared with the rest of Israel.

But that should not diminish the great change of heart about the value of the army and the recognition of the sacrifices being made by those who serve in it. Gedalia’s comments and those of other prominent Charedi journalists testify to that new recognition. It should not be minimized.

I would be remiss, however, if I did not make my own observation here. Which is that Guttentag’s strong heartfelt words have yet to be uttered by any of the Charedi rabbinic leadership.  

Yes, there have been cries about ‘storming the heavens’ asking for God’s mercy on this war. There has been a lot of prayer and extra Torah study towards protecting the soldiers. But to the best of my knowledge there has not been a single world of praise from any Charedi leader about the contribution, dedication,, and inordinate sacrifice being made by the Dati world. The focus has been inward. 

It’s nice to read these unprecedented words of praise about the Dati world from a Charedi columnist. It is also nice to hear prominent Charedi columnists and politicians changing their tune about the value of the IDF. But where is the Charedi leadership? Why the silence?