Missing the Boat (or in This Case, the Plane)
Thoughts from a Torah-observant (at least the best I can), non-Chareidi Jew. With all the hubbub about how El Al flew a makeup flight on Shabbat post-Mafia... oops, I mean post-Histadrut strike, I was reminded of a story that Moshe Feiglin told me last year. He was being interviewed by a secular radio host from Tel Aviv during the Likud primaries who at one point asked him why he wore a kippah (skullcap), and if he didn't think he would appeal to more voters if he took it off.
Feiglin answered that while that was probably true, he would not betray what he was. Although there was one potential circumstance in which he would never wear a kippah. When asked what that was, he responded: if the state tomorrow mandated that all men should wear a kippah, he would not.
That story and the Charedi reaction to what happened at El Al are symptomatic of one of the (many) problems in Israel that can be traced to a lack of faith-based, non-theocratic leadership in Israel today. Such leadership would be non-coercive in nature, in that if some secular Jew wanted to open his store on Shabbat or if El Al wanted to fly on Shabbat, then big deal; let it be. The observant Jew already knows that this shouldn't happen and so it does not affect him or her spiritually in the least.
Forcing the secular Jew to close shop or forcing El Al not to fly will not increase secular Shabbat observance one iota. All it does is increase sinnah, or hatred, of the Chareidim by the secular, and it makes the Chareidim look down their noses at the secular with an air of self-righteous spiritual superiority; all the while, making the rift between secular and Chareidi wider and wider.
Even a Torah giant like Rabbi Elyashiv, Sh.l.i.t.a., as well as the rest of the Chareidi leadership, must come to realize that you cannot legislate Shabbat. You either feel it or you do not. By reaching out in a non-coercive way, rather than throwing stones or yelling "Shabbos, Shabbos" to a non-observer, you stand a much greater chance of turning someone into a Shabbat observer. Calling for a boycott of El Al, or again yelling "Shabbos Shabbos" at them, is not the way, either.
A Lesson from Rabbi Moshe Feinstein
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, z.tz.k.l., was once asked if a synagogue can give an aliyah, or Torah honor, on Shabbat to a man who, although he supports the shul monetarily, is a known violator of Shabbat observance. Rabbi Feinstein answered in the affirmative, in that the shul was not being agreeing with his lack of observance; and by doing this, it might be possible to reach out to him in a gentle way and gradually increase his Shabbat observance. I think the lesson is obvious. Tolerate this person and find common ground rather than shutting him out.
Watch the Hypocrisy, as the Youth Are Watching You
So, now I have questions for the Charedi leadership. With all the indignation raised at El Al, will you still take their tax money for your institutions and yeshivas, or will you return it? Will you continue to distort the geopolitical issues to someone like Rabbi Elyashiv, and force him into a position to make decisions that he should not have to make? Did you know that when Rabbi Feinstein was asked about things like land-for-peace and other political decisions, he responded that he was not a diplomat, general or geopolitical expert, and that, therefore, he had no say in such matters? How did you justify sitting in a government that threw 10,000 Jews out of their homes in Gush Katif while helping to organize a prayer rally at the Kotel? How do you now help keep buffoons and thugs like Ehud Olmert et al in power, while not lifting one finger to help a Torah-observant Jew like Moshe Feiglin become the leader of Israel?
I am not the only one asking these questions. Your youth are also asking these questions. Your youth are disgusted by what they perceive as the sell-out by their teachers, their leadership, the ones who are supposed to teach them Torah and Torah values. Your youth are identifying more and more with the religious-Zionist/Orange youth from the settlements. You think not? Then ask them where they are spending their Shabbat when not at home.
Your youth are hungry for real, proud, faith-based Torah leadership. I saw this on Sukkot in the Old City of Jerusalem, as they gobbled up pamphlets and CDs on Manhigut Yehudit. Your hypocrisy will cost you your youth if you do not alter a distorted worldview.
Think, don't react in the old way; think and think hard. Happy flying.
Thoughts from a Torah-observant (at least the best I can), non-Chareidi Jew. With all the hubbub about how El Al flew a makeup flight on Shabbat post-Mafia... oops, I mean post-Histadrut strike, I was reminded of a story that Moshe Feiglin told me last year. He was being interviewed by a secular radio host from Tel Aviv during the Likud primaries who at one point asked him why he wore a kippah (skullcap), and if he didn't think he would appeal to more voters if he took it off.
Feiglin answered that while that was probably true, he would not betray what he was. Although there was one potential circumstance in which he would never wear a kippah. When asked what that was, he responded: if the state tomorrow mandated that all men should wear a kippah, he would not.
That story and the Charedi reaction to what happened at El Al are symptomatic of one of the (many) problems in Israel that can be traced to a lack of faith-based, non-theocratic leadership in Israel today. Such leadership would be non-coercive in nature, in that if some secular Jew wanted to open his store on Shabbat or if El Al wanted to fly on Shabbat, then big deal; let it be. The observant Jew already knows that this shouldn't happen and so it does not affect him or her spiritually in the least.
Forcing the secular Jew to close shop or forcing El Al not to fly will not increase secular Shabbat observance one iota. All it does is increase sinnah, or hatred, of the Chareidim by the secular, and it makes the Chareidim look down their noses at the secular with an air of self-righteous spiritual superiority; all the while, making the rift between secular and Chareidi wider and wider.
Even a Torah giant like Rabbi Elyashiv, Sh.l.i.t.a., as well as the rest of the Chareidi leadership, must come to realize that you cannot legislate Shabbat. You either feel it or you do not. By reaching out in a non-coercive way, rather than throwing stones or yelling "Shabbos, Shabbos" to a non-observer, you stand a much greater chance of turning someone into a Shabbat observer. Calling for a boycott of El Al, or again yelling "Shabbos Shabbos" at them, is not the way, either.
A Lesson from Rabbi Moshe Feinstein
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, z.tz.k.l., was once asked if a synagogue can give an aliyah, or Torah honor, on Shabbat to a man who, although he supports the shul monetarily, is a known violator of Shabbat observance. Rabbi Feinstein answered in the affirmative, in that the shul was not being agreeing with his lack of observance; and by doing this, it might be possible to reach out to him in a gentle way and gradually increase his Shabbat observance. I think the lesson is obvious. Tolerate this person and find common ground rather than shutting him out.
Watch the Hypocrisy, as the Youth Are Watching You
So, now I have questions for the Charedi leadership. With all the indignation raised at El Al, will you still take their tax money for your institutions and yeshivas, or will you return it? Will you continue to distort the geopolitical issues to someone like Rabbi Elyashiv, and force him into a position to make decisions that he should not have to make? Did you know that when Rabbi Feinstein was asked about things like land-for-peace and other political decisions, he responded that he was not a diplomat, general or geopolitical expert, and that, therefore, he had no say in such matters? How did you justify sitting in a government that threw 10,000 Jews out of their homes in Gush Katif while helping to organize a prayer rally at the Kotel? How do you now help keep buffoons and thugs like Ehud Olmert et al in power, while not lifting one finger to help a Torah-observant Jew like Moshe Feiglin become the leader of Israel?
I am not the only one asking these questions. Your youth are also asking these questions. Your youth are disgusted by what they perceive as the sell-out by their teachers, their leadership, the ones who are supposed to teach them Torah and Torah values. Your youth are identifying more and more with the religious-Zionist/Orange youth from the settlements. You think not? Then ask them where they are spending their Shabbat when not at home.
Your youth are hungry for real, proud, faith-based Torah leadership. I saw this on Sukkot in the Old City of Jerusalem, as they gobbled up pamphlets and CDs on Manhigut Yehudit. Your hypocrisy will cost you your youth if you do not alter a distorted worldview.
Think, don't react in the old way; think and think hard. Happy flying.