Recently ADDeRabbi introduced yet another term for the ever-splintering groups of O Jews – Ironic Orthodoxy. ADDeRabbi is right, IMO, that for now this is more a "mindset" of individual O Jews across the spectrum rather than an ideology (See the forum "Stop! Here We Think" internet forum for a look at Charedi "Ironic Orthodox Jews").
I am something different. In addition to being a centrist (or trying to be), I am a deeply disillusioned Orthodox Jew (no, that's not intended as a label). Believe me when I say that there are many like me – people who stay Orthodox but who have lost faith in core parts of the "system". So what I am I personally disillusioned about?
I believe that the term "Oral Torah" has been turned into a lie, a fraud. What we call "Oral Torah" is merely a collection several thousand Written Torahs on top of the original which no-one dares to consult. Every statement is kadosh and literally true if it appears in print, and no-one dares to challenge the issue, lest one be accused of "mehkar" (academic study, which is treif). The consequence is that there is no "orality" in Torah study today of real consequence – no intellectual diversity, no halachic hiddushim (humrot are not hiddushim - any idiot can invent or discover humrot), no attempts at reconception.
The corollary of this is that I have no faith whatsoever in the yeshiva/Rabbinic system as it currently exists – no matter where on the O scale it lies. Both Rabbis and Yeshiva students owe their sole allegiance to the ideological-social community of their institutions; that community is almost entirely anti-intellectual, extremely conservative (halachically and theologically) and contemptuous of real-life problems as opposed to abstract, theoretical ones.
For generations since modernity, moderate Orthodox Jews have been hoping for great Gedolim (or at least a cadre of Rabbis) who will rise up to the challenge and take the problems we face – such as women's standing, the relationship with non-Jews, the reality of Orthodoxy being a 10% minority - by the horns. I believe that such faith is pointless and harmful. Every innovative thinker and posek we have had in the last 200 years – Rav Hirshenzon, Rav Meshash or Rav Chayim David Halevi, Rav Kook or Rav Soloveitchik – has been either ostracized, minimalized, or their biography re-written to fit the views of the Edah Charedit. Whatever intellectual independence that was left in yeshivot is being whittled away – and none of it is allowed to exist in the world of psak and halachic policy.
The "savior Rabbinic leaders" who will buck the "Forever to the right" trend will never come to be and maintain a viable, constant presence – not in a hundred years and not in a million. They either lack the guts, or are overwhelmed by the numbers and hateful rhetoric of those to their right. Which is why "ironic" Orthodoxy exists as a mindset of "cacha zeh" (that's life) rather than try to work for change – they have despaired that the religious elite will ever take the plunge.
I write these words with a deep sense of pain and anguish. I wish it were otherwise. But I can not deny the present intellectual weltanschauung in O Jewry, one which has only gained in strength over the past few decades.
So I remain an O Jew, with deep faith in Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and none in the Rabbinic/Yeshivish elite.
8 comments:
QED,
I understand your frustration and feel your anguish. If you'd like you can see my feelings on these issues at www.onlyajew.blogspot.com where I have not written in quite a long time but by reading my past posts you can see where I stand.
That said, I, myself, take solace in these two very to the point and deeply meaningful "yesodim" I try and teach--first--never judge Hashem, Judaism, or Torah by the Jews who practice it and second and most important---The relationship between you, Hashem and His Torah have absolutely nothing to do with any actions, thoughts, attacks, activities, reactions or responses to anything any other Jew does. Your service of Hashem has nothing to do with anyone else. He has laid out for you the way He wants to be served and it is totally irrelevant what anyone else says, wears or how anyone acts when it comes to you and that relationship.
I think it is easy to stop learning or living a Torah lifestyle by blaming someone else for things that are not relevant to you whatsoever (by you I mean the general you not the personal you you). The hard part about being a Torah Jew today is to separate all the clutter and focus on what your obligation(s) is/are without looking for a scapegoat. To truly be a G-d fearing Jew today, you have to ignore the ridiculousness and focus on the actual. You are right there--do not give in to the weakness--stand strong and have integrity in your own bitachon--these other people's opinions on Rav Soleveichik and the like mean nothing--zero---as it related to you and your Creator. All that matter is your relationship to Him and how you will serve.
intriguing insight about written torahs on top of written torahs -- never really thought it about it that way.
but the truth is, orah torah has basically been beyond our reach for over 1000 years, unless i am misunderstanding your terminology.
and yes it is a tragedy that yeshivas/rabbis are so blindly ideological.
but why cant you just lead life as you see fit, and just take the good from the institutions? cant the balebus holds some quiet dominance in this regard?
and when you say you want mo gedolim, what i am hearing is that you want mo gedolim who do what you want them to. rybs was halachikally conservative on many issues, and the chazon ish and the brisker rav were highly creative.
Anon,
You misunderstand. I'm not looking for a "rubber stamp" (and I have no idea what I'd want rubber stamped, anyway). Nor am I looking for someone to tell me what to do so I'll blindly follow - I intend to live a baalabus.
I'm looking for people who provide real guidance. I'm looking for people who study Torah and halachah not just for their own intellectual and spiritual edification (i.e. "my olam haba is all that counts"), but those who dedicate themselves for others.
I'm looking for people who will face problems directly and spend the time looking for answers and coping methods, however incomplete.
I'm sick of seeing thousands of Jews either go off the derech or shut down their mind because the tens of thousands of our "best and brightest" would rather analyse irrelevant or abstract halachic issues and hide behind "gedolim" rather than prepare to be real leaders dealing with real dilemmas.
As a final note, how exactly was the Brisker "halachically creative"? IIRC, he made the Chazon Ish look like Rabbi Avi Weiss. If you mean he found new humrot, that does not impress me in the least.
"Every innovative thinker and posek we have had in the last 200 years – Rav Hirshenzon, Rav Meshash or Rav Chayim David Halevi, Rav Kook or Rav Soloveitchik – has been either ostracized, minimalized, or their biography re-written to fit the views of the Edah Charedit."
R' Kook and R' Soloveitchik each have large communities of fervent followers, it is hard to say they are being ostracized. Perhaps misunderstood is a better description?
"Both Rabbis and Yeshiva students owe their sole allegiance to the ideological-social community of their institutions; that community is ... extremely conservative (halachically and theologically) and contemptuous of real-life problems as opposed to abstract, theoretical ones."
This kind of rhetoric obviously applies to charedi and chardal institutions. As I progressed through your post, I wondered whether I'd be able to use Gush as a counter-example. In the end, I suspect this line at least applies to Gush as well. Do you think it also applies to yeshivot like Petach Tikva and Maale Gilboa?
Shlomo,
Thank you for your reply.
re: your point #1: Yes, they have a huge following, but I wonder how long it will last. Also, there are many new (and renewed) problems that need addressing...
Also, major "morei derech" are not enough. We seriously lack good mid-level and low-level people in Rabbinic and educational positions and rely excessively on people with a chardal/charedi outlook.
re: your point #2: The problem is that the overwhelming majority of institutions are either charedi/chardal or are afraid of them.
I would say that there are people from the Gush, PT and MG who are doing very important work (Rav Bin-Nun and Rav Sherlo, to name just two). But they are still far too few and far in between.
We need to encourage the creation of MO Rabinnic programs (which would require a broad cultural education, pastoral training, knowledge of emunah issues etc). Not just "people who couldn't cut it in iyun so they become yoreh de'ah technicians".
Once there is a critical mass, I want to believe that we can move forward. At least, one can hope.
brisker ravs methodology was different, novel, creative, tho you may find his worldview not to your taste.
again, i see here that you are looking for rabbis who interpret things as you would like them, not as they see things.
you do not seem to be looking for creativity, but for a rabbi to embrace what you want.
but in truth, why do you need this? do what you want, and understand how to keep yourself to yourself. this is a normal part of life.
Anon,
Inventing chumras is not creativity (at least as I understand it). Creativity would mean in both directions - lekula and lechumra. Otherwise you're just suffering from halachic OCD.
For the record, I am dead-set against a "Rav Noach" model also.
If I wanted a rubber-stamp person (either way), I'd just get a tape recorder of someone saying "assur, assur, assur" or "mutar, mutar, mutar" and play it repeatedly.
My very reserved attitude towards the Brisker has less to do with his "world view" (which is certainly legitamite halachically) than his conduct and the tone which he used to express it. He made Leibowitz seem like the soul of tact.
Yes, I want far greater representation for more moderate points of view. There needs to be more of a balance between Charedi Rabbis and more open Rabbis. I do not want either to dominate, but to keep each other in line.
Furthermore, I want prospective Rabbis (regardless of outlook) to spend a lot more time studying real-world problems and issues and being in a kehilah. The world is not yeshiva, and people who wish to lead can not look at those outside it through those eyes.
This has less to do with me personally than what I see happening among many of my generation who are despising the monotone of people who pass themselves off as "morei hora'ah", even when they give the impression of being Charedi mouthpieces.
I will indeed do as I see fit religiously, but I can't stand by and watch as what's left of the moderate Orthodox spiritual elite gets destroyed or delegitimized.
This issue has been resoundingly been defeated in Sadducees vs. Pharisees, yet has resurfaced in various forms ever since, only to eventually find the same fate as their predecessors.
וצדיק באמונתו יחיה
The Torah is eternal. The Jewish nation is eternal. The truth is eternal.
Your observation that "what's left of the moderate Orthodox spiritual elite gets destroyed or delegitimized" if true, is hardly the work of other groups or their attitudes. Rather it is a manifestation of Emes - the truth - carving its way into the weakest links of these ideologies and causing the shift in its members' self identity.
In the end, each individual, when faced with disintegration of his respective ideological-social community, gets to decide to either see this as a likely indicator of the incompatibility with Emes or to just blame it on the establishment and conjure a new philosophy built on the ruins of the previous.
Good Luck.
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