From Rationalist Judaism
Earlier today there was a gigantic rally at the Jerusalem Arena
against "pigs in shtreimels."
The event, under the auspices of the charedi Gedolei Torah, was for
Beis Yaakov girls. The purpose was to dissuade them from attending
any of the numerous academic higher education programs for
charedim that have sprung up in recent years, such as Machon Tal,
Adina Bar-Shalom's Charedi College of Jerusalem (soon closing due
to lack of enrollment), Strauss Campus Afikei Lomda, Mivchar, and
so on. (There is currently a furor raging over funding of 200,000
shekels for this event that was promised from the Jerusalem
Municipality.)
Rav Baruch Shapira introduced the program by relating a conversation that he had with Rav Steinman about the event. Rav Steinman said, "Charedi academic programs?! It's like a pig in a shtreimel!"
(Note that Rav Steinman spoke down the road from my home a few years ago, and stated that there is no relationship between secular education and income.)
Rav Chaim Kanievsky sent a message: that he blesses anyone who
studies only in Beis Yaakov and not in an academic program, that
they will have easy and abundantparnasah.
Rav Gershon Edelstein stressed that parnasah is entirely in the hands
of Heaven and is determined on Rosh HaShanah by one's spiritual
merits. Accordingly, he said, those girls who go to Beis Yaakov will
receive parnasah, good shidduchim, and everything else that they
need, whereas girls who leave that framework will not be successful
at this. (One cannot help but wonder how he could say something
that is so clearly factually incorrect; indeed, if it was true that Beis
Yaakov graduates make a parnasah and those who go to college do
not, then there would be no need for such a rally in the first place!)
Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein (author of the popular Veha'arev Na/ What
If series) gave a Torah insight: Why did Rachel Imeinu sit on Lavan's
idols rather than burn them? He explained that the point was to
disparage them, to show that the "wisdom of other nations" has
nothing to offer us. (See this post from Rabbi Josh Waxman about
Rav Zilberstein's position that Jews and non-Jews have different
numbers of teeth.) We must teach our daughters, he said, that a
Jewish home that is clean of any hint of foreign wisdom, and teaches
only Torah, will never be harmed.
Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch of Slabodka Yeshivah delivered a much
more honest presentation. He stated frankly that modern charedi
society puts people in a difficult position - the women do not earn
enough of a salary to support the family and the husband is in kollel.
He noted that there is talk of funding coming from wealthy donors in
America, but admitted that there is no good solution. However, he
said, the reason why it is nevertheless forbidden to attend academic
program is because of the deleterious effect that this has on one's
spiritual life.
There is no question that Rabbi Hirsch is correct. Once a person steps
out of the daled amos of the yeshivah or Beis Yaakov, they are
exposed to all kinds of influences and ideas that run contrary to
charedi and Torah values. I don't understand how there are people
that deny this.
On the other hand, im ein kemach, ein Torah. We have to earn money,
work, and build up society. If charedim are going to radically diverge
from tradition by sending everyone to kollel, then the women have
to shoulder the workload of both partners (while also giving birth and
raising children). And it's just not possible for charedi society to
accomplish that if everyone only attends Beis Yaakov. As Rabbi
Hirsch acknowledged, what Rav Edelstein said is just not true.
Rabbi Hirsch said that the spiritual price is too great to pay, and
charedim must consign themselves to ever-worsening economic ruin.
Others will disagree with that judgment. There's always risks and
dangers in life. It's dangerous to fight in a war, but we still need
soldiers. And it's dangerous to go to college, but we still need to
provide for our families and build up society.
These are difficult decisions for young women to make. They are
certainly unlikely to choose academic programs when the people that
they are told to revere as Gedolei Yisroel tell them that if they do so,
they will not attain parnasah or good shidduchim. I am always
amazed at how people who would very much want their children to
obtain academic qualifications nevertheless send their children to
institutions which teach them to revere the Charedi leadership as
their Gedolim. And then they are surprised and dismayed when their
children and grandchildren don't get an academic education and
can't support themselves!
(See too this post: "Gedolei Yisroel Insist On Economic Ruin For Charedim, All Israel")
against "pigs in shtreimels."
Beis Yaakov girls. The purpose was to dissuade them from attending
any of the numerous academic higher education programs for
charedim that have sprung up in recent years, such as Machon Tal,
Adina Bar-Shalom's Charedi College of Jerusalem (soon closing due
to lack of enrollment), Strauss Campus Afikei Lomda, Mivchar, and
so on. (There is currently a furor raging over funding of 200,000
shekels for this event that was promised from the Jerusalem
Municipality.)
.jpg) |
| Adina Bar Shalom (a pig in a shtreimel?) with her father |
(Note that Rav Steinman spoke down the road from my home a few years ago, and stated that there is no relationship between secular education and income.)
Rav Chaim Kanievsky sent a message: that he blesses anyone who
studies only in Beis Yaakov and not in an academic program, that
they will have easy and abundantparnasah.
Rav Gershon Edelstein stressed that parnasah is entirely in the hands
of Heaven and is determined on Rosh HaShanah by one's spiritual
merits. Accordingly, he said, those girls who go to Beis Yaakov will
receive parnasah, good shidduchim, and everything else that they
need, whereas girls who leave that framework will not be successful
at this. (One cannot help but wonder how he could say something
that is so clearly factually incorrect; indeed, if it was true that Beis
Yaakov graduates make a parnasah and those who go to college do
not, then there would be no need for such a rally in the first place!)
If series) gave a Torah insight: Why did Rachel Imeinu sit on Lavan's
idols rather than burn them? He explained that the point was to
disparage them, to show that the "wisdom of other nations" has
nothing to offer us. (See this post from Rabbi Josh Waxman about
Rav Zilberstein's position that Jews and non-Jews have different
numbers of teeth.) We must teach our daughters, he said, that a
Jewish home that is clean of any hint of foreign wisdom, and teaches
only Torah, will never be harmed.
Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch of Slabodka Yeshivah delivered a much
more honest presentation. He stated frankly that modern charedi
society puts people in a difficult position - the women do not earn
enough of a salary to support the family and the husband is in kollel.
He noted that there is talk of funding coming from wealthy donors in
America, but admitted that there is no good solution. However, he
said, the reason why it is nevertheless forbidden to attend academic
program is because of the deleterious effect that this has on one's
spiritual life.
There is no question that Rabbi Hirsch is correct. Once a person steps
out of the daled amos of the yeshivah or Beis Yaakov, they are
exposed to all kinds of influences and ideas that run contrary to
charedi and Torah values. I don't understand how there are people
that deny this.
On the other hand, im ein kemach, ein Torah. We have to earn money,
work, and build up society. If charedim are going to radically diverge
from tradition by sending everyone to kollel, then the women have
to shoulder the workload of both partners (while also giving birth and
raising children). And it's just not possible for charedi society to
accomplish that if everyone only attends Beis Yaakov. As Rabbi
Hirsch acknowledged, what Rav Edelstein said is just not true.
Rabbi Hirsch said that the spiritual price is too great to pay, and
charedim must consign themselves to ever-worsening economic ruin.
Others will disagree with that judgment. There's always risks and
dangers in life. It's dangerous to fight in a war, but we still need
soldiers. And it's dangerous to go to college, but we still need to
provide for our families and build up society.
certainly unlikely to choose academic programs when the people that
they are told to revere as Gedolei Yisroel tell them that if they do so,
they will not attain parnasah or good shidduchim. I am always
amazed at how people who would very much want their children to
obtain academic qualifications nevertheless send their children to
institutions which teach them to revere the Charedi leadership as
their Gedolim. And then they are surprised and dismayed when their
children and grandchildren don't get an academic education and
can't support themselves!
(See too this post: "Gedolei Yisroel Insist On Economic Ruin For Charedim, All Israel")
DIN, what are you trying to say?
ReplyDeleteA simple hard working Jew should not get involved with such disputes. Leave it to the Rabbanim. A simple Jew should make sure his Tefillin are kosher, his Tzizit are kosher, be kovei itim latorah, keep away from loshaon hara and do chesed and tzadakah. Such sheilos of Parnasha are individual questions pertinent to each person separately. This is what i was mekabbal from my Rabbaim. What are felt hats made from? Mustrat or beaver. Does a hat need to be from a kosher and properly slaughter animal?
ReplyDeleteAnnonymous 12:56,
DeleteThe problem with your premise is that the majority of the Jews stained with your hashkafa are no longer just simple, they have been transformed into simpletons.
Is that what makes up you life ---- kosher muskrat or beaver hats--- rather than getting a good education to support your family?
Chasid Shotim, all of you.
Which Jews are the simple ones who should not be thinking with their minds but just following the thinking class, and which Jews are to be permitted to make the decisions for all of the unthinking Jews?
ReplyDeleteWow. Very true, 12:56.
ReplyDelete12:56, There's no shaylos about parnassah. Every able bodied man is instructed to go out and work for his parnasah and do utmost and not be a nitzrach. First, it says this in his kesubah and second almost every gemorah personality trained for and had a profession. Nowadays it became a whole Shayla because it's an upside down world.
ReplyDelete