You write: "Seeking to make the best of the situation and to retain pride and hope amidst persecution, they sought strength in cleverness and mysticism."
I suggest that the implicit Jewish survival policy in the Post churban years was to make weakness a strength. By not having any armed forces, Jews were not a threat to the ruling power and therefore while numbers of Jews would be murdered in pogroms, crusades and the like, the ruling power could allow Jews to live for various reasons that benefited the ruling power. For example being tax farmers or acting as managers of the estates of the aristocracy or practicing medicine, money lending etc.
This worked until Hitler appeared whose policy was to murder all Jews regardless ( after en route working slave labour Jews to starvation and death) .
Hamas has the same policy as Hitler. For those still in ignorance please note that Hamas in its charter commits itself to the total murder of all Jews. See Hamas Charter http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp
The appearance of a policy to totally annihilate all Jews regardless requires Jews to learn self defence and have a call to arms. There is no alternative and also "eyn somchim al haness."
Sadly those Rabbonim who consider that keeping one's head down and learning Torah will lead to the disappearance of those who want to kill us are IMHO possibly being irresponsible. If they are wrong in their assessment Jews face total annihilation and if they are right then Jews survive but under non-Jewish domination . Under recent Islamic extremist practice it seems that prisoners become slaves viz Yazidi, ISIS and the experience of Christian Blacks in Nigeria .
Those who wish to take up arms if they are right ensure PG Jewish survival in large numbers and if they are wrong then at least they tried.
As for historical precedent, Joshua, King Saul, King David etc all went out to fight. None, as far as I am aware said that their Torah would protect them -even though in all probability I imagine their Torah was greater than that of anyone nowadays.
You didn't go quite far enough. The religion of the Haredim isn't just not origina Judaism. It isn't Judaism at all. Judaism has only one God. The Haredim worship more than one god: the Real One plus at least one Rabbi. In the case of the Hassidim, the extra gods are the Admorim. In the case of the Litvaks, the extra gods are the "Gedoilim".
"But the charedi community is so built up on traditionalism, fear and social pressure" they don't go to the army .
Harav Slifkin you got that all wrong! It is because they are comfortable to "play the system" and get out of any responsibility. The Army is no different then the ploy to let others work while they enjoy their tax money, That is not due to "traditionalism" nor "fear".
The problem is that the charedim view the success of Israelis battles as directly a result of their total learning thus they are entirely not bothered about any military risks in the future complacent In belief their Torah will protect them (while others die)
You write: "Seeking to make the best of the situation and to retain pride and hope amidst persecution, they sought strength in cleverness and mysticism."
I suggest that the implicit Jewish survival policy in the Post churban years was to make weakness a strength. By not having any armed forces, Jews were not a threat to the ruling power and therefore while numbers of Jews would be murdered in pogroms, crusades and the like, the ruling power could allow Jews to live for various reasons that benefited the ruling power. For example being tax farmers or acting as managers of the estates of the aristocracy or practicing medicine, money lending etc.
This worked until Hitler appeared whose policy was to murder all Jews regardless ( after en route working slave labour Jews to starvation and death) .
Hamas has the same policy as Hitler. For those still in ignorance please note that Hamas in its charter commits itself to the total murder of all Jews. See Hamas Charter http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp
The appearance of a policy to totally annihilate all Jews regardless requires Jews to learn self defence and have a call to arms. There is no alternative and also "eyn somchim al haness."
Sadly those Rabbonim who consider that keeping one's head down and learning Torah will lead to the disappearance of those who want to kill us are IMHO possibly being irresponsible. If they are wrong in their assessment Jews face total annihilation and if they are right then Jews survive but under non-Jewish domination . Under recent Islamic extremist practice it seems that prisoners become slaves viz Yazidi, ISIS and the experience of Christian Blacks in Nigeria .
Those who wish to take up arms if they are right ensure PG Jewish survival in large numbers and if they are wrong then at least they tried.
As for historical precedent, Joshua, King Saul, King David etc all went out to fight. None, as far as I am aware said that their Torah would protect them -even though in all probability I imagine their Torah was greater than that of anyone nowadays.
You didn't go quite far enough. The religion of the Haredim isn't just not origina Judaism. It isn't Judaism at all. Judaism has only one God. The Haredim worship more than one god: the Real One plus at least one Rabbi. In the case of the Hassidim, the extra gods are the Admorim. In the case of the Litvaks, the extra gods are the "Gedoilim".
That is a horrible thing to say. Stick to the subject of the debate and leave petty false personal insults to others.
Great piece, yasher koach
Excellent commentary. Spot on.
Check out Vayakhel.com for the real reason Charedim won't join the IDF.
Absolutely agree. Very well expressed
"But the charedi community is so built up on traditionalism, fear and social pressure" they don't go to the army .
Harav Slifkin you got that all wrong! It is because they are comfortable to "play the system" and get out of any responsibility. The Army is no different then the ploy to let others work while they enjoy their tax money, That is not due to "traditionalism" nor "fear".
The problem is that the charedim view the success of Israelis battles as directly a result of their total learning thus they are entirely not bothered about any military risks in the future complacent In belief their Torah will protect them (while others die)
That is not the reason the chareidim will not join the IDF