"You're Just A Charedi-Basher!"

Is it all just pointless preaching to the choir?

Lately there has been a spike in those who condemn me for criticizing (or, as they call it, “bashing”) various aspects of charedi society. “It's lashon hara!” “It’s a chillul Hashem!” “You just have an axe to grind because your books were banned!” “You're just preaching to the choir, what can your blog accomplish?!” And so here’s my response.

“It's Lashon Hara - it's forbidden!”

No, it isn't.

Relating negative facts about others is permitted when it is beneficial. It is extraordinary that the works of the Chafetz Chaim, intended to make the world a better place, have often been used to make the world a worse place. Sometimes it is people not giving over harmful information about a shidduch, sometimes it is people not reporting dangerous behavior in a rabbi, sometimes it is people trying to quell frank and important discussion about social policies. The Torah's principles of speech are supposed to improve society. 

(See too this post: "When Lashon Hara Is A Mitzvah")

“It's a Chillul Hashem!”

I’m always curious to know what exactly people mean when they say this. Do they mean that the behavior that I am criticizing in the charedi world is a chillul Hashem? Or do they mean that it’s a chillul Hashem to publicly criticize religious Jews? I suspect that it’s generally the latter. Personally, I feel that the behavior itself is more problematic than the bad PR. And just as the problem of sexual abuse in the Orthodox community only started to be seriously addressed when it was exposed and criticized in the press and in blogs, the same goes for other deep-rooted problems.

‘You just have an axe to grind - you hate charedim because your books were banned!” 

The notorious ban on my books twenty years ago was indeed a deeply upsetting experience for myself and my family, more so than you can imagine. I wouldn't wish such a thing on anyone (well, maybe on a few people). But as it happens, I have a lot of sympathy for the opposition to my books, if not for how the ban was executed, and I wrote what is probably the best defense of my opponents.

More significantly, the ban had tremendous long-term benefits for me, which means that at this stage of my life I am very grateful that it happened. I feel like bensching gomel that I got out of the charedi world before my kids got stuck in the system. The ban was an immensely educational experience, and one that motivated me to learn about, and teach about, the rationalist-mystic divide, along with both the correct approach to rabbinic authority and its abuses.

Meanwhile, a much bigger impact on my feelings towards charedi society has been made by living in Ramat Beit Shemesh for twenty-five years, at the forefront of the clash between charedi and non-charedi elements of society, and seeing first-hand the effects of the problems. You don't have to have had your books banned in order to feel strongly about the problems of charedi society - plenty of other people both outside and inside charedi society feel the same way. Even charedi ambassador Jonathan Rosenblum has written about how charedi society is unsustainable and threatens the rest of Israel.

More recently, the hardships caused to so many people by the war, and the near-total apathy of the charedi community, has pushed not only me but countless others to even greater frustration. And it’s not just about “emotions” - this is something that directly affects all of our lives, and indeed the country’s entire existence.

But, for argument’s sake, let's say that I have impure motives. So what? What matters is the truth and value of what I write, not my motivations for writing it.

“You're just preaching to the choir, what do your posts accomplish?!”

This blog reaches a wider range of people than is commonly thought, and has effects in all kinds of ways.

First of all, there are people with strong charedi ideology who read my blog because they despise it and just want to know what the "enemy" is saying. This includes some major figures in the charedi world. I know this because I see the email addresses of subscribers! (To certain prominent rabbis who are now panicking, I have two things to say to you: First, you are not alone, you’d be surprised at which of your colleagues also read my posts. Second, I would never, ever reveal your identities to anyone at all.)

Obviously nothing that I write will immediately change the minds of those antagonistic to my approach. But it does plant seeds, which can sprout later. Some of my closest ideological friends are rabbis who used to despise and denounce me as a heretic, before they gradually came to terms with the fact that what I write is actually true. (I don't hold any hard feelings against them - the Nosson Slifkin of thirty years ago would also have despised this blog, because it would have made him feel so uncomfortable.)

Second, there are plenty of people in charedi society who read my blog and appreciate it. There are readers in chareidi yeshivos and kollelim, readers in Williamsburg and Lakewood. They agree that there are problems which need to be exposed and addressed, and they are open-minded enought to consider what I have to say.

Third, even people who are not part of charedi society are connected to it in all kinds of ways. And there is enormous influence from charedi rabbis and educators in non-charedi circles and institutions. It's important for people outside of charedi ideology to understand the reality of it, and its problems, rather than the ideological distortions and fake picture of charedi society presented by its representatives and admirers, which appear even in non-charedi publications such as Jewish Action. Whether it's a matter of selecting educational institutions for your children, choosing which causes to support, or deciding how to evaluate rabbinic guidance, it's crucial to be informed of the issues.

Fourth, the enormous problem of charedim draining Israel’s economy and weakening the army will ultimately only be solved in one way: by cutting off the money that encourages an unsustainable lifestyle. For Jews in America, this means stopping donations. For Jews in Israel, this means getting charedim out of the government. This will only happen if they become as politically toxic as Arab parties, which in turn requires massive public campaigning in order to change both politicians and voter choices.

Fifth, it is important to further educate and strengthen morale even within one’s own camp. I am regularly contacted by people who say how much they appreciate the fact that I articulate the ideology in which they believe and present a strong case for it. There are voices similar to mine in the Hebrew-speaking world, but very few in the English-speaking world, and none with my background in charedi society.

So, these are the reasons why I invest much time and energy into writing these posts, notwithstanding the hostile reaction that they engender in some people. If you appreciate this mission, please consider upgrading your subscription to being a paid subscriber, which will also bring you the benefit of additional material. Thank you!