The Challenge of Modern Orthodoxy

A lost cause

Part five out of five guest posts from our reader דוד . The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Irrationalist Modoxism - Ed.

A big issue in the modern orthodox world^[1] is that they get themselves hyped on science (and “culture”) before they have a grasp at what Torah is all about; they then find themselves struggling with a tug of war between the two ideologies. While they (bH) are not quite ready to abandon the Torah; they see a lot of truth in it, they still can’t exactly wrap their heads around a world where an actual river in this world turns into blood. Their scientific implications yell at them that this is “irrational” and they twist and turn to try to come up with a way to stay relevant in the academic world, whilst still holding on to their beliefs in the Torah. Alas, it is a lost cause; to the outsider, they are still considered cavemen, unable to break free from the shackles of religion. And to the insiders, they are hopelessly digging a hole of falsehood, instead of just proudly embracing the Torah for what it’s really worth. In the end, half of them end up admitting that that their approach is untenable. But where does that leave them R’l? We can only hope and pray that some will choose correctly between the two worlds.

I remember a “debate” I had in high school with a modox-leaning individual which brings out the point very well. He found it funny that the “yeshivish/chareidi” world screams “kefirah!” at him when he questions if perhaps Einstein was smarter than the Vilna Gaon. While he’s right that it isn’t kefirah per se (and yes, it is pretty funny[2]), the suggestion that their greatest can even hold a candle to our greatest is the sign of someone who lost all appreciation for the depths of Torah. It's undeniable that Einstein was a complete genius. His discoveries are so astounding that they will continue to captivate us for a very long time. But anyone with an ounce of kedusha in his bones knows that the Vilna Gaon’s greatness far surpassed any human capabilities, in the leagues of a Malach Elokim.

More recently, a book with the sefiros and atoms on the cover side to side, as if to say that these are equal ways of thinking is nothing more than a clear indication that the author and (loyal) readership have no understanding whatsoever of what it truly means to be close to HKB’H.

The modoxy is infatuated with science to such a degree that they actually think less of the great Abaye because he didn’t know Einstein’s equations. I can’t disprove the argument that perhaps Abaye in fact did know them (“hafoch ba vahafoch ba”), but I can only say that it would’ve been a waste of Abaye’s precious time. Science - while being a tremendous tool for appreciating HKB’H’s world, and surely HBK’H created the scientific system in order that we appreciate its beauty - doesn’t measure up in the slightest to the vastness of the Torah.

For starters, one can (and maybe even should) study science in the bathroom. It is NOT Torah. It is a way to appreciate Hashem, yes, but it isn’t Hashem’s word. Torah is Hashem’s actual word - words which He spoke to us directly. When Hashem is asking to talk to you and to discuss his personal feelings with you - when He asks to go on a date[3] with you to share what He likes and what He doesn’t, it’s ridiculous to say, “Hashem, no need, I can see what you’re about through this beautiful poem.” Perhaps we need to explain how when learning that Hashem wants us not to eat milk and meat together we are directly engaging with Him, but that is a fact. This is what makes Torah a “Toras Chaim”; it isn’t just a fact book; it is Hashem talking to us. It is Hashem divulging His greatest and innermost desires with us. It is an intimate connection with Him. Science, on the other hand is cold and dry; through it we only learn about Hashem indirectly (and can even ignore Him, r’l).^[4] Again, science has a place and Hashem created it for a purpose; our problem is when people equate it with the Torah. Even with Einstein, it isn’t even close.

Furthermore, science has undertones that can pull a person away from the liveliness of Torah. In this regard, we must be clearer than clear about what science really is: it is a meaningless, godless enterprise and the deeper you go into it, the more confused you can get about what is important in life. Science is shiny and beautiful, while learning a Shach can be really tedious, but that’s exactly the point; studying science in place of Torah is like collecting shiny pennies instead of raw diamonds. “יראת ה' היא אוצרו” – the more one’s relationship with Hashem is the center of his life, the more vibrant the Torah will be. The more science is in the center, the more listless his Torah will be. Science draws one into the feeling that this world is an end unto itself^[5] and it can replace Hashem, R’l. It is a deep and never ending expanse of information which mimics the beautiful endlessness of the Torah, and can pull a person towards it in a way where it can replace his Torah, R’l.

Finally, perhaps the most damaging message of science is the notion that they were primitive and scientifically ignorant. Although it’s true, our sages, Chazal, were not gullible individuals who attributed function to things without reason[6]. The reason they thought certain things worked was because they genuinely did. This doesn’t mean they knew science at all, but by attentively studying the words of Chazal and the Rishonim, free from the distractions of our spiritual ignorance, one can uncover numerous clues supporting this conclusion, particularly from the ever so rationalist Rambam. While they were humans, they were the most perfect of human beings to roam our planet, and we have only to learn from them.

If I’m not mistaken, this is a key difference, maybe the key difference, between the modox and the yeshivish communities. The modox treat Torah as an icy, academic study, where it can be mistakenly similar to science, while the yeshivish community treats it as Toras Chaim. Torah is not merely an academic discipline; Hashem’s word is the breath of our life. We are following in the footsteps of those angelic beings who devoted themselves to the same purpose. It is not to say that every yeshivish individual lives up to these lofty ideals, nor that every modox person does not. However, as a collective, the yeshivish community perpetuates the belief that Torah is Toras Hashem Yisborach (listen to any schmooze – they are always about Torah), while modoxy spreads a different message.

We acknowledge that there are issues within the Yeshivish/Chareidi community, as there are in any community. But the problems tend to stem from excessive emphasis on Torah and Yiraah. They can use fixing, perhaps lot of fixing,^[7] but the bottom half of any community, the “coasters”, are going to be a problem no matter their situation. At least the top half, the leaders and the community as a whole, generally prioritize what truly matters in life.

In the modox community, the issues are far more serious. Not always so visible to the naked eye, because they are “nice” and “care about others” and “can speak well” and “have a sense of responsibility”, but what of what really matters? What of their connection to Hashem? What of His Torah? Even some of the leaders aren’t so into anything more than halacha as a scholastic exercise. Yes, no one is wallowing in the coffee room because the sugya is too hard that zman (if it’s too hard they’ll go to work without batting an eyelash); yes, no one is relying on too much financial aid to be able to stay sheltered from the world at large (“it’s actually better to be cultured”); and yes, people have the sense to say good morning in the street (ok, this I won’t defend), but which problems are the ones that Hashem can’t stand?

I am not downplaying the significance of these issues. Not being nice is beyond awful. I used quotations only to highlight that these are things that the secular world has embraced as the most important things. While we agree that it’s important to be nice, it is supposed to be from the fact that we are Hashem’s nation and being rude is a bad reflection of Hashem.^[8] We are kind because to not be is a tremendous chilul Hashem r’l. But being decent simply because society today happens to smile upon such people is not something we too much care for;^[9] tomorrow they will smile at something else (and we needn’t wait until tomorrow, r’l). (Besides that most of us are actually super nice.)

The problem with modoxy is: What of Hashem?? What of His Torah?? What about the things Hashem cares about?

I hope that in the last posts we were somewhat successful at putting science in its place: how, despite its great importance in the world, it is nothing more than an ‘illusory’ reality and how it is so insignificant compared to true Torah knowledge which is full of HKBH. I hope we were able to reheat the bath if even slightly so that the beloved keepers of Hashem’s Torah feel ever so slightly more “untouchable” once again.

To conclude with an important distinction: the Torah is not about being Yeshivish. But being Yeshivish is about living in accordance with the Torah. I align myself with the Yeshivish because they are the most closely aligned with the Torah. However, I understand that there is a spectrum, and “being Yeshivish” is unfortunately not always quite so aligned with the Torah. Many people who are officially part of our community are only such in their label. We don’t condone them and they don’t represent us.

Likewise, being Yeshivish is indeed not suitable for everyone for various reasons (they were turned off, they didn’t find us authentic or simply not finding yourself fitting in). So let’s define our terms. I don’t care what color shirt you wear, if you know a word of Yiddish or, quite frankly, if you think the universe is billions of years old (though you’d be wrong IMHO). For the mot part, I’m fine if you follow the Rambam and take his view a tad too far. What matters to me is if you genuinely care about Hashem and His Torah. If that is what is important to you in life, I’m on your team. We are battling in Hashem’s army together. When you die I will shed a tear because one of my fellow soldiers has passed on.[10]

My concern lies specifically with those who prioritize the outside culture, engaging in their own self-imposed battles rather than the ones Hashem instructed us to care about. And, mind you, no one has zero battles; everyone cares about something. But who told you to care about the things you care so much about? Was it Hashem, or is it perhaps some other source?

And if you are consumed with hate against my community, realize Whom you are battling against, because despite our problems, we are Hashem’s people. We are the ones He holds dear. You may have valid complaints, all which should be dealt with in the right setting, but do know your place.

Let me close with perhaps Rabeinu Yonah’s most powerful statement, which echoes these very sentiments (rather, we are echoing his sentiments) in which he discusses the importance of respecting Torah scholars, as opposed to their contempt R’l. Read these words carefully and repeatedly and let them speak their volumes:

כי הדבר ידוע, כי מדרכי קידוש השם יתברך, להודיע בכל מבטא שפתיים, ובכל אשר ירמזון עיניים, ובכל הנהגה ופועל ידיים, כי יסוד לנפש האדם וצבי עדיו, והטוב והעיקר והתועלת והיקר אשר בו, עבודת השם יתברך ויראתו ותורתו, כמו שכתוב (קהלת יב) כי זה כל האדם. ודבר זה, כבוד השם יתברך. והמבזים לתלמיד חכם ויראתו, מבטלים הידיעה הזאת, ומראים ההיפך בהנהגתם, וכאילו אומרים אמור, כי אין העבודה עיקר, וכי הכבוד וההדר להצלחת ענייני העולם, וכי שורש דבר נמצא מבלתי עבודת השם יתברך, והם מחללים את התורה, על כן יאבדו מתוך הקהל ויכלו בפיהם, כי הם עובדים את השם מבלי עסק התורה. הלא הדבר ידוע, כי אין העבודה מתקיימת בלתי ע"י לומדי התורה, אשר יהגו בה יומם ולילה, כי הם יורו דעה ויודעי בינה לעיתים, לדעת מה יעשה ישראל, והם יעמידוה בישראל לבלתי תשכח מפי זרעם. ובמקום שאין עוסקי תורה, ירבו המכשולים, וישר באדם אין. על כן, יכבדו עבדי השם את חכמי התורה לכבוד השם יתברך, ולהודיע כי עבודתו לבדה עיקר הנמצא. (שערי תשובה ש"ג אות קמ"ח, ע"ש עוד.)

As it is known that among the ways to sanctify His name, may He be blessed, is to make known - with every expression of the lips, with every hint of the eyes and with every practice and movement of the hands - that the foundation of man’s soul and his glorious adornment, and the good and the essence, and the purpose and the preciousness in it, is the service of God, may He be blessed, and fear of Him; as it is written (Ecclesiastes 12), “for this is all of man.” And this thing is the glory of God, may He be blessed. And the ones that spurn Torah scholars and fear of Him are nullifying this knowledge and showing the opposite with their behavior. And it is as if they are saying, the service of [God] is not the essence; and the glory and splendor is with the accomplishments of this world, and the root of the matter is found somewhere besides the service of God, may He be blessed. They are profaning the Torah - therefore they shall be lost from among the congregation. And it will cease in their mouths, as they are serving God without involvement in Torah study. Is it not well known that the service does not survive without those that study Torah, who meditate upon it day and night? For they instruct knowledge and bear understanding of the times, to know what the Israelites should do. And they hold up [the Torah] in Israel, so that it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their seed. And in a place where there is no one involved with Torah, the snares grow and there is no upright person. Therefore the servants of God, may He be blessed, honor the sages of the Torah for [the sake of] God’s honor; and to make known that only His service is the essence of existence.

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[1] Disclaimer: I know many and plenty of very fine modern orthodox people that do not fit the bill. I am not referring to anyone specific; merely to a certain hashkafa which is prevalent and pervasive in the modern orthodox community.

[2] I’m not sure anyone would have a problem if someone echoed this sentiment about Reb Moshe Feinstein Zatza’l, for example. Not to make light of our extraordinary Reb Moshe, but the Gr’a is simply untouchable, as he should be.

[3] See Reb Avraham Ben HaRambam in Hamaspik.

[4] See GR’A in the beginning of Sefer Yetzirah on בספר בספר בסיפור.

As a side, this is why the Hebrew word for knowledge, ידיעה, is also the word for relationship, because Torah knowledge, true knowledge, is knowing Hashem; having a relationship with Him, אכמ"ל.

[5] Which, in context, isn’t wrong - it is supposed to be whole and complete, “ויכולו השמים והארץ” - Hashem rests His Presence upon a complete world, where everything has a purpose, אכמ"ל.

[6] They knew the Rambam’s principles of when to believe something found in the beginning of his famous letter to the Rabbonim of Marseilles about astrology, dealt with extensively in Happy’s previous post. You can read the letter here: https://www.daat.ac.il/daat/mahshevt/mekorot/igeret-2.htm.

These three modes were coined by Aristotle, who preceded Chazal, as the famed Ethos, Logos and Pathos.

[7] If Slifkin wouldn’t be so anti, he has some valuable points to make.

[8] Incidentally, EVERYTHING in the (proper) yeshivish culture is about Hashem. We don’t do Mitzvos solely to ‘perfect our nature’; we don’t keep Tisha B’av solely to mourn Jewish tragedies; we don’t pray to work on our concentration. We keep Mitzvos because that brings this world closer to Hashem (what “rationalists” call “mysticism”); we are sad on Tisha B’av because Hashem has been disgraced: when His children’s status is so low, it’s because His status is so low. (I pick the example of Tisha B’av due to the following -

The Ignoring and Ignorance of Tisha B'Av

- I’m that “someone called Dovid” if that wasn’t clear.)

[9] ואהבת לרעך כמוך אני הש'

[10] See Shabbos 105b and Ahavas Chessed 3:5