Looking at Jews in the news
YOSSI, it’s time they started teaching ethics in yeshivot that train rabbis.” The conversation that followed this comment to me, as I stood in Glick’s last Friday waiting to buy challot, was my introduction to the news that a number of rabbis were among a group arrested in the United States on a series of serious charges.
A number of points arising from this episode are worthy of focus.
Firstly, the opening comment itself. Underlying it are feelings of frustration as to how an Orthodox Jew -— supposedly living at a higher moral standard -— can be involved in such matters. Are morals not emphasised in yeshivot side-by-side with the technicalities of halachah?
To which the resounding answer is that yeshivot do not place technicalities above morality. The curricula of all yeshivot deal with ethics. Some may study mussar (the ethical teachings popular in the Lithuanian yeshivah world); others learn Chassidut.
But even such studies are only intended to enhance the students gaining an appreciation of the moral teachings implicit in pure halachah. I would add that so many in the yeshivah world are particular not to speak evil of another and not to hurt another’s feelings, and they are equally careful that all their actions comply with Torah-based principles.
The fact that for some, actions do not meet ideals learnt and taught, should not be seen as tarnishing whole communities and their philosophy.
At this time of the year, when we emphasise that we are in exile, we are reminded that Jews in the Diaspora are enjoined to observe the principle that “dina d’malchuta dina” — “the law of the land is halachically binding as law”.
This applies in addition to all other principles of Torah and halachah that lay down the relationship between man and man within society.
And again, that principle is additional to the fact that one of the ultimate crimes is that of Chillul Hashem -— any act that leads to desecration of God’s name. Over and above the need per se to act morally and justly, a Jew has a responsibility not to act in a way that will lead to the pointing of fingers against Jews.
Moreover, an Orthodox Jew has to ensure that he does not act in a way that a finger will be pointed by a gentile or another Jew on the grounds of misbehaviour by an obviously Orthodox Jewish person.
Which brings me to a further point -— analysis of our feelings when such stories occur. Australians recently heard much of a wealthy Jewish individual accused of breaking corporate law and a judge who acted dishonestly.
Overseas, a Jew was at the centre of perhaps the largest financial swindle of recent times. The Australian Orthodox community has also been faced with the spin-off from cases involving a rabbi charged with fraud and persons in positions of trust accused of, to say the least, inappropriate behaviour.
In all such cases, the whole Jewish community is embarrassed and perhaps feels betrayed. And in the case of perpetrators and alleged perpetrators from the Orthodox community, it is the Orthodox community that feels it is in the firing line of criticism, while others too feel tarnished by cases involving those obviously Jewish.
Such feelings have also been the product of recent events in Israeli Charedi communities given substantial media coverage.
Admittedly, without in any way justifying particular behaviours or lessening the severity of the implications of certain actions, one could ask a further question.
Where members of the Orthodox community are involved, is there an innate tendency to jump on the Orthodox community in a manner that in essence is not that different from what would be criticised as racially motivated feelings towards any other whole community if members acted (or were thought to act) inappropriately or illegally? I believe that such is at times the case.
At the same time, however, it is also crucial that (without prejudging any particular case), the community doesn’t engage in denial and try to argue away a particular case with attempted justifications.
If someone is guilty, communal opprobrium is in order. Especially in much publicised instances, significant rabbis and communal leaders should make public statements as to the unacceptability of particular behaviours.
The rabbis taught that the destruction of the Temples was a product of various sins. In the first destruction, immorality played a part; in the second, a key was lack of ahavat Yisrael even resulting in hatred.
As we move from the period of mourning to that of introspection and repentance, let us do all we can to ensure the sanctification of God’s name through sanctification of our way of life as Jews.
Yossi Aron is The AJN‘s religious affairs editor.