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Shul Bulletin

February 10, 1967

Emerging from the Cave, Part 6: The Challenge (1967)

Modern Orthodoxy & the Charedim
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Emerging from the Cave, Part 1: Two Ways (1966)

Ever since the Emancipation, religious Jewry has suffered a constant attri­tion. This deterioration in numbers and intensity of commitment has been most noticeable the past two or three decades. How have we reacted to it? What ought be our policy? Several tendencies are worthy of mention. The first is the way of despair. One contemplates the unfavorable circum­stances and merely posts an obituary notice. But nothing is done; one goes about the old ways without any change. In the face of hopelessness, fear drives one to dull, mechanical repetition. Thus, heavily endowed American Jewish organ­izations continue in the same rut, repeat the same tired formulae, and chant the same irrelevant litanies. They bravely fight anti-Semitism, while Semitism is dying within them. They are heroic partisans of “the wall of separation” between Religion and State, at a time when Religion is being drained of its vital sap. Today's “liberals” often fight yesterday’s battles; it is a sign of despair in today’s campaigns. They have given up on tomorrow.There is a second tendency. There are some who maintain a stubborn refusal to yield, who have high resolve and persistent determination to continue on the highest level of Judaism, but in ever-shrinking circles. Theirs is the gesture of withdrawal, of isolation, of a conscious and conscientious ignoring of the rest of the world, of all other Jews. The prize they want to capture is “tomorrow”; the price they are willing to pay is “today.”As between these two attitudes, I would much rather choose the second. 1 do not for one moment believe that the Jewish people and the Torah will ever disappear. If I were faced with the choice of totally embracing this world or totally rejecting it — I would reject it. Our civilization, never let us for one moment forget, is the one which sired an Auschwitz and other such illegitimate obscenities; it is a civilization which, without any affront to its conscience, produced a Hiroshima. Our culture is neither…
Modern Orthodoxy & the Charedim

Shul Bulletin

Emerging from the Cave, Part 2: The Parable (1966)

However, fortunately, we are not called upon to make this tragic choice between the ghetto and the wasteland. We are not restricted to the two options of either “Neturei Karta” or assimilation. This contemporary dilemma is at the core of the famous story of the cave, related in the Talmud (Shabbat 33b). R. Simeon bar Yohai and his son R. Eliezer made slurring remarks about their contemporary Roman civilization. By an indiscretion, they were found out and condemned to death. They fled and eventu- ally hid in a cave, where they were forced to spend some twelve or thirteen years. During this time they lived on nothing more than carobs and water. This long interval was spent by them in growing spiritually, in the study of Torah, and, according to tradition, in achieving tremendous mystic insights which were later incorporated in the book Zohar. After the end of this period, they were told that Caesar was dead, and it was safe for them to leave their hiding place. When they emerged, they saw people — their compatriots — occupied in the normal business of living: planting, reaping, buying, selling. They were shocked: Is there no one who studies Torah all his days? Wherever and whatever they looked at was immediately consumed by fire! At which a bat koi, a Heavenly voice, issued forth and exclaimed: “Have you left your cave only to destroy My world? Return to your cave!”This they did, remaining in the cave another twelve months. Then another bat koi called forth: Leave your cave. The two scholars left, and, surveying the scene about them, were again deeply distressed. R. Simeon said to his son: apparently you and I are the only ones left; the two of us shall have to continue Judaism by ourselves. But then something remarkable happened: it was Friday afternoon, just before the beginning of the Sabbath. They saw an old man rushing, and carrying in his hands two bunches of myrtle twigs. “What are you doing this for?” asked the two scholars. He answered: li'khevod shabbat, I …
Modern Orthodoxy & the Charedim

Shul Bulletin

Emerging from the Cave, Part 4: The Old Man (1967)

It is easy enough to point to religious youth and the growth of day schools and Yeshiva University. True, these are the symptoms of a revival. But without a special kind of attitude by the mature generation, the elders of our community, our whole enterprise is doubtful. Hence, the Talmud tells us: the giants of Torah who emerged from the cave beheld a most remarkable sight — an old man in the dusk of his life, the Friday night and the twilight of his career, was racing and running. Where to and what for, old man? Preparing for a new Shabbat! Carrying that which will make Torah sweet, which will endear Yiddishkeit to all! When questioned closely as to why he had two myrtle branches, his answer was illuminating; one for zakhor, remembei-ing, and one for sha- mor, observing. The old man not only perfonns the commandment to remember; he not only entertains ancient memories, espouses a religion of murky sentiments, and recalls faded glories. No! It is true that there are hosts of noble memories worth cherishing, but the old man at the dusk of his life also affirms shamor, “Observe the Sabbath!” Guard your heritage for the future, transmit Judaism to a new generation, prepare for posterity. The old man does not despair, does not give up and return to the womb of yester-year’s memories. He is oriented to a future which he wishes to sweeten and to adorn today. His Shabbat is not a relic of the past, but a symbol of the future.That old man’s indomitable optimism is something we dare not fail to learn. It is a source of optimism for us that we have progressed beyond the experimental stage, that there are already some of us in this country who have reached full maturity and have survived with their Judaism intact despite their willing encounter with contem­porary society. But this mature generation must also be sufficiently motivated to provide for the future, for shamor. If it will do so with sweetness and not with bitter­ness; if it is confident and working and striving, ev…
Modern Orthodoxy & the Charedim