Strive for What Binds Us

I
recently had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion at Congregation Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion in Baltimore on the subject of “The Complementary and Conflicting Flavors of Torat Eretz Yisrael.”

The first speaker addressed himself to the positive characteristics of the chareidi community, and focused on six. He began with the obvious: the unprecedented, massive commitment to talmud Torah that has produced a “staggering” outpouring of Torah learning. “It’s 10:35, and a new sefer has just been published in Bnei Brak. In another ten seconds, there will be another sefer published,” he offered.

Though Torah learning is not limited to the chareidi community, he suggested, at the same time, it cannot be denied that much of the Torah learning, even outside the chareidi community, is being driven by the absolute devotion of the chareidi community — men, women and children — to the central value of talmud Torah.

That commitment is reflected in the second attribute of the chareidi community: its mesirus nefesh for its values. Chareidim willingly subject themselves to what most people would consider a life of deprivation in order to pursue Torah learning. They thereby demonstrate to the larger society that life is not about having a slightly nicer car or even a roomier apartment.