The recent controversy on the pages of the National Religious
party newspaper Hatzofeh over the poor attitude to
limud gemoro in the yeshivot tichoniyot, has
already been discussed in our columns.
Recently, Hatzofeh published an additional article
which shows that this phenomenon is part of a disconcerting,
overall and fundamental problem: that of the inner spiritual
dearth of the national-religious youth.
In an article entitled "Gemoro Study as a Symptom," Shachar
Rachmani writes: "The Purim celebrations in the yeshivot
tichoniyot disclose the spiritual world of their
students. This world, which is laid bare, in many cases, is
one which is based on Western culture, the imitation of
television programs, the adulation of Israeli and foreign pop-
singers and the emotional identification with projects which
are not in a Torah spirit. The absorption of such influences
does not always take place intentionally, but is part of the
world of the religious-Zionist youngster, the environment in
which he lives.
"There are, of course, many facets to our community. But when
the cultural element of one's home, one's social milieu, and
the youth movements and even the schools one attends are not
inspected in all of their aspects, a short circuit is created
between the religious messages aimed at the student, and the
messages he absorbs from his surroundings.
"The exposure to Western culture and its internalization,"
Rachmani argued, "without understanding the messages it
imbeds, creates a paradoxical situation. The student with
the kippah on his head defines himself as religious,
while his inner world is structured on concepts of Western
culture which are contrary to the Torah. We are not referring
only to concepts.
"Internalization creates an entire emotional temperament, the
desire to imitate, and to aspire to. All this creates a
situation in which the student approaches gemoro
study, while his inner world is the antitheses of such a
pursuit."
Gemoro study, the writer notes, obligates the student
to mold an inner world which is prepared to integrate with
the world of the halocho.
"Accepting the practical aspect of the Torah mandates that
one be prepared to accept it without reservations. The
difficulties in studying gemora point to a deeper
problem. The difficulty is only a symptom. The problem lies
in the fashioning of the religious and emotional world of the
student."
"Only now, have national-religious educators begun to
understand that they are paying a price for their openness.
After having mocked the `narrowness' and `detachment' of the
chareidi community, they are learning the hard way, that
openness to the secular world, and to corrupt Western
culture, exacts a heavy toll and causes irrevocable
damage."
