Opinion & Comment
Why are there Differences of Opinion In Judaism?

The following is a continuation of our translation of Chapter 7 of Loda'as Bo'oretz Darkecho

Part III

The first part discussed the existence of differences and the idea of a disagreement that is lesheim Shomayim. It also dealt with the fact that sometimes very strong language is used to express these differences. The second part discussed the place of hashkofo in all the differences, and how one should look at the controversies.

Differences of Opinion Between Gedolei Yisroel

"It is still difficult for me to understand the machlokos between gedolei Yisroel. This surely should not happen."

Answer:

What do you mean by "This surely should not happen?" We have already written that the differences of opinion between gedolei Yisroel concerning schools of thought and the right way to direct Klal Yisroel is really a machlokes about how to understand the Torah and the will of Hashem in the world. It is definitely not an argument about "world outlooks." We also clarified that persisting in our stand, in a chosen way of avodas Hashem, even when done unyieldingly and with zeal, does not detract from the element of lesheim Shomayim or "both being the word of the Living Elokim."

What is really perplexing is that the machlokos between gedolei Yisroel seem to us to be completely contradicting the ways of peace and love of the Torah, or they appear to us as being motivated by personal interests and unrefined character traits.

First, we must remember that in most cases the information we receive about arguments between gedolei Yisroel does not reach us directly, from the source. Sometimes we hear about such things in the street or read about them in notices on billboards or in the newspapers. We are familiar with how rumors spread from one person to the other. After the rumor has been spreading for even a little time it is impossible to identify what is the truth or even what are the basic facts. It happens quite often that many rumors are later proven to be fallacious or twisted from the start.

Once a psak halocho was being passed around in the name of HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv concerning ba'alei teshuvah, and soon enough it was usual for those dealing with ba'alei teshuvah to act in accordance with the "psak."

When I needed to deal with this issue I asked the Rav himself about his opinion. His answer was entirely different. I braced myself and told him that people were saying another ruling in his name. He looked at me amazed and said: "That is very interesting, since I never said that."

Second, interpretations are usually added to what people hear. We certainly cannot rely on those interpretations without a strict and earnest examination. We must be conscious that every person has within him a tendency that causes him to be suspicious of anything that it is not in line with his world of values and concepts. When he encounters another person's response or saying which, according to his world of concepts, is strange or unintelligible, he will explain it in a way that conforms to his own concepts and understanding.

Take, for example, the case of a miserly person who sees someone taking a large bill out of his pocket and handing it over to tzedokoh. The miser cannot understand that the other person is doing this because of a true feeling of chesed. In his world of values there is no such feeling, and he will therefore explain what he sees according to his own concepts. He will think that the motivation behind the other's act is to impress the world, to be honored, or other ignoble incentives. He will never admit that this person was carrying out a real act of kindness.

The same is true concerning the reactions of a typical person to certain deeds, behavior, and statements of contemporary gedolei Yisroel. We must saturate our hearts with the knowledge that despite the decline of the generations, the current gedolei Yisroel are the true Torah sages of today, and are unlike any other people that we have ever met during our lives. The uniqueness of our Torah leaders does not refer only to past gedolei Yisroel such as the Ari z'l, the Baal Shem Tov, the Vilna Gaon and the Chofetz Chaim, but to our present gedolei Yisroel too: "Yiftach in his generation is like Shmuel in his generation."

Anyone who has ever become closely acquainted with a godol and has consistently sought his advice over an extended period knows that a godol is "a different person altogether." The godol is an intelligent person with character traits that we cannot grasp. He is someone who takes into consideration factors that we never thought existed.

Indeed, those who have never had the privilege to meet a real godol, or those who scrutinize skeptically the reactions of the chachomim to a dissenting shitah, tend to judge and "understand" them according to their meager world of concepts. They are like the stingy person who cannot understand how someone can possibly do an act of kindness.

Similarly, they interpret what gedolei Torah do and say according to their mediocre values. In this way we are regrettably "privileged" to hear simplistic and debased explanations.

Many permit themselves to say anything they please about gedolei Torah, and are accustomed to airing limitless criticism that borders on abasing others. Those who are not infected with this disease should be praised, especially if they are not even inclined to accept such criticisms. They still believe that gedolei Yisroel are unlike other people, and although they must learn not to attribute such stature to every young scholar, their approach is blessed.

What contemporary gedolei Yisroel say is da'as Torah and we are required to be extremely mindful of what they tell us. The Tanna says: "Warm yourself at the fire of Chachomim, but beware of their coals so as not to be scorched." HaRav Ovadia of Bartenura explains: "You should not treat them lightly." Rabbenu Yonah writes: "Everything they say is like coals of fire, and you should not disagree with what they say. You should not say, `I too am wise and will develop my own reasoning as they do.' You are lacking wisdom and will sin when you rely on your judgment, since what they say has been sharpened and analyzed by their blazing wisdom" (Ovos 2:10).

Third, people tend to be inclined to make crude generalizations. For example, when a godol remarks about someone, some shitah, or some ideology, in a certain way, it seems to us that by doing so he has invalidated it altogether. The truth is that the godol only referred to one specific aspect of that man, that way of avodas Hashem, or that school of thought.

Once a young man sharply criticized the way the talmidim studied in his yeshiva. He said that this criticism originated from his rav, one of the gedolei Yisroel. An astute person told him: "For your Rav that is real criticism, but for you it is altogether treif."

He meant to say that for the young man's rav that criticism had certain limitations, and he would not deprecate the other way's advantages, nor would he speak with contempt and ridicule. However, the young man's criticism was already noticeably a result of a lack of employing his powers of reasoning. What he said was discrediting and disgracing.

There are many examples and anecdotes that emphasize this point. There was a sharp difference of opinion between the Satmar Rebbe, HaRav Yoel Teitelbaum zt'l, and HaRav Aharon Kotler zt'l, the rosh yeshiva of Lakewood Yeshiva, concerning whether the Torah-true should participate in Knesset elections. The Satmar Rebbe's opinion was that they should not participate, while the Lakewood Rosh Yeshiva held that they should. These two gedolei Yisroel expressed their view in the strongest language possible. Each one of them sharply criticized the other's opinion without deference to the other's high status.

However, when R' Aharon Kotler was niftar the Satmar Rebbe came to eulogize him and cried bitterly over the great loss. He repeatedly asked how Klal Yisroel would be able to continue without such a great leader.

Maran the Mashgiach told me that one of the first things done when Yeshivas Beer Yaakov was founded was to start a gemach. Its administrator at the time was a person belonging to the Mizrachi party and a member of the city council. Later the yeshivaleit saw that this man constantly tried to make trouble for them in all matters that were deliberated in the city council. When they could not bear his harmful interventions any longer they decided to sever all their associations with him and even to dismiss him from heading the gemach. Since this was a communal affair they traveled to the Brisker Rav zt'l to ask him whether he agreed to their plan. It is well known that Maran the Brisker Rav was an uncompromising and sharp opponent to the Mizrachi Movement. To their surprise his reaction was altogether different than what they expected. "Why should you consider dismissing him from the gemach?" he asked. "A person belonging to Mizrachi can deal in chesed. There is no connection between heading a gemach and his harmful acts in other matters."

I heard a magnificent story from a rav. A secular newspaper reporter known for his steadfast opposition to the chareidi world once said that he hated all chareidim -- except for the Satmar Rebbe. The story was like this.

A malignant growth was discovered in his wife and she needed a complicated operation in the United States. The cost for this operation was sky-high and the reporter had no means of paying for it. A friend of his, upon seeing his predicament, advised him to meet with the Satmar Rebbe, who was known for his financial aid in such cases. The reporter laughed and said, "It's absurd even to think he will help me, since I am renowned for my articles opposing the Torah-true. And what's more, you actually want me to talk to the Satmar fanatics?"

Time passed and he still lacked any way to pay for the operation. Without any choice in the matter he traveled to America, went to meet the Satmar Rebbe, and told him about his tragedy. Within a few minutes and without saying much, the Rebbe gave him the money to cover all the operation's expenses, the recovery after the operation, and the couple's stay in the U.S.A.

The operation was done, the woman recovered, and they were ready to return to Eretz Yisroel. Right before they flew back, the reporter visited the Satmar Rebbe to thank him for his help. But the moment he walked into the Rebbe's room, the Rebbe looked up and, discerning who he was, sharply said: "Ocher Yisroel, out with you!"

The newsman could not hide his admiration of the Rebbe's marvelous distinction between doing a chesed for a Jew who desperately needed it, and disgust with his poisonous views.

This, of course, is an example of the power to differentiate between one matter and the next. The gemora (Yerushalmi, Brochos 35a) explains that Chazal placed the mitzvah of havdoloh on motzei Shabbos in the brocho of chonein hado'as because without the power of perception no distinctions can be made. The Toras Avrohom (pg. 170) writes: "The person with more wisdom than others can distinguish even subtle differences, even matters that are extremely close, with only a hairsbreadth separating them."

Gedolei Yisroel with their enormous wisdom are able to differentiate between a man and his views, to denounce someone unfitting but nonetheless to value what is good about him, to weigh with their insight what is preferable to do and how to react in every case. Although they sometimes express themselves in a piercing fashion, and that causes many of their followers to think that this allows them to discredit the opposing side altogether, surely the intent of the chachomim was never that. Their sharp way of expressing themselves was prompted solely by the need to clarify conclusively what is the true way according to their way of thinking.

Sometimes there is a machlokes between gedolei Yisroel over a fundamental matter, something basic to Judaism. Occasionally this is the battle of an individual godol, who with his long-range look sees that this matter will cause a breach in the walls of Torah observance or a deviation from the correct way. That godol will fight a razor-sharp war against it without any compromises. He sees what is liable to happen in the future, alerts the people against it, and tries to stop people from being swept away before they have grasped the danger involved. In such a case we are surely mere onlookers without being able to judge or take any stand at all.

End of Part III

Next week: Finding one's own place when the gedolim have differences.