JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Over 2000 years of turbulent exile, Jews have always mastered the art of Shtadlanus, or lobbying with the existing government. In most cases, the government was not favorably inclined towards its Jewish minority and the lobbying required both finesse and resolute, bold leadership in order to maintain the basic rights of a persecuted and despised minority. If the lobbyists were successful, the Jews could enjoy a period of relative calm despite the numerous enemies they had.
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Although there is no parallel between the current situation in Israel and the years spent in exile under gentile rule, the rules of currying favor with an elected government have not changed. There is no rationale for employing shrill, belligerent rhetoric against a government which one will have to work with in the future and acrimonious insults and ad hominem attacks will simply make it harder to attain the best results from a non-ideal situation.
Chareidi MKs, having been in every government for the past twenty five years except for the previous Bennett-Lapid alliance in 2013-2015 are obviously distressed by Bennett’s apparent partnership with the most rabidly anti-Chareidi elements in the Knesset. However this is no justification for using the pejorative term: “May the name of the wicked rot” towards Bennett even before he has sworn in his government, or stating that “he should take off his Kipah.” These are just two of the epithets hurled at Bennett by irate chareidi MKs over the past day in an increasingly divisive atmosphere.
Yet if the chareidi leadership is to succeed in mitigating the damage from a Bennett government, they are definitely going about it the wrong way. If Rabbi Yochanan had hurled invective at the Romans, he would not have saved Yavneh and its sages. Realizing however that the Romans were now the effective rulers, he initiated the first Shtadlonus of his period and achieved his goal of maintaining Torah study for posterity.
It behooves the chareidi leaders to realize that a) Naftali Bennett and Gidon Saar and their parties are the best options to counter any dangerous left-wing initiatives in the Knesset b) there are still 65 MKs in the Knesset who are sympathetic towards tradition and could vote against these initiatives c) The invective should be saved for the true enemies of Torah in the Knesset, who never try to hide their intentions towards chareidim.
Alienating a prime minister, however one feels about how he gained power, is both unwise and ineffective, since in the long run he is the person responsible for making the final decisions and if he would cave in to pressure due to criticism from the chareidim, he could likewise do the same when under pressure from the left-wing supported by the rampantly secular media. If anything the chareidim need to promise quiet support from outside the government in return for attaining their goals. In this way, when Yair Lapid becomes prime minister they can foster collaboration with Yemina and Saar to “save Yavneh and its sages” rather than repeatedly confronting the government which could persuade all the parties to close ranks to the detriment of the chareidi public.
Benett has shown himself as a political animal. It makes no difference if they are nice to him now or not. The horse trading will be the same
I don’t get their rhetoric at all. I just tell myself that its Israeli politics and whatever. But its really just the opposite of diplomacy. The greater Israeli public isn’t as anti-frum as they used to be, the country is veering more traditional than ever, so why not make some inroads and protect charedi interests instead of burning every bridge with this new government, but even more important with the greater Israeli public who is reading these comments and probably shaking with horror.
What on earth are you talking about? We’re not in Galus because we are insulting resheim.
Thats first.
This coalition is out to harm the Torah way of life. For heavens sake, the head of meretz is a man married to a man. What kind of Jewish government will this be??
Yes, Shem Resheim Yirkav, is very appropriate.
If these attacks ends up preventing this anti-torah government from being formed then all the best. Aside, you don’t embrace a backstabber in the hopes that he stabs you a little less, you fight him.
VIN is in the same boat as the insulting charedi MKs, when they label the ‘left-wing’ members as ‘dangerous’. Dangerous are the 1mm charedi who hate the State and don’t contribute to it, but who stay in the Knesset to control ministry budgets and public institutions. That’s dangerous.
You do make some valid points However I have to disagree with you on the general tone of your article. In all other shtadlanus or lobbying that was done with anti religious or anti semitic governments, we usually knew for a long time who our enemies are and how best to treat them. Sometimes it was a bribe sometimes it was protests Sometimes it’s to curry favor. In this case we have been there done that with Lapid, Lieberman and their ilk. Perhaps insults won’t work, but we’re grasping at straws. As far as Bennet and Saar is concerned, we feel betrayed by those who are supposedly our friends.
Bennett earned his yms when he voted to recognize lgbt unions
The left is so die hard this is a stupid idea. Espceically with Liberman and meretz. What would have been wise, the chredim join with Bennet and they chuck Liberman and mertez. Bennet would gain 4 seats. But now that it is what it is, Liberman and meretz are only a party bec they attack teh frum. You can’t reaspn with them. This is silly talk
Chareidim are increasing very fast in Israel. We don’t have to act like little mouses. Fifty per cent of all first graders are chareidim. That means very soon we will be the majority. The Bennett govmnt has no chance of survival. There are too many extreme different factions. To destroy this lefty coalition will require a March on Thursday around the old city. If riots start up again it will do away with this lefty government.
שם רשעים ירקב.
“Shem Reshaim Yirkov.”
May the name of the evil rot.
A common blessing for wicked and evil people throughout the generations.
In other news, you can mark my words that a governement will not be formed again. It’s the end and we have to face the facts.
What a paradox… Decades Satmar’s were severely criticized for name calling and cursing Zionists, nowadays just for landing in the opposition the same people find it righteous…. what a joke.
the chareidim bet on the wrong horse.