Issues
I am getting nervous. I have less than a month till Israel. I don't know fully what I am going to do when I get there. Yeshiva begins Sept 6 so I will have three months where I do not know fully what is happening. Thank G-d I have faith. I am getting things ready to go as well as the paperwork for visas and also for making Aliyah if that happens.
The only thing that is keeping me in the States right now is my friends and a culture that I know. If I find a job and a wife over there, I may stay but these are both requirements to stay.
After the latest debaukal with the Rabbanut of Israel, I wonder what I should do. I don't not support the behavior of the Chareidi of Israel. I would like to learn from their gedolim (great people) but I do not trust the masses of this group mainly due to the "follow the leader" approach with second tier Rabbis who have an understanding of Halacha but not a connection to living a life outside of the shetdle (village). The Gedolim have the traditions that I have come to learn but there is a disconnect with the Rabbis under them where they try to implement strengencies that hurt people. An example of this is the revoking of hundreds of converts due to the disagreement with procedure of Rabbi Druckman who is in charge of conversions in Israel. As it seem there is not peace for a ger, because the Chareidi will revoke your conversion at any time if you don't do what they want you to. (this is my rant and how I feel)
I am scared about the Chareidim in Israel. My philosophy on Jewish law is that when one does not know the Halacha and one is a Baal Habait (simple man) one should use the common community practice. I hate that my rabbi told me to quit wearing my Tallis Gadol (Pray Shaw). I disagree with the entire arguement that he gave that it is for A. a married man, B. it is not the correct minhag (custom) to wear it. C. that it is a choshev (dignified) dignified garment of only those who earn it. I do not agree with any of his arguments but he is my defacto rabbi and sence I am unwilling to complicate my life more with Sepharic cultural expectations, (I am closer culturally to Ashkanazim) and the predominate Ashkanazim minhag is not to wear it till married, I will obey even though I feel that I violate a D'Orisa (Torah Based commandment). Any violation of the Torah I do in this regard is because my rabbi told me to.
The only thing that is keeping me in the States right now is my friends and a culture that I know. If I find a job and a wife over there, I may stay but these are both requirements to stay.
After the latest debaukal with the Rabbanut of Israel, I wonder what I should do. I don't not support the behavior of the Chareidi of Israel. I would like to learn from their gedolim (great people) but I do not trust the masses of this group mainly due to the "follow the leader" approach with second tier Rabbis who have an understanding of Halacha but not a connection to living a life outside of the shetdle (village). The Gedolim have the traditions that I have come to learn but there is a disconnect with the Rabbis under them where they try to implement strengencies that hurt people. An example of this is the revoking of hundreds of converts due to the disagreement with procedure of Rabbi Druckman who is in charge of conversions in Israel. As it seem there is not peace for a ger, because the Chareidi will revoke your conversion at any time if you don't do what they want you to. (this is my rant and how I feel)
I am scared about the Chareidim in Israel. My philosophy on Jewish law is that when one does not know the Halacha and one is a Baal Habait (simple man) one should use the common community practice. I hate that my rabbi told me to quit wearing my Tallis Gadol (Pray Shaw). I disagree with the entire arguement that he gave that it is for A. a married man, B. it is not the correct minhag (custom) to wear it. C. that it is a choshev (dignified) dignified garment of only those who earn it. I do not agree with any of his arguments but he is my defacto rabbi and sence I am unwilling to complicate my life more with Sepharic cultural expectations, (I am closer culturally to Ashkanazim) and the predominate Ashkanazim minhag is not to wear it till married, I will obey even though I feel that I violate a D'Orisa (Torah Based commandment). Any violation of the Torah I do in this regard is because my rabbi told me to.