Years ago new York had such diverse incomparable gedolim. Today Torah leadership has for the most part moved to EY....For the first time since galus bavel the leadership of Torah is back in Eretz Yisrael. In the past when you had a shaeilah it used to go to Bavel, to Europe, to America. Now the closer we are to yemos hamashiach hashem has brought those levels of Torah back to EY.This statement undermines the Gedolei Torah we have here in the US and Europe or elsewhere. B'H In America we have ziknei Roshei yeshiva Admorim, Manhigim and Rabbonim who guide us and lead us. Is the Moetzes of Agudah not enough of a Torah leadership for the Yeshiva and Torah world in the US? Does satmar or other chasidus not have a leadership in America? Not taking anything away from the gedolei Eretz Yisrael. We b'h have a leaadership in America too. Not every sheilah is forwarded to Bnei brak or Yerushalayim.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Is there no Torah leadership in the US?
In an article in this past issue of Ami Magazine the author makes a point of how Torah leadership today has for the most part moved to Eretz yisrael.
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Unfortunately, they are 100% correct. There are various American rabbonim and roshei yeshiva in America, but in the eyes of the public at large they are generally outranked by the gedolim in EY.
ReplyDeleteAnd not just in the eyes of the public. In their own eyes and in the eyes of the EY gedolim. EY gedolim routinely issue pronouncements on matters that are purely American issues, and American gedolim very rarely if ever do the reverse (one exception was the yeshiva in Chadera, which is an exception in that warring Israeli factions were angling for American money).
This was not the case when RMF and RYK et al were alive, but no one in America today has their international stature.
Note: this is not a comment about the actual madrega of the gedolim in either America or EY, but is about how they are perceived by the public at large, and the impact of this perception.
Unbeknownst to them the Gedolim in EY have a better PR machine around them. Its called a Chatzer in yeshivish terms. The American RY dont have a system of gabboim and are more approachable therefore the public likes it when you need protektzia to get in.
DeleteThere might be some truth to that.
DeleteBut I think it's also the fact that most American yeshiva guys spend a couple of their formative years learning in EY yeshivos. This immerses them in a culture where the EY gedolim are revered and American gedolim are relatively unknown, and also creates the perception of the Israeli society and lifestyle as being the True & Authentic version of Yiddishkeit, from which it would follow that the leaders of this society are the True & Authentic gedolim, as compared to the watered-down American versions.
I agree with you but question how that perception developed.
DeleteI will make one observations.Back in 1977 when the issue of being a part of coalition with the Israeli government came up for the first time, the Israeli Moetzes was unwilling to do so without the approval of the American Moetzes (as per the 1977 JO article discussing the decision back then)
Wow things have changed.
OTOH is noteworthy that the Israeli Moetzes wanted the American Moetzes's opinion on a purely Israeli issue.
I think you are either being disingenuous or are very naive... we are not lacking in talmidei chahomim, but, unfortunately, most of the greatest are not in position to be THE authority
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind that times have changed. It was expensive 30 and 40 years ago to call long distance.
ReplyDeleteAlso, many of the American Gedolim are to some extent influenced by the secular culture that surrounds us. Their Israeli counterparts are much more unadulterated - Kulo Torah.