Regarding Gedolim and zionism, my IMPRESSION is that there is no one alive today who can be considered a Gadol who is zionistic. By Gadol, I am referring to someone on par with Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlita, and Rav Shteinman shlita. I am not referring to someone on par with Rav Avigdor Miller zatsal (Talmid Chacham, Tzaddik and Adam Gadol but not considered to be one of the Gedolei Hador outside of the CR, l’aniyas dati).
There definitely are people who are Talmidei Chachamim and Tzadikim who are zionistic (at least according to some meanings of the word), but I am under the IMPRESSION that there is no one CURRENTLY ALIVE who is considered a Gadol who is a zionist. I may be wrong, but that is my distinct impression. Of course, if you consider people on the level of Rav Avigdor Miller to be zionist, you will have a different opinion. But I really do not think that is the correct definition of a Gadol Hador, as far as I understand the term.
IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOW FROM THAT THAT BEING A ZIONIST IS A PROBLEM, but it is an important point. Again, I am not giving an opinion – I am just stating what I THINK are the facts.
At the same time, I don’t believe that the Gedolim today have come out and said that it is assur for anyone to be a zionist, which is another important point, and part of the reason that I wouldn’t have started this topic of conversation in the first place. Apparently, being a zionist (in and of itself, although there can be many meanings/aspects to the concept) is not “yaihareig v’aal yaavor” and does not disqualify someone from being a Frum Yarei Shamayim and a ben Torah etc, even though it is POSSIBLE that this aspect of their hashkafa may be wrong. Certainly, if all that being zionistic means is that someone celebrates Yom haAtzmaut (with or w/o music, & with or w/o Hallel), who cares?
On the other hand, there MAY be some things that are often associated with zionism that may actually be assur according to all Gedolim even the Gedolim from the tzioni world (meaning Rav Kook). This is where Merkaz HaRav is distinct from a large part of the dati-leumi world.
There are two things in particular that I have in mind:
1. Sheurut leumi – as far as I know, at the time when it was originally established, all the Gedolim and the leaders of the Mizrachi world said that it was “yaihareig v’al yaavor” and yet today, most of the dati-leumi (as far as I know) aside from at least a segment of Merkaz haRav considers it okay to do sheurut leumi and encourages girls to do so.
As far as I know, there is no backing from Gedolim to do this.
2. From what I know, all Gedolim said that boys should avoid going to the army IF POSSIBLE, and certainly, if they are learning. I was told that Rav Kook said that boys should not go to the army. I think that is why in Merkaz HaRav, the boys do not go to the army. I may be wrong about that, and if someone has proof to the contrary, I would be interested in hearing it. (I am not talking about a case in which someone has no choice because he is planning on working, so legally, he has to go to the army – I am talking about as a l’chatchila). My impression is that the Hesder system was set up because boys were going to the regular army and not as a l’chatchila (btw, if it were l’chatchila, they should be doing 3 years like everyone else).
What is my point? I am not chas v’shalom trying to find bad things to say about other Yidden. My point is that there are many different definitions of the word “tzioni”/zionist, and it definitely SEEMS to me that some of those definitions (for example, if one considers army service to be a chiyuv l’chatchila or considers sheurut leumi to be a Mitzvah) may not have backing from any Gedolim. I may be wrong, and in any case, I am certainly not critical of those Jews who do sincerely believe that they are following Daas Torah. I am simply pointing out that it is POSSIBLE that there is no Daas Torah saying those things (but again, I could be wrong).
I just want to make it clear, (again) that I am not claiming to know definitively what Daas Torah is on the subject of zionism. I am simply stating the facts the way I understand them. I would not have brought up the topic, and certainly not on a seminary thread, but I felt that I should respond to Writer-Soul’s post.