As a member of the Modern Orthodox community (yes, many of us read YWN!), I was stunned by the divisiveness of a letter from Rabbi Moshe Hauer, EVP of the Orthodox Union, regarding Agudath Israel and the OU. Instead of celebrating the shared commitment to Torah and Klal Yisrael that both organizations embody, the letter subtly drives a wedge between them, taking unnecessary potshots at the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel.
We are living in turbulent times, and now more than ever, unity should be our guiding principle. Differences in approach or emphasis between Torah leaders should be acknowledged with respect, not wielded as a means of drawing lines of separation. The Torah world is not strengthened by highlighting divisions—it is strengthened by recognizing the diverse voices that, despite differences, are all rooted in a profound dedication to Hashem, His Torah, and His people.
I am attaching Rabbi Hauer’s letter below for all to read and reflect upon:
Sacred and Profane Conflicts
It has been a very noisy time for Klal Yisrael, as arguments between us proliferate. Some of these arguments may be considered sacred and pure while others are quite profane, either originating from or quickly descending into power politics, pursuit of self-interest, and ugly and derisive disagreement. In any case, the sheer prevalence of argument – sacred and profane – is frightening, painful, and confusing. That confusion grows significantly when the arguments are accompanied by rabbinic declarations, and we must seek to address that confusion from within the Torah itself.
Hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chadashim. The Jewish calendar is the ultimate unifier of the Jewish people, an issue where there is to be no compromise on halachic uniformity. Even when there was compelling evidence that a mistake had been made in calculation of the new moon, we are to follow the ruling of the central authority; asher tikre’u atem – afilu shogegim, afilu mezidim, afilu muta’im (see Rosh Hashana 25a). Every Jew must live by the same calendar.
This was why undermining the calendar was a principal goal of the Sadducees and other heretical sects whose goal was to challenge the unity of the mesorah of the Oral Torah and thereby divide Klal Yisrael into 31 flavors, and why it was critical that in anticipation of the dispersion created by churban and the breakdown of the central Sanhedrin, Hillel the Elder used the last moments of our national halachic unity to put in place the calendar that would keep us together forever.
Yet there are two instances where even the calendar leaves us divided, Purim and Yom Tov Sheini. Purim is a nes she’b’chutz la’aretz, a miracle that occurred after we left Israel (see Megillah 14a), and was originally established to be observed on different dates in open and walled cities, and the observance of the second day of Yom Tov is observed by those who live outside of Eretz Yisrael. With the advent of galut, even our calendar became somewhat divided, indicating the need to carefully embrace the differences in halachic practice that emerge from the dispersed and varied communities of the truly faithful. As Maharal of Prague frequently noted, the scattering of Klal Yisrael is always reflected in the divisions within Torah (see for example Netzach Yisrael ch. 56)
That is where we stand today. The Torah scholars and leaders who guide Agudath Israel speak with their voice, while other great Torah scholars and leaders speak with a different voice. So often and on so many fundamental matters those voices are in harmony, but regarding Israel-related issues those voices are frequently in severe conflict. Especially during the past year and a half, the gedolim who set the tone for us at the OU have spoken with a very different voice about everything from the holiness of the chayalei Tzahal and the victims of 10/7, the obligation to physically defend our land, the efforts of many who deeply value Torah to find a solution for the draft law, and the value of religious partnership in the Zionist movement.
We draw great strength and direction from the beautiful voice of the gedolim that guide our OU community, dedicated without compromise to Torah and to the entirety of Klal Yisrael.
האמת והשלום אהבו “Love truth and peace.”
דרכיה דרכי נועם וכל נתיבותיה שלום “Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all of its pathways lead to peace.”
Sincerely,
Rabbi Moshe Hauer
Executive Vice President
S. Schiffman – NJ
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27 Responses
I missed the pot shots and divisiveness – please elaborate.
BSD
“The letter subtly drives a wedge between them, taking unnecessary potshots at the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel.”
מאן דכר שמיה
It doesn’t sound so divisive to me.
I live in the chareidi world but my heart stands with rabbi hauer.
Chabad is to blame for this machloket. They are somehow involved in every aspect of klal Yisroel, so they must be involved here, too. When we have a common enemy we are united. We all agree. Just mention CHabad, and everyone will unite. Try it. Kib’shem Hashem ekra, havu godel l’elokeinu/ Havu – bring up (mention) the gadol, and it is l’elokeinu – all l’shem shomayim.
Chabad is to blame for this machloket. They are somehow involved in every aspect of klal Yisroel, so they must be involved here, too. When we have a common enemy we are united. We all agree. Just mention CHabad, and everyone will unite. Try it. Kib’shem Hashem ekra, havu godel l’elokeinu/ Havu – bring up (mention) the gadol, and it is l’elokeinu – all l’shem shomayim.
I had to read the letter multiple times to see what you were getting at.
It didn’t read as “you evil ultra orthodox” but rather as “even though OU has a different opinion, don’t think we are without any Da’as Torah “.
With regards to the Israeli army, I think that the largest segment of religious Jewry sort of split the difference between the two sides. (Not with a single viewpoint, but with a kaleidoscope spanning from one extreme to the other)
Agudath Israel would benefit by having Rabbi Hauer as a member of the Moetzes.
It is important for us to know that Gedolei Yisroel can disagree and that doesn’t mean that either one is an apikorus. Rabbi Moshe Sherrer, z’l had to navigate this type of issue more than once and said that each person has to pick his Mara d’asra
I am from a Chareidie background but Rabbi Moshe Hauer is spot on
Your fake modox, you probs have a long beard, and live bang in the middle of Lakewood…. Probably still in BMG
I actually find Rabbi Hauer to be among the most nuanced and insightful rabbonim today. I live in a chareidi community in Yerushalayim, teach in chareidi yeshivas/seminaries, and greatly appreciate this perspective
Rabbi Hauer’s letter is actually pretty respectful – not sure what is the issue that the letter writer is referring to. I also note that the letter writer’s “tone” sounds more like someone Yeshivish pretending to be MO than someone who is actually MO – but maybe that’s just my overly-suspicious mind…
an Israeli Yid
The author only takes offense because he is a member of the modern orthodox community
Chareidim represented by the Agudah for the opposite reason.
Not because Rabbi Hauer says for the past year and a half there are great arguments amoung us rather because in a bid for legitimacy he tries to present it as if these arguments are mostly just the past year and a half
They’re not at all
The OU is the organization representing the Mizrachi movement
Since it’s founding well over 100 years ago it has been in constant machlokes with the chareidy leadership
One of many examples is the WZO
Well over 100 years ago the gedolei hador headed by the Chofetz Chaim and all the great Roshei Yeshivot and gedolei yisroel of that generation prohibited in the strongest terms joining the WZO. So anti-Torah did they all believe it was to join that the Chofetz Chaim ruled (brought down by his prime talmid the great Rosh yeshiva rav elchonon wasserman in his sefer Kovetz Ma’amarim and by rav Aron Kotler in his sefer Mishnas Rav Ahron) that it’s forbidden to join the WZO even if not joining would cause most if the yeshivot in the world to close down (basically the destruction of klal yisroel as we know)
So it is not a new machloket is it quite old
The author may not appreciate that the OU Mizrachi movement already over 100 years ago was fighting the Chofetz Chaim and all the great Roshei yeshivot of that generation but those are the historical facts
and if you follow the history you will see that all the machlokes between the Mizrachi/OU movement and the old type orthodox as opposed to modern orthodox movements are based on the historical machlokeses that have been continuing for over 100 years
I understand the above may hurt some feelings but it’s historical fact
Look it up
The differences are getting wider and wider because the people the modern Orthodox tend to align more with with their views are groups that are often completely hostile to the Jewish religion. Like you’ll see the lefties in Israel and many religious haters in the government that call to draft Yeshiva Boys are joined by modern orthodox and srugim who are not as concerned about the terrible atmosphere that the army forces on people who care about holiness and the purity of their souls, but they also have no problem speaking against the ultra religious as if they are traitors who can’t be like us. In reality they often speak that way because they don’t want the chilonim and leftys to Hate them as much so it’s a bit of a kiss up game. Win favor in their eyes and you look good, hate on charedim in unity so to speak. But the gemara says in many places that torah is the chief protection of Am Yisrael, and serving irreligous zionists in their pritzus armed forces is not going to advance the Jewish neshama. Sure there’s a trillion deniers that this takes place, but it’s because they know the truth and don’t want to admit they don’t care or have been wrong about it . So rabbanim on each end will continue to teach their philosophies and the people under them will continue to get more divided
I don’t believe the guy who wrote this letter is MO. I don’t see anything divisive in Rabbi Hauer’s letter. I do see this letter to YWN as having been written for the exclusive purpose of creating division and taking unnecessary potshots
Why did Hauer think there was any value to add by writing this?
People who follow Hauer are not going to listen to the Gedolim.
People who follow the Gedolim aren’t going to listen to Hauer.
He’s a politician – not Daas Torah. And he can say “elu v’elu” because he’s speaking from the LEFT. The right will never look at Hauer and say that in his direction.
Why did he write it? What was to gain?
Besides, the kol koreh came out so late that most of the people who were going to vote on the charedi side have probably already voted.
Rabbi Hauer suggests that the OU looks out for the entirety of Klal yisrael as opposed to others like the Agudah
This if not untrue is a shameful statement
Where does he imply this?
HERE “gedolim that guide our OU community, dedicated without compromise to Torah and to the entirety of Klal Yisrael”
I just want to know who are the ppl who tend to open organizations chessed organizations that are intended to benefit the entirety of am Yisrael
How many Chareidim and Gedolei Roshei Yeshiva some of them on the moetzes have cried rivers of tears for acheinu Bnei Yisrael of all stripes, particularly since 10/7
This statement is anti Torah and abhorrent’
“.. and the value of religious partnership in the Zionist movement”
Not only is there no value the Zionist movement, it must be eradicated
This has been the horaah of all Gedolim from reb Chaim brisker and on
What planet is this black hat Zionist from
‘Rabbi hauer wrote a shameful letter
Everyone on both sides has taken this whole thing WAY too far. This isn’t a pivotal issue in the Jewish Nation. Israelis go to vote every few years with about 100,000x times more on the line, both finding and policy and security, and they don’t get this petty. American Jewry, calm down
Everyone on both sides has taken this whole thing WAY too far. This isn’t a pivotal issue in the Jewish Nation. Israelis go to vote every few years with about 100,000x times more on the line, both financial funding and policy and security, and they don’t get this petty. American Jewry, calm down
The OU never questioned the yiras shamayim of those who oppose voting.
The leaders of Adudah have questioned the yiras shamayim of anyone who votes!
Marc
.. newsflash
The answer is simple one is prohibiting the other is permitting
prohibiting something doesn’t suggest you lack yiras Shamayim. if anything it suggests you possess it, so how can they be accused of lack of yirah
someone who permits lying that you agree ton the Zionist ideology and implying support for Zionist ideology would indicate a lack of yirah and are being called out on it
When will rabbi hauler be joining the moetzes? I think as a show of achdua there should be a vote whether to add HaRav Hauer to the moetzes
It is a lack of Yiras Shamayim to deny the yiras shamayim of Rabbonim chashuvim who permit voting.
Rub123
“Everyone on both sides has taken this whole thing WAY too far. This isn’t a pivotal issue in the Jewish Nation. Israelis go to vote every few years with about 100,000x times more on the line” when you everyone has taken it way too far are you including the Chofetz Chaim who said: it’s better that most of the yeshivos in klal yisroel have to close than vote in the WZO (r elchonon wasserman quotes this Chofetz Chaim in kovetz mamarim as does rav Aron Kotler in mishnas rav Aron)?
I learned long ago that it is easier to say no than to say yes, especially when pressure is brought to bear. My rebbe told me that another chassidishe gadol of a very large chassidus (no names) admitted to him that he didn’t have the koach to defy his chassidim. The pressure was too geat. From this I understand that even gadolim are human, and sometimes do things they don’t really agree with.
You know my gadol is bigger than your gadol
What is the Chabad position on this issue of voting?