The following statement was released by MK (Likud) Moshe Feiglin, who heads the party’s Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) faction via Facebook and Twitter.
I am completely with the Haredim (ultra-Orthodox) who reject the State attempt to compel them to add a secular curriculum to Torah studies in their schools: Responsibility for the education of a child lies with the parents – not the state. The state may decide to whom it will award a matriculation certificate. But it is the full right of any individual to forgo that certificate.
Let’s say that tomorrow, UTJ’s Porush will be Prime Minister and will force you to learn a page of Talmud in the framework of a government-backed curriculum. What would you say? He thinks Talmud is more important than English. (I agree). If he would try to prevent you from getting government funding because you don’t learn Talmud, I would oppose him. But if he would say that without Talmud, you don’t get a matriculation certificate, that would be his democratic right.
I do not want – and am not allowed – to tell Ahmad Tibi what to teach his son, or Litzman, or Dov Hanin.
Personally, I think that math, science and English are important. As a rule, a broad education is important. Furthermore, our Sages teach us that “a person must teach his son a trade.” In other words, not teaching one’s children these basic subjects comes close, in my opinion, to a breach of Jewish law. But it makes no difference what I think; what matters is what the parent thinks. They are not criminals and they can have a different opinion than me or the Education Minister.
Please do not confuse the issue by saying, “They don’t have to learn the basic curriculum, but they will also not get government funding.” The state is not doing anybody a favor. The money that it allocates is money that it has taken from the citizens. When the state allocates funds, it is essentially returning them to the people. If the government announces that it will no longer tax Haredim or any other group, then the totalitarian approach above would be reasonable. But to take and not to give, to take (by coercion) on one hand and to make the benefit from taxes paid conditional on adopting the state’s world view – is a lapse into very dangerous totalitarianism. Truly Thought Police. It reminds me of the guy who robbed my friend of his coat on the subway in New York (it was 20 degrees below zero) and then demanded 5 dollars to give it back…
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
“MK Feiglin Stands Firmly Behind Chareidi Tzibur
(Thursday, April 25th, 2013)
The following statement was released by MK (Likud) Moshe Feiglin, who heads the party’s Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) faction via Facebook and Twitter.
it should be written as follows….
Deputy Speaker of Knesset MK Feiglin Stands Firmly Behind Chareidi Tzibur
(Thursday, April 25th, 2013)
The following statement was released via facebook and twitter by MK (Likud) Moshe Feiglin, who heads the party,s Manhigut Yehudit (Jewish Leadership) faction.
How about finally, at long last, making it a priority to dump, to get rid of the ultimate wimp Bibi? Internationally he is thought of and said about that he is a liar and a poor one at that. Even before Hussein Obama landed in Israel, Bibi was busy stopping construction, but of course only against Jews, G-d forbid he should do a thing against the beloved muslims. Then when Hussein arrived in Israel and said that stopping construction for Jews wasn’t a priority for him this time, Bibi was left with his pants down, so to speak. Dump this national embarrassment at long last !!!! What does he have to do to be dumped, reduce again by half the standing of Likud in elections for the likes of Feiglin et al to dump Bibi? As its said, if you can’t stand the heat, get the hel_ out of the kitchen, Feiglin. Don’t wimp out also, stand up and be a man, Moshe.
Feiglin is great, speaks the truth clearly and openly. Good for us that we have such a person in the Likud camp!
danost,
Only one reason i don’t agree with you. There’s no one better.
Discuss…
I am as far from Likud as conceivably possible and yet this statement is outstanding. Feiglin has my fullest respect for his cogent position. He has spoken to the point. Kudos!
‘our Sages teach us that “a person must teach his son a trade.” In other words, not teaching one’s children these basic subjects comes close, in my opinion, to a breach of Jewish law. But it makes no difference what I think; what matters is what the parent thinks. ‘
Our sages teach that if a parent violates Jewish law the child is obligated NOT to follow him. And there are many examples in halachah where one gets coerced to follow Jewish law.
Please delete the previous comment. I meant to write:
Great statement by Moshe Feiglin except for one sentence: “not teaching one’s children these basic subjects comes close, in my opinion, to a breach of Jewish law. But it makes no difference what I think; what matters is what the parent thinks.”
So he’s basically saying, “Rav Shteinman, the Gerrer Rebbe and Rav Yosef think x is halachically correct. In my opinion, x is against halacha.”
Emunat tzaddikim is a major issue today and, unfortunately, it usually doesn’t end there but manifests itself in many ways, as may be seen in the children of those struggling with the issue.
More appropriate would have been to say, “the gedolim have said that l’chat’chila a boy should learn only kodesh between certain ages, and guidance should be sought on which boys should learn chol even during those ages.” No need to add one’s own commentary. Chidushei batorah does not mean disagreeing with the gedolim, it means finding your own chiddush that noone else brought before.