Important: Keeping the *Whole* Torah!

The Blessed Creator commanded the Children of Israel to observe the entire Torah according to all its laws, precisely as elucidated in the Holy Torah. Over the years, however, ideas have been propagated in the name of Torah that effectively nullify large portions of it, either directly or indirectly. These notions have spread among the masses and even among distinguished Torah scholars. We are not speaking here of occasional errors. Let us briefly enumerate the ‘Progenitors’ of these ideas:

1. One must not question the actions of the community, past or present, nor deviate from them in any way, for the custom of Israel is Torah, and it is forbidden to cast aspersions on our predecessors. Moreover, “Silence is acquiescence” to our righteousness from the leaders we have appointed. We must not heed those who raise objections to our conduct, for we hold fast to the principle that every question has an answer. Thus, all our actions are Torah, and it is a great mitzvah to defend and justify them. At times, it is even forbidden to be “more stringent,” as this implies a lack of complete trust in the understanding of all Israel, Heaven forbid.
2. There is no single truth, but rather “Seventy faces to the Torah.” For almost all opinions throughout the generations, it has been ruled “These and these are the words of the Living God,” and however an individual chooses to conduct themselves, “They have on whom to rely.” The fact that communal practices have changed across different eras or locations is merely a matter of “just as their faces differ” (Berachot 58b), and all were given by one Shepherd. There is no need to change or prove anything, for the concept of “Error in Halacha” does not exist. One can only “strengthen” what is already known and distance oneself as far as possible from anything that smacks of “new” (for ‘the new is forbidden by the Torah’). It is solely for this purpose that our leaders regularly issue “Calls,” and we have never heard anything else from them.
3. In every generation, the sole source of all our understanding and knowledge is what is accepted by the Rabbi or ‘Gadol HaDor’ of that time, whose ruling is exactly like that of Samuel in his generation. Without him, we are blind in both eyes and complete fools at all times, incapable of deciding anything, great or small, on any subject. There is not a single word of his that was not received in clear and very detailed tradition, passed down from person to person back to Moses our Teacher on Mount Sinai from the Almighty. It goes without saying that one who criticizes him in understanding or observing any law is, Heaven forbid, a heretic, apostate, ‘exempt,’ Epicurean, and worse. In truth, it is forbidden even to raise doubt about this – besides the great danger involved in this world and the next. And if this is so during their lifetime, how much more so after their death (even if death does not transform them into the absolute “Last” authority).
4. Even they, themselves cannot disagree with the people of the previous generation. The reason being that despite all their greatness, they too are ‘donkeys’ compared to the least of those who preceded them in time (or, more precisely, who seem to us as lesser). For what power do mere proofs have against the precise “Tradition”?! Indeed, there are a few exceptional individuals, like the Gaon of Vilna, who were permitted to write with a slight deviation from tradition (although one could argue that we should not question even them – whether it was permitted for them). But this permission was only for them, of blessed memory. For us, it is certainly forbidden to rule based on their words, and this is simple. And those who try to “imitate” them apparently (and without “Apparently”!) have a “very serious problem.”
5. The method of Torah study in all its details is designed solely to continue and reinforce in our minds all that has been said above, with all its ramifications and consequences. If any contradiction is exposed between the Torah and these correct foundations, it must be reconciled “with difficulty,” even if it cannot truly be reconciled. The same applies when thousands upon thousands of refutations are exposed. It doesn’t matter at all what exact answer occurred to us at that moment to resolve the issue, and the examination of this is only for pilpul (but not practically relevant to other places to be lenient against the religion of Haredism), because these correct and well-known foundations do not really need proofs, and they will stand even without this! When we, as a community, transgress the Torah in a matter that even the Sadducees acknowledge, we must not admit difficulty, seek wisdom, or repent, Heaven forbid, as all these involve an unpleasant feeling. We must remember that the Torah was given to us to do as we please without fear (‘you,’ even if inadvertent or intentional)! The solution for the Torah is to distort it, to outwit it, to permit it, or to ignore tangible reality. Our main principle is to uphold the “Custom” (of grandfather, not of the Sages), especially when the matter is “only Rabbinical” at a superficial glance. Our cohesive society will already know how to punish with poured wrath any slight deviation from the furrow that ‘we received from our rabbis.’

Thus far, the enumeration of the ‘progenitors.’Let us examine Torah subjects while suspending judgment on these conventions one by one, and through studying them, we will ultimately clarify, with Heaven’s help, the aforementioned opinions as well.

May it be His will that we merit the truth within the Torah.

End.