Charedim are amazing people [excuse the label. Labels are for cans and are close to meaningless. But for lack of a better term...]. They learn so much Torah and keep the mitzvos with true faithfulness. Also, the amount of chesed in Charedi communities is ASTOUNDING!!
The PROBLEM: The self identity [and public identification] of a Charedi is dressing a certain way, studying in certain types of institutions, living in certain neighborhoods and .... [more and more as time progresses] being against the draft.
In other words - all chitzoniyus.
"Charedi" SHOULD mean "filled with Ahavas Hashem, Yiras Hashem, Ahavas Torah, Ahavas Yisroel, Ahavas Eretz Yisroel, Middos Tovos, a smiling countenance, Dikduk Bi-mitzvos etc. etc." meaning - pnimuyus. A walking Kiddush Hashem. What Torah is REALLY all about.
So if one has קנאה תאוה כבוד כעס עצלות and other severe illnesses [such as stinginess which is a HUUUUGGEEE one that I witness again and again] of the soul [even if he secretly doesn't believe in G-d ח"ו!!] he would be called Charedi if he wears a black hat and avoids the draft [bonus for blocking streets in demonstration so that it takes people hours to get to their destinations and screams a lot while doing it]. But if he learns every available second, gives tons a tzdaka with a smile, is a baki in and keeps every word of the mishna brura and is loved by all - but wears three button colored shirts and a kippa that is not black then he is "modern".
ועל זה דוה לבנו ועל אלו חשכו עינינו.
