So, a woman gets up and writes an article for the whole world to see about the "Rotten State Of Orthodoxy". I also saw a video of her on a secular Israeli TV show telling everyone how terrible frum people are [for not showing images of women in their publications]. I looked at the type of articles she has written in the past and there is a theme: Religious people are bad, religious society is messed up - and I'm mad about it!!! Arghhhhhh!!!!!!
I don't know her personally but if I did know her, I would probably like her. That is because I like most people I know😊. This is not about this particular feminist or feminists in general. The issue is a completely different one: How do we fix problems?
In the frum world we have problems. There is not ONE society or community on the planet without problems. Our problems are not worse than mainstream society. [Incidentally - in the Christian world the problems among clergy of pedophilia, sexual abuse and countless other sins against morality are MUCH MORE rampant with no comparison. They also cover it up on an institutional level with alarming frequency]. We are actually doing much better in most areas. So at the outset we have to see the bigger picture and acknowledge to beauty of a Torah lifestyle. More importantly, we have to emphasize the EMES of the Torah lifestyle.
It is also important to call people out on their injustices. I also on this blog have mentioned some of the scandals she did in her article. I usually don't use names [as she did] because if someone knows then they know and if they don't then I don't want to be the one to tell them. No - there is no excuse for unrepentant offenders of basic standards of purity to be teaching our children or anyone.
Agreed.
That is not her chiddush. The Gemara and the Rambam are very clear on this issue [as we have spoken about numerous times on these pages and in recorded shiurim].
Women's faces not being shown in magazines, newspapers and books? Well, many, many women are not bothered by this. Many prefer it this way. Many men prefer not to have to see faces of women because they maintain their purity this way. Seeing an attractive woman arouses parts of a person he would prefer to reserve for his wife and not expend on other women. On the street there is nothing for him to do - so he maintains his purity as much as he can. But when he reads a magazine he doesn't want to have this test. Not the end of the world. It can even be viewed in a positive light - WOW!! Men don't want to be attracted to any woman other than their wives!! מי כעמך ישראל!!! For the same reason we have mechitzos in shul - women's faces aren't shown in publications.
Women are NOT being erased from frum society. EVERYBODY who has ever been in a frum household knows how that the voice and the status of the females in the home is either equal or exceeds that of the males. Also, Charedi men KILL THEMSELVES to marry off and buy apartments for their DAUGHTERS. Religious and Charedi men - by and large - are EXCELLENT husbands and fathers. Today especially, men in religious society are more involved in taking care of the children and fulfilling household duties than ever in history.
The ROOT of the desire to not print women's pictures is a desire to practice higher levels of tzniyus - that should be lauded [even if they are mistaken].
That being said - there is also a strong argument to print pictures of modestly dressed women. There are TWO SIDES. To take one side and brand the other side misogynist or the like and totally negate the validity of the other side is [in this case] not fair. I suggest that this women [and her ilk] who claim to believe in Torah, first learn thoroughly the laws of הסתכלות בנשים and then talk. There is no room in Torah Judaism for people to voice opinions on halachic and hashkafic issues based on their emotions when ignorant of the sources. We have a TRADITION that we follow, based on thousands of years of LITERATURE. To run such campaigns ignoring the traditions spells the end of Torah ח"ו and has NO PLACE. You have a beef? Show how it is against our tradition. Do she have any Talmidei Chachomim who support her constant, serial attacks on the frum world? Doubtful and for a reason. Because her way [and those like her] who take to social media to voice their displeasure and anger with not an ounce of Ahavas Hashem or Yiras Shomayim [at least it doesn't come across] is the wrong way of going about things.
Torah is beautiful and the Jewish people are beautiful. That MUST be the emphasis. If a mother always criticizes her husband and children, riddled with faults as they may be, she is a LOUSY wife and mother. Valid CONSTRUCTIVE criticisms voiced with respect and rooted in a love for tradition are welcome!! But the majority of one's efforts should be focused on spreading the light and the darkness will disappear little by little.
In the immortal words of the Rav ztz"l:
The pure righteous do not complain of the dark, but increase the light; they do not complain of evil, but increase justice; they do not complain of heresy, but increase faith; they do not complain of ignorance, but increase wisdom.
