more about cults

 

In my opinion, Orthodox Judaism as it’s written in the books is not a cult. A primary trait of cults is singular thinking. OJ is quite diverse by design. For example, there is a view that God interacts with us as needed and there is a view that He interacts constantly such that He determines how a leaf falls. That’s a big difference. Another example, there’s a view that bitachon alone will produce your parnassah and there’s a view that it has to be combined with work. There’s a view that Torah is greater than mitzvos, a view that mitzvos are greater than Torah, and a view that Torah is greater because it leads to mitzvos. There’s a view that gilgulim exist and a view that they don’t. There’s a view that God cannot take any corporal form and a view that He can. There’s a view that Moshiach can come back from the dead and a view that he can’t. I can list hundreds of these differences of opinion. The Gemara and the Midrash are full of debate that keep the mind agile and thinking. This doesn’t happen in cults.

 

Cults isolate you. OJ as outlined in the halacha does not stop you from reading the newspaper, or hearing from people on the left or right. It says only that it’s best not to read illicit material or that which promotes idol worship.

 

Cults take your money. The halacha says only to give 5 to 10% to a charity of your choice. Otherwise, go out and earn a living and be smart with it.

 

Cults pick your leaders for you and idolize them. OJ tells you only to listen to the Sanhedrin which consisted of 70 people and then only on technical halachic issues. Otherwise, it helps in life to have mentors, but you choose who you like.

 

I could go on. This is not a cult. However, the OJ community today is another matter. It holds very singular perspectives. People mimic each other and get upset when you don’t do the same (another trait of cults). “The primacy of Torah.” How many times have you heard that phrase? “Follow the gadolim.” Another cliché. And if you ask which ones, who decides who is a gadol, listen on what – then you are branded a heretic.

 

There is some difference between groups but very little within groups. For example, many in Chabad today believe that Moshiach can come from the dead and that in fact the Rebbe will do exactly that. The yeshiva world disagrees with this. However, within Chabad, or at least the maschichist wing of it, you are not allowed to disagree and likewise within the yeshiva world you are not allowed to cite the Gemara that Moshiach could come from the dead. [In response, I associate with many groups to keep my mind agile.]

 

OJ today takes your money. In America, you give half of your money to yeshivas. That sounds idealistic, doesn’t it? They make it sound that way. All cults do. It’s so expensive in part because so many of the students come from families who are in full time learning. You are paying their scholarships. The frum constantly comes at you for money. What’s more amazing is that they don’t let you get job training, but when you finally leave yeshiva they want the money that you are supposed to magically acquire.

 

How about the black and white uniform? That doesn’t exactly promote a broad mind. The clothing in the Haredi light world is ridiculous. The men look like penguins and the women float about in $300 dresses of every pattern and color. The discrepancy is so strange. I have tried to break this rule by wearing a tweed jacket but got mocked by a Rosh Yeshiva at RIETS/Yeshiva University! Even there, the crazy rules apply.

 

As for isolation, we all know about the war on secular materials and outside reading that is characteristic of the Charedi world. The Modern Orthodox world doesn’t isolate nearly as much but the problem is that it’s a pretty unhealthy place to be. People are so confused. It’s hard to find religiously committed people who don’t engage in cultlike isolation. It’s possible to be a worldly tzadick, but you don’t see it too often.

 

The MOs also are much better about parnassah; although it costs much more to live in their communities. And there is considerable dogma in the MO world about feminism and Zionism.

 

As for deceptive recruiting, OJ is a cult most people are born into. BTs get the deceptive recruiting as they are promised wise leaders who know them and care about them, the fascination of Torah, the sweetness of Shabbos, wonderful communities – all promises that generally don’t pan out. You can find that stuff in some measure if you work really hard at it. But that’s not what is promised. What is promised is that you’ll waltz into it in five seconds.