Cultural War in Israel

Dealing with the cultural war in Israel and the lack of adequate Torah education in our homeland and in the Diaspora!

The ruling power in our Holy land during the last 100 years, was and still is in the hands of secular Jews. They know that a G-d fearing person will not vote for a secular party. Since the continuation of their ruling power, is more important to them than Jewish Survival, therefore they place all possible difficulties in order to curb Torah-supervised education to all Jewish children.

Therefore, although the vast majority of immigrants to the Land of Yisrael during the last 100 years, (except for Russia Jews), were Torah observant, their offspring became secular.  Diaspora Torah education shortage, increase intermarriage. Europe 85%. USA 58%, and their number fell in a short period, from 7 to 3.5 million.

How should we deal with these problems?

Torah education is in a way parallel to the baking of Passover Matzah. The most critical time of baking Matzah is from the making of the dough, which is fermenting and may become Chametz. The dough is flexible and may change its shape depending on the ambient pressure, until the "end of baking" which stops its fermentation and it does not become Chametz anymore. A crust is formed over the dough that does not allow it to change its form anymore despite environmental pressures.  - The critical time of Torah education, is from the physical maturity age of 13 years, when the child's mind begins to ferment and think actively, but he is still like a monkey, which copies everything he sees, and is flexible like dough and he may change his thinking by social pressures, until the mental maturity age of 20! Since from that age, people do not change and may remain with the 15 years of education invested in them.

Therefore, Torah education and supervision that were stopped before the age of 20, risks of losing the education investment in the youngster, since like a monkey he copies and like a dough he adapts to the social environment! If he lives in a secular society he will become a secular person! (Adapted from Rabbi Soloweitzik 5728).

"From age 20 and up, exit army! (Bamidbar 1:3, 4:23). Why "exit" when actually he enters the army? The topic is, that if he must exit his Torah institution he should not do it even one day before the age of 20.

By the Leviyim. Who start their sanctuary service at the age of 25 or 30, it’s written: "Who comes" to serve. What adds the word "and-up?" Since only one out of 365, starts school or enlists into the army in wartime at his birthday. All the others, at few days or months before or after. The Torah is teaching us, that in case of need, one may exit his Torah institute at the age of 20 and up, however not one day before 20.

Currently, our people do not have available funds for Torah Education & supervision for all our Jewish children up to the age of 20!  Nevertheless, it is our duty to bring Torah education to every Yid, and especially to the youngsters at least in an indirect way! Like our forefather Avraham, who observed the entire Torah, without his parents / community taught him!

Avraham, like Adam, the first human being, immersed in a Mikvah, to connect with the Creator even in good times, which provides the impetus for self Torah study, when and where there is no community Torah education. Thus, "Mikva Education to Every Yid" which involves only very minimal expenditure and available funds, is a critical issue to each one of our people!

"Remember Amalek!" Who killed in the desert, only men who did not immerse, and the clouds of glory expelled them outside the camp, into the swords of Amalek! (Pirkay D'rabbi Eliezer 44).

Nowadays, men have no Mikva immersion obligation but we are duty-bound, also as a deterrent against assimilation and intermarriage. Since after Mikva immersion, man thinks, prays and lives differently, and elevates himself from life of Purity to life of Sanctity.

See article: If you have no problems it’s not for you! Why light holy Shabbat Candle, in abundance of electric lights?

Additional materials and contributions: Imanuel Ravad, 20 Shmaya, Bnei Brak, 5132703, Ravad@mikvatikva.org - 15 Tamuz 5776 - (21.7.016).