Wine goes in, a secret comes out, and sometimes it’s actually good for secrets to come out. A closed society, with its own codes and values, holds many secrets and arouses curiosity in the societies around it. In most cases, curiosity turns into imaginings about dark secrets, about inhuman behavior away from the eyes of those around and an outward presentation of a quality company.
These images characterize those who “care” for the ultra-orthodox public. Most of the time, they will add to the claims of “ignorance” and failure to learn the Liva studies the ridiculous claim that the goal of the leaders of the ultra-orthodox public is to leave the people of the sector unable to connect to the free world “in order to control them”.
But once a year, the ultra-orthodox interior goes out into the streets of a city, disinfected with a lot of alcohol and content, and shows everyone the real secret of this public – people who, in the vast majority, want to do good to those around them. Between a drunk who implores passersby to smile and a drunk who greets everyone who crosses his path with good luck, I am reminded of MDA’s summary announcement about the celebrations of the faraway ones in a non-Jewish Haga, “51 people were injured in fights and violent incidents”, announced the speaker, you will not find such an announcement after the sector is full The secrets will end a day of feasting and joy.
On the way to another package delivery, one cannot help but be amazed by the secrets that continue to flow into the public sphere. Yeshiva boys go out to collect money, a kindness for their friends who need it, of course. And when they leave, we get to see the soldiers of the legion of the King of Kings, after for a whole year they waged fierce battles against the winking world outside the Beit Midrash, at the height of their glory, noble, shy, happy, learned – pure.
It is possible to look at each one according to his rank and achievements, how successful he was in the war of Torah, who grabs a Gemara page on the way to the next collection address and who actually enjoys the day off from the toil of the Yeshiva. But it is also possible to look at the whole group, from the lowest to the highest quality, then we will discover the secret of a God-fearing public – spiritual, quality – the best that humanity can produce. Purim serves as a showcase for our sector, where all the circles and currents in the ultra-Orthodox assemblage are presented, and the result is pulsating.
And in contrast, we also get a glimpse into the ultra-Orthodox interior in moments of turmoil, such as we had a few weeks ago with the revelation of the Plai family, whose two tender children Yaakov Yisrael and Asher Menachem (Oshi) the 14th were murdered by a hateful terrorist on the eve of the Holy Shabbat. The style of the Jerusalem family whose strengths Spirituality and humanity miss a beat in every follower, known to anyone who lives in a Torah environment.
In fact, the Palai family represents the families of the tens of thousands of the blessed who were fed up with everything the world has to offer and dedicated their lives to devotion to the blessed God. They are full of happiness and content and gives them ammunition to face even if the Gospel of Job knocks on their door. What has changed is the attack and the tragedy that exposed the special family to the spotlight. Their high quality resonated strongly even in the hearts of those farthest away who saw for a moment the greatness of a soul.
Even in the topical view, we are in an era of taking off the masks and bringing the secrets out into the public space – without shame. If in the past the legal system and the media would present themselves objectively, with balanced decisions and articles from time to time to be presented on the day of debate, then during the social-public deterioration we have experienced in recent years and especially since the establishment of the new government, no state body makes an effort to present itself as fair anymore.
The legal advisor to the government no longer hides the one-sidedness of her activities, she takes off the mask of objectivity and works against the right-wing ultra-Orthodox government with the same vigor that she worked in favor of the left-wing Arab government. Likewise, the mainstream media that covered every failure of the Bennet-Lapid government are no longer ashamed of the one-sided coverage against the government and in favor of the protesters, some of whom crossed the boundaries of legitimate protest. No secrets, no masks, everything is open.
When our world is full of infinite goodness, as only the Holy Torah and those who follow its path can provide, revealing the “secrets” to the world brings out that goodness. When their world is full of hatred and evil, as only Western culture can provide, exposing the “secrets” brings the hypocrisy and that evil to light. Let’s pray that the world of lies will soon pass with the coming of a righteous savior. Amen.