ULTRA ORTHODOX P4.2

Question 1

Stance

Answer 1

Rabbis took a stance strongly ‘Against’ emancipation and the ideas of the modern world, rejecting all aspects of change.

Question 2

Supporting response

Answer 2

The supporting response was to reaffirm beliefs, such as the divine revelation of the Torah (Hebrew Bible), as well as ritual practices, which ultimately restore the authority of Halacha (Jewish law), ethics and text.

Question 3

Who?

Answer 3

• Rabbi Moses Sofer (1762-1839) was the leader. He and 21 other Rabbinic Leaders wrote statements for a text titled Eleh divrei habrit (words of the Covenant) condemning the changes made to ritual practice by the Reform movement. It stated “Never say ‘Times have changed!’”.
• Sofer refused to acknowledge change and encouraged his followers to continue to live as they had in the ghetto (Kehila)
• Sofer also banned philosophy, science and other branches of knowledge from the non-Jewish world and started a network of Yeshivas to engage in the study of Talmud texts.

Question 4

Reason

Answer 4

Ensure Judaism was left unchanged. The movement had a catch phrase of “Whatever is new is forbidden from Torah” (Sofer) as they believed Halacha is an immutable force in Jewish life and is a divinely ordained system of legislation

Question 5

Intended outcome

Answer 5

Preserve traditional Judaism beliefs and practices, to preserve the integrity and authenticity of Judaism and to stop the Reform Movement.

Question 6

Supporting responses on the challenge

Answer 6

While aiming to retain full religious practice and persevere authenticity, the movement continues to face challenges of modernity. Although Rabbi Sacks believed the “barrier they erected against modernity was effective”, the movement still contributed to a fragmentation of Jewish identity and a loss of members.

Question 7

Supporting responses on the religion

Answer 7

• Helped maintain the authenticity of Judaism’s traditional beliefs and practices and helped preserve the integrity and validity of traditional beliefs.
• Rabbi Jonathan Sacks discusses that this movement “constructed countercultures that kept Torah values alive”, helping preserve religious education, knowledge of texts and the Yiddish language.
• However the movements also had a negative impact as members become alienated from the community.