Moreshet Shaul: Returning Torah to its Central Standing – part II | Various Rabbis | Beit Midrash

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The following is the continuation of an address at a symposium of rabbis of the Hapoel Hamizrachi Movement in the very early stages of the State of Israel. Last time, Rav Yisraeli explained the reasons why Hapoel Hamizrachi focuses more on work than on religion.
The framework of an agricultural village has all of the advantages to foster the religiosity of its members, especially in the following realms – Shabbat observance, synagogue atmosphere, and educational institutions. The child who grows up in the village does not see a different type of life. He does not live in an exposed location. It is even more so in the Religious Kibbutz movement, where life is more firmly dictated by communal leadership than in an agricultural village. But even in a village, the community of members understands the framework and appreciates it.
However, it is also necessary to deepen the content. We have to inculcate internal emotion that stems from the soul. On Shabbat, we should look for ways to have the sanctity envelope rest. Admittedly, in the village, there are objective difficulties that can cause people to take their mind off of Shabbat, and this is a point in which a rabbi can stand in the breach.
In education, we need to provide the student with the excitement and the desire to continue his studies and especially his Torah studies. We have not been educating for excellence in Torah study. Youngsters who do not continue in a framework of Torah study naturally fall into "foreign movements." Then we have to ask: Will we have continuity in the village? Will the second generation be able to continue its image as a religious village? Under such circumstances, the framework is a disadvantage. In the city, every person stands on his own. He can make a framework for himself, including for positive things; in the village, the framework is general – will one be able to escape it [if it is negative]?
Regarding youth groups in the city, one has comrades, but there is not spiritual activity that strengthens the individual, and the framework of the village is missing. Having a membership card is not by itself an assurance that the member’s [ideals] will be preserved. In fact, he is exposed to the destructive "street" within his personal and communal life.
However, if the individual has problems in the city, the community has bigger problems there. The individual can take refuge in a synagogue, whereas the community has no support and reinforcement through mitzvot. In that way, the branch of the youth group in the city, loses its content and then eventually its membership.

Moreshet Shaul (30)

Various Rabbis

29 - Moreshet Shaul: Returning Torah to its Central Standing – part I

30 - Moreshet Shaul: Returning Torah to its Central Standing – part II

All of the religious lectures we know of focus on presenting things to the outside, rather than on inspiring within.
If a member of the community starts to falter in his mitzva observance, we definitely should not rush to remove him from the community. However, this is only when there is reaction to his actions, which gives hope for aspiration for improvement. Otherwise, it is a "disease that spreads throughout the body." Because of the question of how to react, the trust of the masses in us is weakened.
We have not succeeded in inculcating in the hearts of our members the love of and dedication toward the values of the Torah in cases where some scoff at these values. We have not succeeded in motivating the movement toward fulfilling the Torah. Not even one meeting of the secretariat was held to deal with the religious situation.
I present the following question: Isn’t the spiritual situation in the world such that it is possible [for us, the rabbis] to approach the members [of the movement]? [Are we not aided by] the open miracles that our eyes have seen? Have we taken advantage of the great momentum that has come with the upheavals of the time in order to strengthen the belief of the member?
We rabbis must go out in actions of "Torah advocacy" in a manner of a lightning strike. Three or four of us must lecture at one time on Shabbat in order to activate a branch [of the movement] with spiritual activity.

Moreshet Shaul