Eyes To See: Recovering Ethical Torah Principles Lost In The Holocaust

by Yom Tov Schwarz

This book was written with the goal of restoring integrity, compassion, unity and Kiddush HaShem to their central role in the observance of Torah and mitzvos, as Halacha demands. This will serve to correct a number of serious errors and misconceptions of Torah views, values and obligations that resulted from annihilation of nearly all of the great European Torah leaders in the Holocaust. This destruction left a young generation of bereft and bewildered survivors without the great Torah personalities necessary to educate and impress upon them the absolute centrality of these traditions and laws for correct Torah observance. This book is a courageous call by the author, a leading ultra-Orthodox sage, for fundamental change in the Torah-observant community. In it, the author calls for the abolition of a dangerous new phenomenon - the tendency among various Orthodox groups to establish their own insulated networks of schools and other institutions - because divisiveness and discord are a natural consequence of this factionalism within Jewish society. He implores Orthodox Jewry to designate a fast day in remembrance of the Holocaust, as indifference to the greatest tragedy in Jewish history can only sow cruelty and breed immorality. The author also calls upon Orthodox Jewry to re-asses the manner in which they relate both to non-religious brethren and non-Jewish neighbors, highlighting the Torah's command that they be compassionate and honest with all people, and that they strive to glorify G-d's name and bring honor to the Torah by the manner in which they behave in even the most mundane of aspects of everyday life.

Hardcover

First published April 15, 2005

Reviews

[Talya]

The book is a mix of articles on the different topics. Rabbi Schwarz is a very gifted and persuasive writer. He constructs his line of thinking beautifully. Although some of his ideas are definitively not the consensus among the general Charedi leadership (past and present), I must say that his words make allot of sense. I was especially interested on his take about commemorating the European Jewish Churban (holocaust). He suggests a day similar to the fast day that Polish Jews have on the 20th of Sivan to commemorate the massacres they suffered during the crusades.