Lemmings Looking for Leaders (or, This Rav is your Rav, this Rav is my Rav)

Reading the recent exchanges about YCT in both the Jewish Press and Yated Ne'eman has made me very interested in the use of the Rav's name and legacy by all sorts of different people for their own ideological means. In other words, it's fascinating that papers which are right of center would quote their version of the Rav's oppinions on certain issues, when they certainly stear far clear of him on others. (It's also cute to note here the spelling errors they often make in spelling Soloveitchik in different ways.)

I don't see these pubications advocating for the greater study/pursuit of secular knowledge for the sake of appreciating God, nor do they seem to be pushing for increased opportunities for women to study Torah (the Rav advocated both through his words AND his actions).

It seems to me that the Haredi world's problem with Open Orthodoxy (and Modern Orthodoxy too) is that they are trying to figure out how we can be doing the things we are doing without having our "gedolim" behind us. They therefore quote our "gadols's" supposed oppinions/rulings to us, with the hope that we will realize that what we are doing is even forbidden according to Modern Orthodox Halakhah.

This approach points to a clear lack of understanding on the part of the Haredi community: The MO/OO community most certainly has people whom it reveres as "gedolim." Yet they do not see themselves as exemplars of everything we should be in every facet of our lives. I never knew the Rav personally, but it is clear to me that he did not want his followers to be lemmings, but independant doers and thinkers whose values reflected the inspiration of their teacher and the values which he gave to them. The same can be said for those whom I consider to be the "gedolim" today (such as Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, Rav Yehuda Amital, Rav Yoel Bin Nun). I have had numerous conversations with them, and very rarely have they told me what to do in the way that the Haredi community seems to expect of its "gedolim."

We may follow the same set of rules, the MO/OO world and the Haredi world are far apart in their approaches to the Individual. Simply put, our leaders trust us, and we trust ourselves.

Why I'm Writing

Last night during dinner at my friend Ben Greenberg's wedding, I had a thought - not such a rare occurence in itself, but this was something I felt I needed to share with the world, or at least the Frum world.

I believe very firmly that the more self-awareness we can have, as both individuals and as a community, the better off we will be. I think it's time that we have an open, honest discussion about what I (at said wedding dinner, which was very nice btw) described as Lemming Judaism. Granted, there is a strong yesh omrim that these little animals don't actually follow each other to their demise by walking off cliffs (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemming). But I think there is still what to be said for the notion that we in the frum community may be doing so to one extent or another.

Before I move along with some specific examples, I'd like to give a few definitions:

Frum Judaism - Let's go with something simple and less controversial. Simply put, frum means you're part of the frum community. Generally observant of Jewish law, men wear a kippah/yarmulke/skullcap (that one always rubbed me the wrong way) or Yankees cap, and self-defining as an Orthodox Jew.

Lemming - Someone who does what others do, due to the assumption that if others are doing something, it must be the right thing to do.

And therein lies the problem. Many Jews, in their effort to effectively self-identify with the frum community, will do whatever it is that those whom are perceived to be frum do, since that is seen as the way to maintain one's membership in the frum community. In other words, if the people whom I want to be like are doing something, then it: a) must be the right thing to do, and b) must be the right thing for ME to do.

I plan to post the examples of Lemming-Jewish practices over the next few days. In the meantime, feel free to respond with your own, or at least think about what I am saying, the rammifications of these words, and what it is you think should be done - or not done - about this phenomenon.