The folk joke tells of a man whose children were playing near his house and disturbing his peace. In an attempt to drive them away, he told them that they were handing out nuts at the end of the street. The children immediately ran there, and silence fell near the man's house.
But instead of enjoying the silence, the man said to himself: They're handing out nuts there, I'd better run there too.
That's pretty much what's been happening with us lately. They create a panic that's completely disconnected from reality, and then they really panic about it. They threaten to destroy the economy, and when people hear over and over again that the economy will collapse, they panic and start withdrawing their money.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
The same thing is happening in the field of Judaism. The slogans of 'increasing religious coercion' and 'we are on our way to Iran' are repeated over and over again, and people are really beginning to believe that soon everyone will be forced to wear shtreimels. And this is while the reality is completely the opposite, to the heart's sorrow. It is not enough that the state is not becoming more religious, but that in all areas of the old status quo there is a retreat and erosion on a large scale.
Retraction and gnawing
Look at what's happening with regard to Sabbath observance. How many shopping malls and businesses are open on Sabbaths? How many workers are forced to violate the Sabbath in order to keep their jobs. How many public transportation initiatives are taking place on the holy Sabbath. And is this 'increasing religious coercion'?
And what is happening in the area of marriage? Is it harder or easier these days to get married outside of the Jewish law? And in general, everything that is happening in Israel today in the area of the family, is it going in the direction of 'Iran' or the other way?
This is the case with conversion, kashrut, leaven on Passover, and so on. In almost every area, there is a retreat in the country's Judaism towards secular and liberal directions. And yet, there are terrifying moves being made against the public that religion is taking over life!
This is the power of propaganda, that when the false slogans are repeated over and over again, and uttered loudly and confidently, people really begin to believe that nuts are being handed out at the end of the street. Because it is not comfortable for a person to conclude that respected people and respected journalists are lying to him and misleading him. He says in his heart that if they shout so loudly, it must be the truth.
Return to sane conversation
But those who seek to ascertain the truth of things do not follow slogans but seek to ascertain the truth of things. Then they very quickly discover the power of lies and empty scaremongering. We have seen this many times recently: When those who cry out about the 'end of democracy' are asked which clause exactly will make us an undemocratic state, they begin to stammer and recite the empty slogans over and over again.
In such an atmosphere of false propaganda and declarations of the 'end of the world', it is impossible to have a serious discussion. Isn't there a huge public here, which won a decisive majority in the last elections, and is convinced with all its heart that it is essential to make reforms to the judicial system. And is it impossible to have a serious and substantive discussion with it? And is the correct approach to accuse it of seeking to 'smash' the judicial system and turn Israel into a dictatorship? Is this really how democracy is conducted, with threats and insults?
Let us calm the spirits and return to sane dialogue between the parts of the people, for the benefit of all of us.
