How Do Charedim Respond to Painful Media Portrayals or Societal Judgments?
Painful media portrayals. Hostile headlines. Mockery, suspicion, even hatred.
In many countries—but especially in Eretz Yisrael—the Charedi community is often targeted by powerful forces in the media and society. How do we respond?
With pain, yes—but not with panic. With disappointment—but not with despair. And above all, with emunah, restraint, and resolve.
1. The Torah Already Told Us This Would Happen
"וּבְכָל־הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר יְנַהֶגְךָ ה' שָׁמָּה תִהְיֶה לְשַׁמָּה לְמָשָׁל וְלִשְׁנִינָה..."
“And among the nations where Hashem will lead you, you will be an object of astonishment, a parable, and a byword…”
— Devarim 28:37¹
Hashem already warned us: when Jews keep the Torah faithfully, they will be mocked by the nations. But even among our own people, those who hold tightly to Torah often become the target of misunderstanding or scorn.
The Chofetz Chaim zt”l used to say that in every generation, Torah Jews would be labeled with a new insult. “Fanatic,” “parasite,” “primitive”—but the Torah remains eternal, even when the names change².
2. Chazal Predict This Will Intensify Before Moshiach
"בְּעִקְּבְתָא דְּמְשִׁיחָא חוּצְפָּא יִסְגֵּי… וְהָאֱמֶת תֶּהְיֶה נֶעֱדֶרֶת"
“In the footsteps of Moshiach, brazenness will increase… and truth will be absent.”
— Sotah 49b³
The Gemara lays out clearly: as we approach the end of days, truth will be distorted. Lies will be normalized. Those who stand for Torah will be mocked, misrepresented, and vilified.
Charedim don’t see media attacks as a new phenomenon. They see them as part of the Divine script—another signal that we are in the final stretch before the Geulah.
3. Gedolei Yisrael: Don’t Waste Your Energy Fighting Every Attack
- Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l once commented:
*“We are not in this world to win popularity contests. We are here to fulfill Hashem’s will.”*⁴ - When asked why he didn’t respond to public lies, Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l replied:
*“I have no time to respond to lies. I have to give a shiur.”*⁵ - Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l was known to say:
*“Every second a bochur learns Torah, he is answering all the accusations against us—without saying a word.”*⁶
Charedim believe that the true response to slander is not a public relations campaign—it’s living a life of Torah, chessed, humility, and integrity. Let our actions speak louder than their words.
4. Yes, It Hurts. But Hashem Sees All.
Being misjudged, slandered, or hated hurts. It’s meant to. The Torah never says we must be numb. But it tells us to bring that pain to Hashem—not to the media, not to social media, and not to the court of public opinion.
"שְׁמַע ה' קוֹלִי אֶקְרָא וְחָנֵּנִי וַעֲנֵנִי"
“Hear, Hashem, my voice when I call—be gracious to me and answer me.”
— Tehillim 27:7⁷
The Charedi Jew turns inward, upward, and forward—not outward.
5. We Focus on Building, Not Arguing
While others write op-eds, we write chiddushei Torah.
While others argue in comment sections, we comfort widows, support orphans, and help neighbors.
Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l once said:
*“The greatest revenge against lies is a generation of talmidei chachamim.”*⁸
That’s the Charedi response: to build, to grow, to answer hatred with holiness.
6. When Appropriate, We Clarify With Respect
This doesn’t mean we never speak up. There are times when clarification is necessary—especially when danger or chilul Hashem is involved. But the Charedi way is to respond with calm, not rage; with facts, not mockery.
Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l, when confronted by a journalist who misquoted him, simply said:
*“Don’t worry about apologizing to me. Worry about apologizing to the Ribbono Shel Olam.”*⁹
7. We Cry Over the Pain of Division
Charedim don’t hate those who attack them. We cry over them. They are our brothers and sisters. Their pain is our pain—even when they don’t see it.
The Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum zt”l, though one of the strongest ideological opponents of secular Zionism, used to weep when he spoke about irreligious Jews.
“If only they knew how much we daven for them,” he once said¹⁰.
Conclusion: A Light That Doesn’t Flinch
The Charedi world is not perfect. We are human. But our mission is clear: to live as a shining light of Torah in a darkening world.
And when the spotlight turns harsh, we do not run, we do not rage, and we do not retreat.
We remember that history is written by Hashem, not by headlines.
And one day soon, truth will rise again:
"וְהָיָה ה' לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה ה' אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד"
“And Hashem will be King over the entire earth—on that day Hashem will be One and His Name One.”
— Zechariah 14:9¹¹
Sources:
- דברים פרק כ״ח פסוק ל״ז
Devarim 28:37 - Based on the teachings of the Chofetz Chaim; cited in many biographies and heard from his talmidim.
- מסכת סוטה דף מ״ט עמוד ב׳
Sotah 49b - Heard from talmidim of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l
- Quoted in Aleinu L’Shabeach (Rav Shteinman’s teachings)
- Cited by many students of Rav Elyashiv; attributed in Mishnas Rav Elyashiv
- תהילים פרק כ״ז פסוק ז׳
Tehillim 27:7 - Heard from Rav Lefkowitz’s students; quoted in Yated Neeman (Israel edition)
- Testimony from Rav Chaim’s visitors, reported in Derech Emunah
- Divrei Yoel, Satmar Rebbe on Ahavas Yisrael
- זכריה פרק י״ד פסוק ט׳
Zechariah 14:9