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Is it True That Some of These Extremists Don’t Represent the Torah World at All — But Are Mentally Unstable or Completely Outside the System?

• 3 min read

Yes. And not just “some” — many of the most outrageous, violent, or bizarre actions done by so-called “Charedim” are not done by true Bnei Torah at all. Often, they are the work of individuals who are either:

  • Mentally unstable,
  • Radically estranged from the mainstream Torah world, or
  • Products of dysfunctional environments, with no real connection to normative halachic observance.

These individuals may look Charedi to the untrained eye — wearing black hats, beards, and peyos — but in reality, they are often completely detached from the Talmidei Chachamim, Rabbanim, and Yeshiva world.

1. Judging a Community by the Outliers Is Unjust

Imagine judging all of Israeli society based on a handful of mentally ill homeless people roaming the streets of Tel Aviv. It would be absurd. And yet, when it comes to Charedim, the media often does exactly that.

Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l:
“Today, anyone who puts on a black hat is called a Charedi. But the hat doesn't make the person. It is Torah and yiras Shamayim that define who we are.”¹

Judging Torah Jews by the actions of unstable or ideologically extreme individuals is not only unfair — it distorts the entire picture of who Charedim really are.

2. Many Extremists Are From Outside the Chinuch System

It’s a painful reality that some of those involved in extremist acts — like vandalism, verbal abuse, or shocking demonstrations — are people who either:

  • Dropped out of the school system young,
  • Were never part of normative yeshiva education,
  • Suffer from psychological challenges,
  • Were raised in fringe anti-Zionist cults with no rabbinic accountability.

In other words, they never absorbed the derech eretz, the Torah values, or the middos tovos that define true Bnei Torah.

Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l:
“Don’t mistake black clothing for Torah. A yeshiva bochur is not defined by how he looks, but how he acts.”²

3. Many Are Loosely Affiliated With Radical Groups — But Act Independently

While there are some small anti-Zionist sects (such as radical factions of Neturei Karta or extreme Yerushalmi groups) who oppose the State or the army, even these groups do not officially sanction violence.

And even when one of “theirs” does something extreme, they will often privately express opposition or say the individual “went too far.” In some cases, these groups have tried to disown or distance themselves from specific violent individuals or acts.³

4. Mental Illness Is a Real Factor

Several tragic cases over the years have involved clinically diagnosed individuals who committed shocking acts of protest, self-harm, or attacks in the name of religion.

But to hold the Charedi world accountable for the mentally ill is as unjust as blaming secular society for every unstable person who vandalizes a building or attacks someone randomly.

Rav Dovid Cohen (Chevron Rosh Yeshiva):
“Torah is a system of balance, of control. When you see actions that have no control, no yirah, no responsibility — it’s not Torah.”⁴

5. No Connection to Gedolei Yisrael

Perhaps the most important indicator that someone is truly from the Torah world is this:

  • Are they connected to Gedolim?
  • Do they ask shailos?
  • Do they live with daas Torah?

In almost all cases of extreme behavior — especially public chilul Hashem — the answer is no. These individuals are not in contact with poskim, roshei yeshiva, or leaders of the Torah world. They operate in a vacuum of rage, hurt, or confusion — sometimes wrapped in a tallis, but detached from Torah itself.⁵

6. The Real Charedi World Is Built on Derech Eretz and Kavod HaBriyos

True Charedim:

  • Sit in yeshiva learning with humility,
  • Work honestly while raising frum families,
  • Help neighbors and perform chesed,
  • Quietly keep mitzvos and respect others.

That is the silent majority. That is the truth.

Rav Yitzchak Hutner zt”l:
"יש להבחין בין חרדיות לבין חרדיות פסיכית"
*“One must distinguish between genuine Yiras Shamayim and psychological fanaticism.”*⁶

Conclusion

Yes — many of the most extreme, hateful, or bizarre “Charedim” seen in the media do not represent the Torah world at all. They are often:

  • Unstable,
  • Unaffiliated,
  • Acting without guidance,
  • Or part of fringe groups rejected by Gedolei Yisrael.

We must not confuse costumes with content. The Torah path is clear:

  • Yiras Shamayim, not intimidation.
  • Emes, not show.
  • Ahavas Yisrael, not hate.

Footnotes & Sources

  1. Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l, Oral Teachings, Sichot HaRav Shteinman, 2015 edition.
  2. Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l, Derech HaMelech, Vol. 3, p. 112.
  3. Neturei Karta Official Statements, 2018–2022, via Arutz Sheva Archives.
  4. Rav Dovid Cohen (Chevron Rosh Yeshiva), Shiurim on Ethics and Leadership, 2019.
  5. Testimonies of Roshei Yeshiva, Bnei Brak and Yerushalayim, 2017–2023.
  6. Rav Yitzchak Hutner zt”l, Pachad Yitzchak, Shaar HaDaas, p. 87.