What Is the Torah’s View on Mocking Charedim and Their Gedolim?

Publicly mocking Charedim—or worse, mocking their Gedolim and Rabbanim—is not merely bad middos or a chilul Hashem. It is, according to halachah, a severe issur with terrifying consequences for the individual, the community, and even the Jewish People at large.

Whether the mocker is secular or Orthodox, whether he cloaks his words in "progress" or "morality," the Torah’s view is absolute and uncompromising.

1. Bizayon Talmidei Chachamim – A Sin with No Remedy

“כל המבזה תלמיד חכם – אין רפואה למכתו.” “Whoever disgraces a Torah scholar—his wound has no healing.” (Shabbos 119b)¹

The Gemara speaks in absolutes. Disgracing a Talmid Chacham is not just an act of disrespect—it places a person in spiritual danger. The Rishonim explain that this is because Torah is the essence of life, and those who represent Torah are ambassadors of Hashem Himself.

Rav Elchonon Wasserman zt”l writes in Kovetz Maamarim that one who mocks a talmid chacham is mocking the Shechinah itself, for the presence of Hashem rests upon those who toil in Torah².

2. Mocking Klal Yisrael Is a Chillul Hashem

To mock Charedim—as “parasites,” “leeches,” or “primitive” simply for choosing a life of Torah and mesorah—is to mock the foundation of Am Yisrael. It is sinas chinam in its ugliest form.

The Rambam rules that one who causes public embarrassment, particularly to those who fear Hashem, violates a chilul Hashem—a desecration of Hashem’s Name³.

Worse, this sin is often done without remorse, and spread online in ways where the mocked have no ability to respond. This is the classic case of malbin pnei chaveiro b’rabbim, which the Gemara equates to murder (Bava Metzia 58b)⁴.

3. Dismissing Torah Life as "Not Carrying the Burden"

Calling Torah Jews “non-contributors” or “not carrying their share” ignores the very foundation of Klal Yisrael's survival.

“אם לא בריתי יומם ולילה, חוקות שמים וארץ לא שמתי.” “If not for My covenant [of Torah] day and night, I would not have created heaven and earth.” (Yirmiyahu 33:25)⁵

The world exists because of Torah. The yeshiva bochur bent over a Gemara, the kollel avreich learning without fanfare, sustains the world more than all armies and governments.

To mock him is to deny the purpose of creation itself.

4. If a Frum Jew Mocks—It Is Far Worse

When a secular Jew mocks Torah or those who uphold it, it is a tragedy. But when a person who knows the power of Torah—who wears a kippah, who keeps mitzvos—mocks Gedolim or Chareidi values, the chilul Hashem is magnified exponentially.

Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt”l wrote that there is no greater spiritual corruption than “using Torah as a weapon against Torah.”⁶

The Rambam writes in Hilchos Teshuvah that someone who leads others away from Hashem or mocks Torah values—especially under the guise of "helping" or "enlightening"—is called a mesis u’madiach, one who incites others to rebellion⁷.

5. Social Media: A New and Dangerous Tool for Lashon Hara

The Chafetz Chaim warned about the sin of motzi shem ra—spreading lies or distortions about Torah Jews. In our generation, this has been supercharged through social media. A single mocking post or cynical video can reach hundreds of thousands in minutes.

But halachah is clear: whether spoken in private or broadcast to the world, the sin is the same.

“ארור מכה רעהו בסתר” “Cursed is the one who strikes his fellow in secret.” (Devarim 27:24)⁸ The Netziv explains: This includes those who speak lashon hara behind others' backs while pretending righteousness.

The fact that such attacks are often done “l’shem shamayim”—to “improve” Charedim or “hold them accountable”—makes it more dangerous, not less. Because it is often accompanied by self-righteousness, which blocks teshuvah.

6. Gedolim Are Called "Mashiach Hashem"

To insult a Gadol is not simply to mock a person—it is to insult the bearer of Hashem's crown.

David HaMelech refused to harm Shaul, despite being pursued by him, saying:

“אל אשלח ידי במשיח ה'” “I will not stretch my hand against the anointed of Hashem.” (Shmuel I 24:7)⁹

If that was said about a king who tried to kill David, how much more so about those who dedicate their lives to Hashem, learning and guiding Klal Yisrael with humility and sacrifice?

Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l used to say: “To mock a Gadol B’Yisrael is to close the gates of Heaven on oneself. For Hashem listens to their tears more than to all the tefillos of the mockers.”¹⁰

7. The Midah KeNeged Midah Is Real

The Gemara in Sanhedrin 90a says that those who mock talmidei chachamim are punished measure for measure. The very things they laugh at—“they don’t serve, they don’t contribute”—will one day be turned against them, in this world or the next.

The Steipler Gaon zt”l warned that one who embarrasses or humiliates a ben Torah destroys his own merits. Even if he gives tzedakah or does chessed, he is likened to “one who immerses in a mikveh while holding a dead rodent.”¹¹

Conclusion: This Is Not a Debate — It Is a Chillul Hashem

Disagreements among Jews are as old as the Jewish People. But to mock, to shame, to vilify Torah Jews in public—especially those who dedicate their lives to learning, to tznius, to chesed—is not a disagreement. It is a chilul Hashem of the highest order.

The Chareidi world is not perfect. No human community is. But it is a world built on yeshivos, Shabbos, mikvaos, chesed, tznius, emunah, and mesirus nefesh. Those who mock it may not realize what they are doing—but Hashem does.

And if they knew what a single hour of Torah learning, or a quiet tefillah from a chassidish bubby in Meah Shearim does for Am Yisrael, they wouldn’t mock.

They would beg forgiveness.

They would stand and applaud.

They would realize they’re not carrying the nation despite the Charedim—but because of them.

Footnotes & Sources

1. Shabbos 119b – Disgracing a Talmid Chacham
2. Rav Elchonon Wasserman, Kovetz Maamarim, Maamar "Torah and Emunah"
3. Rambam, Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 5:11 – Chilul Hashem
4. Bava Metzia 58b – Public embarrassment likened to murder
5. Yirmiyahu 33:25 – Torah as the basis for creation
6. Pachad Yitzchak, Purim, Maamar 4 – Rav Hutner zt”l
7. Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah 3:10
8. Devarim 27:24 – “Cursed is he who strikes in secret”
9. Shmuel I 24:7 – David refuses to strike Shaul
10. Oral teachings cited in Derech Emunah on Zera’im by Rav Chaim Kanievsky
11. Karyana D’Igarta, Letters of the Steipler Gaon