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Hardal (Template:Hebrewterm) refers to those Haredi Orthodox Jews who support the State of Israel.

History and Groups

The term Hardal is part of a broad process of certain groups of Religious Zionist youth becoming more strict in certain observances and more ideologically driven by the thought of R. Zvi Yehudah Kook. In the late 1970's graduates of Yeshivat Merkaz Harav began to reject certain aspects of Religious Zionist and Bnei Akiva life. At that time, some of the graduates were already referred to as "plain clothes Haredim."

According to some sources, the term Hardal was created at a meeting of the youth group EZRA in 1990. (Ezra is the Poalei Agudah youth group associated with Torah im Derech Eretz.) In later years, the term Hardal became a group that actually started separating itself from the broader religious Zionist community in order to dedicate itself to leading a life dedicated to strict Jewish practice, without the influence of outside culture. There was stress placed on modesty in dress and early marriage. Rabbi Shlomo Aviner was the major ideologue for this group.

All Hardalim built their thought on the writings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook as interpreted by his son Rabbi Zvi Yehudah Kook. This approach gives a great role for faith, emotions, and messianism in Judaism. They also stress the study of Yehudah Halevi's Kuzari and the writings of the Maharal.

In recent years, it refers to those under the influence of Rabbi Tau, who left yeshivat Merkaz Harav to found the more Hardal Yeshivat Har Hamor. Rabbi Tau rejects secular studies and secular influences. He is also against any academic influence on teacher's colleges, rejecting the influence of modern educational psychology and modern approaches to the study of Bible. Those who follow this approach are called followers of Yeshivat HaKav- "Yeshivot that follow the line."

The term Hardal is sometimes used to refer to those coming from the Haredi world who join Nahal Haredi (the shortened army service for Yeshiva graduates) and continue to live within the broader Hardal world. It is also sometimes used for American Yeshivish Jews who moved to Israel and support the state.

Ideological Crisis and Schism

In earlier years, the Religious Zionist movement downplayed the reports of what some called traitorous actions of the Israeli Government, and continued to stress its unconditional support. However, ever since the call to implement Ariel Sharon's plan to expel all the Jews of Gaza and Northern Samaria from their homes and surrender their land to the Hamas and PLO terror groups, the Hardalim have been undergoing an intense ideological crisis. Many have come to change their ideological attitude toward the State of Israel, coming to see it not as an inherently valuable entity, but as a means to an end. Thus, they have come to realize that the State of Israel can no longer be considered "the beginning of the Redemption" as Rabbi Zvi Yehudah Kook taught. Thus, their support for the State is conditional on the State's adherence to Torah law. Others, particularly Shlomo Aviner, have declared that they continue to support the State regardless.

This schism process was accelerated after the Israeli Police at the behest of then-acting-Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Olmert brutally attacked youth who came to protest against the expulsion and demolition of a group of houses in the Jewish village of Amona, near Jerusalem, deliberately smashing skulls and testicles repeatedly with batons and engaging in sexual abuse of many of the female protesters. ]

Characteristics

Several characteristics differentiate Hardalim from both the Haredi and the mainstream modern Orthodox religious Zionist world.

• Ashkenazi Hardalim might use the Sephardic pronunciation of the Hebrew language when praying, as modern Orthodox religious Zionists also do; this in contrast to Ashkenazi Haredim, who use the Ashkenazi pronunciation of Hebrew.
• Many Hardali families have chosen not to own a television and are not consumers of the general popular culture, in contrast to modern Orthodox religious Zionists.
• Hardalim typically dress like most modern Orthodox religious Zionists would, but place a slightly larger emphasis on appearing neat, wearing their tzitzit out of their pants, and wearing a slightly larger yarmulke. Like other religious Zionists, they might wear colored knitted yarmulkes. In contrast to Haredim, many Hardalim do not wear only white shirts, and only a handful of Hardalim wear a jacket and a hat; these are usually the highest levels of rabbinical leadership of the Hardal world.
• Hardalim say prayers for the State of Israel and serve in the Israel Defense Forces, while Haredim do not.
• Hardalim fiercely opposed Israel's disengagement from the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank in 2005. While some Haredim also opposed the retreat and destruction of the Jewish communities, the Haredi rabbis did not condone active opposition, most (with the notable exception of Chabad-Lubavitch) adopted a neutral, passively resisting or even supportive attitude.
• Daat Torah. Hardalim will usually respect daat torah of a personal rabbi but are not as dependent as Haredim who publicly and privately strictly adhere to the advice of their rabbincal leadership. Modern Orthodox religious Zionist might have a personal rabbi but may be more independent.
• Hardali women generally dress in clothing styles which are absolutely banned from the Haredi world for reasons of tzniut, such as hair coverings which reach below the height of the shoulder, very long skirts, or shirts with texts on them.

Leadership

Some influential leaders of the Hardal world include former Chief Rabbis of Israel Rabbi Avraham Shapira of the Merkaz HaRav yeshiva.

Other important Rabbis and thinkers of the Hardal movement are:

• Rabbi Zalman Melamed, his son Rabbi Eliezer Melamed
• Rabbi Elyakim Levanon
• Rabbi Dov Lior
• Rabbi David Dudkevitch
• Rabbi Shmuel Tal
• Rabbi Shlomo Aviner
• Hillel Weiss

Locations

Many Hardalim live in the settlements. The settlement Kiryat Arba, led by its Rabbi Dov Lior, is considered a Hardal stronghold as is the settlement of Beit El, led by Rabbi Shlomo Aviner. They are also predominant in settlements like Ofra, Shiloh, and Hevron. There are yeshivot in Ramat Gan and Yeruham which are seen as Hardal yeshivot. Some Jerusalem neighborhoods are also Hardal strongholds, such as Har Nof and the Jewish settlers in the Old City.

External Sources

• Fundamentalist or Romantic Nationalist?: Israeli Modern Orthodoxy, Shlomo Fischer
• From Orthodox religious Zionist to Orthodox Hardal, Yoske Ahitov, Deot 24
• Orthodox Judaism is Ill, Bambi Sheleg
• The Hardal Dilema, Nadav Shenrav
• About Rabbi Tau
• On the "The Tanakh Debates"

See also

• Haredi Judaism
• Religious Zionism
• Modern Orthodox Judaism
• Haredim and Zionism

• Orthodox Judaism
• Zionism