Gur

 I just want to draw your attention to these two articles written in Ha'aretz concerning Gur's highly restrictive rules for conduct between the sexes even within marriage.

http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/gur-hasidim-and-sexual-separation-1.410811
http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/for-members-of-israel-s-ultra-orthodox-gur-sect-sex-is-a-sin-1.412153

This is not a new issue. In fact, as one of the articles points out, the Steipler already was critical of these practices within marriage and wrote a pamphlet against them (although he published  it anonymously, it was well known that it was from the Steipler). What I find interesting, though, is the underlying current, though, regarding eilu v'eilu. It would seem that there is not even the portrayal of any hint within Gur that there policies are actually critiqued by other segments of Orthodoxy. They are not looked upon as a chumrah but as wrong and kneged Torah but that is not even perceived. What does that really tell us about the world's understanding of Torah and the depth inherent in the concept of eilu v'eilu -- and perhaps why many cannot relate to this fundamental Torah concept. What we seem to further see is that those who leave Gur over this issue become totally not religious because they can't even recognize that there are those within Torah who share their grievances and concerns. Would it not be better for there to be a presentation that there is another way within Torah -- and those who wish to leave Gur do not have to leave Torah? There may be other factors in why a person totally drops Torah besides this reason -- but I do wonder about the negative consequences of trying to present this viewpoint as the sole Torah viewpoint (i.e. that it is the most righteous way) when it is in fact not and open to its own criticism within Torah.

Rabbi Ben Hecht