Blessed be the sage’s memory? Haredi reflections and challenges to the portrayal of Torah sages from past generations

In the last decade an ultra-orthodox literature concerned particularly with the education of children and youth has flourished. A prevalent question ponders the right way to describe the Torah sages of previous generations, i.e., what should be remembered and what forgotten about them. Many authors criticize the ways of writing customary till now, which tend to describe Torah sages as super-human, without weaknesses and failings. Using educational explanations they propose a change in these ways of portrayal. I attempt to explain this trend, connect it to the current social circumstances of the Israeli ultra-orthodox community, and probe the difficulties in implementing its own demands for more realistic historical writing.