“Unworthy … nasty … counterproductive … demeaning … too sarcastic and exaggerated”; “effective … necessary … perfect … brilliant … kudos.” Such were the mixed reactions to my recent satiric piece on the feminist assault on the Kosel with negatives coming even from people who are opposed to the feminist agenda. On both sides of the spectrum feelings were very strong and passionate. Satire will do that.

Putting aside for now the use of ridicule sarcasm and hyperbole — without which there can be no satire (see dictionary definition above) — one curious phenomenon transcending the Kosel issue emerges: the positive reactions by and large came from American Jews of Jerusalem; the negative reactions by and large came from those living in the US. ( This is not a scientific sampling but a pattern that clearly emerged.)

Why geographical location should make a difference I have no idea. Is it that living in Israelmakes one more battle-hardened more thick-skinned more accustomed to wars of words and not easily offended by strong partisanship? Witness the no-holds-barred verbal jousts in the Knesset or the talk shows which are really “shout shows ” where insults and ad hominems are part of the daily menu. Israelis are perhaps not as tender-hearted as their American Jewish counterparts. They can dish it out and they can take it as well. Let-it-all-hang-out is de rigueur and public shouting matches and temper tantrums are not uncommon. By contrast American society is much more controlled and self-restrained. Ergo a hard-hitting satire disturbs Americans much more than it does Israelis.

But perhaps more to the point is that Jerusalemites being much closer to the actual scene are more keenly aware of what lies beneath the posturing and provocations. They do not see things through the filter of anti-Orthodox media — both Jewish and general — who have transformed the feminist Kosel issue into a civil rights struggle painting scenes of pious women in tallis and tefillin who want to worship G-d in their own way but are prevented by chareidi hoodlums who throw chairs and curses at them.

Jerusalemites are tough-minded and on top of the action. They realize that this group of militant feminists with their own carefully constructed anti-Orthodox agenda aims to break down — with the help of a hostile media and court system —the halachic standards at the Wall … and elsewhere. For Jerusalemites the Kosel is not a tourist site. They pray there frequently and the mere thought of halachic violations on the very spot that is for them closest to heaven is anathema. For them anything — even strong satire — that helps deflate the agitators is welcome. But distance distorts reality and lowers the passion level and so the Americans even when they agree with me are annoyed by the same satire.

(This is not the only difference between Orthodox Jews inIsraeland inAmerica. Israeli chareidim for example are different from American chareidim; Torah study inIsraelis different as is prayer as is general religious intensity. But that is another column.)

Satire incidentally is a very delicate matter. Tone is extremely important and the appropriate balance is very hard to achieve. Like Goldilocks everything must be “just right.” Satire after all is a caricature and just as a cartoonist exaggerates Obama’s ears orClinton’s nose so does the satirist exaggerate foibles and weaknesses. Satire without irony and lampoon is like food without salt and pepper: all taste and pungency disappears. But it is a delicate exercise. Only a Juvenal or a Rabelais or a Jonathan Swift can be pitch-perfect.

Jewish tradition parenthetically shies away from satire and leitzanus which is a type of ridicule or scoffing although the story of Bilaam’s futile attempts at malediction — appearing this week only at a shul near you — comes perilously close to farce. Leitzanus is permissible however if used for sacred purposes (see Talmud Megillah 25b and Rabbeinu Yonah’s Shaarei Teshuvah III:174.). But if overdone or underdone even kosher satire becomes ineffective.

Whether the piece on the Kosel feminists was good satire or meets the Sages’ requirements for leitzanus we will never know. But one fact is clear: If you seek universal approval don’t try your hand at it.