Here is an answer written by a friend of mine:
The Rosh Hayeshiva zt”l didn’t want “brainwashed” students. He wanted students who could think for themselves while still respecting Daas Torah. The derech halimud is designed to teach people analytical and critical thinking skills-the exact opposite of a brainwashed automaton.
Another crucial aspect to the yeshiva is its imparted hashkafah. This means that since chachamim are able to see and understand things that lay people cannot, it pays to listen to what they have to say.
The proof is in the pudding, of course. Let us examine some of his hashkafa in light of current issues facing klal yisroel. We’ll see how krum his viewpoints really are, and if they improve or worsen the situation.
The Rosh hayeshiva zt”l was a big believer in everyone having a kesher with a rebbe. Compare this to today’s situation where many crucial decisions in regards to shidduchim and divorce are made by individuals themselves or their chevra, as they have no rebbe.
The Rosh hayeshiva zt”l felt that people need to learn mussar every day, even great rabbonim, to avoid the snares of the yetzer hara. Compare this to the big chillul Hashem roiling the Jewish blogosphere.
The Rosh Hayeshiva zt”l said that one must be scrupulously honest with taxes, and one should never defraud another entity even if it’s gentile. Compare this to the sad matzav in the summer when many frum people were arrested for fraud. How many fathers would be home with their children instead of in jail if they had my rebbe zt”l as their rebbe?
The Rosh Yeshiva’s litmus test for every action was, even if it’s legal, how would it look on the front page of the New York Times? Compare this to some of the incidents that actually made the front page of the Times-intercine fighting, massive chilulei hashem caused by hareidi protests turned violent, etc. How much less chillul Hashem would there be if they were following my Rosh yeshiva zt”l?
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