Borough Park, NY -A Situation Ripe for Misunderstanding: The Rabbi Schorr/Lipa Schmeltzer Wedding Encounter [video]

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    Rabbi Avrohom SchorrBorough Park, NY—With the frum Internet abuzz with a raw video and endless comments on websites, rumors have been circulating about what exactly happened this past Wednesday night, February 4, at a wedding at Borough Park’s Ateres Chaya Hall, in which an altercation of some sort occurred between activist Rabbi Avrohom Schorr, shlita and singer Lipa Schmeltzer—with the resulting rumors, confusion and half-truths spreading faster than wildfire.

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    To clarify the story in the pursuit of objective reporting that is fair to all parties involved, VIN News has confirmed the story below, to which we have added several factual details, to be accurate. (As of 12:00 p.m. today, VIN is still reaching out to all parties involved to maintain accuracy.)

    Lipa, from what I understand, was invited by one of the mechutanim to the wedding. Lipa came to the wedding [as a guest, not a hired performer—Ed.] and wished “mazel tov!” and was standing in the crowd. People were coming over to him and kindly greeting him … Lipa was then brought by one of the baalei simcha to the band to sing. … The singer hired for the evening was Shloime Daskal who, it seems, graciously gave the microphone to Lipa when Lipa was brought to the band[stand].

    Lipa began singing the song that the band had been playing and everyone was enjoying the simcha. … At that point, the band began playing Lipa’s “Hentalach” song on the request by one of the Baalei Simcha. … The chosson’s friends and others gathered around the chosson and were dancing joyously, waving their hands in the air as the chosson responded in kind.

    Suddenly there was a commotion. The song switched to “Amar Rabi Akiva” and Lipa tried to sing but hundreds had gathered around the band to see what was going on.

    Thos who were close enough understood that the commotion was based on the fact that Rabbi Avraham Schorr, who is the rov of the Tiferes Yaakov shul in Midwood/Flatbush, had approached the band and went over to Lipa, demanding that he leave the stage…

    Suddenly someone began to push Lipa. Lipa was very much in control and remained calm. … It looked like none of the ladies knew what was going on from the other side of the mechitza but by the men it was chaos because people were just walking around trying to figure out how to get the situation under control and straighten it out. Lipa tried to explain to Rabbi Schorr and one or two guys who were on Rabbi Schorr’s side that he was invited to the wedding and was asked to sing. Rabbi Schorr continued to tell him to descend from the band. Meanwhile, an even larger crowd gathered around. …

    It was obvious that Lipa was trying to stay under control which he did with a smile on his face. …

    Lipa said into the mike, “Erliche Yidden darf mekarev andere Yidden” Then, the mechanech who had gone up to protect him told him to say into the mike, “Ich bin yedem mochel b’lev shaleim – I am mochel for the disgrace,” which he did. …

    It seemed that Lipa tried to continue singing but was being harassed and so the music took a break for dessert.

    Lipa eventually went off the band stage. … Lipa left the hall with people wishing him hatzlacha. He seemed to be okay with what had happened but only later admitted that he was quite shaken from what happened.

    Lipa told some people [confirmed by VIN News] that he had actually been offered a different job for money somewhere, but came to this wedding because of hakaras hatov and a hiskarvus to the baal simcha …


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    307 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Too much explanation on behalf of Lipa… and being that the highly respected Rav Schorr was the one to conquer him doesn’t make Lipa so innocent.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    and we wonder why the geula hasn’t come yet, I really don’t care what Rabbi Schorr has to say, remember embarrassing b’rabim is compared to murder but it sure was an ais ratzon for Lipa

    Lebediger
    Lebediger
    15 years ago

    would someone please find a job for this schorr
    ha ha Rabbi?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    This is madness. If there was any physical contact, this Rav Schorr should be arrested and charged with assualt. At a minimum, he seems to be in need of psychiatric help.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    And i heard a total different version of the story, it’s not so rosy as you put it down. one of the mechutonim was very upset at lipa’s presence, and that’s when the dispute started to boil up.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    to rabby shorr with all u respect i think there is much bigger prblems going on that lipa singing by chasenes i have never heard you talking about the pedophiles in the jewish comunity form this u sacered beacause u worry about u pocket ,i m sure in shull u also have pedophiles shame on you to be mevaze a person in public .lipa is a tsadik i dont think there is alot of people like him who does chesed .

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    RABBI SCHOR explaind his actions in 2 words avode zura.

    monsey'er
    monsey'er
    15 years ago

    I know one thing, Reb Avruhm Schorr is a Yid a talmed Chucim and Yiras Shomiem, vs Lipa Schmeltzer the lowest of the low.

    Aoutmotacly the shvacher oilem will give Lipa right, and the Serious oilam will understand that Rav Schorr knows what hes doing!!

    BORUCH
    BORUCH
    15 years ago

    you cant have it all folks. either you want all the chushiva rabunim at your simcha, or the wannabe yiddish popstar. A lot of the fault is the Bal simchas.

    a reader
    a reader
    15 years ago

    there was once a time (not so many years ago) when we looked to our rabbonim as a source of kiddush hashem. nowadays, our rabbonim are the source of: concert bans, child molestation cover-ups, and now this – being mevayesh a yid berabim and ruining a heimishe simchas choson v’kallah!!
    i am reminded of the midrash at the begining of megillas Rus – the pasuk says “b’ymei sh’fot ha’shoftim” – literally, “in the days when the judges judged”, and there was a famine in the land. the medrash says that it means “when the judges (themselves) were judged” – and there was a famine. meaning: Woe to a generation whose leaders (judges) themselves are so corrupt and rotten that they themselves need to be judged!!
    Is there any question that we are currently such a generation? if these are our leaders, we truly are in bad, bad shape.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    It just goes to show that torah without derech eretz is nothing worth Lipa without being the big talmud chuchom is worth more than this schor’s torah

    Confused but not surprised
    Confused but not surprised
    15 years ago

    This story is truly amazing ,this is not the first time that R. Schorr has done something like this. He used to be a rebbe in Square town and they threw him out for being to Radical. The issue is that people think he represents the rabbomin, why because he has a big mouth ,and speaks out against everything ????
    we have gedoylim that are calculated in the things they do ,and that is who we should be looking up to. Not those is seek attention by being controversial.
    I have never seen R. Dovid Feinstein say or do anything without first thinking about it, (even if its something he has been asked a hundred times ,he will still think about it)
    that is what a true gadol is !

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    What do people want from him?He is a Ben Torah who is trying to make living.Last year he gave up a lot,when Gedolim put ban on his concert.I wonder if Rav Gedalya Schor Z’L would approve what happen at this wedding.He had no gain to sing here, all this was leshmah.He does ask daas torah what is proper for him to do.He going straight to gan edem for this one.Now you want to know why there so much Tzras in kal yisrael.I do believe Lipa was mochel everybody.Now you know he is a baal midos.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    It Seems That The Rabbi Is The avoda zora He Has A Cult Like Following Who Dont Question Anything This Is A Unhealthy Thing For yidden

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    BORUCH – if Schorr would have been a choshuve person, you would have made some sense. But he is NOT a choshuve person, if only because he was oveir on ‘hamalbim penei chaveiro barabim – EIN LO CHELEK BEOLAM HABA’. Plus there were actually real choshuva rabonim at that wedding – and they had no problem with Lipa singing.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Schorr was the menahel of the Skvere yeshiva years ago, when Lipa was a talmid there. Since Schorr was thrown out, he obviously has a personal problem with Lipa.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Thank G-d, I don’t live in New York.

    anonymous
    anonymous
    15 years ago

    Does LIPA have his own website? I would like to contact him and congratulate him on his excellent middos of not lowering himself. It took alot of courage and derech eretz to keep calm and ask for mechila, something he did not have to do. Rav Schorr owes Lipa a public apology, and he must personally ask him for mechila.

    David
    David
    15 years ago

    Torah im derech eretz?

    Eli
    Eli
    15 years ago

    Once you allow thuggery in one area and give in to extremism – it just expands. This is how the Taliban work.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    I Was Always Afraid Of This Rabbi It Seems That The baley batim That Follow Him Do So Blindly Without Questioning Anything He Has Them In His Pocket So To Speak. He Needs A haskama First

    Use Your Head
    Use Your Head
    15 years ago

    I would not jump to judgement without hearing both sides of the story, but if the version presented here is accurate, I cannot help but see a discomforting parallel to the infamous story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza. Again, I hope I am wrong and that there is a plausible explanation for the whole thing.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    “and being that the highly respected Rav Schorr”

    Are you out of your mind!!! Rabbi Schorr is NOT respected. I always wondered how he gets those speaking engagements. He is a self proclaimed rabbi. If you read into his past you begin to wonder how he even has a shul and how he gets into the Yated and Hamodia.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    mitzva lushmoha diverie chachumim if he insisted to go down he should have done it right away if not then with force why was nobody moyche what a bigshot.

    hitman neil
    hitman neil
    15 years ago

    very well said #3…….. Lipa KOL HAKAVOD you kept your cool and did not cave into the non sense of the “RA” bonim.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    המלבין פני חבירו ברבים אין לו חלק לעולם הבא בבא מציאה נ”ט ע”ב

    MARK  APPEL
    MARK APPEL
    15 years ago

    its people like rabbi shor(we love him too)who are making us so proud of lipa who spends so much of his time being mesameach yidden for free lipa ure great am echad -we are one

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    you could have chushiva rabunim but not not self appointed dictators who think that they are rabunim. this guy is out of control & has serious problems. At best he is a legend in his own mind & and a detrement to klal yisroel & the rabunus at large.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    lipa has a heart of gold, he dosent desrve this. lipa stay strong and you shouldnt have forgiven this bored sole.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Why did this have to be posted on your site? There are hundreds of people across the world who visit this site every day and for them this is pure loshon hora since they knew nothing about the entire incident. This should have stayed within the immediate community.

    Conservative One
    Conservative One
    15 years ago

    Shame on all of you for insulting a Godol BYisroel like Rav Schorr Shlita and defending a low-life like Shmeltzer. He has done nothing more that adopt Chukas HaGoim with his shtick and that is most probably what Rav Schorr meant when he said Avodah Zora. Rav Schorr meanwhile is a Marbitz Torah and someone that children can look up to and try to emulate but not this Shmeltzer character.

    ali
    ali
    15 years ago

    I was not there so I cant give an opinion what happened. I implore everyone to stop saying bad things about other people whether the person is a Gadol or a singer. And all those previous posts who are saying bad things about Rabbi Schorr I honestly do not think you are any bigger Gadol than he is so You should all be smart and just shut up!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Rav Schorr displayed foolish and childish behavior. Lipa has done nothing wrong.

    OY VEY
    OY VEY
    15 years ago

    please mispallel for this Man.
    He is a good man.
    He obviously believes he is doing something good.
    As do the NK people who think they are following The Satmar Rebbe, ZT”L
    Maybe he has developed a chemical imbalance.
    Many of the people in his circle wouldn’t notice if he did.
    His father, Rav Gedalya Schorr, ZT”L was a Rosh Yeshiva in Torah Vodaath, and would never have done something like this.

    menachem
    menachem
    15 years ago

    There is absolutely no justification for embarrassing someone in public .Schorr needs to puclicly ask forgiveness from Lipa.How can we look up to the types of people who act like this? How would he feel if someone doesnt like him and pushed him off the stage when he is speaking …DISGUSTING…..the man deserves no respect at all .torah bli derech eretz = zero……

    DOC
    DOC
    15 years ago

    LET’S GO OUT AND BUY TICKETS TO LIPA’S CONCERT. HE NEEDS A SHOW OF SUPPORT. NOW MORE THAN EVER!!!

    ali
    ali
    15 years ago

    By the way..you cant see anything from this video. I cannot see or hear R’ Schorr doing anything wrong!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    VIN News should remove the comments that write with disrespect on anyone especially on a respected rabbi and a big Talmid Chochoum and real Yarei Shomayim. The story with Lipa is that he comes from a very frum and chasidisha family, when he started his carrier he was basically singing accordingly, like all other singers who basically sing according to their background, all of a sudden he started to sing like the real…..!, and automatically started to pull in a lot of kids and even adults who never heard these songs and never watched a himisha singer who performs and acts like…..!, as everyone knows, Naginah has a very strong influence on a Nefesh, so parents who wanted their kids not hear or see this singing had a very hard time, since he is dressed like a chasidisha guy and comes from an extreme frum background, that’s what’s makes rabbies so upset. why can’t he sing like all singers? MBD, Avrohom Fried, and all other stars never sang like him with this tunes, lyrics, and acts!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    It’s amazing how self-proclaimed Gedolim can act this way and get any respect at all. Bunch of idiots. At least Lipa did something to get the respect and celebrity status that he has. Schorr, do something good for the community and you too will be respected and noticed without having to bring others down to get yourself up. Lo Sachmod is one of the big 10!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Rabosi if you agree with what a Rov does/did or do not agree we still have to Respeact them its RABBI Schor. Reb Ahron Kotler and Reb Yoelish didn’t agree on many things but they had real emes kavod for each other May be with us people which have so much time on our hands should go ask Rabbi Schor why he did what he did there are all ways to sides of a story I Respeact Lipa for controling himself but again there are all ways to sided of a story.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Rabbosai until we don’t know the entire story we shouldn’t say anything, especially against Rabbonim. Whether he’s right or wrong.

    Hatzlacha and Good Shabbos, 🙂

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Rabosi if you agree with what a Rov does/did you still have to respeact our Rabbonim its RABBI Scohr. Re Ahron Kotler and the sattmar rov Reb Yoel didny agree on many thinls but they had real kovod for each other. there is always to sides to a story may be VIN can speak to Rabbi Schor and ask him his side of the story. btw I admire how lipa was able to control himself

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Rabbosai until we don’t know the entire story we shouldn’t say anything, especially against Rabbonim. Whether he’s right or wrong.

    Hatzlacha and Good Shabbos, 🙂

    A mechitan
    A mechitan
    15 years ago

    if i may. my son is getting married soon and i did take lipa to sing (and paying him a crazy price of $5000) so im not going to pick a side who is right lipa or rabbi schorr,, but let me make one thing clear to you all if schorr would walk in to my SIMCHA which is my money and my people and RUIN the SIMCHA. i would take him out rip his beard off and arrest him for assult of even touching lipa AND trust me i would.. he is a shagats for insulting somone in public and a shgatz for destroying somones SIMCAH .. and for lipa i have to say LIPA DONT GET MAD GET EVEN.. his day will come soon (oh how i wish this would happen at my sons wedding there would be no more schorr

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    There must be one person here who was by the wedding?

    I cant believe anyone is taking Rav Schorrs side here, the term rabbi, doesnt make him a real Tzadik, these days anyone who wants to be called Rabbi can get that title.

    His actions are one of a mad man without thinking clearly and someone who obviously has a personal vendetta against Lipa.

    I want to go to this Rabbi Schorrs shul and be mevais him there, midah kneged midah

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    Sorry Rabbi Schorr….you are a guest and have no right to DISTURB anyones simche.
    You hate lipa with a passion dont go close to him

    Chaim S.
    Chaim S.
    15 years ago

    Rav Aron Kotler, Satmar Rebbe, and Rav Gedalye Shorr did not always agree with each other or others. BUT they NEVER publicly insulted another Yid nor made public melees, especially at a simcha.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    where is our EMUNAS CHACHAMIM what happened with us there is no such thing as torah authority today. it sounds like we dont mashiach to come when he does there will be a beis din we are gonna heve to listen to then its not gonna be an option to listen to torah athority

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    where is our EMUNAS CHACHAMIM what happened with us there is no such thing as torah authority today. it sounds like we dont mashiach to come when he does there will be a beis din we are gonna heve to listen to then its not gonna be an option to listen to torah athority

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    My understanding is that the one of the sides in the simcha first tried to get Lipa to leave on his own and Lipa refused. Then he went over and told the rabbonim, (not only Rav Schorr) that he did not like Lipa and did not want him singing. Lipa insisted on staying, claiming he was invited by the other side. If one of the balei simicha did not want Lipa – then Lipa should have just left without any commotion. If you do not know all the facts you should not rush to any conclusions about this adom gadol.