Jerusalem – Ultra-Orthodox leaders are calling on the religious public not to volunteer in Magen David Adom, claiming that serving in the rescue organization leads to serious religious prohibitions and leads to spiritual danger.
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The sector’s newspapers published an ad signed by senior haredi leaders, including leader of the Lithuanian faction Rabbi Shalom Elyashiv, Rabbis Nissim Karelitz, Chaim Kanievsky, Aharon Leib Shteinman, the Sanz and Erlau Rebbes and others.
In the call, directed to “dear volunteers engaged in saving lives in the Holy Land,” the rabbis rule that volunteers must favor haredi rescue services operating across the country and must not volunteer with MDA.
The ad is part of the ongoing battle between haredi rabbis and the national emergency organization, following MDA’s attempt to recruit young ultra-Orthodox people for civilian service.
Continue to read at Yediot Ahronot
This adds a whole new dimension to the principle of ‘pikuach nefesh’.
I wonder if “Rabbi Shalom Elyashiv, Rabbis Nissim Karelitz, Chaim Kanievsky, Aharon Leib Shteinman, the Sanz and Erlau Rebbes and others” emphatically and categorically deny and repel any offers or efforts to assist them if C”V the learned rabbanim were to be involved in any accident or other medical emergency?
Or will “Rabbi Shalom Elyashiv, Rabbis Nissim Karelitz, Chaim Kanievsky, Aharon Leib Shteinman, the Sanz and Erlau Rebbes and others” check their rescuers’ credentials and qualifications, find out that their saviors work with MDA, and send them away?
Or is this purely a political issue, like something from George Orwell’s 1948 novel “Animal Farm”? The guiding message there was “Four legs good – two legs bad”.
R’ Shalom Elyashiv and company appear to be promoting a similar doctrine.
I suppose it’s ok to tell your followers privately that it’s preferrable to volunteer in Hatzalah or similar, but if they signed a letter that it’s assur to volunteer in MDA, they are promoting such sinas chinum that I wouldn’t want to trade their Oilem Haboh with them. Unless of course they also make it ussir to call MDA in an emergency & just opt out of MDA completely. Even then, it’s still a terrible chill Hashem.
The חזון איש already ruled on this.
עהר האט זיי גוט פארשטאנען
How many of their sect actually volunteer with MDA anyway, probably very few if any.
The Haredi leaders really need to drop the use of the word “assur.” At this point, they are succeeding only in making themselves objects of ridicule, and promoting a lifestyle that is well on its way to becoming unsustainable. They need to stop postponing the inevitable and start actively seeking ways for Haredim to become part of mainstream society in Israel.
If the religious dont help the secular (MDA) maybe the secular will not help the religious. I find this entire thing very upsetting and polarizing. We are one people, one body. I can’t believe this is what Hashem wants from us. No Achdus. Tehillim # 133 says,” Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” Don’t understand nor like what is going on.
To all dear readers:
We are talking about the biggest Gdoilim of our time and it’s not appropiat to comment like that.
Secondly you can not make a judgement just by reading a small article and not knowing all the facts and definately without knowing what these Gdoilim know. Thank you
#7 then that is not saying much for them I can not see people of the stature of Rav Moishe or Rav Aron ever saying such a thing When our supposed leaders loss their
humanity and love for their fellow jews there is a major problem but these same leaders tell their followers to take what they get from the state
and give nothing in return no wonder there is a growing split in israel with more people turning away and yes even religious jews are getting upset
This is so sad. I worked for MDA and my rebeim from Mir yeshiva approved as long as it was not during seder. One time Ichud Hatzala approached us frum MDA guys and told us to come to a gathering for all emts around israel and hear gedolim speak, we were told to come in uniform and partake in the event. I didn’t make it but my friends who did had to stand there in MDA uniform as the gedolim, at the urging of Ichud Hatzala proceeded to be condemn magen dovid adom. Utterly humiliating. The individual rescue workers of Ichud Hatzala are amazing and devoted guys but the top honchoes have such a agenda. Its about funding and politica and power hungry people. This agenda has been going on for years now. How can hatzala orgonize a ARAB SECTION OF THEIR GROUP then condemn mda for having non religios jews???????
Such a shame that they have dragged our saintly leaders throughh the mud that they choose to wallow in…… Oi it breaks my heart…..
before you twist yourselves into a pretzel, keep in mind the source of this story. You are talking about gedolai ha’dor whom you tipshim commenting here don’t even come up to the bottom of their little toes!
From Ynet: “MDA spokesman Zaki Heller said response, ‘Magen David Adom is Israel’s national rescue organization which engages in saving lives 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As the rest of the security forces, like the IDF, the police and the firefighting services, MDA is particularly careful in maintaining and respecting the religious lifestyle of hundreds of its workers and volunteers who engage in saving lives routinely and during emergencies, on weekdays, Saturdays and holidays.’ ”
The reasons reported for the kol korei were vague. Does anyone know what, specifically, caused the above mentioned gedolim to issue such an edict?
Pathetic
It’s mamesh a chilul Hashem that these Gedolim miss the obvious. Even if they’re concerned re: tznius issues, which is understandable, why create a situation where you appear to mandate selfishness and arrogance? They should know a thing or two about marees ayin – appearances count!
You may wish to dispute the validity of the signatures as forged or coerced. You may wish to ask your personal Rav and Posek, who knows your specific situation well to guide you in the proper Torah conduct if you are an MDA volunteer.
But once the assertions of these Rabbis are validated, it is beyond 99% of us to question their logic, motives and whether they “really get the whole picture”.
These are our leaders, who are have a singular heavenly assistance when ruling on any issue and guiding the nation in general.
I find it okay to question, to learn, to gain a better understanding of their words and actions.
But to claim that “I know more. I know better. They are making a mistake”…that’s not haughty – it’s simple stupidity.
It’s really surprising that Rav Elyashiv, Rav Kanievsky, Rav Shteinman, Rav Karelitz, shlita, weren’t aware that the anonymous posters on this blog understand Torah hashkafa better than they do and would be superior leaders of klal yisroel. Otherwise, they’d certainly consult them before any ruling or decision.
Guys, post your names and phone number as well. I’m sure that the calls will follow in short order.
There is a spiritual Emergency and it is not the teens who are at risk. It is everyone who is at risk from the foolish, hurtful and anti – jewish statements from these so called ‘rabbis. The real Torah warns of false messiahs.. Take heed and warning – these are fakers and are a joke and an embarrassment. When these (people – sic) will need medical attention their punishment will be that a Magen David EMT will be on call and refuse to
to them…
Mordechai Hatzadik also had an opinion that was very unpopular at the time. He was also called fanatic. It was a great chillul Hashem not to participate in the Royal Dinner. He understood that it was all a ploy with ulterior motives. Gedolim see things with different eyes. Yid!!! What have you picked up in the last 3000 years?
I think we should absolutely follow everything they say, blindly, without ever asking them for their logic and Halachik basis. And if anyone questions them, you are very bad.
It is sad to see that even today’s gedolim, are influenced by the political requests of egotists seeking to further their own agenda.
Have we so quickly forgotten that פיקוח נפש.דוחה.שבת Furthermore, considering that כל המקיים נפש אחת כאילו קים עולם מלא I think I’d rather get their שכר than that of the gedolim who put forth such issurim! I would assume that the superiority of saving a life would overshadow the issue of potential pritzus.
Its time to realize that “We are all jews, brothers and sisters” and perhaps Moshiach can come yet in our generation.
I guess that the Ultra Orthodox really are not that much Torah as they might think they are. It is a blessing to be helpful to your nation. Be a MDA person if need be. Israel needs help. But that said, I doubt that the Ultra Orthodox Rabbis are going to turn the Holy land on its side.
With all due respect to those who believe that the Rabbonim and Admorim have some political motives, there’s no way I could prove this to be untrue, but know this:
A Yingerman who went to Yeshivah with me is currently volunteering for MaD”A, and he recounted to me on numerous occassions how he was set up on multiple occassions to be on active duty with a female counterpart.
So there is definitely substance to the claim of the Rabbonim about modesty issues with volunteering for MaD”A.
If involvement with Magen David Adom “leads to serious religious prohibitions and leads to spiritual danger” then I hope that the relevant gedolim and their followers opt to never use Magen David Adom when in trouble. Actually, for that matter, I’d want Magen David Adom to ignore help requests from those that spurn them.
With due respect to the Gedolim the mishna had an admonition :Chachamim hezaharu bedivrachem. Not everything thought should be said -not everything said should be written-not everything written should be posted
Why is it so difficult to comprehend the simple fact that volunteering in a non-Torah environment is assur, especially when you have a Torah-compliant alternative?
If your daughter or son who you worked with blood sweat and tears to raise properly for a decade or two were to begin engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior because he or she was assigned shifts with the opposite gender, would you be OK with that? How easy do you think it is for young people to resist this? More importantly, do you really think Halacha is OK with it when we are commanded to distance ourselves from arayos, not merely to not engage in it? Are you thinking at all?
Politics (should) have zero to do with this issue. If there are numerous posted anecdotes of impropriety within hours of this story being posted, it’s probably bad news all around despite the good that MD”A may do and deserve due credit for, and whoever told these gedolim about this seems clearly correct and it is plain that the gedolim are correct in this matter besides for the “Al Pi Hatorah asher Yorucha” factor.
a godel should be revered respected however they can be questioned one should never follow some blindly that is not what we are about
on the other hand if they keep on saying such stuff maybe we should question their greatness
TZNIUS: a small lesson in etymology.
1. The word “tznius”, which means “modesty”, is a NOUN.
2. There is no such word as “untznius”. It is a bastard construct.
3. If you are looking for a Hebrew adjective meaning “modest” you must write “TZANUA” (masculine), or “TZNUAH” (feminine).
4. “Not modest”, therefore, would be “BILTI TZANUA (or TZNUAH, depending on the situation).
So, instead of writing “It is untznius for a woman not to cover her hair” one should write “It is not tzanua for a woman etc”. Better still, write “It is bilti tzanuah etc.
Here ends today’s lesson in basic Hebrew syntax!