Uman – A slew of new rituals are becoming more popular during the annual fall pilgrimage to Uman and the gravesite of Reb Nachman of Breslov, including women performing hafrashat challah, circumcisions, and newlyweds celebrating their honeymoons.
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JTA (http://bit.ly/1byVXz6) reports that a minimum of four newborns were circumcised at the gravesite this year, drawing a skeptical eye from outsiders, while Jewish leaders question the wisdom of drawing additional attention to a ritual that is already being heavily scrutinized throughout Europe.
Rabbi Avi Zarik, a Tel Aviv radio talk-show host commonly referred to as “the celebrity rabbi,” said, “This new gimmick goes against halachah and is contemptuous of the mitzvah of milah as well as the sanctity of human life.” while adding that it “is happening as people in Europe are already searching for reasons to fight circumcision.”
Chief rabbi of Ukraine, Yaakov Dov Bleich, said, “I don’t understand why people would bring a baby to a rabbi’s grave for brit milah.”
Hasidic scholar Zvi Mark from Bar-Ilan University said, “Now that merely coming has become mainstream, devout believers are looking for ways to express their commitment.”
oy vey , why cant Jews work on important matters like bein Adom Lachavero and not go nuts
It is going to get much worse. Just look at those people
Why not add more sideshows to what is already the world’s biggest Yiddeshe circus. Milah, kedusshin, shevah bracos, gittin and whatever else you want to throw in. Its all a big sham and chilul hashem that pumps money into the pockets of one of the world’s most anti-semitic states.
avodah zara
Refuah Shelaimah. The insanity is spreading.
The uman extremeties gets more ridiculous and funny every year.
Why would anyone be surprised by this? Halacha has little influence on their hanhoga
This guy in the photo looks like Jesus on a cross..or maybe walking on water..
Some people just have too much time on their hands!
It’s too sad and sick to be funny. Breslov is a “cult of the masses”. Any “minhag” that becomes accepted sticks regardless of Das Torah. This includes wearing blindfolds in airports , women wearing burkas , refusing to go to doctors etc. It’s a twisted aberration of Yiddeshkiet but we have been bullied into accepting this because it’s popular. Xtainity is popular too but it doesn’t make it right. If you don’t remove the mold it will continue to grow Rch’l.
Avodah Zara.
My understanding is that Rabbi Bleich is hardly ever in Ukraine anymore
Just another proof that mental illness is both ongoing and degenerative.
bring rabbi nachman’s remains to eretz yisroel and stop funding the anti-semites in ukraine!
Imtresting how the rabbi thinks its wrong to make brisim at a rabbis kever. Is he only referring to this rabbi in particular? Why? After all, how many of us run to Meron to RABBI Shimon Bar Yochai to do just the same?! How does he excuse that?! As for all those who feel its wrong to spend money in country that killed so many of us & still hate us, if that’s the rabbis reasoning as well I can somewhat understand it. However, if that were the case, where can we travel? England? Look up the year 1190. Spain? We all know what happened there. America? While there were few murders & nothing like Europe there are many people around who can vividly recall the name calling, beatings & more by Americans. Therefore, where should we draw the line & not visit or spend money in that country?
Don’t Lubavitchers also go to their Rebbe’s kever, er, “ohel” for brissim and other occasions? Very inappropriate. In Yiddishkeit we daven to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. We do not worship people.