JERUSALEM (VINnews) —The Head of the Rabbinical Court of the Eida Haharedis (Jerusalem charedi Council), Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, sharply condemned the synagogue officials at a Lithuanian shul in Ramat Beit Shemesh who honored a woman with “Gelilah,” the ceremonial wrapping of a Torah scroll.
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The incident took place during a Torah dedication ceremony at a synagogue in Ramat Bet Shemesh Daled. A video that was posted to social media this week shows the woman, who apparently is involved in the donation of the new Torah scroll, closing and dressing the Torah scroll in the sanctuary as men surround her.
הגבול הדק? בקהילה חרדית מודרנית ב-ד’ 2 אשה עושה גלילה לספר תורה.
*חדשות החרדים>> https://t.co/1Ur9cgL1zI* pic.twitter.com/sNkBdmRghC
— חדשות החרדים בבית שמש (@News_haredim) August 28, 2023
The synagogue officials claim they received a dispensation from one of the local rabbis, but the rabbi denied the claim.
Rabbi Sternbuch voiced his opposition and even referred to the modern-charedi community as “a community with charedi roots,” hinting that a charedi community would not have permitted such an incident to occur.
“Every heart here trembled when we heard that a community with charedi roots sank so low and honored a woman with Gelilah, and published that it had raised the honor of the Torah and the honor of the charedi woman,” he wrote.
He ended his words with a harsh statement: “Brothers of the house of Israel, we will disassociate from them, and it will be good for us and for our children.”
So this is the big “nevola b’yisroel” and required immediate written protest.
I haven’t heard a word of protest over the event in Ramat Beis shemesh Beis. With the event of Mayor Aliza Bloch car’s tires and smashing up her car and required the police to rescue her.
She was there to celebrate the opening of a vishnitz yeshiva.
Don’t try to say your opinions against one of the gedolai hador ,whatever “chazal”you know he knows. Please show kovod hatorah
A little bit of context is important here.
This was done by a Hachnosas Sefer Torah. This was not at a minyan for Tefilla (Shachris or Mincha) where there was a scheduled Krias HaTorah. The Hagba’ah was done as part of the Hachnosa etc and the wife of the nadvan (who herself might have significantly participated in paying for the writing of the Torah) helped with the Gelilah.
It might not be something that should be done, but perhaps there is a makom to be lenient…
Given that he does not explain what the problem is, what psak does the meaning have?
Sure lots of people will follow, bit he fails his job which is to teach people halacha and the source.
This is so beautiful that this woman was recognized and honored like this by her community. There is no need to demean the practice or insult these heligah yiddin.
The times are changing. Get with it.
Of course once Rav Shternbuch confirms this, it’s understood that it is incorrect. I’m just saying perhaps they thought it might be different than Gelilah being done during davening.
Worst than the Gelilah is the video being online with men watching it.
She probably a democrat that doesn’t know the difference between he or she….
Those are Americans I’m pretty sure
Dont be more frum than Moshe rabenue. I’ll ask him the same I would ask a Christian where does it say this, chapter and verse? It’s the I am more frum than you mentality that is part of the shiduch crisis that is part of the yeshiva crisis (so many yeshivos but no place for a student who isnt 100 % the way they want it) and no one trust anyone so many hesher companies so many shulls but no one trust any one any more.
Mriam sang oz’yo sher and moshes wife gave his son a briss