Posek Retracts Criticism Of Rabbi Arush’s Song, Says He Thought It Was From ‘Secular Singer’

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In a significant turn of events  Rabbi Avraham Deutsch, the Posek of Ma’ale Adumim, has retracted his previous criticism of the popular religious song “Hashem Loves Me” (God Loves Me) following a clarification of its message and authorship.

The controversy, which had gained media attention, centered around Rabbi Deutsch’s initial condemnation of the song in his published works, where he had labeled it as “corrupt” and said that no one should listen to it. However, in a dramatic reversal described on social media by Rabbi Arush’s disciples, Rabbi Deutsch withdrew his criticism after he had investigated the content of the song based on the writings of its author, Rabbi Shalom Arush. Rabbi Deutsch also allegedly said in a discussion with Rabbi Arush that “I didn’t know these were your words, you are my teacher and master and I have been studying your books for years.”

Rabbi Deutsch initially thought that the song’s lyrics “it will be even better,” implied that the present situation isn’t good, but that’s not what he was saying at all.

In fact, for the last 40 years, Rabbi Arush has consistently taught that everything happening in the present moment is absolutely the best it could be. His core message has always been that there is no true evil in the world and that everything God does is for the good. When he says “it will be even better,” he’s specifically talking about the future, not criticizing the present.

This aligns perfectly with traditional Jewish teachings. The Chazon Ish, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, and other respected rabbis all write about the commandment of faith – the obligation to believe that God will resolve our problems and that things will improve even further in the future. This concept of having faith in future improvement doesn’t contradict the belief that the present is already perfect in God’s plan.

Rabbi Arush’s message is actually very straightforward: whatever is happening right now is the best possible thing, and additionally it will get even better in the future. This is a fundamental belief that all agree on – it’s part of the basic commandment to have faith in God’s ongoing goodness.

In addition to this, Rabbi Deutsch explained that “I was under the mistaken impression that the lyrics were written by a secular person [but] Now that I understand they were composed by a respected religious authority, I completely withdraw my previous statements. In fact, it’s now a mitzvah [religious duty] to share this song widely.”

The Rabbi emphasized that his original comments were taken out of context by media outlets, leading to unnecessary controversy.

Rendition of Hashem Loves Me by Eliatzur, disciple of Rabbi Arush

The song “Hashem Loves Me” has become increasingly popular in Orthodox Jewish communities, with its message of divine love resonating across various religious sectors. This retraction is expected to further boost its acceptance within more traditional circles.