By Rabbi Yair Hoffman
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Recently, an op-ed had appeared on VINNEWS regarding the WZO elections that in this author’s view significantly violated the boundaries of respectful discourse. There are certainly Gedolei HaDor that have expressed the view that it is a Mitzvah to vote in the WZO election – especially because a shaiv v’al taaaseh will result in Kfirah, hashchassah, and funding for Avodah Zarah in Eretz Yisroel. Leading Roshei Yeshiva from the top Torah institutions in the world have verbalized this. There are also Gedolei Torah that have expressed an opposing view.
But we Jews, live by the halachos in Shulchan Aruch. And the Shulchan Aruch (YD 243:6) is quite clear on this topic. “It is a grave sin to be mevazeh a Talmid Chacham (to degrade, disrespect, name-call a Torah scholar). Anyone who does so has no share in the World-to-Come. It is within the purview of the pasuk in BaMidbar 15:31, ‘For he has scorned the word of the L-rd.”
We find further insight and commentary in Gemorahs throughout Shas. The Gemorah in Shabbos 119b states: Rabbi Yehuda said: Jerusalem was destroyed only because they disparaged the Torah scholars in it, as it is stated: “And they mocked the messengers of Hashem and disdained His words and taunted His prophets, until the wrath of Hashem arose against His people, until it could not be healed” (Divrei HaYamim Bais 36:16). What is the meaning of: Until it could not be healed? Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: It means that anyone who disparages Torah scholars cannot be healed from his wound.
The Gemorah in Shabbos further states regarding a previous pasuk, “.. do My prophets no harm” (I Divrei haYamim Bais 16:22) – these are Torah scholars.”
SCOPE AND PARAMETERS OF BIZUI – DISRESPECTING
It is not only actions that are considered Bizui – but even writing or saying mere words
The Maharik (siman 334) writes that even acting with Chutzpah toward a Torah Scholar constitutes Bizui.
The notion of Bizui Talmidei Chachomim, according to the Tashbatz Vol. I Siman 178) also applies to Torah scholars discussing other Torah scholars.
It applies to men, women, children, regardless of whether the person embarrassing is either older or younger, or wealthier or poorer. There is an obligation upon the violator to be meratzeh the Talmid Chacham (See SA YD 343:7).
Our discourse should never cross the realm of proper and dignified behavior. But there is certainly no problem in following the view of the Gedolei haDor that did encourage participation in the WZO election.
NO NEED TO ADHERE TO THE AUTHORIAL INTENT
As far as the question of the particular language that one must click in order to vote – nowhere is it written that one must one accept the authorial intent that any particular author had in mind when something was written. When the State of Israel’s very Declaration of Independence was signed by Agudas Yisroel’s representative, Rav Yitzchok Meir Levine zt”l, brother-in-law of the Ger Rebbe this issue came up – regarding the term “Rock of Israel.” “Tzion” is a term used by the great prophets of Klal Yisroel, Yishayahu is just one example in his words, “LeMaan Tzion lo Echesheh.”
Yes, precisely because we are concerned about the ruchniyus of the Jewish people – that there be no more yaldei Teheran and yaldei Teiman – where babies in hospitals were kidnapped and their parents told that they had died and other young religious Jews were ripped away from their Torah birthright by people who represent everything that is anti-thetical to Torah-true Judaism – the very people that will benefit from Torah Jews not voting is what allows voters to employ the anglicized version of the very term that Yishayahu HaNavi used.
And as for the second animadversion, that one must support national service for those not in the army – there are many types of national service including chessed and reciting brachos (See Rashi brachos 34a). There is no special Mitzvah in adhering to the authorial intent of those who wrote the language of the particular document.
BESIDE THE POINT
All this, however, is beside the point that a disrespectful op-ed should never have been posted and we must at all times adhere to the highest standards of respect toward others – especially when dealing with great Torah scholars and leaders.
The author can be reached at [email protected]
This isn’t the first time Vin has mocked the Torah leadership in Lakewood & isn’t the first apology posted either after getting flack from the Bnei Torah community.
VIN, if you truly regret your behavior, if you truly understand the seriousness of your mistake, the following changes need to happen:
a) Stop posting anonymous editorials; this way, the writer will think twice before posting.
b) Stay out of the business of criticizing Talmidei Chachomim for what you believe is poor leadership. All you accomplish is raising the ire of Bnei Torah, & lowering the stature of Talmidei Chachomim in the eyes of the masses. It’s not your job to be mechanech our Roshei Yeshiva, your just a news site, not the Mashgiach of Klal Yisroel.
c) Broaden the oversight of your editorial team so that these mistakes don’t repeat and, if they do, a correction is issued much sooner. Degrading the respected torah leaders of any Orthodox community should be off limits on this site.
The Talmiedei chachamim always win at the end whether its down here or upstairs.
I am shocked, absolutely shocked, that contributers to VIN are so viciously mevazeh talmidei chachomim, with no regard for respectful discourse. After all, the moderators at VIN always assure the comments are within respectful discourse and are never vicously mevazeh any talmid chacham. [sarcasm]. In a way, the Bizui Talmidei Chachamim contained within that editorial is the fault of VIN. Judging from the many deplorable comments that are still posted on VIN, the person who wrote the vicious editorial had a pretty good idea of what many VIN readers would want to hear.
Rabbi Hoffman, I may have missed it but I’m still waiting for you to come out with a strong posting protesting YU’s decision to recognize a Toeva student organization.
R Hoffman skirts the main issue, which wasn’t the tone but the fact these “leaders” are ignoring the tzibburs problems and focusing on ridiculous battles that are meaningless. Luxury beliefs.
Rabbi Hoffman – with all due respect, calling out leaders who are causing a Chilul Hashem by their hypocritical actions or words would seem to be covered by Chazal’s saying that “Bemakom Chilul Hashem – Ein Cholkin Kavod l’Rav”. The individuals in question may well be great Torah scholars – but once they become the source of such a Chilul Hashem, it is not only allowed, but would seem to be required to speak out against their positions, and as forcefully as possible.
I would welcome your response to this.
Thank you for coming out against those who are mevazeh talmidei chachamim! Freedom of speech may be lauded as a wonderful thing in the secular world and also gives us Jews the ability to coexist with the broader society without fear of our beliefs and opinions. Nevertheless, we must realize that it is a concept foreign to Torah and Yiddishkeit. No, we do not have the right to voice our opinions and speak our minds when the words are devarim assurim, lashon hara, kefirah or go against our leaders. One who is truly bothered can reach out to our gedolim themselves who are surprisingly reachable.
On a side note the writer of that evil letter is completely off base. The WZO and EH issue is not so complicated. It only takes one quick speech to let people know their daas Torah about voting and then its over. Done. Whereas shidduchim and suicide needs a lot more work to solve and cannot be taken care of with one vaad to a small group of avreichei kollel. Besides it is also likely that a public speech is not the best way to confront all of those sensitive issues. The writer is a confused person who mixed his frustration with a solution that made sense in his mind and impulsively lashed out at our leaders when the issues weren’t addressed as he saw fit. The fact that an issue is addressed publicly in middle of second seder doesn’t have to mean that it is the single most important issue in klal yisroel. Relax
I also thought the letter was in poor taste Those gadolim feel many of their students will vote and in their opinion it’s Assur. Personally I did vote for Eretz Hakodesh and I am really not sure why anyone should be against voting. WZO is not a political party. It’s an organisation that gives out money if you’re part of the organisation you get to have a say in spending the money. Why should that be assur
FALSE: Rav Aharon Feldman’s Claims at the BMG Asifa
Last Wednesday, Rav Aharon Feldman, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Ner Yisroel in Baltimore, delivered a speech at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ in the presence of the four BMG roshei yeshiva and others. The speech expressed his opposition to Eretz HaKodesh and voting in the WZO elections. But the speech also made various claims that, it turns out, are patently false.
Since that speech, no one has called out these falsities.
1) Rav Feldman stated, “There is not one gadol b’Yisroel who knows what’s going on who supports them.”
And: “Eretz HaKodesh has absolutely no backing of any adam gadol.”
FALSE.
Previously, in the past election, Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l, Rav Gershon Edelstein zt”l, Rav Dovid Feinstein zt”l and ybl”c Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky and Rav Avrohom Gurwicz, among others, supported voting for Eretz HaKodesh.
This time around, the anti-Eretz HaKodesh activists have engaged in an unrelenting bullying and harassing campaign that has, in effect, prevented gedolim and rabbonim from publically releasing a stance. Rabbonim have been threatened and bullied and, in some cases, forced to retract letters and signatures. The Gateshead rosh yeshiva, Rav Avrohom Gurwicz, has indeed released a letter despite the harassment campaign.
2) Rav Feldman doesn’t refer to Hagaon Rav Avrohom Gurwicz by name, but as “a rosh yeshiva in England.” It should be noted that Rav Gurwicz is one of the senior roshei yeshiva in the world, a world-class gaon and talmid chochom who is widely revered in all circles.
Referring to something Rav Gurwicz said, Rav Feldman said mockingly that it’s “something told to him by Eretz HaKodesh people and he swallowed it.”
Referring to another one of the claims, Rav Feldman remarked about something Rav Gurwicz said, “You have to be out of your mind or a ten year old” to believe that.
FALSE.
After Rav Feldman’s speech, Rav Gurwicz was contacted. He confirmed that he was neither fooled nor tricked, and that his letter is still fully in effect and his stance has not changed that all shomrei Torah umitzvos should vote for Eretz HaKodesh.
3) Rav Feldman claims that in the well-known video of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, the WZO was referred to as “Histadtrut Haklalis” and not “Histadtrus HaTziyonut” and therefore Rav Chaim was misled.
FALSE.
Anyone can watch and listen to the video and hear clearly that Rav Chaim was asked about Histadtrut HaTziyonut.
[It should be pointed out that Rav Feldman is an old proponent of those who didn’t respect Rav Chaim’s leadership.
Furthermore, Rav Chaim’s stance on this matter was verified in the last election beyond a shadow of a doubt by Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky and others. One need not rely on a video to do so.]
4) Rav Feldman claimed, “I spoke with the gabbai of Rav Shmuel [Kamenetsky] and he does not support it.”
FALSE.
Bais Maran Hagaon Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky was contacted afterwards. His stance has not changed on this matter. Rav Feldman’s claim is false.
Thank you Rabbi Hoffman,
As usual your words are right to the point and very appreciated. As someone who strongly supports voting for Eretz Hakodesh, I was very embarrassed by the tone of the previous letter and hope that people do what is right and act in accordance with their individual Rav.
That writer was talking from the heart. It hurts him seeing our Gedolim keeping busy with relative silly things.
Maybe the funding of Israel trips for Reform, Conservative, unaffiliated young people, potentially inspiring them to greater Jewish Identity is a good thing (how many ba’alei teshuva came these trips? How many of them strengthened their ties to the Jewish People as a result)?
Maybe it’s a better use of WZO dollars than subsidizing American seminaries, to make their owner families even more wealthy?
I’m sure everyone agrees that if there is any נגיעות at all in any item, then it’s not דעת תורה.
יעקב אבינו established that Mesorah, it’s totally irrelevant at this time what is the specific נגיעות of the peleg group’s objection to the voting in eretz hakodesh.
I always look for the position of those that have zero “nigi’us.
A gut voch
Perhaps the author of the offending editorial is concernred that the issue about voting in the WZO is being treated as a halakhic issue but is being dealt with politically; meaning to say that voting is really not a problem but other reasons are motivating the leadership at BMG to be so against it. AND, why is this one issue so important as to merit Bittul Torah?
Unfortunately both sides are guilty of mocking talmidei chachamim.
When one can’t argue on substance complain about tone.
There can be no serious discourse of one side always feels insulted and is willing to silence the other on the basis of tone .
במקום שיש חילול ה׳ אין חולקים כבוד לרב