JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The struggle against the BIG retail chain, which recently opened a large shopping mall in Glilot near Tel Aviv that operates on Shabbat, continues. On Sunday evening, the leading rabbis of Beit Shemesh, including Rabbi Mordechai Goldstein (Lithuanian sector), Rabbi Natan Kopshitz (Hasidic sector), and Rabbi Shlomo Zaafrani (Sephardic sector), signed a letter along with other city rabbis calling on the public to boycott the mall, according to a Kikar HaShabbat report.
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In an unusually sharp letter, the top Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Hasidic rabbis call on residents to refrain from buying products from chains that desecrate Shabbat. This includes not only branches that are open on Shabbat, but even those that remain closed locally, if the chain’s national owners publicly violate the sanctity of Shabbat—such as the BIG shopping complex, which is closed on Shabbat in Beit Shemesh but operates on Shabbat in the newly opened Glilot branch.
This forceful statement, uniting the city’s most senior spiritual leaders, comes amid a growing wave of support among the Jewish public for Shabbat observance, particularly following a recent letter from leading Torah authorities decrying the Shabbat desecration at the Glilot BIG mall, which has opened its gates on Shabbat in blatant disregard for Jewish tradition.
The call is considered especially dramatic because the BIG mall in Beit Shemesh does remain closed on Shabbat—but the national management continues to operate the Glilot branch on Shabbat, sparking fierce opposition.
The rabbis of Beit Shemesh write:
“Recently, there has been a tremendous awakening toward proper Shabbat observance, even among Jews who until now have been far from Torah and mitzvot.
At this time, we see it as necessary to again warn about the grave issue of supporting or purchasing from stores and chains that publicly desecrate the Shabbat, thereby trampling on the sanctity of the day of rest and desecrating God’s name and His Torah, God forbid.
Even if a particular branch is closed on Shabbat, if the company as a whole desecrates Shabbat in public, it is forbidden to support it.”
“Weeks ago, leading Torah sages issued a clear and harsh letter stressing the severity of the matter: that it is forbidden to purchase from chains that desecrate the Shabbat, such as the BIG chain and other businesses that have made it their mission to trample on the honor of Shabbat and Torah. This must not be allowed to continue.
We come now to strengthen this warning for the residents of Beit Shemesh who are faithful to God’s word and the sanctity of Shabbat.”
The rabbis and Rebbes of Beit Shemesh conclude their letter:
“Certainly, those who are vigilant and raise awareness about this matter will be blessed both spiritually and materially, and through them, many more will be strengthened in proper Shabbat observance. Through this, we will all merit the complete redemption, speedily in our days. ‘Great peace will be upon those who give and heed warnings, like a flowing river.’”
The Letter is signed by The Rebbe of Lelov, Rabbi Natan HaKohen Kopshitz, Rabbi of the Nachala U’Menucha neighborhood, The Rebbe of Vizhnitz, Beit Shemesh,Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Perlstein, Rabbi of Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph, Rabbi Shlomo Yedidya Zaafrani, Head of the Keter Torah Sephardic communities, Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Dinkel, Rabbi of Beit U’Menucha, Rabbi Yitzchak Chaim Sharabani, Rabbi of the Sephardic community, Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph, Rabbi Mordechai Goldstein, Rabbi of Mishkenot Yaakov and senior city rabbi, Rabbi Ben Zion Wosner, head of the Shevet HaLevi Beit Shemesh court, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Weiss, dayan of Vizhnitz Hasidim and a halachic authority of the Eida Chareidit, Rabbi Elimelech Kornfeld, Rabbi of the Vilna Gaon community, Rabbi Elchanan Peretz, head of the Chukat Mishpat court, Rabbi Chaim Aharon Monderer, Rabbi of Yafeh Nof neighborhood, Rabbi Aryeh Tzvi Rotenberg, Rabbi of Gur Hasidim in Beit Shemesh and Rabbi Aryeh Fink, Rabbi of Belz Hasidim in Beit Shemesh.
The letter follows requests from city residents who approached the rabbinic leadership, expressing concern that while the BIG complex desecrates Shabbat in Glilot, it is still patronized by the local public in Beit Shemesh.
Community leaders told Kikar HaShabbat:
“We cannot stand idly by while the company tramples on the holiness of Shabbat publicly through its new shopping center. It is the same company management, and we call on them to reverse this disgraceful decision, which deeply offends the feelings of all those faithful to God and His Torah.”
wow sad , to see some of the comments here, who don’t believe in fighting for the honor of Shabbos , the cornerstone of Yiddishkeit.
The readership on this site is diverse. There are many Shomrei Torah Umitzvos who value the decisions of Manhigei Yisroel, as well as a vocal group of anti-establishment Jews who love to scorn every Kol Korei, no matter its importance.
When your motto is “I don’t trust the Rabbis”, you or your children might decide to reject all of Judaism CH”V. Use caution before throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
I find it strange that folks need a Rov to tell them not to shop at a store that is blatantly mechallel Shabbat and is owned by a rabid anti-religious individual. There are enough stores that are Shomer Shabbat to shop in. I won’t set foot in the Glillot Mall as they boldly advertise how they are open on Shabbat.
I think the crux of the issue is accurately summed up in this poorly attributed statement that is reflective of the deeper misunderstanding: “in blatant disregard for Jewish tradition.” We are not speaking of an affront to ‘tradition’! This is about preserving and protecting G-d’s word. There is a reason that one who violates Shabbat is subject to the death penalty. Of course, even with a proper Sanhedrin, there are tremendous legal hurdles to overcome in the practical application of capital punishment. However, the very fact that chillul Shabbos carries such a punishment should clue us in to the enormous weight that must be placed on its protection. I think that a boycott as prescribed is a very mild (and appropriate) response to the willful violation of Hashem’s word in Eretz Yisroel.
This reminds me of when our Ruv told us to boycott the local “Frum” owned furniture store.
It was found out the owner was conducting a lot of business “In cash” & not reporting the proper numbers to the IRS.
Many of the employees were paid “under the table” so they wouldn’t owe taxes, lose their government benefits due to earning too much, or be required to pay more tuition. This also helped the owner avoid some costly workplace regulations.
As our Ruv explained, “We would never do business with a Jewish owned store that is open on Shabbos so how can we do business with a store that doesn’t follow the Torah when it comes to monetary Halacha & Ehrlichkeit? How much greater a Chillul Hashem is a dishonest Yid in the news than an open store?”
Why doesn’t someone open a Chareidi Mall? All Halachos will be followed and we will fully patronize.
“This forceful statement, uniting the city’s most senior spiritual leaders”. There’s a BIG problem on our side if the statement or its force, versus the underlying issue, is uniting the Rabbis. It need be a joint statement and the Rabbis united in CAUSE.
I honestly don’t understand the story. BIG is retail mall chain owner. Why should a store in a Shabbos observant BIG mall be punished because a different mall is open on Shabbos? The kol koreh will impact shomer shabbos businesses (in shomer shabbos malls) that have nothing to do with the BIG corporate decision to make other malls mechallel shabbos. Can someone explain?
How about encouraging people to take part in celebrating shabbat and showing how beautiful it is instead of isolating them and creating a rift with stupid boycotts.
Make sure not to patronize the store in the USA until they keep Shabbos on our standards.
Baruch Hashem!!!
This will surely bring Non-Frum Yidden closer to Torah & Mitzvos.
What better way to get people to see the beauty your path then to impose your lifestyle upon them.
Or – and hear me out on this – there are irreligious Jews who shouldn’t be punished by you for not being as frum as you, same as you shouldn’t be punished by the next guy for not being as frum as him. You don’t know what Hashem’s cheshbon is in giving these Jews the matzav hachaim that they have, or what tikunim they exist to accomplish. There’s plenty of ways to protect the sanctity of Shabbos, and destroying the parnassah of someone who is probably at best Mesorati is simply not it. But by all means, if you’re objective is to pander to and fit in with the horrifyingly exclusionist Israeli Chareidi community, by all means proceed……