HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita on Sunday night the eve of 19 Iyar 5773 attended the chasenah of a grandchild in Wolf Hall in Yerushalayim. Prior to heading to the simcha, the Gadol Hador, accompanied by a few gabbaim arrived at the Kosel for Maariv. On location to meet him was Kosel rav Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz.
Rabbi Rabinowitz briefed Rav Shteinman on the recent decision of the Jerusalem District Court permitting Women of the Wall to daven at the Kosel in a minyan while wearing tallis and tefilin. Rabbi Rabinowitz explained the court ruled that doing so was not a violation as it interprets a Supreme Court ruling on the matter. They Gadol Hador moaned when he heard the justice ruling in the case wears a yarmulke and one who attended a chareidi yeshiva.
Rav Shteinman is quoted as saying “we must be mispallel for Rachmei Shomayim, that this and similar rulings will be canceled and turned to good.”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
How nice not to be arguing about conscription.
Of course we have a problem with the “women of the wall” types. Given what the fanatic seculars typically wear (a very short but revealing topic) and do (which we can’t discuss here for obvious reasons), should we be getting all excited about them putting about tallises and davening? There’s a lot worse they could be doing? We should insist they stay out of our way and do nothing vulgar such as singing in a public place – but should we get all “bent out of shape” over modestly dressed women wanting to daven to Ha-Shem at the kossel. Compared to their sisters in Tel Aviv, they seem more than half way to becoming BTs.
This illustrates an example of daas Torah being liHepeich daas Baal HaBayis.
The article reads, “Rav Shteinman is quoted as saying “we must be mispallel for Rachmei Shomayim, that this and similar rulings will be canceled and turned to good.””
Notice that he feels this is something worthy of requesting Heavenly mercy. Yet you believe it’s not so bad.
These women claim halachic legitimacy while acting against halacha, regardless of a female “rabbi”‘s “halachic responsa” in support of them. They are desecrating Hashem’s name, which is a grave prohibition applicable among Jews and not just between Jews and non-Jews.
If you erroneously and very publicly claim that halacha is behind you as these women do, it’s much worse (i.e. a Chilul Hashem) than if you otherwise happen to be a deviant (more or less in private, too) but do not deny you are doing your own thing and wish to be left alone in peace to do as you wish.