CTR
1. “Yabia Omer is Jewish but he is not Yiddish”
Um, he absolutely is. He is a yid through and through, true while he seems insistent on highlighting divisions among yidden, while confusingly at the same time insiting that others shouldn’t care about them and he clearly is very insecure about his heritage, He does in fact have a varme yiidish neshama, and is no less a yid than any other yid.
2. “I never said our common language is Hebrew”
Nope, my response wasn’t all geared to you. Point 2 was in response to the direct quote cited, from another poster here.
3. “However, if you would want to say a dvar Torah at the table to teach and inspire the people at the table I would hope you would say it in a language they understand.”
Though I will still quote a passuk in its original. sure I will then translate it, but I dont think they mind .
More to the point though, Are you suggesting that The speeches ALL be SOLELY in English ignoring the people there who don’t feel comfortable communicating in English? Would YOU invite someone to your house for a meal and then speak to everyone at the table in a foreign language?
4. “If it makes them feel like they are part of some elite segment of society”
Nu, so whats so bad if during the siyum Hashas they get to feel like they are apart of some elite segment of society.
Though this isnt the main reason, nobody feels “elite” staring at some latin speaker. the reason they do it is as I explained above.
“I do not believe that there are more than a handful of participants who have difficulty with English.”
you believe wrong. When the government wants to highlight the important of vaccinations, guess what language they write their flyers in? when politicians post their campaign posters in boro PArk and williamsburg. guess what language they use?
If Yiddish is acceptable for the government to use in communicating important information to yidden, al achas kama vekama it is appropriate at a Siyum Hashas