The following is the text of a sicha of the Bostoner Rebbe Shlita of Yerushalayim given at Mincha when the terrible news of the tragic murder and Kiddush Hashem of the three martyrs became known
In reply to the prime minister statement “With heavy grief, this evening we found three bodies. All signs indicate that they are the bodies of our three abducted youths – Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frankel. They were abducted and murdered in cold blood by human animals”.
Yes it is a universal tragedy that these three religious boys were murdered in cold blood for being identifiably Jewish.
Yes I personally know where at least one of the boys studied HY”D and spoke there while in Chevron at the Yeshiva Shavei Chevron, where hundreds of yeshiva boys seriously study Torah with an elegance and Derech Eretz which would make any Rosh Yeshiva and their people proud.
Yes these boys were all Shomrei Shabbos and were also joined in to the covenant of Abraham when circumcised at the age of 8 days old.
But Mr. Prime Minister this is the only thing which differentiates man from human animals. Without Torah, Shabbos and Bris Kodesh we are all human animals who prey on one another.
Russia conquers the Ukraine, China takes islands in the South China Sea and we if we are human animals took land from others.
Yes Mr. prime minister it is time to recognize that the right to the land of Israel is dependent on Torah Shabbos and Bris Kodesh.
Note the irony that this ordeal began and ended with desecration of bris Kodesh for these boys were abducted on Friday of the glorious gay parade in Tel Aviv which in size is second only to New York city in numbers. Their sanctified bodies were tragically found on the day of the news that the so called Israeli High Court decided that rabbis exceeded their religious and secular mandate when they decreed that a Jewish child has the right to be circumcised.
Also that same week our interior minister approved the law passed in Knesset, as did all of the coalition members of the prevailing government of Israel, including misguided religious Jews, that doctors have a right, no that is wrong, have an obligation to prescribe ‘death’ medication so that a person may take his own life, this at a time that this same so called high court approved nay in fact obligated the forcible feeding of murderous prisoners who are on a hunger strike. This in order to prevent them from committing suicide by killing themselves.
Is it not strange that in the Land of Israel while religious Jews prayed for the safety of these three captives (and woe to us if we had not done so) the secular society was busy as well, but not praying or even taking a moment daily to reflect on the perilous situation, they were watching sports. The Israeli media I was given to understand gave greater attention to sports then to care and send a message that there was a mass prayer rally of 85,000 people for sadly as it turns out, the souls of these Kedoshim.
At a time when we needed heavenly intervention, our interior minister decried the selfsame law of the land, which he considers himself bound to uphold, when it overruled the desecration of Shabbos in Tel Aviv and openly defied the law by stating that stores open on Shabbos is ‘equality’.
What right do you Mr. Prime Minister to call others human animals when your government believes that is what a human being is. Decide, Man is either a superior creature created by Hashem Yisborach or we are exactly that, human animals where the strongest or more determined rule.
Thus I take exception especially in these trying times and say “prime minister reflect on how what your government is doing is detrimental to the continued existence of the Jewish people”.
Let us take up the flag of these boys.
They believed that our existence as a nation is predicated on nurturing Torah, keeping Shabbos and adhering to the covenant of Abraham, Bris Kodesh for which Abraham was given the promised land’ which otherwise we have no valid claim to. Make this their unforgettable memory.
One day everyone will recognize this tragic day for what it is, Tens of thousands just learnt in the Daf Yomi on the very day the holy bodies were found. Once the foreign rulers daughter was found murdered in the land of Israel and of course the perpetrators must have been the Jewish people. Therefore it was decreed that all the Jews would be held liable and killed. Two, not three Jews stepped forward, Lulianus and Popos, to take the blame so that others would not die.
Because they did so the edict of genocide was rescinded and the day was celebrated as Yom Tiryon (Yerushalmi Taanis 12.), but this day was celebrated for only a short while. Our Rabbis realized that the sacrifice of Lulianus and Popos was of greater significance then the lives of those saved and therefore the day was declared a day of mourning.
So too, in our times, our prayers and hope for joy at the return of our three sons was turned to mourning because of the policies of our government, A government that transgresses the three major laws which may never be transgressed even upon pain of death, murder , giving people the ability to commit suicide, immorality, openly flaunting that which the holy torah proscribes and Avodah Zorah breaking the holy covenant of Bris which is our true connection to Hashem and what he kept us as a nation “the people of Israel”. This holy Land was given to us for the purpose of fulfilling Hashem’s Torah and Mitzvos.
Yes each of these three martyrs represent the three essentials of the Jewish people that this government does not believe in,
1) Torah min HaShamayim
2) Shmiras Shabbos and
3) Keeping the covenant of Abraham.
May their holy souls intercede on our behalf so that the Jewish people will have their safety guaranteed by Hashem, so that we may merit to continuously live in the land of Israel freely studying Torah keeping all the Mitzvos and basking in the glory of Hashem.
May their memory be as blessing for their families and for all of Israel.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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27 Responses
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to find some event or government decision that occurred contemporaneously with a tragedy and attempt to link the two as evidence of the Ebeshter’s punishing the klal or sending a warning. Pat Robinson was famous for such linkages (e.g. the Hatian earthquake and Katrina linked to toevah, etc.) As yidden we don’t accept the notion of collective punishment of the most vulnerable for actions taken by elected officials. I respectfully disagree with the Rebbe’s logic.
except that the whole idea of zionism, from the time of Herzl, is to create a homeland free of Torah — to tell Israelis to do tseuvah is to tell them to reject their very essence and give up their raison d’etre
On Target!
Last time i looked, when earlier Kedoshim died, it says in the parsha; “Va-jidom Aharon”.And Aaron (their father,!)kept his silence.I wish that present Rabbonim would keep to this ……
It’s sad that the Bostoner Rebbe Shlitah’s words are falling on deaf ears.
I’m disgusted by this!
Maybe the Rebbe should ask himself – how many of those horrible Shabbos desecrators and people watching sports also were in army uniforms risking their lives and refusing to take any time off in the search for these three fellow Jews, and how many Bostoner Chasidim were in Hebron doing the same.
How dare someone get up and say the truth
Please be careful with any comments. Posting words that will lead to machlokes will not do us any good. Instead let us each strengthen our own avodas Hashem and our own ahavas Yisrael. I believe that this is what Hashem would want from us now.
Let us not get involved now in harsh words back and forth. Hashem will not appreciate bickering back and forth here. For those of us who believe that all Jews are beloved by Hashem – let our actions and words demonstrate the truth of this statement. It will have a ripple effect throughout Klal Yisrael…and THAT is what Hashem will appreciate now!
Godol HaDorah,
You actually have it upside down.
Judaisim is all about “collective punishment”.
How many Yidden died decause of Achan?
How many because of the Eigel?
The basic understanding of the words of “acheinu” is the acknowledgment of the fact we are all intrinsically linked and responsible for our brother’s actions.
in fact tjat is one of the basis’s for the requirement to rebuke.
Thank you Rebbe for giving over Torah Hashkafa.
I understand that part of the beauty of Yidishkeit is, that even though we have a “rule book” down to how we tie our shoes, we are still entitled and have to live as individuals, and think in our own way, but that is so long that is in accordance with the torah. so how dare you, some of you commentators come out here and blatantly express you “humble” opinions, and poke fun at a hands down gadol hador??? He is not telling you what to do, and he was not speaking to you!
ps interesting to note, the first place one of the kedoshims parents (I don’t remember which one) went running to R’ Chaim that first Friday after they were kidnapped, not to the army generals or some other “rabbis” for that matter…just saying
except that the abductions and most likely murders took place before the parade.
To judge such a talmid chacham is crazy.
If you don’t know him, and still judge him it is crazier. He is an ohev Yisrael. If you know him a little (like I do), you will understand the context of his speech.
Judging him (see above points) reminds me “bimei shfot hashoftim” – sad.
Rabbi of Berlin (4),
Funny thing is that when I checked I saw that Moshe Rabbeinu was not quiet. He said that this must be what Hashem meant by Bikrovai Aakadesh. So yes, keep quiet as did Aharon and refrain from complaining. But listen to chachamim, and no, Moshe Rabbeinu was not saying that from Nevua. He “figured it out.”
I hardly every came across such a beautiful article on this site. Each and every word is precisely to the point and couldn’t have been said better. We have to thank Hashem for such Gedoley Yisrael who have no fear to say it as it is.
If only YWN posters would have such pride in their yiddishkeit. Sadly, the comments on this article from many would be more fitting for Haaretz. But it’s from these negative comments that one can easily see the great light at the end of the dark tunnel: “THE TRUTH HURTS”.
To URI and others who are upset as I am for the lack of respect for Gedolim on this site:
The problem isn’t the posters but rather the YWN moderation staff for allowing such posts that knock gedolim to go through. So if you have beef take it up with them. The responsibility ultimately lies at their feet.
To anyone that is trying to bash this article (#1, #4, #6, #13…), please look up Sefer Chaftez Chaim 2:12. There is a very lengthy piece about bashing a drasha given by a Rav (even if the points against it might be true). This is a very terrible form of Lashon Hara. I don’t see how anyone can be moreh heter to talk against this article (or how YWN can allow such posts up).
As a side point, I happen to think this is an amazing article. I believe everyone should forward this to every one they know.
To all those defending this column and pillorying the critics (including my very mild criticism), no one, absolutely no one, knows HKBH’s chesbon. This is in line with all of those opinions as to why the Holocaust happened, a ridiculous notion. “Vajidom Aharon” indeed. And ,ben leivi,please not that Moshe Rabbeinu did not say anything about the reason for their death (although the Possuk does!. “yes, “bikrivai ekodesh” and leave it at that.For now.
to #18
All that I was pointing out was that the “punishment” came before the “crime”. also I am not sure that I understand why these yeshiva students who had nothing to do with any of the misdeeds listed in the article were chosen to be punished. The realm of doing mitzvos is in our hands, the realm of reward and punishment is in Hashems.
I will be dan l kav zechut about the human race and say that most of this planet is filled with human beings who are not shomer torah u mitzvot and who yet would never kill 3 teenagers in cold blood. I will even suggest that those people might even find such an act “repulsive”
It is certainly possible that this tragedy was decreed because of our sins, but for the rav to argue with Netanyahu’s use of the term “human animals” , and to say that we are like them is horrendous and insulting to the Jewish people.
If you heard the hesped of the mother of Naftali Frankel she said “you were picked because you were the opposite of them” .
#20 The punishment was exactly the same time they were already “preparing” for that humongous shmutz parade. Gedoley Yisrael have lots of Siyata Dishmaya and know what they’re talking about.
Arye, as I posted elsewhere we cannot know Hashem’s cheshbonos. During the Holocaust both chareidim and secular were murdered in the same gas chambers and ovens. I do not think we are qualified to say why that happened. Only Hashem knows. And I do not think we gain merits up in Shamayim when we bash each other and point fingers at each other. Hashem is the only Judge, and we humans don’t have that title.
I was very pained reading the Bostoner Rebbe’s “sicha” that appeared in YWN.
World Jewry was united in a way that it hasn’t been in many years, Why couldn’t Rabbi Horowitz leave that as the abiding legacy of the tragedy? His diatribe against the government and Knesset is no different than such outbursts on any given day of the year during the last sixty-six years. Why insinuate that this or that sin may have contributed to the tragedy ? YOU don’t know, Period.
Why did you soil and stain the holy aura that hovered over this tragedy? Why did you darken the Kiddush Hashem by finding fault with Klal Yisroel? When Moshe, Yeshayahu and Eliyahu spoke of the sins of Klal Yisroel, G-d said ”crush the mouths of those who speak against my people” (See Midrash Shir Hashirim ch1:6)
Rabbi Horowitz, your sicha was a desecration of the memories of our 3 kedoshim. ChACHAMIM HIZAHARU B’DIVRAYCHEM!
Whatever prompted YWN to post something so obviously inappropriate?
Rabbi Sholom Gold Har Nof
I read the article.. and I skimmed through all the comments.
And well my opinion.
it sounds like He is looking for someone to blame.
For one second did you ever think that there are jews that are acting not proper and this could be an affect? Im talking bout secular religious jews
**take out secular
The comment from Rabbi Shalom Gold [#24] eloquently says it all. When will those who arrogantly think they sit at G-d’s right hand and pontificate about why the Borei Olam did this or that, understand that all they are doing by their public statements is showing how foolishly arrogant they are? I wholly agree that YWN should never have published this drivel. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but sometimes if they don’t have enough sense to keep it to themselves, others should help them.