Defense Minister Ehud Barak has come under criticism as rabbonim close to Gadol HaDor Maran Rav Elyashiv Shlita questions just when did Barak become a halachic authority.
Barak has instructed women involved in the IDF’s conversion program to continue singing despite requests from rabbonim involved in the program to refrain from doing so.
The incident achieved prominence when Barak appeared on Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) last week along with participants of the Nativ conversion program and when the matter of females singing came up, the minister instructed the women to continue, explaining the ministry stands behind them. He added that he knows HaRav Ovadia Yosef has ruled permitting women to sing, adding there cannot be too many restrictions – we must live. (It appears Barak was referring to ruling of Rav Yosef pertaining to female singing on a CD, not in a live performance).
Giyur official Rav Nachum Eisenstein, who is close to Maran R’ Elyashiv, is quoted by Ynet as saying this is yet another proof that the military’s giyur is worthless. He explained that Barak wishes to maintain control, and this limits the authority of the rabbonim involved in the program, which he feels should be canceled.
R’ Eisenstein is calling on Barak to apologize to rabbonim, explaining the matter is clearly stated in Shulchan Aruch, and it is forbidden to listen to women singing, adding the minister’s remarks compromises the position of rabbonim and therefore, an apology is in order.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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11 Responses
Barak… once again proves that if he really wants to fulfill his mission in life, he should move to Brooklyn and drive for a car service.
I dont think this is an issue worth blowing out of proportion and making it ‘Barak vs. Daas Torah’.
People don’t realize how much of a sacrifice many of these soldiers make, including putting their own lives in danger every day in order to serve the klal. Most of them are not outright goyim either (i.e father is Jewish, etc).
I dont think it is wise to start messing them around and be ‘mevatel their geyrus lemafreya’. Try to imagine what you are doing to that person’s life by saying that.
Mr. Spira – you quite rightfully refer to Maran Harav Elyashiv as Gadol Hador .
However, you refer to Maran Hagaon Harav Ovadia Yosef as Harav Yosef. I respectfully ask that you show this Gadol Hador equal respect even though he is not Askenazi.
Unfortunately often Matan Hagaon is not given the respect he deserves by writters and poster to YWN
Editors Note: Just to set the record straight:
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=40648
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=40507
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=39797
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=39701
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=39598
And here is one where Rav Elyashiv & Chacham Ovadia are both referred to as Maran (without Hagon) in the same sentence: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=39537
There are probably 500-1000 other examples, but we’ll leave you to work on finding them.
2 (theShtayger), They could make “sacrifice” all they want but that doesn’t preclude KEEPING halocha! The Yiddin fighting the Milchemes Mitzva coming into EY also had to keep halocha!
“Most of them are not outright goyim either (i.e father is Jewish, etc). ” To those of us who are shomer TORAH u’mitzvos, know that according to HALOCHA they are GOYIM if only the father is Jewish.
This is the YESHIVA WORLD NEWS and NOT the conservative or reform jews news. I suggest with your comments and views, that you look for their site.
In theory I absalutely agree with you, fellow yid.
But consider the following scenario:
Someone who’s father was Jewish, immigrates to Israel, serves in the army for 3 years, risking his life. He wants to convert to Judaism, and is willing to keep many of the basic mitzvos. He does the conversion program, and gets married.
Five years later, after building a family, he is told that because of politics his entire geyrus means nothing, his status is now goy.
This is what may happen to tens of thousands of people.
If the poskei hador decide that this must happen, obviously it is emes. But I think the weight of this issue needs to be taken at the heighest level of daas torah.
theShtayger :
It’s meforash in the Torah that Hashem is not “lokeach shochad”. As the meforashim say, what, He does not need money. The point is you cannot bribe Hashem with good deeds.
As great a deed as it may be to die saving Jewish lives, it does not make a goy into a Jew. Conversion has its own set of rules that have to be met, regardless of other good deeds a gentile may do.
I agree with you Avreich Man,
The exact details the Nativ conversion program has to be looked into.
But the psak is not a poshut one and cannot be based on the fact that Barak allows girls to sing on the radio.
Thats really the tachlis of what I was saying.
re: #7
I find it interesting how every possible aveirah committed by Zionism is justified by Zionists and their supporters with an intentional distortion of our holy Torah. Yes, (Zionism and its) history repeats itself.
5 (theShtayger),
CHUTZPA!! This is HALOCHA we are talking about. How dare you say this is all POLITICS? HALOCHA is HALOCHA is HALOCHA!! This is NOT a political game like you seem to think it is.
shtayger, i wonder who you really are, certainly not one of those who ar subordinate to the will of Hashem
poshute yid, barak was devora’s husband