Prominent Sephardi posek HaGaon HaRav Bentzion Mutzafi Shlita has come out against “slichos concerts”, which he feels makes a mockery of slichos. He is of the same opinion regarding an “atzeres teshuvah for women held in a stadium”.
Rabbi Mutzafi is asked
We bring a religious well-known chazan to our shul for slichos but he is also one who performs and dances in mixed audiences as well as bringing musical instruments to shul for slichos. What does the rav think of this?
Rabbi Mutzafi responds
Go to sleep! What kind of slichos are these? They make a mockery of slichos – a chazonus concert!!! Are you serious!!
Rabbi Mutzafi is asked
There are rebitzens who host assemblies to bring women back to teshuvah with events that include dancing and shofar blowing as well as displaying pictures and videos on the internet. Is this permissible?
Rabbi Mutzafi responds
This generation has gone crazy! This is not the Torah way
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
7 Responses
On Selichos “concerts” featuring chazanus with big name chazzonim, I agree 110 percent. There is one well known NYC shul currently advertising such an event on a well know website for Jewish news for only $150 dollars (“general admission” to a shtender in the bleachers??) What ever happened to the notion that a poishete yid doesn’t have to pay a day’s salary to say selichos with a minyan??
On the women’s events, that I presume are for women only and might bring more women back to yiddeshkeit and provide chizuk, the Rav is entitled to his opinion but ther are many chashuve rabbonim who strongly support these types of events and encourage participation. The article doesn’t explain the Rav’s objections.
i remember when Mordechai ben David first came out with the song “shma Yisroel”- there were prominent rabbinical figures who felt these sacred words should not be the lyrics of a song. then many others followed this trend in a similar way and parts of hallel and kedushhah slowly worked its way into modern religious music – I think the Rav is expressing a legitimate feeling that the words of the Torah which are of the highest kedushah should not be lowered into hip moving dance or sung to a catchy beat or that attending big public concerts where the focus is on the singer and “the concert experience” may be enjoyable but miss the point.
regarding the tshuva gatherings, Rebbetzin Sara Shneirah was all about that, -gathering young women together to inspire them to do tshuvah-but the article makes it sound like the Rav is against “atzerit tshuvah held in a stadium”- I doubt he is against the atzerit Tshuvah, but perhaps the way it is done could be examined for how it is done. there are not enough details in the interview and it is not presented clear enough to the reader to make a comment. the way it is written, it looks like the Rav is against Tshuva gatherings in large groups- very questionable how Yeshiva World phrased the question and presented the answer. I am sure this is a misrepresentation of the Rav’s opinion.
Boruch hashem! Oid loi alman yisroel! A voice of sanity
He is 100% right.
obviously a very deep thinker
A true Gadol Yisrael is a Gadol that fights for what he believes is right without any self interests. It is disrespectful of us to validate or invalidate his opinion. He is a Gadol and knows better than anyone posting comments on this site.
He’s 100% right the chasam sofer writes extremely sharply against bringing instruments into shul