gedolim pictures

Many gedolim refused permission to photograph them because they hold pictures are a form of idolatry.

from another ywn thread on this topic (I can’t vouch for the story myself): “R’ Moshe Feinstein used to tell people not to stop kids from taking pictures of gedolim. He said, “Better they should have my picture on the wall instead of a baseball player!”

just to be clear, the discomfort with pictures is mainly al pi kabbalah, not halacha. we have plenty of pictures and videos of gedolim taken all the time with their reshus (for example, all the agudah conventions).

Rav Shlomo Zalman used to allow photographs all the time and even posed for them or allowed a second if the first didnt come out good

Mashiach Agent must have a great fantasy life, or lives an unusually spiritual life. Gedolim pictures are not a bad thing. Certainly beats photos of sports and Hollywood celebrities. But let’s get real, and let’s address the average person. The pictures of gedolim are simply objects of interest, and are entertaining. They are rarely statements about Yiras Shomayim, and they do not result in people sharing with each other about the great midos and dveikus to emulate.

The problem is that we have deteriorated to a fixation with photographs of virtually any event. The pages of YWN, as well as other sites and most print media, are full of galleries and albums of every event, every simcha, and person of “interest”. The oilem is obsessed with these, and constantly seek more. The picture magazines sell well, and testify to nothing except what color bekeshes are worn by the rebbes, who visited whom, and who danced together at a simcha. These publications serve as great babysitters for children, but provide the adults with little to anything beyond a moment of entertainment. That’s being honest. Again, unquestionably better than goyishe celebrities, but still nothing beyond entertainment.

Some gedolim opposed photography due to Avoda Zora. Others opposed it for kabbalistic reasons.

Even a godol who allowed himself to be photographed doesn’t show he felt it right or best. He may have wanted the guy to feel good or not embarrass him or help him make a parnassa. Doesn’t mean he felt it ideal. If an older family friend came over and patted him on the back and said, “well Shlomo Zalman, my friend, I see you grew up and made something good of yourself!”, I wouldn’t be shocked if he played and laughed along with him. Doesn’t make what that guy did right.

The ones who held it was A”Z most certainly did NOT permit it. If someone was caught trying to photograph the Satmar Rebbe he would lose his camera.

There are not, relativity speaking, a lot of videos and photographs of him. He is fairly notable and we’ll known for being very strict against being photographed. There are even pictures of the Rebbe covering his face because he saw the photographer. What does exist was certainly not done with his consent or likely even knowledge. People who photographed him tended to have done so undercover.

LF,

+1

You have a comprehension problem zd, if you think that post diminished his kavod. Au contraire.

LF:

I have nothing against pictures. I have them. Not too handy with the camera, but I’ve taken some, too. My problem is that the situation got completely out of hand, and that we have sunk to where photos are the substitute for emulation, role models, and true spiritual growth. Washing hands is a requirement, and this mitzvah has tremendous merit. When someone spends an inordinate amount of time in hand washing, we may be dealing with an OCD issue. There are portraits in my home of several tzaddikim. But there is no preoccupation with them, as is found all too often in today’s world. That’s why the picture magazines sell (with a minimum of advertising). I will challenge that unless one is specifically seeking a message from each time they gaze at a photo, the impact will not be meaningful. And I do agree that pictures of tzaddikim are far better than the nonsense alternatives. And I do thank you for your interior decorating suggestion.

As a resident idolater (read: photographer) in this forum, let me simply say this. No Rav that I have ever encountered has ever said to me “Wolf, you know there may be some issues with your photography…”

I don’t normally photograph people, but on the occasions when I have photographed Rabbonim, not one ever said to me “Please don’t take my picture, as there may be an issue of Avoda Zara (or Kaballah, or whatnot).” On the contrary, they smiled and posed and were even willing to wait for a second shot if I requested.

That being said, I’ll follow my Rabbanim, thank you.

The Wolf

42: Don’t be confused by Joseph’s Amaratzus. It’s not Avodah Zarah. It’s a separate Issur D’Oraisa of Lo Sa’asun Iti (assuming that you hold a picture falls under that category; there is room to argue that a photograph is Muttar while a painting is Assur). But it’s not Avodah Zarah.

Also ask tzemach if the gedolim think it’s assur

The Satmar Rebbe, among a number of other Gedolei Yisroel, refused to allow himself to be photographed.

As Avira says, this may depend on what the purpose is. A testimony from some Yerushalmis whom I encountered at the Wall: Scandinavian tourists wanted to make a photo with them, they flatly refused in broken English. When tourists left, I enquired about their view. They responded in excellent English (maybe they did not want to talk in modern Hebrew) that the tourists will take photos to their church, but if I want to make a picture that might inspire some American Jews, they’ll be happy to oblige.

Another difference might be how society views images at a time: a golden calf was a sensation, but might not have been in Manhattan with all the gold on display … During early internet times, I was helping a Rav to make a webpage and a mailing list. We had an idea to put a picture of the family but Rebetzin said her kids will not be on the “Net” for vague ayn hara reasons. Nowadays, when everyone has their pictures on instagram, things are different.

“start working on yourself now & one day you may become a big gadol Hador..”

Let me know whether you prefer jpg file format or zip file for an entire album i

Menachem Shmei: I’m following up here, since you linked to this thread for what I inquired.

Firstly, I believe “Gedolim pictures” more or less became a thing outside of the Chasidish velt first. The Chasidish Rebbes were mostly originally opposed to being photographed. And the Yeshivish velt started getting into it much earlier. As you mentioned, even the Lubavitcher Rebbe was initially not in favor of it. Although, the opposition was much stronger by others such as Satmar, etc.

If the argument in favor is that “thinking of a tzaddik’s image as an important method to yiras shamayim”, then that should support, as well, erecting life-like sizes statues of Tzadikim, using their real-like image. Imaging walking to Shul, and right outside in the Shul yard is a life sized statue in the image of the local Tzadik.

In any event, I’m not so much questioning having pictures of Tzadikim. Today that is found across all sectors, Chasidish, Yeshivish and Sefardish. What I am trying to understand, and you seem knowledgeable, is why in Lubavitch (almost exclusively) we find these huge life sized images of the Rebbe at every general venue, like wedding halls, on cars and trucks, and on many other facilities, buildings and structures. The size, places, frequencies and ubiquitousness seems rather unique.

Also, it’s only the last Rebbe. Why not any of the previous Lubavitcher Rebbes and/or other Tzadikim? In other Yiddish places with pictures you’ll generally find those of multiple Tzadikim.

Bump

UJM,

Ok, you really want to hear what I gave to say on the matter.

The reason why I haven’t been answering is because I don’t really have much to say on the matter.

Why do Lubavitchers put up pictures of the Rebbe more then others?
I can’t really answer this because I don’t know any official shitah or Torah explaining this.
This is not an official Chabad movement, and not everything done by Lubavitchers is a Lubavitcher thing.

If you’re asking for theories, you can ask anyone.

Maybe it’s because Chabad in general does things in a more public way, like menorah lightings and lag baomer parades.

Maybe it’s because Chabad is more centered around the Rebbe than others might be with their gedolim (as it was throughout the history of Chabad).

But again, those are just theories, not written anywhere.
What is written in Torah I have already brought in my earlier post.