(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com)
The murders of eleven Jewish people in a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was a horrific event. All moral people join together in condemning this hateful act. All of us, orthodox and non-orthodox alike, and good gentiles everywhere join in the pain of this tragedy.
The eleven people who were murdered died al kiddush Hashem. They died because they were Jewish.
MISGUIDED PEOPLE
Unfortunately, there are times when misguided people, even great people, say things that are fundamentally erroneous and inflammatory. This week, one such person, a Rabbi from Great Neck, released a video that went viral immediately.
On that video, the Rabbi stated that the reason why the mass murder had happened was on account of a bris milah that was taking place in that synagogue – a bris milah of the adopted child of two men.
FURTHER CLAIMS
The Rabbi billed the video as his, “State of the Union Address.” Unless this author misunderstood him, he also began to lay claim that he had a bit of “Ruach haKodesh.” Finally, he pointed to the notion of his doctrinal infallibility by the fact that lehavdil, Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita and ybc”l Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman had both walked him to the door.
No one is disagreeing with the fact that proper Shabbos observance is a fundamental of Judaism and that maintaining the sacred nature of marriage and its definition is vital.
SO MUCH WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE
There is so much that is wrong with this picture that it is difficult to know where to start and one is at a loss for words. Nonetheless, the video is so disturbing that one must speak up.
- There is no question that those who perished died because they were Jews. They were eleven precious lives – Kedoshim (See Teshuvas Maharil #99 who calls the kedoshei elyon and writes that one can stand bemechitzasam). They were Hitler yimach shmo’s latest victims. To speak ill of them is horrifying. How dare this Rabbi blame holocaust victims?
- What about the responding police officers? They were heroes who risked life and limb to protect others. Were they too punished because of some “marriage” that occurred years ago? These brave men who engaged the evil neo-Nazi lowlife in gunfire are to be saluted. How dare he vilify them?
- Where is the empathy? Where is the emulating of G-d – the passage in tractate Shabbos – Mah hu rachum af atta rachum – just as He is Merciful, so too must you be merciful? It is all so very absent in this video. Where is the feeling of the pain of the innocent? Where is the sharing of the suffering, of children and grandchildren, and of friends of the victims in this Rabbi’s speech? Where are the tears? Our sages tell us that the Shechina cries when He beholds the tzaar of His nation. And yet there is nothing.
- A Bris Milah has nothing to do with who is bringing the child to receive a bris. We do not condone behavior that is forbidden by the Torah, but when someone wishes to bring a child for a Bris Milah – he or she is to be encouraged. This is no Mitzvah habaa b’Aveira in such a case (See Minchas Chinuch on why “lecha” is needed to disqualify a stolen Sukkah). The Bris Milah is a separate event from anything else.
- Where is the v’ahavta larayacha kamocha – the loving of our fellow man like ourselves? The Chazon Ish zatzal – held that most of the non-observant world are to be considered like a tinok shenishba – a child who was kidnapped and not raised with and thus not privy to the beauties of Torah true Judaism. These Jews are no different. It is wrong to suppress the natural inclinations of our chailek elokah mimaal – of our Divine Portion from Above to empathize with our brethren. In doing this, we are destroying our neshama – our soul, minimizing our schar in Olam Habah, and negating the very important Mitzvah of VeAhavta lerayacha Kamocha.
- It is somewhat presumptuous to give a State of the Union Address – when one is not particularly in charge of any union.
- Great Gedolim have walked many people to the door. It does not give a person a blanket heter of Halachic authority. There were people who fed Klal Yisroel tens of thousands of pounds of treif meat that received a similar honor.
- Ruach haKodesh? Really? Moshe Rabbeinu was chosen to lead Klal Yisroel because of his humility. The Midrash tells us that Har Sinai itself was chosen because it was the smallest mountain in the range.
This is a national tragedy and a tragedy to the entire Jewish people. It can also, Heaven forbid, engender copycat acts. Let’s not forget how school shootings began rachmana litzlan. For several decades there were none. Then there was one. Now, unfortunately, there are many.
No, dear Rabbi. We should empathize.
Deracheha Darchei No’am. The way of Torah is that of pleasantness. The latter part of the verse goes further. It states vechol nesivoseha shalom and all her ways are ways of peace. The video is most inflammatory. The Rabbi should issue an apology.
The author can be reached at [email protected]
[WATCH: Rav Yaakov Bender On The Pittsburgh Massacre]
NOTE: Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, the Rov of Aish Kodesh in Woodmere also made a serious Mach’ah about this Rabbi. The audio of his incredible words follow:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cVaK0OmujI]
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57 Responses
nu..
Elu V’Elu
When one view seems overly PC
while the other doesn’t..
The response to rabbi aderet’s video has been united in universal condemnation. I have from the highest authority that this was his intention all along. To unify Klal Yisroel during such a difficult time.
Thank you for saying what needed to be said. I had the misfortune of seeing the video you speak about in your article. I daven it does not fall in to the wrong hands as it is a self standing major chillul hashem a complete disgrace.
Agreed with #1/#2 “It is Time for Truth”.
“state of the union” and “ruach hakodesh” were clearly sarcastic, if you know any Israeli yeshiva product then the video needs to be understood on a certain wavelength – very weak post, clearly misunderstood the video and the objections raised somewhat repetitive and in part at least debatable. would prefer more of an analytical and sourced response than op-ed – but that’s just an opinion – if you don’t like that one I have others
Is it Loshon Hora to say that he seems slightly unbalanced with his “State of the Union” business etc?
Thank you Rav Yair Hoffman
Dear Rabbi Hoffman Shlita
Regarding the Ruach Hakodesh bit:
Was he not just making a little fun of himself?
With all due respect Rabbi Hoffman, I saw the video and I disagree with you in a few points:
1) You said “How dare this Rabbi blame holocaust victims?”.
I saw the video and didn’t hear say that
2) With regards to the officers that responded , you said “These brave men who engaged the evil neo-Nazi lowlife in gunfire are to be saluted. How dare he vilify them?” .
I saw the video and I didn’t see him do that
3) You said: “when someone wishes to bring a child for a Bris Milah – he or she is to be encouraged”
Unless the baby was Jewish from birth and was born the previous Shabbos (does anyone know?), I don’t think this bris was “doiche Shabbos”. You are saying we should encourage that????.
I think your issue is mostly with the tone in the video.
I would like to hear what our G’dolim say regarding this event. My guess is that it will closer to the message in the video.
( הקדושים מפיטסבורג הי”ד מאת ר’ יוסף יצחק יעקבסאהן)
במענה על מכתבו, והמחאה נגדי על שדיברתי על היהודים שנרצחו רח”ל בפיטסבורג ברגישות ובכבוד וכו’, הנה:
א. למרות הענינים אצלם שצריכים תיקון גדול וכו’ הרי פשוט שנרצחו בגלל סיבה אחת: בגלל היותם יהודים! והיינו שמתו על קידוש השם ממש, וכל העולם כולו מסתכל ע”ז כך. ופס”ד בהפסוקים שיהודי כזה שנהרג בגלל היותו יהודי הוא קדוש, וכתשובת החת”ס הידועה.
והגע עצמך: בעת השואה נרצחו הרבה יהודים שהיו קומניסטים, כופרים, חילוניים וכו’, וכולם נקראים קדושים ואומרים עליהם השם ינקום דמם, דם עבדיו השפוך, כי נרצחו בגלל היותם יהודים, ובגלל שנאצ הנאצים ימ”ש לעם השם, בני ישראל. וכן בנדו”ד: הרוצח הי’ שונא ישראל, כמפורסם עתה, ואך ורק בגלל זה רצחם בגלל היותם יהודים.
וכל חשבון אחר אינו נוגע לכל זה.
וכן נהוג אצל כל בנ”י שמכנים כל השש מיליון בשם קדושים וטהורים, למרות שהרבה מהם כו’.
ב. בנוגע להסביר למה נרצחו, בגלל עבירות אלו ואלו וכו’, הרי מי יודע חשבונות הבורא?! וכבר פסק הרמב”ם שהוא אונאת דברים להגיד למישהו שקרה טרגדיה בגלל עבירה זו. וכשנהרגו יהודים בביהכ”נ בהר נוף, למה הם נרצחו? ולמה נרצחו השלוחים ועוד יהודים במומביי? ולמה נרצחו הבחורים במרכז הרב? ולמה נרצחו כל היהודים החרדים על האוטובוסים רח”ל? ולמה נרצחו מיליוני ילדים בכבשונות הגז? מה היה חטאם ופשעם? השם ינקום דמם! מי יודע חשבונות הבורא?! על כל זה נאמר שתוק כך עלה במחשבה. אין אתנו יודע עד מה למה זה קרה. והרי טיפשות להגיד שקרה בגלל חטא זה וחטא זה, שהרי בשנים האחרונות נרצחו גם חרדים לדבר ה’ שנזהרו בקלה כבחמורה, ולמה הם נרצחו?! ולמה נרצח לייבי קלעצקי רח”ל? ולמה נרצח הבחור החבד”י בשיקגו בשמח”ת השתא? האם אנחנו יודעים כל החשבונות האלה? ומוטב השתיקה, וידום אהרן.
ג. פשוט שאי”ז משנה כלל וכלל זה שיש חילוקי דיעות בינינו והשמרנים, וכל היסוד של הבתי כנסת הקונסרבטיבים הוא היפך התורה, עי’ רמב”ם הלכות תשובה פ”ג, וההנהגה של מהליברלים הוא היפך התורה. וצריך לעשות כל מה שאפשר לקרב ישראל לאביהם שבשמים ולחזור בתשובה שלימה, כולל אני וכת”ר.
ד. פסק הרמב”ם בהלכות ממרים פ”ב, שתינוקות שנשבו צריכים למשכם באהבה לתורה. והרי רובא דרובא של כל יהודים אלה לא נתחנכו בדרך התורה, וכל השקפתם באה מהעולם של אוה”ע ומהעולם החילוני, כי לא קיבלו שום חינוך יהודי אמיתי, ולדעתם עושים הדבר הנכון, “תיקון עולם”, ואהבה לכל אחד וכו’ וכו’, א”כ, בכלל יתכן שהם תינוקות שנשבו שהם ממש אנוסים, וזה לא אשמתם. ומי יכול לדון אותם?! אדרבה, תפקידנו לקרב עוד ועוד לתומ”צ. ויתכן שהם ממש אנוסים, אני מכיר כמה וכמה מסוג אלה והם ממש חושבים שזהו דרך האמת, ואינם מורדים כלל, אלא מוטעים לגמרי.
ה. על פי כל הנ”ל, מה כת”ר חושב, איך נקרב יותר תינוקות שנשבו ליהדות, ע”י אהבה וקירוב הדעת או שנאה? דיברתי עם שלוחי חב”ד ואמרו לי שכתוצאה מהטרגדיה הזו הנה מאות ומאות סטודנטים הניחו תפילין, באו להתפלל, למדו תורה, החליטו לבוא לשבת. האומנם חושב שזה נעשה ע”י זה שמקללים את הקרבנות או להיפך? יחליט כת”ר: מה הקב”ה רוצה באמת? לדבר סרה עליהם, או להשתמש בטרגדי’ זו כדי לחזק את היהדות ואת הגאון יעקב אצל מיליוני בנ”י בארצה”ב ובכל העולם? וואס וויל דער אויבערשטער?
ו. חס ושלום וחס ושלום להצדיק מה שעשו הנאצים ימ”ש והשונאי ישראל האלה בתואנה שהם חוטאים וכו’. וה”ז חילול השם הכי גדול לכל העולם כולו: שיהודים חרדים לדבר ה’ מצדיקים כאילו השונאי ישראל הרוצחים ימ”ש, וה”ז נותן כח ועוצמה להשונאים ימ”ש. הס מלהזכיר. לבי לבי על כת”ר שחושב באופן כזה, ה”י.
ז. פשוט שאי”ז נוגע לדברי הרמב”ם בהלכות תעניות לא להגיד שזה מקרה וצריך לעורר כל בנ”י לתשובה. וכפשוט שזוהי הדרך. והיינו שגם אני וכת”ר צריכים לחזור בתשובה.
ח. אתפלא על כת”ר וכל הנלוים עליו שאינם תופסים דבר הפשוט, ורוקדים על הדם. הנה נרצחו י”א יהודים בדם קר, בגלל היותם יהודים, ובאים חרדים ואומרים שזה לא טרגדיה. ואפילו על רשעי ישראל מזידים ממש שמחוביים מיתה בב”ד, אומרת המשנה בסנהדרין: שכינה מה היא אומרת? קלני מראשי קלני מזרועי. וכ”ש בתינוקות שנשבו ממש. שהם היום ממש קדושים שנהרגו על קידוש השם ונתפרסם בכל העולם כולו, היינו קידוש השם בפרהסיא הכי גדולה.
ח. הטעויות בכל זה באות מזה שחסרים אצל כת”ר יסודות היהדות, ובפרט ע”פ מה שלימדנו הבעש”ט ז”ל ורבינו ז”ל. וחבל וחבל. הרי תלמידי רבינו קירבו מאות אלפים ליהדות, וגרמו נח”ר להשם. מה נפעל על ידי כל אלה שצועקים שטוב שיהודים אלה נהרגו? האם על ידם נתקרב יהודי אחד לשבת, תפילין, כשרות, אמונה, לימוד התורה, ההתנתקות מג”ע רח”ל וכל האיסורים? אולי אדרבה, עי”ז מרחקים יהודים יום יום. ועי’ חזו”א ביו”ד סימן א איך צריכים לטפל בכופרים בזמננו זה. והדברים ידועים. ופוק חזי, כל העסקנים והשלוחים היקרים שמוסרים נפשם לקרב עוד יהודי ועוד יהודי ועוד יהודי, ההצלחה הכי גדולה היא בגלל דבר אחד, כי כל הגישה היא כדברי הרמב”ם עם אהבה ואחוה ושלום וריעות, ולא לדון אותם, אלא להבין לרוחם ולהגבי’ אותם לאביהם שבשמים. והלואי שתמורת המחאות נגדי, היה כת”ר יוצא לקרב לבבות בנ”י להקב”ה, אשר כתוצאה מהמאורע הנורא הזה הנה לב ישראל ער הוא והוא שעת הכושר ממש. וזו היתה כוונתי בכל הדרשה שלי. ואיני מתחרט כלל וכלל, אדרבה, אני מאושר לעד ולעולמי עולמים שזכיתי להתאבק בעפר רגליו של רבינו ז”ל שלימדני מהי יהדות, מהי תורה, מהו יהודי, מהו הקב”ה, מהי הלכה, מהי מצוות, אייך מסתכלים על יהדות, תורה ומצותי’, איך מסתכלים על העולם, ואיך חושבים לא על עצמנו ועל הקנאות הטיפשית שלנו, אלא מה רוצה הקב”ה מאתנו, ואיך נוכל לתקן כל העולם במלכות שד”י. וחבל חבל שכת”ר שליט”א אינו תופס שחי ממש במצרים בתוך מצרים, ולא חלי ולא מרגיש ההעלם והסתר הנורא שיכול לדבר ככה על י”א יהודים שנרצחו כל קידוש השם, וידוע מה שאמרו בגמ’ על הרוגי לוד.
והלואי היו הוא וכל חביריו עושים חשבון הנפש, והיו מתחילים להתקרב להמאור שבתורה, לתורת הבעש”ט ותלמידיו, עד לרבינו הגדול ז”ל, ואז היתה הנשמה שלו נפתחת, והי’ יוצא להמונה של רומי ומקרב אלפי מאחבנ”י שליט”א לחיק התורה והמצוה., והי’ מצליח בזה.
ט. וכל זה אינה משנה כלל ההבהלה הנוראה והחטא הגדול של משכב כו’, ושל כפירה באמונה, וכו’ וכו’. חס ושלום וחס ושלום להקל בחומר הענין, כנ”ל. אדרבה, מי שבאמת איכפת לו מכל זה, הנה על ידי שיסתכל בעין טובה ועין ימנית, יוכל להציל המון המון יהודים מרדת שחת. וכפי שעושים תלמידו רבינו ז”ל בכל יום ויום בכל קצוי תבל. והלואי וכת”ר הי’ הולך לשבוע אחד להתאבק בעפר רגליהם של שלוחי רבינו ז”ל, והי’ רואה אהבת ישראל מהי, מסירת נפש מהי, יראת שמים מהי, דביקות בה’ מהי, דביקות בתורה מהי, דביקות במצות מהי, והעיקר, היה רואה דרך סלולה וישרה לרומם מיליוני אחבנ”י לדבר ה’ זו הלכה. ואת והב בסופה.
ובזה אקצר ואסיים בכבוד ובברכה
ובמהרה בימינו ובימינו תושע יהודה וירושלים וכעב תעופינה גו’ בב”א.
יוסף יצחק יעקבסאהן
Just wait until Adert’s skeletons come out of the closet where they have been quietly hiding for many many years.
What kind of Rov brags that a gadol hador walked him to the door? Guy is unhinged. Deadly repercussions.
Amazing article. Thank you YWN. Thank you YWN. Thank you Rabbi Weinberger.
This was very much needed.
You are urged to listen to Rav Moshe Weinberger
Be careful…. he is a very big “mekubal”. Scary stuff about him. I’m serious. Watch yourself.
Well said! Rav Fingerer has a 9 minute shiur addressing this at Torahanytime. I urge every sane person to listen. He cites Meshech Chochma and Erech Hapayim to explain things and was very upset by rabbi aderet’s statements. The words from R’ Fingerer calmed me down after I heard those crazy antics and sinas chinam.
He has a big following among the Persians in Great Neck. Many of them are BT and some want to outfrum the other, and that type gravitates to his shul because ch”v they’d be seen going any place less kanoi than his.
It is easy to hit a person when they are down. We need unity in our community right now. Stop everyone being Rabbinic judges (Poskim), there is no shortage. We are living in chaotic times, clarity & not additional confusion would be helpful. Swallow your pride while make a statement in support of our brethren who were killed only for the fact they were Yidden. Who and what gives anyone the right to judge them. Only Malachim (angels) are per perfect. We definitely are not. Try to see the good in people. Have a peaceful Shabbos.
The tone/ values espoused by this letter, although may sound pc (I do not care to sound pc) is correct.
The comment in Hebrew, posted by bulldozer, clarifies and shines it with elaboration and many sources (and is in no way pc.)
I hope everyone can understand it. Its worth being printed in its own right.
Buldozer,
Your post was highfalutin but said zero of substance
first ,no one said it wasn’t a horrid act and therefore in essence tragedy which we sensitive for
second ,don’t bring us how many in a nice deed because of it we both know how short-lasting those will be
Third , had you read previous articles you would realize it all claims of Tinok Shenishba are hardly On Solid Ground
In a nutshell had you read previous articles almost nothing that you wrote help bring the world to a better place
it might also be worth noting that the bris was taking place in dor hadash, a reconstructionist temple which was renting space from the synagogue and the elderly jews killed did not gather to celebrate at that event. some of them were probably old enough to have been going there when the shul was recently orthodox and “conservative” was not what it is today.
– when Abraham learned that Sedom was going to be destroyed he prayed for them he did not enjoy it.
-many people made similar claims about the holocaust that it happened bcs of x or y but is foolish
-you can look at it another way: this couple that is gay was given a huge challenge in life. No one wants to be gay and most gays would take a pill if it was available to become straight but the fact is such pill is not available. We have many orthodox people becoming open pc to the whole gay thing so how can one blame an unorthodox person for such behavior wouldn’t it make more sense for God to punish the orthodox who do that and not the tinuk shenishvash. Been gay is one of the hardest things and to still want to go to synagogue and make a bris even when practicing a sin takes some level of mesiras nefesh.
I’m not saying that it’s a non issue I’m merely saying how dare you judge someone if you are not in their situation, why did G-d give this couple the honor of been kedoshin ? G-d surely has many other ways to punish people without making them kedoshim .. God must have liked something about them. No one is just one action , they were performing a mitzva why “punish “ them at that time and not at an aveirah time. One rabbi of mine in yeshiva said once that the most dangerous thing for the communities are te rabbais speeches as many people are becoming rabbis
What can turn a Talmid chacham into a gadol hador is compassion. That’s why many learned people are not gadol hador material
Sad sad and sad that many will read that and think that’s what We orthodox believe they should discipline him
Yasher koachm Rav Yair. שפתים יושק משיב דברים נכוחים.
jusy me 22
how dare you ‘DARE’ me
YWN moderators, I commented in support of the Rabbi who condemned this act of indecency of gay relationships, even though no one can say what Hashem’s cheshbonos are and why the people were murdered. You did not publish that comment because I supported that Rabbi.
Yet, you have someone speaking on “understanding” gays and their behaviors and YWN has no problem publishing such a comment.
Hashem did not accept such behavior and the mabul came because of it. Maybe we should understand murderers and abusers too?! There’s no excuse for this type of behavior and neither is there an excuse for YESHIVA WORLD NEWS to publish on their site a comment that 2 gays that had their “child” through artificial means were “moser nefesh” to have a brish.
This is despicable!
I wonder whether Rabbi Aderet has seen the emek dover below.
העמק דבר/פתיחה לספר בראשית
פתיחה לספר בראשית
זה הספר הנקרא “ספר בראשית” נקרא בפי הנביאים “ספר הישר”, כדאיתא במסכת עבודת כוכבים (כה ע”א) על שני מקראות: בספר יהושע (י יג): “הלא היא כתובה על ספר הישר”, ובספר שמואל (שמ”ב א יח): “ויאמר ללמד לבני יהודה קשת, הנה כתובה על ספר הישר”. ומפרש רבי יוחנן: זה ספר אברהם יצחק ויעקב שנקראו “ישרים”, שנאמר: “תמות נפשי מות ישרים” (במדבר כג י).
ויש להבין הטעם למה קרא בלעם את אבותינו בשם “ישרים” בייחוד, ולא “צדיקים” או “חסידים” וכדומה. וגם למה מכונה זה הספר ביחוד בכינוי “ישרים”, ובלעם התפלל על עצמו שיהא אחריתו כמו בעלי זה הכנוי.
והענין דנתבאר בשירת האזינו על הפסוק “הצור תמים פעלו… צדיק וישר הוא” (דברים לב ד), דשבח “ישר הוא” נאמר להצדיק דין הקדוש ברוך הוא בחורבן בית שני, שהיה “דור עקש ופתלתל” (שם פסוק ה); ופירשנו שהיו צדיקים וחסידים ועמלי תורה, אך לא היו ישרים בהליכות עולמים. על כן, מפני שנאת חנם שבלבם זה אל זה, חשדו את מי שראו שנוהג שלא כדעתם ביראת ה’ שהוא צדוקי ואפיקורס. ובאו על ידי זה לידי שפיכות דמים בדרך הפלגה, ולכל הרעות שבעולם, עד שחרב הבית.
ועל זה היה צידוק הדין, שהקדוש ברוך הוא ישר הוא ואינו סובל צדיקים כאֵלו, אלא באופן שהולכים בדרך הישר גם בהליכות עולם, ולא בעקמימות אף־על־גב שהוא לשם שמים, דזה גורם חורבן הבריאה והריסוּת ישוב הארץ.
וזה היה שבח האבות, שמלבד שהיו צדיקים וחסידים ואוהבי ה’ באופן היותר אפשר, עוד היו “ישרים”, היינו: שהתנהגו עם אומות העולם, אפילו עובדי אלילים מכוערים; מכל מקום היו עִמם באהבה, וחשו לטובתם, באשר היא קיום הבריאה. כמו שאנו רואים כמה השתטח אברהם אבינו להתפלל על סדום, אף־על־גב שהיה שנא אותם ואת מלכם תכלית שנאה עבור רשעתם, כמבואר במאמרו למלך סדום. מכל מקום חפץ בקיומם!
ובבראשית רבה פרשת וירא (פרשה מט) איתא על זה שאמר הקדוש ברוך הוא לאברהם אבינו : “אָהַבְתָּ צֶּדֶק וַתִּשְׂנָא רֶשַׁע”(תהלים מה ח) – “אהבת להצדיק את בריותי, ותשנא להרשיען…”, והיינו ממש כ”אַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם” (בראשית יז ד ובפסוק ה), שאף־על־גב שאין הבן הולך בדרך מישרים – מכל מקום שׂוחר שלומו וטובו. וכן הוצק חן ודרך ארץ נפלא, על דבר אברם את לוט, כמו שנתבאר בפרשת “לך”.
וכן ראינו כמה נוח היה יצחק אבינו להתפייס ממשנאיו, ובמעט דברי פיוס מאבימלך ומרעיו – נתפייס באופן היותר ממה שבקשו ממנו, כמבואר במקומו.
ויעקב אבינו, אחר שהיטב חרה לו על לבן, שידע שבקש לעקרו לולי ה’, מכל מקום דבר עמו דברים רכים. עד שאמרו על זה בבראשית רבה (פרשה עד): “קַפְדָנוּתָן של אבות ולא עַנְוְתָנוּתָן של בנים” (עיין שם), ונתפייס עמו מהר.
וכן הרבה למדנו מהליכות האבות בדרך ארץ מה ששייך לקיום העולם, המיוחד לזה הספר שהוא ספר הבריאה. ומשום הכי נקרא כמו כן ספר הישר על מעשה אבות בזה הפרט.
ובלעם בשעת רוח הקודש – לא היה יכול להתפלא על רוע מעשיו, שאינו צדיק וחסיד כאברהם יצחק ויעקב, אחרי שהוא נביא אומות העולם וראשו במקור הטומאה. אכן התפלא על רוע הילוכו בדרך ארץ, שאם שראוי היה לו לשנוא את ישראל תכלית שנאה, באשר שהמה בני אברהם יצחק ויעקב וראשם במקור הקדוּשה, אבל מכל מקום לא היה ראוי לפניו לבקש לעקר אומה שלימה. ואינו דרך ישרה בקיום העולם. ועל זה צעק “תמות נפשי מות ישרים”, היינו: מקיימי הבריאה.
ובדברינו נתיישב יפה על מה נקרא זה הספר ספר הישר, שהוא ספר הבריאה
Justme,
where do you get your Notions from ?do any of them walk around with shame and guilt Ridden?
They’re flaunting it!they’re celebrating it!They’re attempting to foist it on the rest of us including your children
!סדום ועמורה
it is gotten to where many straight youth are embarrassed to being straight
And would it really matter anyway ?
how many members of gangs are not happy with the state of life!
Will we offer apologies for everything they commit??
This so called “state of the union address” is a absolute disgrace and needs to be deleted from every platform ASAP! This Rabbi is not
G-d’s judge ! Who is he to publicly say why this shooting happened?? I’d Love to ask him this ; why did the Harnoff Massacre r’l take place? Where so many tzadikim of klal Yisroel perished in a orthodox shul?! We need to stop judging one another, G-d is the ultimate judge!! May hashem watch over all Jews and send the geulah!
B”sd
with all due respect to all Rabbanim, I have known Rabbi Aderet for many years, and i personally few months ago heard from him that all jews are required to love every jew, and i ask him what about reform rabbis who are machti rabbim, he said even a reform Rabbi if you see them in the street that needs a ride you should give him a ride.
I have watched the video, the main point of the video is not whether the jews (kedoshim) who got killed by the natsi are to be blamed even it may seem that way, I know that everyone holds that any jew who gets killed because he is jewish he would immediately get forgiven for all his sins and go directly to gan eden.
To my humble opinion The point Rabbi Aderet is trying to make in his video is that most of the tragedies that happens in the world is due to averot and for not keeping the mitzvot, his point in the video is that we have to be very careful not give validity to conservative and reform movement to their ideology to the fact that they want to have a section by the kotel for gay people, to the fact that if they get power they will bring destruction to the world by their behaviour and ideology to the fact that they give validity and encourage intermarriage.
It is important that we emphasize on this issues, because there may be a lot jewish people who don’t realize how severe it is to give validity to this kind of behavior such as intermarriage or marriage between man aman and fall in their trap,
Rabbi Adret always quotes the sources in mefarshim and Gemara that every Generation that Beit Hamikdash is not rebuilt in it is as if it has been destroyed in that generation, and we all agree to this point.
if we do not have Beit Hamikdash today it is because we are are not behaving the way hashem wants us to behave.
It has been said by Rabbi Salanter many times that when a tragedy happens in one side of the world it must be that some jew somewhere did an avera and caused the tragedy to happen, if this tragedy happened obviously it is not for no reason, we know that hashem would never let a person like this natsi who did this act to be successful in his mission unless someone one did an aveira somewhere in the world.
As it has been said by many Rabbanim these kedoshim who died have din of tinok shenishba and it is my humble opinion that if hashem choose someone to die al kidush hashem, it must be that this person has tromendes zechut to have all his or her sins be forgiven and gain olam Haba, obviously we do not want something like this to happen to any jew, but if this incident happened it must be that some one some where did and avera that give power to this new natzi to have suucees in his mission
to my humble opinion The point Rabbi Aderet is trying to make is that all of us all jews have to be united and do teshuva and strengthen our self in torah and mitzvot and not give validity to whoever goes against torah and mitzvot to make sure that these enemies would never have success in what they want to do.
I wish there always be shalom and unity among am israel and we should always want and do the will of hashem and be Zoche to see Mashiach bimhera beyamnu Amen
Chevra, this lecture was taken out of context and blown out of proportion. Rabbi Aderet is a g-d fearing individual who helps hundreds of yidden a day with tefillot, yeshuot, berachot and chizuk . His entire life is dedicated to avodat hashem with many yeshivas around the world . If you dont agree with a particular ravs hashkafa, you have no right no matter what size your beard is, or how many congregants you have to refer to another well respected rav as “erev rav” or “sitra achra”. Will all due respect R. Weinberger is the one who owes an apology for the lashon hara and motzie shem rah he spoke about a Talmid Chacham to the masses, without any consideration to the laws of the chofetz chaim.
I’m going to quote the rambam in mishne torah halachot avelut halacha yud
י
כל הפורשין מדרכי צבור והם האנשים שפרקו עול המצות מעל צוארן ואין נכללין בכלל ישראל בעשיית המצות ובכבוד המועדות וישיבת בתי כנסיות ובתי מדרשות אלא הרי הן כבני חורין לעצמן [כשאר האומות] וכן האפיקורוסין [והמומרים] והמוסרין כל אלו אין מתאבלין עליהן. אלא אחיהם ושאר קרוביהם לובשין לבנים ומתעטפים לבנים ואוכלים ושותים ושמחים שהרי אבדו שונאיו של הקב”ה. ועליהם הכתוב אומר הלא משנאיך ה’ אשנא
I agree with the poster HASHEM ECHAD2672
Rabbi Aderet did NOT say that the massacre happened because of the anti-Jewish behaviour of the congregants. He said that he does not hold of joining them in their prayers (Tehillim) and other mourning rituals because their behaviour is anti-Jewish. He talked about Chilul Hashem. He NEVER said that people died because of their behaviour. BIG difference so please stop the hyperbole!!
The article above is brilliant and has addressed the white elephant in the room in the frum world however with all due respect it could have been written without mentioning the video
Just stating all the positive facts.
On a separate note a non jew is not allowed to keep three mitzvahs
Shabbos,chodesh,and briss
In one of the comments above it said
Mitzvah ha bo min avayra regarding briss does not apply however if the child is a goy halachicly then surely this cant be true ?
We are Ma’aminim Bney Ma’aminim that nothing happens out of random. It was Hashem’s decision for this tragedy to happen, not the Nazi who chose to be the shliach. Same for Paroh & Hitler, they were rishaim who brought about Hashem’s din. Rav Avigdor Miller explained the Holocaust came due to the tremendous assimilation occurring during the post ww2 era, there were wake up calls like Kristal Nacht which weren’t heeded.
Today, most of American Jewry is on the brink of being lost to assimilation. Maybe Hashem is waking us up as he did 80 years ago with Kristal Nacht. All of us need to wake up, frum & non frum, galus is not a safe place even in the USA.
Our avoda is not to blame these people but to realize that we are in galus & not become assimilated into the American melting pot. I believe this was the main intention of Rav Aderet though his tone & choice of words are better used in private, not for the world at large.
By the way, Rabbi Aderet quoted an Ari za”l that does not exist. I wonder how much kabbalah he really knows?
Just to clarify my previous comment understanding is not endorsing.
It is hurrible that frum people are accepting this lifestyle I agree is assur there is not heter.. I’m just saying is not an easy path for those people and yes they were moser nefesh is not easy to feel Jewish when taking such a path.
The community has not offered solutions for such people and if one is not orthodox in this day and age it’s as close to ones for anyone non frum. However a frum person seeks from God a way to not end up alone in a kosher way if they have are gay.
Understanding is not endorsing
I understand why illegals want to be in America but I want a wall yet when I see an illegal I don’t hate him I understand them
I find understanding murder much harder to those who compared it.. understand speak lashon hara understand why people don’t keep shbs
Etc etc I don’t understand frum people telling frum people to come out but is if you ask any rabbanim who have dealt with bachurim who don’t want to be gay and don’t know how to build a frum family a dream for any of us, it is not an easy parasha. I agree is becoming too available as normal I don’t want that.
Rab shimon Ben yochai was it ? Went into the cave to learn in hiding for 12 years he came out and with his eyes anyone he saw got burned. He went in again learned more and came back in a higher madreiga no longer burning..
Eating shellfish is also a Toiva.. I’m not endorsing it but I understand them,
The frum world has not created a solution for the gays and that makes them all left wondering from childhood how on earth can I have a normal kosher and happy life .. am ones don’t wish on anyone
Side note was the kid really not Jewish who says ? Many get Jewish kids or pay a Jewish surrogate in which case there is mitzva on shbs
But even without this how do we know. Sdom beamora was a bit duffernt it and even then abraham asked for them. Did you ever daven for God to remove the pain from those who struggle with that nessoin who have no taivas a nashim who want to get married to a woman but can’t See how ? For their families .. etc
I once sat in a table on shbs arguing with a dr about gay marriage etc he was defending gay marriage I was saying they need help not marriage.
I think we do have to understand that is not as easy as not having cake they have no kosher cake at all available. And all the dreams that they see their yeshiva friends achieve ( kids grandkids wife ) all seem unreachable and that person might end up going to Shul alone at age 70 because he wanted to keep the torah and no one out there has offer him an option.
In Rabbi YY’s response, the הרוגי לוד reference is a mistake, and it’s a common mistake. See Rashi on who they are and why they were special.
There’s something very rotten about our attitudes to immorailty, and we’ve clearly assimilated American culture subconciously to allow evil to thrive in our midst. If there was human sacrifice or murder occuring in Pittsburgh synagogue I don’t think we’d view the situation the same.
Case in point- if Leon wind Jerusalem and outlaws pride parade, will it hurt you more that he’s trampled on freedom of speech or to have parade in Jerusalem? Think abut it.
WE are WAY too tolerant of evil immorailty and must understand that it’s what made Sdom flip upside down and mabul.
Chesky12
I wholly agree with your comment, I always refer to this piece from the נצי״ב and use it as a guiding principle.
The נצי׳ב said that it was this reason that he sat together with people like Leon Pinsker and other secularists in the חובבי ציון instead of forming a separate orthodox group.
Mr. Dentist, we do our best to prevent murder not because it is a sin, but because it is our duty to protect the victim, the same way we would be obligated to save someone from drowning or choking. The prevention of harm is different from the prevention of wrongdoing.
RebYidd, maybe you want to prevent murder to protect a victim, but you cannot commit murder because it’s a sin, even if you would have an urge to do so. That’s the point.
It’s not a hefker velt with everyone able to express their lower than animalistic urge.
We have a Torah and it says very clearly how Hashem hates immorality and how He punishes people if they act immoral.
a few points;
it is true the neviim spoke this way as in dor hamidbar ” vehem LO yodeu drochoi” on the dor deah
rabbi hoffman is also right that the gedolie hador did not speak this way in america at least to ashkanazim because keshem shemitzva lomar …. it will be viewed wrongly by the zibbur
the sefardim on the other hand had greater emunas chachomim and were bigger believers in the chacham and thats why their mussar was sharper and what turned ON sefardim turned OFF ashkanazim
rav weinberger is coming from an angle that al pi chassidus …and they are tinokos shenishbeu so there is no expectations
Please listen to Rabbi Daniel Glatstein’s first shiur on the Pittsburgh massacre. While he also disagrees with this rabbi, he grapples with the issue of people who are not ma’aminim, whether their murders for being Jewish are a fulfillment of kiddush Hashem. (This also apply to the freier Jews killed in the Holocaust.)
It is not poshut!
YY is a more left wing type of rabbi. He takes non-mainstream positions and packages them in his speeches in verbiage making it sound it is coming from the right, even though it is not.
The average age of the victims was almost 75 years old. Since the shooter yimach shemo was not aiming for the elderly, but for all Jews, it is evidence that these non-Torah places are attended the elderly, to a large extent.
Seventy years ago, the leader of their world called us a “sickly weed” and expected us to die out.
Now, appreciate that the Torah world is growing. Our shuls are filled with young people and children, every Shabbos morning.
Chasdei Hashem!
First of all if this video was sent around in Israel no one would blink. Americans are softies and can’t handle and musar that isn’t watered down and fluffy.
That being said all the halachic attacks on him are debatable and there are two sides.
I’m terms of the feelings, how do you know how he feels?? I’m sure he feels for the victims a lot. Perhaps more than many of us. He is a big tzadik endorsed by many gedolim. This response is a just a bunch of Americans who have no comprehension of how Israeli culture is.
Chacham ovadia Yosef cursed Ariel Sharon for example. If someone did that in America there’d be an outcry.
Stop using your views that are shaped by American culture to decide how other people should talk or behave.
Ironic isn’t it everyone is choosing or chose to
ignore the report the baby in the midst of all this wasn’t even a yehudi
Anyone who suggests that the shooting took place because of a bris doesn’t realize that there were 3 different groups meeting in different locations in that building and no shooting occurred where the reconstructionist group, dor hadash, was supposedly conducting a bris.
The only person from the Dor Hadash group to have been murdered, Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz, was shot while running to help the injured.
7 people (Joyce Fienberg, , Cecil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, and Irving Younger) were murdered in the back of the 2nd floor chapel where Tree of Life meets. One additional person, a 61 year-old, woman was injured.
2 people (Richard Gottfried and Dan Stein) were shot in a basement kitchen near where New Light meets
Melvin Wax was shot in a basement closet where New Light members were hiding.
A group study and possibly a bris or baby naming was supposed to take place later at dor hadash at 10, but only 3 of there members were in the building at the time (Jerry Rabinowitz who was killed, Dan Leger who was injured, and Marty Gaynor)
to clarify, I don’t think any of the commenters on this site, nor the Rabbi himself, said the victims were killed because of the naming or “bris” for the “child” of the immoral men and the “congregation” that supported them.
However, we are expressing the fact that such behavior is terrible and the fact that Hashem punishes such behavior. To be quiet about this immorality is a travesty. We must condemn this behavior continuously.
I am most unfortunate to have known this rabbi for 18years. If you know him then you know he means what he said in this video and will not apologize for it. I see that many of his followers have posted comments in his defense and even tried to spin this to make us believe that he is misunderstood. That is an out right lie. This is not the first time he has been a divisive force in our community google the curse that rocked great neck. He is unsympathetic, and tactless at best but in his core he is a tyrant that really believes he has ruach hakodesh and claims to be a descendant of Rav Kook first chief rabbi of pre Israel. I used to be a member of his congregation and I have witnessed this rabbi screaming red faced and chasing a little girl out of the shul and down the block because she came to the door wearing pants looking for her father. Being an observant Jew does not save you from rabbi aderets wrath. I have witnessed him advise a man unhappy with his wife’s behavior “to kick her out”. I have witnessed him tell young men with long hair to leave the shul and not return because of their long hair. Kick out an old woman because she ate cookies from a table meant for the congregation. I have witnessed him proclaim that the shul is “his shul” many times when kicking someone out. He sits in his chair and makes decrees from his throne and on a whim he can destroy someone’s parnassah and proclaim that no one so business with him until that person apologizes for some random mistake. The rabbi claims that when he sees aveira it is his obligation to point it out and stigmatize but after being part of the congregation for so many years you see that it is all political. There have been times where he should have spoken up like when he was aware of an unfaithful husband or abusive husband, a husband that frequently abandoned his wife and children leaving them without resources for months at a time to but he said nothing. He did feel obligated to crash a mixed party to which he was not invited and which were not even members of our congregation. The community mostly believe he has powers and are afraid to speak up. I never spoke up because from the start he made it clear that he was my husbands Rabbi and if I wanted to speak to him or consult it would have to be with my husband. Needless to say he has not been good for my marriage. One of my children has a learning disability and 5 yrs ago I considered putting her in a public school because the yeshiva wasn’t helping. My husband took me the rabbi at the shul to consult but it just ended up being the Rabbi forbidding me from switching schools when I expressed discontent my husband cursed me, he swore on the Torah that I would die if I removed my child from yeshiva. I looked at the rabbi thinking that he would at least say something about not cursing your wife but he didn’t. He was stone cold. I thanked him for his time and left. Fast forward 4 years later I finally switched my daughter to public school. She was becoming depressed and suicidal because she could not learn. And still The rabbi forbade public school or even a psychologist and I felt that I needed to take responsibility for my child and not be lead by this lunatic. I made the switch knowing that there would be consequences but feeling that I did not have a choice. As a result the rabbi advised my husband in the presence of several congregants to divorce me and get my children taken away at any costs. Any costs for my husband has meant breaking the law and bearing false witness and making false allegations all on the advisement of this rabbi. You may say that my husband is to blame and this is true but the rabbi knows that the majority of his congregants are extremists. He knows when he tells my neighbor to kick out his wife he will and he knew when he told my husband to take my children at any cost, what it meant, that he would have no limit. There are many many women here that suffer because of this rabbi. Rabbi aderet proclaims to know why meshiach hasn’t arrived but the bet hamikdash burned down because of people like him. When he says we should love our fellow man like ourselves, to him these are empty words. You can say he is misunderstood or that it’s a difference of culture he is Israeli, a simple American doesn’t understand the the truth he espouses. Some say that he is standing up for the kedusha klal Israel, that is a twisted distortion. A popular explanation amongst his congregation is that “ who are we to understand the reason for his words or actions? How could we understand, when he is in such a high level? “ But the truth of the matter is that his actions speak for themselves. He has been a divisive force. He uses his words to pit is against each other, to cause hillul hashem and he has manage to cause discord in many households and essentially destroy the foundation of Judaism which is the home. All the other orthodox rabbis here in Great neck are afraid to speak up against him. One rabbi told me that it wasn’t that all the rabbis are afraid of him but that they know speaking up wouldn’t change anything. Well I am glad that this article was written and some Rabbis have spoken up.
It should be called a State of the Disunion address. Chazal already said not to be like Iyov’s “friends”(Baba Metzia 58b). What about (@Philosopher) continuously condemning financial crimes, which are also toevot (Devarim 25:12).
Rabbi Aderet wasn’t the only one.There was also another video of a rabbi making a similar speech. Rabbi Yosef Mizrahi.
Moderators Note: Who? The Holocaust Denier?
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/373626/shocking-video-rabbi-yosef-mizrachi-says-less-than-a-million-jews-killed-in-the-holocaust.html
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/373779/op-ed-rabbi-yosef-mizrachi-should-retract-his-comments-that-less-than-1-million-jews-were-killed-in-holocaust.html
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/374113/video-holocaust-survivors-dont-accept-apology-from-rabbi-yosef-mizrachi-over-comments-made-about-6-million-kedosim-hyd.html
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/375085/rabbi-berel-wein-responds-to-rabbinic-holocaust-denial-regarding-comments-made-by-rabbi-yosef-mizrachi.html
Avi K,
don’t try that,Sorry
There’s no synagogue in the world emblazons that as official policy & intensely perverts the Bible
interesting Isn’t it in this past week’s Parsha
Abraham’s family were highly dishonest people not above Consistent swindling Financial thievery and the like.
Since however they were morally upright in relationships
Relatively at least compared to others that’s who insisted he wished for a daughter-in-law?!
AviK, if there is a reason for condemning any crime, I will do so. If there are proven allegations of misuse of funds or stealing, I have no problem condeming anything, especially if it is an epidemic as liberal immorality has become.
Life is not black and white. When the government itself creates a situation where middle-income people cannot afford medical insurance and obtaining Medicaid is a matter of life and death, I will not condemn that.
As for these Rabbis, whether it was Rabbi Aderet’s letter, or a video Rabbi Yosef Mizrach posted, I cannot say exactly what they said or didn’t because I didn’t read nor listen to what they said. I honestly don’t have patience for these things. I did assume they didn’t say outright that the victims were shot because immoral people had a so-called “baby naming”.
Now the difference with someone stealing is that it does not effect the entire commiunity or future doros, nor is anyone saying that stealing is ok. Gayism and “gender switching” etc. and all other immoral behavior is being passed off as normal behavior, it is being foisted upon us by the media and goverment and even these behaimos walking in the streets hand in hand in frum places with stupid grins. This is placing tremendous challenges on people in our generation who cannot tell right from wrong anymore, with frum people saying we need to “understand” them…and kol shekein this will c”v have a huge negative effect on our future generations when, if this abonimations continue, will completely pollute our society.
It is a chillul Hashem of the greatest proportions to be quiet on this issue.
UPDATE:
NEWS JUST IN: (see in comments)
“direct confirmation from one of the rabbis of the Tree of Life synagogue: THERE WAS NO BRIT OR BABY NAMING BEING HELD ON THE DAY OF THE SHOOTING IN ANY OF THE THREE CONGREGATIONS THAT MEET IN THE TREE OF LIFE BUILDING. One misunderstanding and confusion led to another, it was mistakenly reported by one media outlet and then repeated by outlet after outlet after that. In the words of this rabbi “It makes for a good story.” ”
Guess this charlatan doesn’t have ruacj hakodesh after all
For the Record ,
other rabbis feel And have articulated rather similar to Rabbi aderet including Rabbi S. of Toronto ( I am located for the moment there) though they’re less enthusiastic about going on public record
” THERE WAS NO BRIT OR BABY NAMING”
Wow remarkable
first you guys lambast him for being right on the facts ,now you’re going to attack him for being wrong!
This is a wake up call to all if us to become better.
If the small number of Shomrei Torah are doing their best, no one can harm any Yid.
If we don’t talk in midst Krias Hatorah there is no greater Shmira.
ואנחנו בשם ה’
rabbi aderets followers seem to think that the other rabbi’s owe him an apology for speaking “lashon harah” against his ideology. It’s completely lost to them that rabbi aderet video help propagate lashon harah misinformation about a gay couples baby Brit that did not happen. In doing so he tarnished the memory of those innocent victims.
His “ruach hakodesh” failed him. Not one of his followers are concerned that he thought he heard hashem telling him that it was 2 men that brought the baby for the Brit.
His followers have chutzpah! They now are on a blitz in great neck telling people they should learn the laws of lashon harah, a bunch of bullies trying to intimidate people that spoke up against him or don’t agree with him, after it is obvious that Rabbi Aderet their teacher has no clue what it even means. What does that say about them?
By the way Rabbi Mizrahi, the other Rabbi spreading the same message happens to be a friend of Rabbi Aderet. I guess it’s true what my grandmother use to say “pick your friends carefully because you are who your friends are”