The Agudah, today, has released the attached letter signed by three senior members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, and Rabbi Aharon Feldman, for purposes of clarification.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
We write in response to slander and to publicly declare that the Guidelines released by the leadership of Agudath Israel of America – on the subject of how and when to reopen the doors of our shuls and batei medrash for tefillah in a way that is in accordance with the law and in which there is no danger of the further spread of coronavirus – were fully accepted by us and were with the approval of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. The rumors that the leadership of Agudath Israel acted on this of their own discretion are complete fabrications.
It is appropriate to emphasize that all the activity of the Agudah’s leadership under the direction of Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel are for the sake of Heaven and are performed after consultation with gedolei Torah.
On this we sign on the 27th of Iyar, 5780,
Dovid Feinstein
SHmuel Kamenetzky
Aharon Feldman
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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30 Responses
This morning I woke up to a host of WhatsApp messages all with the same rant coming from Pinchos Frankel , i took to time to listen and wasn’t sure if it was some Ill conceived Purim joke or if he’s suffering from some type of חולי הנפש
While I’m not about to call out all his lies , inaccuracies and fallacies , I just want to address a few things that he favored us with ;
The first red flag in Mr Frankel’s rant was his claim to be speaking on behalf of הקב״ה and the תורה , I’m sorry but with Pinto , Boteach and Mizrachi occupying that rostrum there’s no room for another such representative !
While he was tossing around all his theories dripping with rancor and unmitigated arrogance , claiming to care about halacha , what is his heter or justification to insinuate that Avi Berkowitz doesn’t lay Tefilin on a daily basis ? Who gave Mr Frankel the heter to commit מוציא שם רע and to spread such slander about another Jew ?
Another point that Mr Frankel was ranting about was his opposition to the “ stop talking in shul campaign “ , for someone who claims to be halachic , why is such an initiative such an anathema to him ? I’m not that well versed in the שלחן ערוך , but in אורח חיים , קכד הלכה ז a person who talks during חזרת השץ is called a חוטא and I’m pretty sure the מחבר doesn’t bandie that term around that often . Perhaps when our shuls do reopen , an initiative that calls for increased decorum is such a terrible thing for Mr Frankel to stomach ?
I hate to say this but the concept of דרך ארץ קדמה לתורה was not suspended in Orshava, Krula and even in Strizov
his own father is a member of the moetzes.
b’h flatbush is rid of this rasha who blatantly spoke motzei shem ra about a frum person in wahington, blatantly spoke against the mechaber in shulchan aruch, blatanytly lied and slandered the moetzes – specificaly by name rav dovid feinstein and rav shmuel kaminetzey.
now he claims his “resignation” was not really a “resignation”.
TO THE MEMBERS OF THIS SHUL: Change the locks.
Let’s also understand that this crisis has created A lot of stress and tension and many people have been sharing various “rants” from people frustrated by this situation or overcome by the stress.
I think most of us can differentiate between rants and real Torah true messages. Unfortunately this crisis has been too much for some people and it has brought out a negative side that wouldn’t have surfaced otherwise.
On the other hand, it has made clear as to who are true gedolim and strong Torah leaders of our time.
There is a lot of politics involved, not referring to Ch”V politics between or within the Aguda, rather politics involved in the decision to reopen or not.
The hospitals are way below capacity, medical procedures are being deferred, schools are closed all of this comes at a heavy physical, emotional, and social expense. Yet the politicians have their political agendas.
Furthermore, a lot of schools in the tristate area have reopened in remote locations, so many shulls now have regular services, despite all of this there has been no resurgence in these areas.
While we are free to have our own opinions, we cannot choose our own facts.
The facts are, despite unofficially reopening, there have been no surges or bumps, yet we are still subject to the Governer’s orders.
Achashverush also gave orders, yet obeying them was still wrong.
Isnt r feldman in Israel r shmuel in Philadelphia and r dovid in ny
Rava: and your point is?
How do we know this letter wasnt forged
Thank you R Hoffman for your powerful and true words.
The amount of הוצאת שם רע, ליצנות , אפיקורסות and overall שנאת ישראל in the afformeantioned diatribe is beyond repulsive.
Just to point out 1 of his many lies,
It is not the Flatbush community that keeps on electing these liberal רשעים, but rather Williamsburg and Monroe who time and again support and elect these lowlifes to our city and state government. Rest assured that they will continue to support every תועבה supporting and anti religious candidate so long as they continue the flow of welfare programs to their community.
The Flatbush community has its head on straight and knows that there are values more important than money.
If people are concerned about getting infected then they should continue to daven at home.
with all due respect. an organization representing “all orthodox communities” shouldn’t they have a rabbinic moetzes from “all orthodox communities” ??
still have question as to why hashems name is not mentioned in agudahs letter
Well if you listen to his speech, and are open to her a different opinion then those who called for everything to shut (which most are not, thats the problem on why he spoke what he spoke, and why it is very hard to have a honest conversation on this topic) you will understand this letter very well, thats exactly what he is saying, that unfortunately the lay of the land is that the the Bal Batim, and Askunim are the ones who control what the Rabbonim should say or write, and for those a little involved (not only in this) know that this is not a חידוש, and the Rabbonim are limited to what they are told and explained and pressured to do, so I dont know who is right or wrong in the above matter, but the fact that there is such a letter dosent really say much, other then proving one of the points of the speech.
And Alexander Graham Bell lived in Boston. And his invention allowed them all to communicate!
If you do not believe that politics and the governor play a role. Look how Simcha Felder has been marginalized since not bending to Cuomo.
rav Aharon Feldman is rosh yeshiva of ner yisroel
During these difficult times, these petty politics really are very unhelpful.
stop the slannder against a chosheva talmud chachim and tzadik ben talmid chachim and tzaddik
its about time
kudos to him for gathering the courage
Rava,
Rabbi Aharon Feldman and wife moved to Baltimore in 2003 to become the Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Yisrael. They are still there.
rav pinchas had a moment of “kanois ” he was wrong on a number of points & emes on others . kanois is by definition “NOT THOUGHT OUT” thats why its halacha vein morin kein.
the gedolim in every org. need to trust the people working there to provide them with honest facts. thats what this letter says that reb chaim dovid zweibel acted with their haskomo, does that mean that the moetzes had the koach to review each detail?? there was some kind of rabbinical sub committee ?
What do we know….
I myself Daven in this HOLY Rav’s Shul. my son’s Daven there as well.
I would like to clarify that the Rav is from the nicest people i know.
he is always making every one feel like a million dollars.
I don’t think anyone can say they ever saw him without a smile from ear to ear on his face.
The Rav was talking against the famous doctor who ran around Flatbush closing down every shul (even though there was socail distincing and was perfectly legal) and calling police on the few shuls that were left open as per the rav of the shul decision. How dare can this so called Doctor call the police on a rabbi. The police themselves were shocked how an Orthodox jew can call on their own Rabbis. Incidents like this is what HaRav Frankel is talking about.
a friend of mine thru business who is not Jewish told me “this would never happen in our communities”. Look how low we fell that we are sticking up for this Dr and not the Rabbanim.
I spoke with my good friend Reb Chaim David Zwiebel and he himself told me that the he is working with himself as its very hard to reach the Rabbanim in these times. since when is it our choice if shuls should be open.
I spoke to many Rabbanim that they would wish to keep their Shuls open but they had to much pressure from their congregants. I must say that most if not all my fellow mispalilem of the shul are on the rav side and fully regret the way they acted and are willing to do whatever they could to get the rav to come back (which is including braking our smartphones).we are all at fault for putting on so much pressure on the rabbis to not letting them run the shul the way they want to. who areSO MUCH smartter than us.
and to Shoita Gamur who do you think you are to call my Rav MR you don’t even know him a quote from you so please don’t listen to my Rovs shuir it was not ment for you
It’s because of people like you that commented above that there are such situations
This morning I woke up to a host of WhatsApp messages all with the same rant coming from Pinchos Frankel , i took to time to listen and wasn’t sure if it was some Ill conceived Purim joke or if he’s suffering from some type of חולי הנפש
While I’m not about to call out all his lies , inaccuracies and fallacies , I just want to address a few things that he favored us with ;
The first red flag in Mr Frankel’s rant was his claim to be speaking on behalf of הקב״ה and the תורה , I’m sorry but with Pinto , Boteach and Mizrachi occupying that rostrum there’s no room for another such representative !
While he was tossing around all his theories dripping with rancor and unmitigated arrogance , claiming to care about halacha , what is his heter or justification to insinuate that Avi Berkowitz doesn’t lay Tefilin on a daily basis ? Who gave Mr Frankel the heter to commit מוציא שם רע and to spread such slander about another Jew ?
Another point that Mr Frankel was ranting about was his opposition to the “ stop talking in shul campaign “ , for someone who claims to be halachic , why is such an initiative such an anathema to him ? I’m not that well versed in the שלחן ערוך , but in אורח חיים , קכד הלכה ז a person who talks during חזרת השץ is called a חוטא and I’m pretty sure the מחבר doesn’t bandie that term around that often . Perhaps when our shuls do reopen , an initiative that calls for increased decorum is such a terrible thing for Mr Frankel to stomach ?
All one needs to hear is one of his first statements when he relates how when he took the job at the shul he asked “what time is davening on shabbos morning?” he was told “it doesn’t matter what time we start, it matters what time we finish”. This former rabbi then says (in the same sentence) “I was so nauseous from that answer”.
Sure. It made you vomit – but you STILL took your job. Basically, you publicized what a sell-out you are.
Great job you did as you yourself say “I had four lousy people come to a shiur on shabbos afternoon”.
*****NEWSFLASH****
His brother is the Rov at Sasregen, which we all know stayed open against the law. You probably all forgot how the Sasregener Rebbe died of COVID.
#Rotzchim
Yaakov M.
You are a shakrin gomur!! They aren’t brothers. They don’t even have the same name!
As the expression goes, please put your brain in motion before you put your mouth in gear!
The point is kind of made when only three of the Moetzes signed it, if you think about it.
I am not from the biggest minyan goers, and I am just a bochur, but I was surprised by the lack of hishtadlus to have minyan in a safe way