Mordechai Ben David was interviewed in Eretz Yisrael on the Menachem Tucker (Jerusalem Radio) show, asked to comment on the catch 22, the situation in which he does not appear before mixed audiences on the one hand, and on the other hand, rabbonim have prohibited attending concerts.
In his reply, MBD’s opening statement is “macharim tell rabbonim lies and nonsense at times”, adding the truth is, the rabbonim are not at fault since they respond to what they are told. “If they are told that men and women danced together at a performance of MBD what do you think they would say?” he asked rhetorically, making the point that the rabbonim, “whose lives are engulfed in torah” cannot know that what is being fed to them at times are untruths and nonsense.
When asked if the actions of the rabbonim place him in a difficult position, and perhaps infringing on his livelihood, MBD stated that “HaKadosh Baruch Hu sustains us, all of us, even me, and therefore, I am not concerned”.
Tucker: Did you ever try to meet/speak with the rabbonim?
MBD: No, because I live abroad, not in Eretz Yisrael, and when I come, it is usually for a day or two, a week maximum, and I have not had time for such a meeting, but as I said, I am not concerned because livelihood is in Hashem’s hands.
Tucker: Have you had opportunity to meet or speak with the askanim, or macharim as you call them?
MBD: No, Baruch Hashem.
Tucker: I think it is absurd. Many chareidim go to mixed performances because there are no separate performances and since you do not perform at mixed events, you do not appear in Israel.
MBD: I want to tell you that two years ago in the summer, there was the incident with Yerachmiel Begun….the stir that was created (reported HERE on YWN). Even though it was separate, they decided it was not enough for whatever reason, so I decided not to appear. The same night, I was in my son-in-law Meir’s home and a chassidish friend came, and he told me that “I promised my children we were going to see you and because you canceled, we went elsewhere, a mixed performance”.
Tucker: What did you tell him?
MBD: What could I say?
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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26 Responses
I don’t understand. He had the time to go on a radio station but not the time to confer with the Gedolim personally? He’d rather make these very strong remarks publically? Does he realize where this can go? (Chazonim zenen Naronim!) You can be blessed with a beautiful voice but you still have to Daven hard for Saichel.
I agree with #1. I greatly admire his voice and charisma but I sure hope nobody is listening to his talk. I don’t think accusing the rabonnim of not knowing what’s going on is a very good to do. I don’t know how many rabbonim he knows but every rav that I know knows very well what’s going on in the world. I find it very hard to believe that any rav worth his salt would believe an askan without checking out the facts. Most of them are very well aware of the dangers of putting their names on anything that is not correct. MBD, do us a favor, just sing.
try reading some of the stuff out their attempting to blast jewish music and then tell me that MBD is wrond
Is his intent that there is no reason to listen to Rabonim since they may be making a mistake? Is he casting doubt on every single Psak from a Rav because there are askonim who influence them? Is that the way it should work? When a Rov gives a Psak that either I disagree with or believe he is mistaken, should I just ignore it because I don’t have the time to deal with it and just anounce in public that they are mistaken?
May I dare say that whatever influence the Askonim have on “their” Rabonim, it is tiny in comparison to the נגיעות that he may have due to the amount of money he makes at most of these events?
Rabonim DO sign off on many Public Notices that they are asked to endorse without really investigating for themselves if what they are told is really true.
Askonim bring to them a document already signed by other Rabonim so they assume that what is in the document is really so and that isn’t always the case.
And as for the ban itself, most Poskim prohibit live concerts בזמן הזה because of the issur of listening to live music after the חורבן. As a matter of fact, R’ Moshe held even listening to music on a tape would be included in this Issur, although the majority of Poskim do not take it that far.
And as for the ban itself, most Poskim prohibit live concerts בזמן הזה because of the issur of listening to live music after the חורבן (other then for a שמחה של מצוה which a concert hardly is). As a matter of fact, R’ Moshe held even listening to music on a tape would be included in this Issur, although the majority of Poskim do not take it that far.
It would be nice if people would read carefully before commenting. He said that askanim frame questions to get an issur and then publicize it as if it applies to him when, in fact, it does not. He said that poskim do not have time to research all the facts and make it clear that they are answering the question posed to them and not making a claim about facts they don’t know.
Before MBD is asked to sing and not comment, others ought to read and not comment.
Language alert:
When he says that he has emuna that his parnasa will continue, he’s actually saying that he has emuna in the tzibur that they won’t heed the rabbonim.
#1 and #2 did it ever cross your mind that the interviewer went to MBD (an interview can take 5 min shlepping to bnei brak is at least an hour)
He didn’t say don’t listen to Rabbonim. He said not to listen to the so called “Askonim” who manipulate facts when speaking with the Rabbonim.
This happens everyday where these “Askonim” are causing most of the problems in K’lal Yisroel.(You will notice the real Askonim are always behind the scenes taking on the real problems in klal yisroel.
If your not sure about a Psak verify it with your own Rov.
#12 did it ever cross your mind that going to the Bnei Brak might make the difference of an eternity as opposed to the interview which might mean a fleeting 5 minutes of fame?
What is so important with this story that you had to reoport it on the internet for all to read. Now all are going to write about it and talk about it and all thanks to you. People will now add to it and all of this is on your account. Did you ask a rav if this should of been written. All of the Loshon Haroh thanks to you.
His Rebbe, the Gerrer Rebbe, doesn’t see any thing wrong with it, even after knowing what ‘psakim’ are out there, so why shouldn’t the Gerrer Rebbe be enough for him???
lakwoodr, Shalom! The fact that MBD has and continues to comply with the bans should address many of your questions in comment #6. On the one hand he is compliant with the official rabbinic decrees. On the other hand, he is skeptical about objectivity and accuracy of the askanim that are setting the agenda of some of our leading poskim. For the good or the better, this is a concern that I see being expressed from a diverse group of very credible (IMOHO) sources and rabbanim.
in #9 you bring up a valid general issue about music in our times after the chorban. Nonetheless, I doubt that is the reason for the recent bans on concerts. Consider, for one thing, that cantorial concerts have not (for the time being) been banned. AFAIK, the same post-chorban restrictions would apply to the cantorial concerts as well.
Mixed or not, going to concerts may be considered objectionable by some ultra right wingers. In any case concerts catering to the chareidim should have separate seating with separate entrances.
Shalom TheZealot!
I personally do not know if he does or does not comply with official rabbinic decrees. I was just going by what the I had thought the article implied. Reading it again, I seem to have made a mistake. I apologize to MBD.
As for my other comment regarding the issur to listening to music, you definitely have a point regarding cantorial concerts and I don’t know the answer. What I will say is, and I know this is true about at least two Rabbonim who signed the ban here in the states, that although the agenda behind those coming around with the letter may not be for the issur of listening to live music, the Rabbonim who sign it don’t care to check it out to thoroughly since they believe it to be ossur regardless. And if I’m not mistaken, I recall a ban signed by R’ Shlomo Zalman
and R’ Elyashiv that stated it is Ossur in general to listen to live music and בפרט because it brings to a looseness regarding צניעות etc.
To # 16:
MBD comes from a gerer background, but has absolutely no connection to Ger today, in fact the Rebbe himself signed on the proclamation forbidding concerts entirely. He was close to the Ribnitzer Zt”l who he says encouraged him to sing (In the 80’s), but I wonder if the Ribnitzer would approve of contemporary jewish “music”. Just listen to an album from the 70’s & 80’s and compare with the current and you’ll see what I mean.
actually I have heard that one reason the Gedolim say people shouldn’t go is because the concept of having a “star” or hero worshipping is not a Torah concept, but regardless Daas Torah may have many other reasons we don’t necessarily understand, but we should be accepting Daas Torah from our gedolim….if it is clear there is a misunderstanding let people clarify to the gedolim and see for themselves if they change their opinion l’fi daas torah!
“CHACHOMIM HIZAHARU BE’DIVREICHEM.”
MBD is a wonderful, caring person. BUt he’s is also a Mega-Personality, whose words are immediately broadcast everywhere.
Mordechai, I know you meant well, and you would never intentionall demean Talmidei Chachomim. But your comments gave the mistaken impression that our Rabbonim are naive fools, who can be easily misled by shrewd deceivers.
That is not the case. Most Rabbonim are very careful about making pronouncements, especially on sensitive public issues.
The damage that is done to the credibility of our Rabbonim with such comments will affect Kashruth issues, Chinuch issues, and many other areas of Jewish life where we desperately need the assistance of Talmidei Chachomim.
Mordechai, you should have taken the time to go to some of Rabbonim involved and clarify the issue–“Ve’HeYeesem NeKiim!”
Yeridas Hadoros is when we “Worship Stars” (Avodas Kochavim, sound familiar?)”.
Don’t give yourselves up to MBD, Fried, or Lipa, or the likes. They are talents, but not Jewish leaders.
Only LOSERS do that.
On the other hand. Our Gedolim, ie. R’ Elyashiv Shlita, or R’ Shteineman Shlita, Etc. are people who worked on themselves their whole lives.
#18 – correct! MBD got it right. Even Yaakov avinu didnt know when his sons told him a lie… “Hahkare noh kisoness bincha..” For ppl to act naiive and think that the Rabbonim always get it right is silly. Most gedolim can only react since they do not have eyes behind their backs. That said, the provocateurs are likely the “erev rav” loosely translated it can mean “those who would ‘mix up’ the Rabbi.
#21,
in a recent interview he says how he asked the Gerrer Rebbe about a spacific concert, and the Rebbe told him to cancel…
To #25 – cute.
But Lemaaseh, do you think that Yakov Avinu was “fooled” w/o Hashem wanting him to be?
Even if our Gedolim are so called “fooled” it is His will. ( Atem Afilu Shogegim ).
We still have to listen to their Psak. Because if we argue w/ them then there goes the whole Torah.
( So you’re gonna ask me “why are even the followers on the internet?” We’re not preaching that we’re right. )
totally agree with the statement that people with agendas go to rabbonim to get their opinions confirmed.
A guy was selling his sefer outside the Mir a couple of months ago. He had a haskomoh from R’ Elyashiv that the sefer contains good material. He had this written up on a big sign. Under these words, in big letters, he wrote “therefore anyone who doesnt use my sefer is definitely regularly “over” on many issurim (implying that that was what R’ Elyashiv had said)
Same is with the sheitals (although lets not go down that road again) i.e. people who dont like certain things ask the Rav a question in a way that he answers to their benefit.
maybe we should close down resturaunts that are “hangouts” why don’t you find anyone hocking about that or how the kosel is a hangout