In a letter publicized on erev Shabbos, 5 Teves, Maran Posek HaDor HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita calls upon the tzibur to boycott the weekly Mishpacha Magazine for its “distortion Daas Torah”, Chadrei Chareidim reports. The report points out that the letter is signed by the Posek HaDor himself, not one of the rabbonim who at times sign on the rav’s behalf. The letter earned a prominent place, on the first page of Yated Ne’eman and HaMevaser.
The report indicates the ban was spearheaded by the ongoing feud between Yated and Mishpacha, as the latter continues to gain ground.
Mishpacha has declined to respond to the letter, quoting “officials of Mishpacha stating ‘we have a policy of not responding in such cases and we do not believe the letter will result in damage to the newspaper’”.
Bichadrei adds that it has learned the letter was publicized in response to rumors that the Tuesday free weekly Mishpacha supplement received approval of two gedolei yisrael in Bnei Brak.
It should be noted that this is in regards to the Mishpacha in Israel. It is unknown what the relation to Mishpacha Magazine in the U.S.A. is.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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20 Responses
Please clarify the headline. This is not accurate. Headline should state Hebrew Mishpacha Magazine (if the headline is at all true) Let’s not cause unjustified damage to someone else.
I think its a different owner then English Mishpacha and little or no shaychus
It is important to clarify in the title that you are talking about the Israeli Mishpacha magazine so that there is no misunderstanding
Rav Kanievsky shlit”a also banned Mishpacha several months ago.
I’ve read both. Its pretty much the same. Same writers, similar stories, different editors.
#5 — that is because both the US and Israeli editions have the same ownership.
I think that he is talking about a Hebrew newspaper of that name, not the magazine in either language.
I am very happy that YWN made it a point to say that it was signed by Rav Eliyashiv HIMSELF and not one of the Rabbonim who sign on his behalf. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT IS NOT TO THE DETRIMENT OF MISHPACHA. From personal experience I can tell you that anyone who approaches the Rav Shlita with a “frummer cheshbon” will receive a receptive ear. This means that anyone can MISREPRESENT something and if there is no one available to advise the Rav, such a situation can occur. The Rav is most often surrounded by people who understand the implication of any letter that he signs. When something is purely political and has no “halachic” merit, they will advise him against signing it. This situation sounds like it is highly politicized and, obviously, someone is trying to misrepresent a case to the Rav and take advantage of his powerful signature.
Rav Kanievsky actually issued a letter of support for Mishpacha this week.
How do we know 100% that Rav Elyashiv truly signed this letter. In the past there were stories that a family member claimed that it was not true.
Anybody know what this is all about?
What did they print wrong? Or is it just a ממנות dispute?
Stop bothering our Gedolim !!!!
These hypocrites are distorting the very idea of daas torah by nudging daas torah to settle their selfish petty little competition issues.
The love of money can come in many disguises; the yetzer hora has many designer outfits.
I would like to know what is it about the Mishpacha that Rav Elyashiv is taking issue with. this is a serious thing, Mishpacha, English or Hebrew, is a frum magazine that here in America many people read. If we would know what the objection is we would understand if there is a difference
I’m curious on what bases and process that Rav Elyashiv and Rav Kanievsky have both concluded to band the Hebrew Mishpacha Paper.
Does that mean that Rav Elyashiv and Rav Kanievsky were regular reader of the paper and for some reason deemed it unfit for whatever reason or his handler did the reading and convince them to band the paper.
The letter by Rav YS Eliyashiv is about the Mishpachah NEWSPAPER in EY. This is a new free newspaper that is competing with the Israeli Yated. The new newspaper seems to be from the Bnei Brak “Chazon Ish”nik community and has the backing of Rav Nissim Shlit”a.
The headline here is wrong and can do serious damage to the parnasah of many people.
In Gateshead, Stenhouse (the bakery + main grocery store) sells the English (American) Mishpacha. As you know, Gateshead is quite strictly controlled by the Rov, so if Stenhouse sells it, apparently our Rov (Rav Zimmerman) doesn’t see anything wrong with it. I’m quite sure that if the Rov would see a problem with it, it would be gone from Stenhouse within the time it would take him to get from his house to the store (about 1 minute).
Personally I think Mishpacha is a great magazine. The issue is that they present chareidi (and dati) ‘professionals’ such as scientists in a positive light. The Israeli chareidi gedolim see the idea of a frum child thinking “I want to be a famous professor too!” as their worst nightmare.
I myself am also a fulltime worker, in IT, having worked in that in EY and now in England. I don’t see any problem at all with combining work and secular studies with being frum. Though I do note that when I go to work – seeing that I use public transportation and work in a non-Jewish company – I don’t dress visibly Jewish, I go ‘undercover’. Not really out of fear, rather, simply because I don’t like to feel like an animal in a zoo – and it doesn’t make me any less frum.
#15 Both the magazine and the newspaper have the same logo IIRC. I always thought that its a complement to the magazine and it serves more for News stories and the magazine for interesting articles.
Well, the best way to ensure that everyone will read something is to have it banned. Was Mishpacha behind this?
I’m looking to make more money. Thinking of writing a “controversial” book and getting it banned….
#8 your 1000% wrong R’ Eliashev is extremely sharp and he does not put his name on anything which he does not fully understand he is very discriminating in what he signs you can not pull the wool over his eyes, and especially if a business is going to be hurt because of his letter then its even harder to get his signature which is why i dont believe this story without seeing a dated letter
Nobody explains exactly what is the
“distortion of Daas Torah”?? Does anyone really know?
I never found anything that sounded to me anything BUT daas Torah!