According to a Kikar Shabbat report, the Vishnitzer Rebbe from Monsey Shlita may boycott the main Siyum HaShas because “Zionist rabbis” are expected to address the tzibur. This apparently may also lead to other prominent rabbonim and admorim shlita to boycott the event.
Until this announcement, residents of Eretz Yisroel were envious of Jews in North America which was holding one major siyum for all as opposed to in Eretz Yisrael there are siyumim for Ashkenazim, Sephardim, litvish and dati leumi. The rebbe’s announcement however changes all of this.
Invited to address that forum is Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau Shlita as well as Rosh Yeshivas HaMekubalim Ahavas Shalom HaRav HaGaon Yaakov Hillel Shlita.
The Vishnitzer Rebbe Monsey, told organizers earlier in the week he cannot attend since the “Zionist rabbis” will be attending in an official capacity.
Leaders of Agudas Yisrael in the United States are working to find a solution, and they are quoted anonymously by Kikar Shabbat as saying “we are taking about important admorim, rabbonim and mashpi’im, but on the other side of the coin, we must remain cognizant of the fact that 80% of those who will be participating in the siyum are identified with the Modern Orthodox world, and for them, dafka the addresses from these “Zionist rabbonim” as it were is what is drawing them to attend.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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49 Responses
To see this article on Rosh Chodesh Av is very sad. We hav ebeen in Galus for over 2000 years and still can’t sit in the same room with our own brothers.
I really hope this isn’t true. With all due respect, we need achdus at this time.
So sad that things have to always come down to politics…instead of setting an example for the rest of the world, things like this show them that we can’t even get along with each other!! Not even for the sake of Torah! Hashem Yiracheim!! This is not a political gathering and should be made out to be one…nebech…
Correction: should NOT be made into a political statement.
Many ask, “Why do the chilonim hate us?” Some ask, “Why are so many turning away from yiddishkeit?”
As that famous Pogo quote goes, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
Where does Klal Yisrael start and end? How frum or otherwise does somebody need to be in order for them to be considered a Torah learning Jew? In the scheme of things, how important is a difference in hashkafah?
Are some people maybe hypocritical in that, when it comes to fundraising, some groups with differing hashkafos are Klal Israel enough from which to accept their money but not enough to listen to their rabbanim?
What ever happened (Pirkei Avos) to a Chochem being someone who is able to learn from all men?
If we can’t all get along, despites differences in hashkafah, how can we expect better from the world with so many anti-semites?
How important is achdus, especially when it comes to a major Torah learning project such as Daf Yomi?
How sad that this has to happen at all let alone right before Tisha Baav. Where is the achdus, my friends, we are in galus becuase of sinas chinam, not because of the internet.
In my lifes experience when adult brothers don’t display brotherhood publicly over series of incitements & incidents,or for that matter one brother doesn’t show minimal respect for same father, the best we can expect is to part ways amicably and hope the tzibooR doesn’t gossip about the rift too much. Tzibor is as you’ve probably heard is a mnemonic of Tzadikim, Baynonim & Reshayim.The model is of patriarch Yaakov who at first opportunity separates from wicked brother Easu even though he was tolerant of father in-law Lavans crooked ways for many many years.Q:Why should YWN crowbar both in the same room when parties themselves resist in doing so?
Enough of this tzionim bulldung! How much longer do you want to be in galus?!
I hope this is some kind of misunderstanding. How is Rav Hillel shlit”a in a Zionist capacity? He is a mekubal, talmid chacham and Rosh Yeshiva! Ahavat Shalom is his private institution. What idiot thinks every Sefardi Rav is a Zionist?! And Rav Lau is only the city Rav of Tel Aviv, just like Rav Yaakov Edelstien in Ramat Hasharon, and Rav Meir Kessler in Kiryat Sefer. He is not Chief Rabbi anymore. Some retarded Gabai has been feeding the Rebbe baloney.
I would hope this isn’t true, but unfortunately it is entirely believable.
I am skeptical about this report. IF it’s accurate, then, as #1 said, it’s no mystery why we are still in Golus and we don’t deserve Geulah. All our tefilos and tears are for NOTHING.
If the AGudah does not stand up for what’s right, then this Siyyum will be a JOKE.
I am just curios did agudah leaders sit down and discuss the event with all kehilos?
Or the 2 people that run agudah got drunk from power and didn’t take all kehilos into account?
Achein Noda Hadavar
Those quotes from “leaders of Agudath Israel” are completely inaccurate.
With all due respect:
Many that attend the Siyum HaShas already learn Daf Yomi, and one of the key pionts of the Siyum being such a massive event, is to get others, who aren’t already involved to join this time around… therefore I believe it would be important to have the most influential speakers address the crowd, and to excite those who haven’t joined the DAF YOMI, as opposed to what they think about the unrelated topic of Isreal.
I applogize to those who be offended.
Why should it be any different during the 3 weeks/9 days?
That kind of divisive speech has become that groups stock in trade.
It will be telling to see how far “the group in charge of the siyum” will bow to it.
Clearly there is no room for any other derech within “klal yisrael”
A sad moment, but at least the stadium will be filled with real “Torah True” Yidden
This story sounds a bit funny because it mentions R yaakov hillel. The problem is, that anyone who knows R hillel, knows that he is anti medina. He is one affiliated with the eida and doesn’t take any money from the medina. Even though he is NOT chasiddish and he is sfardi, regarding zionism and the medina he holds like the eida.
So to read an article that refers to him as a “zionist rabbi” makes me scratch my head. Somebody got their facts wrong.
Rabbi Lau is a buchecnwald survior that made it to israel as a refugee. What should he have done? gone to israel and then still hate it? maybe its not true
Reb Yaakov Hillel Shilt”a is not a zionist. In fact he refuses to accept money from the Israeli government for his yeshiva and institutions. Either the Vishnitzer Rebbe Shilt”a is misinformed or the article is wrong. Either way yeshiva world should not call Reb Yaakov Hillel a zionist, it’s Mozei shem Rah.
“80% of those who will be participating in the siyum are identified with the Modern Orthodox world, and for them, dafka the addresses from these “Zionist rabbonim as it were is what is drawing them to attend.”
are you serious?! whos anybody kidding?? 80%! who came up with these ridiculous numbers? and maybe they are coming because of the siyum hashas, not because of any special speaker. seriously, this whole article is messed up.
#1 phatogre77 – There is, ipcha mistabra, good news here also: the “80% of those who will be participating in the siyum” who “are identified with the Modern Orthodox world” are willing to sit with anti-zionists, even though they make no secret of their hatred for the MO zionists.
Those are a lot of people with a lot of ahavat yisrael.
#20 – Perhaps you meant to say “motzei shem tov”?
“80% of those who will be participating in the siyum are identified with the Modern Orthodox world”
The other 20% should attend as an “Occupy the Siyum” movement….
The Vozhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey is a Talmid of rabbi Yoel tetelbaum of satmar. Although he is a descendant of the Vizhnitzer Rebbeim he does not subscribe to their Haskafa with regard to Israel. His ideas correlate well with Satmar and should be understood accordingly.
There is a simple solution. Have Rav Yechiel Meir Katz – the Zibo Dayan of Montreal – who was a noted speaker at the internet asifa and is a staunch antizionist be the last speaker at the sium. This levels the playing field and he can go on and on and on through the night for all who are eager to listen.
It truly is amazing how many people know better than the Vizhnitzer Rebbe shlit”a what he should be doing. Maybe if you would speak to him and he would see how much clearer you see everything than he does, he would send his chassidim to you instead.
I wonder if its sinas chinam as so many posters here suggest. Maybe the problem is gaivah, that so many people think they know better than gedolei yisroel shlit”a.
Also, I don’t believe the article was saying that the Vizhnitzer Rebbe wouldn’t attend because of Rav Yakov Hillel and Rav Lau, but rather mentioning that they too would be attending.
If HKB”H would have a desire to always have everybody included, He would have had Kofoh Aleyhem Har K’gigis on all Nations.
HKB”H keeps on creating babies constantly, by the thousands, of which, the vast majority (Not-Yidden) are not supposed to celebrate Shabbos, His day of rest.
We, with our shallow brains, think that its “nice” to have everybody included.
80% of participants ar Modern Orthodox ? I was wondering why the women on the ticket line asked me what type of yarmulke I wear and if my wife covers her hair. Now it makes sense…….
To all that keep on bashing the ultra-orthodox and claim its machloked etc…
Late me make one thing clear our gedolim not us will decide if its machlokes, or as the torah wants us to do.
What are his chassidim to do? The tickets are not ten dollars a ticket? the average ticket price was over one hundred dollars a ticket! And the suites were close to $30,000 and you still have to pay for your own alcohol.
#10, #18 and #20- It is scary to see how much you have missed the point of this article. It is irrelevant if the stated Rebbeim are in fact Zionistic or not…if they are, WHO CARES! They are still Jews who care about Toras Yisroel and Am Yisroel. And guess what- they learn the same Torah and were Amel B’Torah to finish the same set of Shaas.
The amount of ignorance and hatred is staggering. I know of a leader of a certain sect of Chassidim that once told Rabbi Norman Lamm, Shlit”a, former president of Yeshiva University and a huge Talmid Chochom, that he is unsure if Rabbi Lamm is considered Jewish by his standards.
When did people come to believe that they have a monopoly on the will of the Ribono Shel Olam, and that they can judge who is part of Klal Yisroel and who isn’t. And guess what, conservative, reform and unaffiliated Jews are part of us also…and a very integral part I might add!
To those of you who totally missed the point of the article, this coming Tisha Ba’av, please learn the Aggadata in Gittin about the Churban, and take away the lessons that are critical for the survival of the Jewish people…AHAVAS CHINAM- no matter zionist, Chassidishe, Chareidi, modern orthodox, conservative, reform, what have you. The words that should FIRST come to mind are HUMAN BEING, and then FEELOW JEW.
There are people, as well as gedolai Yisroel, who hold that this is wrong, aside from any and all politics. Achdus is not defined as being part of issur. If they hold it is ossur, they have an issue.
Rav Hillel a zionist? That’s hilarious! His yeshiva doesn’t accept any funding from the government. Also, almost every chassidish rebbe in Mea Shearim learns Kaballah by him…
oh G-d, can this story really be true? after 2000 years of golus, we still can’t respect each other?
when the gedolim can’t respect each other, the rest of us (katonim) certainly learn from this not to give respect to some one different.
Does his mean that Rav Elyashiv ZT”L was a “Zionist Rabbi” because he was chief Rav of Ramle (albeit only for a very short time) and a Dayon for 20 years on the Beis Din Hagodol of Yerushalayim, and received a salary for this from the Zionist state?!
#31 good points but don’t mix in reforma nd conservative. All the other movements mentioned are halachic jews, r&C may ot be…
To No. 30
First of all, there is no reason to believe this naresh statment attributed to Rav Hager, shlita is accurate since he would not insult so many gadoleit torah who happen to be associated with the medinah or government-related entities.. While the Heilege Vishnitz is no big fan of the Tzionim, he is known for his ahavas yisroel and the statement implies exactly the opposite. Perhaps its time to find a better way to verify these statements before they are published. In any event, there are enough gadolim attending and speaking that a Vishnitzer chassid will have every reason to attend even if his rebbe is not attending..
I truly hope that this is not an accurate indication of the Vishnitzer Rebbe’s feelings or intentions.
If it turns out that the ‘Zionist Rabbis’ are forced to not speak or intend, then I will not attend either because this will turn the siyum into a chilul Hashem.
G-D help and have mercy on us
#31 The Torah is the one that united klal yisrual if a jew leaves the torah and is not “OISE MASE AMCHU” then he is not a fellow jew and he is not part of us.
This rabbi without his Zionist problems, he has some other problems just go read his biography that he himself gave out ,look at the picture,look with who he shakes hands.
The torah is what makes us one if someone leaves the torah then no matter what he is orthodox modern orthodox he is not part of our nation.
So leave out all this ahavas yisruel its just liberal minds that comes out from the american culture and has no place in our torah
#31 and all you guys on here. whatever the point of this article is doesn’t matter at this point, what matters is that you (and all of you that are commenting on here about this) are missing other points that you don’t either know or understand. first of, do any of you guys know if this rebbe really said what it says here? everyone is so easy on jumping and saying all the loshon hora rechilos and what-not about this rebbe, when in fact you don’t know if its really true. lets say for a moment that it is true, did you hear a reason? maybe he has a good reason and if you would hear it you would agre.e does this mean every time a rav or rebbe says some thing they have to come to you for approval? how can we as jews that learn the torah talk bad about any jew without even knowing basics? That is sinas chinam in my book. I really don’t mean to disrespect anyone here, but i just thought you guys should hear this.
The Rebbe shlita is entitled to his views and I am sure that he has a valid rationalization for his position based on his moral compass. I do not know if he has advised his followers to attend or not.
I am just wondering if his father zt”l would have adopted the same stance. If I am not mistaken his father voted in Israeli elections.
The siyum hashas is not a political event and to make a political statement so late in the day has the odor of some political agenda and is extremely disheartening.
Amazing why Yidden cannot come together en masse to celebrate such a momentous occasion without dragging politics into it.
Does anyone honestly think that there will be Israeli flags flying and Hatikavh being sung?
All this being done during the 9 days.
All the more reason to weep and cry on Tisha Bav.
for more see here
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/rav-yisroel-lau-will-be-the-guest-speaker-at-the-siyum-hashas
I am surprised that a baseless rumor such as this is posted. The whole article is full of statements that make no sense at all.
And then you have a nudnik saying that better not disinvited R Lau, who said he was even invited?
And the a nudnik makes threats about Yiddish speakers. What a lowlife the commenter must be. More people speak and understand Yiddish in the us than Ivrit. Certainly those who are attending this siyum hashas.
Your demands are appropriate for rabba hurwitz’s siyum party.
Send them your demands.
Why are you all confusing this with ‘sinah’ and ‘ahave?’ This is not a matter of love or hate! As much as Viznitz’e Rebbe Shlit”a loves SM Lowe personally, he doesn’t think that his chasiddim or all yirai shomayim should view SM Lowe as a personality to whom to listen, as his views are in line with Zionizm. This is for godal haddor to decide, and not for bloggers. In any case totally unrelated to ‘sinah’
#40- it made me extremely sad to read your comment. There is a reality that a majority of Am Yisroel today are not Shomrei Torah U’Mitzvos. Don’t mistake my comments for commending that- it is a very sad state of affiars.
HOWEVER, it is much sadder to me that you believe that those who are off the derech are not part of Am Yisroel. That view places us in a very lonely world. What happened to the concept of Kol Yisrael Yeish Lahem Chelek LaOlam Habah? KOL YISRAEL…not just those who you identify with.
Additionally, to consider them no part of the Jewish people anymore is completely unproductive. You can throw out the concept of Kiruv according to you, and the Jewish people will chas v’shalom die out.
Lastly, you say leave out the Ahavas Yisroel stuff. I sincerely hope you know what time of year it is. The Gemarah in Gittin talks about Kamtza and Bar Kamtza as the paradigm of sinas chinam. Does it comment at all on their status of observance? Does it say they were shomrei Torah umitzvos? The Torah recognizes a humanity component to life that does not base itself on the Frumkeit of another. So please, I beg you, learn that Aggadata. Learn that Ahavas Yisroel applies to all Jews- yes, even those who are not Shomrei Torah Umitzvos.
I sincerely hope you have a meaningful Tisha Ba’av and take these words to heart- for the sake of the entire Klal Yisroel
This post is distressing and I do not get it. Rabbi Lau, Shlita is a Gadol B”Torah, gadol B’Yisroel looked up to as an inspirational figure by hundreds of thousands of people. What is the issue of Rabbi Lau speaking and where is the controversy. If you blow away the smoke there is no issue. This is a contrived issue, brought up by the Sitra Achar. Where is the Moetzas? Why are they MIA? They should declare that Rabbi Lau is speaking. Period. If this is an issue, than the Siyum must be cancelled and each group will make their own Siyum.
It is sad that this would occur on Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av. We have endured over 2,000 years in exile because of sin’as chinum. I understand the reasons why certain groups, such as Vishnitzer and Satmar hold that the founding of the Medinah is invalid. This is, as I understand it, based upon their understanding of the halachic force of agaditah. While I may not agree with this position, I do understand it, and it is internally consistent. However, the siyum hashas is not about Zionism. It is about the idea of limud Torah and achdut Yisrael. I would urge our brothers in Vishnitzer to join all Jews for this wonderful opportunity to praise Hashem together.
I am only hoping everyone realizes you can’t boycott this event without reflecting upon your own character. Lets hope next year they don’t boycott Megilas Esther because it uses the term “Medinah” many times.