On Wednesday morning 18 Elul 5772, a group of roshei yeshiva will leave Eretz Yisrael for Lithuania under the Kupat Ha’Ir banner. Taking part will be HaRav Aryeh Finkel (Rosh Yeshivas Mir Brachfeld), HaRav Dov Yafeh (Mashgiach Yeshiva Kfar Chassidim), HaRav Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi (Rosh Yeshivas Ateret Yisrael), HaRav Moshe Yehuda Schlesinger (Rosh Yeshivas Kol Torah), HaRav Bernstein, (Rosh Yeshivas Kiryat Melech), HaRav Mordechai Gross, HaRav Chizkiyahu Mishikovsky (Mashgiach Yeshivas Orchos Torah) and others.
The rabbonim will visit the tziyun of the Vilna Gaon, the Chafetz Chaim in Radin, and Rav Chaim of Volozhin ZT”L.
Kikar Shabbat adds HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita sent his son HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Kanievsky, telling him the journey will be a ישועה to many. In addition, the rabbonim have been instructed by the rav to maintain a taanis dibur from takeoff until after davening at the tziyun of the Gra.
A note was released to the media informing the tzibur that as the rabbonim are traveling on Arkia Airlines which is mechalel shabbos, one should not extrapolate from this that using Arkia is permitted, adding the rabbonim will not be using Arkia in the future.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
so why are they using Arkia now?
I wonder why not to The Kevorim in Eretz yisroel, like shimoen hazaddik, the rambam, Rav Ashi, etc,
See Orot HaGra, page 129, which quotes the letter of the Gra that entering cemeteries is forbidden. But I guess you guys know best.
. When did we all become chassidim?
“A note was released to the media informing the tzibur that as the rabbonim are traveling on Arkia Airlines which is mechalel shabbos, one should not extrapolate from this that using Arkia is permitted, adding the rabbonim will not be using Arkia in the future.”
Am I the only reader to think that this is a case of double standards? What tirutz have the rabbonim got for breaking their own rules?
Flying with Arkia, which is mechalel shabbos, is exactly comparable to eating bacon c”v. If rabbonim declare that a thing is treif then it’s unequivocally treif.
Does anyone know why they are going or why to the GRA’s kever?
I think we should give them the benefit of the doubt – aseh docheh lo sa’aseh – and apparently there is some very very important reason they are going there. Also tumah hutra btzibur, so even if Arkia is generally tameh, it’s ok for tzorchei tzibbur, which of course this is.
Story says “under the banner of…”
What is that supposed to mean? Did they attach a banner to the plane? Their luggage? Are they travelling as emissaries of Kupat Vaad Ha’ir? or does it mean something else?
Just like the “Simcha Guidelines”(yes, remember that?), this double talk with Arkia, is another example of: “Do as I say, not as I do”!
They said they were flying on Arkira “this one time” becasue it was more convenient than the alternative travel options. Can we bring down from this that when the average yid is confronted with similiar travel arrangement challenges, its OK to be matir on otherwise strict standards otherwise applicable just so long as we don’t make such tradeoffs too often? Or perhaps we should learn that when you reach the madrega in torah and lamdus as these rabbonim, you don’t question their actions. I think the latter.
I don’t understand the logic behind forbidding an airline because it is mechallel Shabbos. Avoiding it, sure, but forbidding it? The State of Israel is filled with chillul Shabbos, so is it forbidden to live in the State of Israel?