The machlokes in the Eida Chareidis has split the community to some degree, as Eida Chareidis Ravaad HaGaon HaRav Moshe Sternbuch Shlita on Wednesday, 12 Adar I 5774 announced that if a protest is held including Eida Chareidis Gavaad HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss Shlita against Beit Shemesh construction, he will step down. A large protest was held simultaneously at Yerushalayim’s Kikar Shabbos.
Rav Sternbuch was referring to the controversial Golovnititz project.
When the vehicle carrying the Gavaad arrived at the protest site, Rav Weiss decided to remain in the car and he would not approach the tzibur to address them as organizers thought would be the case.
Most of the gedolim and prominent rabbonim who were expected to attend the event did not, including;
· כ”ק אדמור מפשעווארסק שליטא
· הגרמד הלוי סולוויישיק שליטא ראש ישיבת בריסק
· הגאון רבי חיים אורי פריינד שליטא חבר הבידץ
· הגאון רבי יעקב מענדל יוראוויטש שליטא חבר הבידץ
· הגאון רבי נפתלי הירצקא פרנקל שליטא חבר הבידץ
· הגאון רבי אברהם יצחק אולמן שליטא חבר הבידץ
· הגאון רבי יודא פישר שליטא חבר הבידץ
· הגאון רבי נתן קופשיץ שליטא חבר הבידץ
It was announced the gavaad would not be addressing the tzibur because of the announcement made by the ravaad, his threat to resign. Then Rabbi Isaac Weiss announced the gavaad was not speaking because he was feeling weak.
This was followed by the departure of the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchak Rebbe Shlita, who no longer felt obligated to the event.
Those who remained are aligned with Asra Kadisha’s Rabbi Dovid Shmidel Shlita. Those opposed to Asra Kadisha’s position in this case report the dayanim of the Eida were under “enormous pressure” to attend, yet they opted out.
Asra Kadisha and its followers are adamant in their tenacious efforts to halt the building project, as they insist the construction is compromising ancient kevarim. Rav Sternbuch has released a psak Halacha that this is not so and construction may continue with the provision that his guidelines are followed. The gavaad is caught in the middle of the machlokes some feel, but it appears that he was unwilling to be the cause of Rav Sternbuch stepping down, preferring to bow out of addressing the large protest event.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
3 Responses
Machlokes on Halacha between different Rabbonim is as old as the Tanaim in the Mishna.
There is nothing new or wrong about this machlokes on the halacha.
I am sorry to correct you:
but the Gavvad Shlita did address the protest while he was sitting in a car. You are correct in saying that he did not address the public from the podium as he said publicly that he was not feeling well enough to get out of the car.
#1
There’s nothing new or wrong with this machlokes, because in our torah rabbanim can have differences in opinion when it comes to psak halacha. BUT, remember that this controversy is as old as the hills and for years and years most of the rabbanim have paskened that had there been an issue then no man could’ve ever built in all of eretz yisroel cus every step is a tombstone. Therefor this too isn’t a sheila. Did you ever drive on Golda Meir Drive in yerushalayim/kvish ramot??? Do you know how many protests they had there or on Kvish 6 to the north or south??? And look how all those that protested use it today too. Lechatchila the sheila as been resolved by a majority of rabbanim. It is sad that many poor couples bought apartments there (one who I personally know) and are left struggling in small apartments all over, waiting for these protesters to get a life.