Rosh Yeshivas Brisk HaGaon HaRav Meshulam Dovid Halevy Soloveitchik addressed the ongoing effort to legislate a new chareidi draft law. The rosh yeshiva refers to this as הצלת הקהילות which demands following the Pressburg [non-compromising] method and not the Prague [moderate] method.
Speaking to his talmidim, Rav Soloveitchik stated “We stand in the midst of a terrible decree. The decree to induct talmidim is literally to cancel Torah and mitzvos in Am Yisrael G-d forbid. This is among the most severe gezeiros that faced Am Yisrael since becoming a nation. This is literally a ‘Holocaust’ in body, soul and the physical R”L”.
“I simply do not understand the opinion of those who feel it is pointless to hold an atzeres tefilla”. The rav added that he is not referring to a protest, for protests is what we see in Egypt. He is specifically referring to an atzeres tefilla accompanied by slichos and the words of a rabbonim. “Why isn’t this good? What harm can be done by reciting a few chapters of Tehillim? What harm can words of mussar and chizuk do?”
The rosh yeshiva continues, drawing an analogy to the day of Matisyahu ben Yochanan Kohen Gadol and the internal machlokes which defies logic.
The Rosh Yeshiva continues:
“I recall when I was still in Brisk approximately 75 years ago, there was a daily newspaper Agudas Yisrael. One day there was an article by Rebi Meir Shapira of Lublin ZT”L ZY”A, the founder of Dar Yomi, entitled ‘Prague and Pressburg’. The fact that the rosh yeshiva wrote in the paper was in itself an event, causing everyone to read it and discuss the rav’s words.”
Rav Meir described events during the ‘Haskala’ period, and how that movement destroyed a portion of the Jewish People. Sons rebelled against their parents as they led the frivolous to the brink of heresy and event annihilation. Two movements were established in Am Yisrael, one Prague and the other Pressburg. Prague was already two generations after the petira of the Noda B’Yehuda and the greats of Prague. The Pressburg hashkafa was led by Rabbeinu the Chassam Sofer.
The Prague hashkafa of תק”צ (1829) felt the situation for Am Yisrael was urgent, demanding leniency regarding ‘הוראת שעה’ and to permit turning a blind eye to our heritage and different tikkunim of conduct from the past, to focus on the ימין מקרבת and less on the שמאל דוחה. The Prague followers believed that making a few concessions towards avoiding needless conflict will lead to the golden path and the subsequent return of everyone to bosom of Torah. The Pressburg hashkafa, followers of the Chassam Sofer, felt the time demanded increased stringency, to prevent anything from slipping through the cracks – to adhere to the Torah דוקא בטהרתה ובשלימותה. No compromise and no concessions. The Chassam Sofer felt the times demanded total separation from the lenient ones, and all the more so from the non-frum – to lead a segregated life and to maintain the integrity and purity of the yichus line.
On the contrary, the original flame that will protect us will bring with it those lost souls at the end of the day as well in the lands of the gentiles. This is how his son the Ksav Sofer led the Pressburg Kehillos as well. The other kehillos were divided amongst themselves. There are those who opted to follow Pressburg while other turned to Prague. The disputes in the respective kehillos were formidable, especially during the first decades.
Rav Shapira continued that amid the conflicting viewpoints and debates it was difficult to for the observer to make a decision. Who is correct? Both sides have Chazal’s words to back their positions along with verses from Tanach and those who expounded on this Torah.
Rav Meir Shapira added “Today, one hundred years later we can judge history based on the facts and results on the ground, not theories, not fantasies and wishes. The facts are what matter”.
Rav Soloveitchik continued explaining Rav Shapira’s words, “Recently I had opportunity to visit both cities, Prague and Pressburg. I visited Pressburg first. I enjoyed seeing some of the vibrant Jewish life. Dashing children – the children of the talmidei Torah and men with a Gemara under their arms. Wherever your eyes gazed you saw the open batei medrashim and the talmidei chachamim entering and leaving. Shiurei Torah one following the other…”
The traditions of the Chassam Sofer lived on in everyone one of them. It was vibrant and it was Pressburg, which did not permit those willing to compromise a foothold in the community. Pressburg, which decided to become a separate community with all the accompanying difficulties. There were distinct steel walls to separate from those willing to compromise.
“It was 2:00 PM when I concluded my visit to Pressburg and I boarded a train and arrived in Prague at 9:00 PM.”
He goes on to describe that he was told upon his arrival that he would be escorted to “The Jewish Prague” in the morning, agreeing to meet at 9:00 AM. The young escort beamed with pride as he escorted Rav Shapira to the Jewish cemetery. He showed him the matzeivos of the Maharal of Prague, his talmid and friend the Klei Yakar, Rav David Ganz and others. From there he was escorted to the second beis hachaim, and the matzeivah of the Noda B’Yehuda was pointed out along with others. Then they went to the Old/New Shul, ‘אלט נוי’ שול.
“I could not contain myself and had to ask where Prague’s Jewish community is today. The response was that there are 160 Jewish families that are shomer Shabbos. I was shocked that his is what remained of the Prague Jewish community. He responded there are 35,000 Jews in Prague, but only 165 shomer Shabbos. I cried in pain. Where are the talmidei Torah, where are the yeshivos? Why are the old batei medrashim closed? Where are the talmidei chachamim? Where are the baalei batim in the shuls? The pain was enormous.”
Rav Shapira ZT”L ZY”A concluded “After concluding my visit to Prague and Pressburg, today the response without a question is Pressburg won. The Chassam Sofer won. Prague and its compromises lost it all”.
The Brisk rosh yeshiva explained that this is not intended as limud, but to instruct the chareidi leadership in Eretz Yisrael today.
“You must realize that many kehillos in Poland and Lithuania wanted to follow Prague and permit compromise and concessions and to our sorrow, the outcome was that of Prague. Brisk was among the few kehillos that remained tenacious to the best of its abilities to repel any foothold of compromise. We merited the zechus of Rebi Yehoshua Leib Diskin the Rav of Brisk, Rabbeinu Maran the Beis Halevy, HaGaon HaRav Chaim, Rabbeinu HaGriz ZT”L ZY”A. We protected the Brisk kehilla and influenced many others near us as to preserve the heritage and keep out change.”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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14 Responses
It is good to daven and learn as a form of protest. But sooner or later we have to remember that by openly resisting the hilonim on the matter of conscription, if it comes to mass arrests and civil disobedience, we will probably be signing the death warrant for the zionist state. It is to be hoped that enough zionists will realize this and act to call off the pending “war”, but that may not happen.
Beautiful words from The Rov shlit”a.
It is equivalent to today’s matzif. The Chareidi communities have grown by humongeous leaps and bounds. Lakewood alone has 7,000 bochorim learning full time. Mir too. So many more yeshivas, Chasidish, Litvish and Sefardish. Take a stroll through Williamsburg, Lakewood, Boro Park, etc. Beautiful Limudei Torah and very frum ehrlich Bnei and Bas Torah and mishpachos. Children everywhere. Big beautiful families.
In the more left-wing communities such as the modern orthodox, including even those on their right flank and more so those on their left flank such as the modern “open” orthodox led by RCA member Avi Weiss. Small families. Officially frum but many many don’t keep fully kashrus and even Shabbos. And the further to the left of Chareidi you go, the more off the cliff they are.
Apukerma agrees with Satmar.
Against the medinah
Against the Agudah
Against all chareidim.
If it isn’t the Satmar shitah Apukerma will drone on with his pontificating drivel.
So boring. So predictable
moebach: akuperma’s comments is agreed to by the Agudah, Brisk, Satmar and most Chareidim in general.
I actually like reading Apukerma , thought I’ve no clue what’s up with the name. He consistently writes well and has interesting points that are obviously his own and not taken from the local coffee room hock. In fact, whenever I read an article here I look forward to seeing his take on things.
Even when he disagrees with someone, he presents his opinion clearly, succinctly and intellectually, without resorting to ad hominem attacks which are the trademark of people who don’t really have anything smart to say, like the above moebach fellow.
The Rosh Yeshiva may want to ponder the following points:
1. It was in Pressburg (in 1902) that the Mizrachi movement was founded. Its members left Pressburg and the rest of Europe to build E”Y.
2. The Rosh Yeshiva recalls that the article was written some 75 years ago – i.e. circa 1938/1939 (although it was probably several years earlier as Rebi Meir Shapira zt”l passed away in October of 1933): shortly before the Nazi occupation of Pressburg and WW2. The scenes of the triumphant charedi world of Pressburg that inspired the paean of Rebi Meir Shapira zt”l: “… the vibrant Jewish life. Dashing children – the children of the talmidei Torah and men with a Gemara under their arms…” – were soon to be erased in the most horrifying manner.
The Pressburg anti-Zionists that the Rosh Yeshiva wishes to emulate perished shortly after the visit of Rebi Meir Shapira zt”l. The Mizrachi Jews of Pressburg helped to found and build the State of Israel in which the Jewish people and limud-Torah now thrive.
As the Rosh Yeshiva fervently believes that “The facts are what matter” – he may wish to ponder these facts.
I thought Reb Avrohom Yehoshua was the Rosh yeshiva of brisk?
#6 Yagel Libi – it appears that you completely missed the boat on this one.
1) The Rosh Yeshiva’s point is that Rebi Meir Shapira zt”l was not merely telling over his experiences in his article, but rather was paskining for future doros on the best approach to deal with the Maskilim and those that stem from them. Perhaps you don’t agree with Rebi Meir Shapira, but then again, Klal Yisrael is not looking toward you for guidance. Your opinion is liken to a farmer telling an expert surgeon how to treat a patient that is going into cardiac arrest.
2) Your point in regards to the Holocaust is moot as it in no way reflects the outcome of the approaches of the two cities that were in question. The fact remains that Judaism in Prague died out while in Pressburg it remained. Yes, in Pressburg Goyim wiped them out. However, in Prague, “Jews” wiped themselves out (and much earlier at that)!
3) I don’t get your point about the Mizrachi. Are you trying to pride yourself over the present state in which Zionist are trying to do shmad against those that still uphold the Torah?! Are you taking credit for strengthening an attack on Yiddishkeit? (BTW – I hope you do realize that this attack is just as much an attack against the Hesder Yeshivas as it is on the Chareidim! I assume you have seen the other article about how the Hesder Yeshivas are suffering from this conflict! Have you?)
To #6
You are right. Hindsight is 20/20, and after the Churban Europe, we see that HKB”H was not Maskim with any of those two Towns.
#5- Interesting that you are so taken with a poster that is a total fraud. I have pointed out dozens of times that he bemoans the “war on Torah”, yet he (hypocritically) sits by the computer ALL DAY and comments on this site. He has never answered my question about how he can be such a hypocrite, btw.
Who is the “Us” he refers to? The people who are online all day and cannot possibly learn a word of Torah? If it is people like this, then I say, “B’kihalom al taychad kivodi”. If he is the ideal chareidi, I want no part of chareidim.
And #3 is right. The guy is boring and predictable. Same nonsense every single day. ALL DAY!
Yagel #6:
Clearly you lack basic analytical skills and understanding. The Rov ZT”L clearly meant Prague suffered a spiritual death whereas Pressburg was blessed with a blossoming of spiritual achievement. And as Rav Elchonon Wasserman wrote in midst of the holocaust, better to die a physical death in Europe than escape the fire of Europe but lose ones spiritual life overseas.
Whatever opinion you hold on the status of the draft debate, why do these rabbonim feel compelled to use the “holocaust” analogy and other hyperbole to describe the government’s postion. The holocaust is something unique to the shoah and the rav devalues the memory of the kadoshim by using such terminology.
Different eras need different approaches. With post war America the focus on the ימין מקרבת and less on the שמאל דוחה was quite successful.
What approach will work best for the millions of Jews now in Israel?
Pressburg doesnt exist anymore its called Bratislava
Today The jewish presence of Pressburg is almost non-existant.Except for a small section of the jewish cemetary around the Chassam Sofers grave it no longer exists.
However Jewish Prague is almsot intact as it was,The shuls are still there with daily minyans unlike Bratislava which doesnt have it anymore.