“I have been living under secular coercion for seven years” laments Gal Taiyib, a disable IDF veteran who become a Baal Teshuva a few years ago. He explains he is locked in his home on Shabbos in his community, Kfar Bilu Bet, because the community refuses to construct an eruv.
According to the MyNet report, Gal, who is 41, cannot enjoy the park near his home on Shabbos or to have a cup of coffee with his wife at friends for he cannot leave his home. He has not been able to get to shul of course, all because the community refuses to construct an eruv.
Gal has been in a wheelchair for 21-years since being wounded during his mandatory service in the border police. His injuries were serious and his rehab long and painful. He explains “In the beginning it was hell. I was always dependent on someone to do anything. It was embarrassing and depressing. I was embarrassed to go outdoors. I ultimately decided I have a life and want to live…”
Gal began his journey to a life of a religious Jew about a decade ago. He explains he was traditional and would fast on Yom Kippur and observe Yomim Tovim to some degree. Then came a complicated medical procedure and a new awareness as doctors insisted he had to undergo a complicated surgical procedure. A friend got him to attend a shiur and then he began a relationship with a rav. That rav gave him a bracha and told him “you have nothing to worry about, it will be fine – just believe in HKBH”. He has never been the same since and began attending regular shiurim.
Shortly before the complicated procedure was to take place doctors explained “there is no rush. It appears your problem may take care of itself”. He explains he received a drug and it did just that, take care of itself without surgery. He adds that no one compelled him to change and B”H his family is on board and working with him and accepting of his new lifestyle.
He has since married and has two daughters. He has received much assistance and is advancing with his new life but he lives with the hurdle that comes from his own community, the absolute refusal to build an eruv.
Gal has a Shabbos goy who assists him on Shabbos while during the week an elderly resident in the community remains at his side. He has turned to other religious residents and the community vaad, but they refuse to hear of the eruv. The vaad explains that constructing an eruv would compromise the community’s religious status quo.
Undeterred, Gal turned to the Ministry of Religious Services but was told it does not fund an eruv, referring him to the area local religious council.
The head of Kfar Bilu Bet vaad, Menachem Kaplan, comments “The matter is being discussed and when a decision is reached, it will be publicized. We have appointed experts to probe the matter along with the relevant laws along with the vaad’s attorney”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
2 Responses
While it is unfortunate that the community will not build an Eruv, it does not amount to secular coercion. While there is no Eruv, it is the Torah that keeps him in his house. If there would be a physical impossibility to making an Eruv, or Chassidic opposition to do so, it would not be secular coercion.
Secular Coercion is when secular values are forced upon a situation. For example, if the council would enforce the placement of nude statuettes on every street corner or demand that shoppers say “I don’t believe in the G-d of Israel” before receiving their change at the supermarket; that would be secular coercion.
But the fact that they do not employ Shlomo HaMelech’s idea of converting a semi-public domain into a private one, and thus force him to observe the prohibition of moving objects in a semi-public domain, is not secular coercion, even if it is not nice.
I’m mystified. What prevents him from going outside without an eiruv? His wheelchair and other medical necessities are MUTTAR for him to take into a reshus harabim on Shabbos, I believe.