Coronavirus czar Prof. Ronni Gamzu publicly apologized on Monday for speaking against Hagaon HaRav Chaim Kanivesky regarding his words about coronavirus testing in yeshivos.
HaRav Chaim had said that yeshivah bochurim in yeshivas gedolos learning in capsules (who aren’t in contact with high-risk populations or anyone else for that matter) shouldn’t be tested for the coronavirus so as not to cause bittul Torah.
Gamzu had stated on a visit to Beitar Illit last that HaRav Chaim’s announcement “is endangering the Chareidi public,” raising the ire of the Chareidi population and calls for Gamzu to resign from his position.
“I checked into the matter and found out that HaRav Kanivesky did not instruct the public not to be tested but it was a decision of several Rabbanim regarding specific incidents among yeshivah bochurim in closed capsules who were already tested for the coronavirus and in accordance with pre-determined guidelines,” Prof. Gamzu stated.
“Therefore I apologize for the misunderstanding in the wake of the mistaken message in the name of HaRav Kanievsky, whom I honor and respect, and I retract my words.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
Reb Chaim know better then all the experts combined.
Period full stop
wow.
A chiloni guy is a chiloni guy. I don’t expect much better from one of those, especially when he’s an Israeli politician. I think that the Chareidi media outlet that originally published R Chaim’s psak inaccurately owes an apology to klal Yisroel and the Torah, for carelessly making the Gadol Hador look like he said something foolish, when that was not the case. Chachamim hizaharu b’divreihem shema tachuvu etc. ELUL!!!!
Is it Gamzu in the photo ?
you never know the heart and mind of the other person. not sure there is a 100% chiloni anywhere. “kol yisrael yesh lahem chelek l’olam haba.” if this wasn’t the case, the geula would have happened already for that 20% like in mitzrayim. but no, hashem is waiting for us all to be counted as tzaddikim. it will happen while mashiach is here–it will be his job to raise us all up to that level. this ronni gamzu must have underwent a fair share of ridicule and denigration from his peers to do this (if you understand at all the current political climate in israel). we will never know the positive influence he made on others by doing this. i simply say “ashrav” regardless of any motivations we want to project on him. who knows the heart and mind of another person????
The picture is misleading (I know it didn’t originate with you). It looks as though Gamzu is lowering his head and kissing Reb Chaim shlita’s hand in apology. If I understood correctly, Gamzu publicized a statement now and did not go and see Reb Chaim in person. No matter what he says, there’s a definite agenda to scapegoat the frum community as the spreaders of Covid-19 and not just in Israel, just as there once was at the time of the bubonic plague. When people want to deflect criticism from their own poor performance they need someone to blame, right? So they choose a group who everyone loves to hate.
well, he is lowering his head and kissing Reb Chaim shlita’s hand. even if it wasn’t connected to this current story, it proves that gamzu has some measure of respect for the rav which may have lead him to apologize now. this is a totally separate issue to the scapegoating that is going on here in israel. at any rate, this whole situation including the scapegoating is from hashem, not the virus. we are each being judged right now for how we are reacting, what we are saying, and especially what we are saying about our fellow jews, whoever they may be. as for the behavior of the goyim, that’s also from hashem. everything is having its intended effect.
I think Gamzu should’ve apologized to Reb Chaim’s operatives who are the ones controlling what Reb Chaim knows about the pandemic, and what goes out to the Oylam as Reb Chaim’s words. Unfortunately, Reb Chaim is being used.
Wow one day every Yid will return! Imagine being so involved with Corona all day, and OK to go done hold and kiss to Reb Chaim Shlita’s hand! What happened to social distancing?
So, during Corona, when he9totakly annoyed that the masks and social distancing isn’t being properly observed, he bends down to “kiss” Rav Chaim’s hand! A-hum!
yiddela, yes every yid will return. not everyone will be in the same place, but they will all return. the picture used in the article is older than the story and predates corona. ywn used it since it matched their headline.