11 Responses

1. Regarding the great syngougue, there was a tremendous Chillul Hashem done by certain individuals a few Shabbosim ago. It is amazing, how Hashem chose to answer those selct individuals (the kehila, and the powers that run the place) in such a dramatic fashion. The Sefer Toarah, that was sitting in place for weeks decided to fall out, just like the Luchos decided to jump out of Moshe Rabbeinu’s hand. It is a clear sign, that things were done wrong, and not as printed this week in their newsletter. It was a direct response to the lies that they said. Not only were people like me discriminated against, but people were let in because because of their power and wealth while others were left behind, when instead all Jews should be let in to a house of worship. If because of a safety or fire concern, then it should be first come and fist serve, and I was there before all the affluents got out of bed!

2. This is very shocking and disturbing. I don’t know about anybody else, but this is the first time in my life that I ever actually heard of a Sefer Torah actually falling. Hashem Yirachem!

3. Its a huge tragedy for all of ‘klall yisrael!!

4. Fasting and teshuva confined to only those present during this tragedy? It seems to me that a Sefer Torah that leaps out of its Aron is trying to tell ALL of us something – particularly when it happens on the first Shabbos of Chodesh Elul. We should all take this as a sign to be more makpid on keeping Torah safe and anchored in our communities – both outside and especially inside Eretz Yisroel. This year our community has suffered so many tragedies and humiliations as a result of our laxity and deliberate neglect and absolute abuse of Torah principals, laws and ethos. Let’s all introspect and protect our Torah and our people so we can all be zocheh to shine its message to the rest of the world. Judy Lederman

5. Elul wake up call. People should have been fasting in the first place, H’ sent them a wake up call.

6. can yeshiva world please explain why this has to be made public.

7. # 1 first of all can you please tell all of us what type of chillul hashem took place a few Shabbosim ago.
   It was a direct response to the lies that they said. Not only were people like me discriminated against, but people were let in because because of their power and wealth while others were left behind, when instead all Jews should be let in to a house of worship. If because of a safety or fire concern, then it should be first come and fist serve, and I was there before all the affluents got out of bed!
   i do not know what happened , but based on your post here you feel first come first serve , that is only good when there are open seats .
   as a sexton in a shuel , if we have for instance a carlebach schabbos were extra people will be davening we will seat the members first and then if we see people who are big givers we will make it a priority to make sure they have a seat and then the leftover seats for who ever comes on a first come first serve basis.
   it cost lots of money to run a shuel the size of the Jerusalem Great Synagogue and if this is a way for them to raise money then who are you to dictate to a shuel when you are not a member as to how they should get there funds to pay for the upkeep , and if that means letting in the rich man first because he will leave a big donation then to bad on you.
   in my humble opinion this is a major problem today in most public shuels . people come in out of convenience because they want a early minyon after schabbos . they think they are entitled to a omud without giving money to the shuel and that is completely wrong .

8. yosse – perhaps because it’s news and has to do with Judaism. 🙂

9. JudySL,

   there is no halachic basis to ask anyone except those who witnessed the sefer falling to fast or give tzedakah…but if you wish to, no one is stopping you

   and the story never says that the sefer lept out of the aaron…it fell

   i think this is more of a warning for all shuls to make sure that their sifrei torah are secure in their stands

10. bacci40–from a pragmatic standpoint, it certainly means that every shul should secure its sifrei torah. From a spiritual standpoint, a Sefer Torah falling in the Great Synagogue in Yerushalayim on the first Shabbos of Chodesh Elul is, what the Haftorah warned – Hisoreri “WAKE UP!” All Jews have a chiyuv on shmirus and zehirus when something like this happens. If that’s too “kooky spooky” for you, then you just work on the pragmatics…because that’s important too.

11. Yosse,

    You must have missed that story on YWN. A few weeks ago, the Jerusalem Great Synagougue held their anniversary, and fethured Chazan Helfgott. Thousands of attendees poured into the Shul to hear him daven Maariv and Shachris. By maariv they place was packed and you caouldn’t even push your way in, a true fire hazard. So what was done by Shachris, was that at 7:30 AM they closed the Shul (I was there but the arab closed the gate in front of me), and the powers that be, then stood there saying there was no more room, but when a prominent person can by, he was let in. If there was no more room, why were they let in? Besides, may family are paying members of the Shul, but I was not let in, not because I was not a member, but because, I am not prominent enough. When I asked the powers that be, why I was not being let in, all they can answer was “no more room … Dr. Kellerman, come on in, Mr. Krause, please step forward.”

    In addition they had Arab security guards who they sprayed mace at the people trying to get in.

    All, in all, a very big Chillul Hashem.

    Last Thursday the great synagougue published in their newletter that their officers and security guards acted appropriatley, and that “no one was dicrminated against”. That was a total lie! And then on Shabbos, the Torah leapt out of its secure station.

    Now do you understand.

    And if you think I am someone simple, well, you are half right! Although I have Semicha and a Ph.D.!