Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Insightful Article
A very good article on the thinking of Haredi Jews in Israel (like R. Elyashiv) can be found by clicking on this.
Friday, May 6, 2005
Time for Rav Elyashiv to Go?
At the risk of sounding like a complete fanatic, I think the time has come for Rabbi Elyashiv to go. He is old enough and for his own sake, I pray that G-d takes him soon before he disgraces Judaism any further.
Today was the last straw. He announced that he supports demolishing the homes of the settlers following the disengagement, thus implicitly lending support and validity to the disengagement and discouraging those Jews who who are trying to prevent it from taking place.
His first inexcusable act this year is related to this most recent one: He allowed his political party to enter Sharon's coalition. His reason? His party received money for yeshivos. R. Elyashiv proclaimed the money as a victory of Torah. In the old rabbi's mind, matters of the nation, matters of lives, matters of collossal chillul Hashem don't come under the purview of Judasim and Torah. For him, Judaism is distinct of the world not of the world. The future of the Jewish country is not a Jewish matter for him for, after all, in his eyes, the country is not Jewish. Considering the country as his own and working to shape the character of his country apparently never occurred to him. He's waiting for mashiach (while all the while, moshaich is waiting for him). In the meantime, as long as he gets money for "Torah," he's satisfied.
His second stike was signing a ban against three books by Rabbi Nosson Slifkin. The books try to reconcile many differences between Judasim and modern day knowledge. While doing so, Rabbi Slifkin sometimes claims that certain passages in the Bible shouldn't be taken literally and sometimes suggests that the rabbis of the Talmud were simply wrong on many scientific issues and were merely parroting the science of their day. For Rabbi Elyashiv, this was heresy and he signed a ban against the books even though he can't read English.
Many of Rabbi Slifkin's views on and approaches to issues mirror view and approaches of Maimonides and other great rabbis. To be consistent, therefore, Rabbi Elyashiv should have banned their books as well. Apparently, however, despite all his years studying Gemara, contradictions are alive and well in the old man's mind.
The most disturbing aspect of his ban, however, is that he basically declared Judaism irrelevant to the modern world. He, in essence, stated that no room exists in Judaism for the rational, thinking person. In order to be religious, one must defy common sense.
And finally, today, he exhibited a third sign of senility by supporting the razing of Jewish homes in Gaza after the Israeli government physically removes the families that live in them. Instead of fighting the greatest Jewish tragedy in sixty years he decided to become an accomplice to it. He probably studied hard to come up with this "legal" ruling. (By the way, in this context, I have no doubt that upon finishing Peretz's "If Not Higher" R. Elyashiv would analyze from a halakhic perspective, why the rabbi was allowed to skip minyan and help the old lady instead).
Today was his third strike. He should be out.
Today was the last straw. He announced that he supports demolishing the homes of the settlers following the disengagement, thus implicitly lending support and validity to the disengagement and discouraging those Jews who who are trying to prevent it from taking place.
His first inexcusable act this year is related to this most recent one: He allowed his political party to enter Sharon's coalition. His reason? His party received money for yeshivos. R. Elyashiv proclaimed the money as a victory of Torah. In the old rabbi's mind, matters of the nation, matters of lives, matters of collossal chillul Hashem don't come under the purview of Judasim and Torah. For him, Judaism is distinct of the world not of the world. The future of the Jewish country is not a Jewish matter for him for, after all, in his eyes, the country is not Jewish. Considering the country as his own and working to shape the character of his country apparently never occurred to him. He's waiting for mashiach (while all the while, moshaich is waiting for him). In the meantime, as long as he gets money for "Torah," he's satisfied.
His second stike was signing a ban against three books by Rabbi Nosson Slifkin. The books try to reconcile many differences between Judasim and modern day knowledge. While doing so, Rabbi Slifkin sometimes claims that certain passages in the Bible shouldn't be taken literally and sometimes suggests that the rabbis of the Talmud were simply wrong on many scientific issues and were merely parroting the science of their day. For Rabbi Elyashiv, this was heresy and he signed a ban against the books even though he can't read English.
Many of Rabbi Slifkin's views on and approaches to issues mirror view and approaches of Maimonides and other great rabbis. To be consistent, therefore, Rabbi Elyashiv should have banned their books as well. Apparently, however, despite all his years studying Gemara, contradictions are alive and well in the old man's mind.
The most disturbing aspect of his ban, however, is that he basically declared Judaism irrelevant to the modern world. He, in essence, stated that no room exists in Judaism for the rational, thinking person. In order to be religious, one must defy common sense.
And finally, today, he exhibited a third sign of senility by supporting the razing of Jewish homes in Gaza after the Israeli government physically removes the families that live in them. Instead of fighting the greatest Jewish tragedy in sixty years he decided to become an accomplice to it. He probably studied hard to come up with this "legal" ruling. (By the way, in this context, I have no doubt that upon finishing Peretz's "If Not Higher" R. Elyashiv would analyze from a halakhic perspective, why the rabbi was allowed to skip minyan and help the old lady instead).
Today was his third strike. He should be out.
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