Sunday, December 30, 2007

Regarding Avi Shafran of Agudath Yisroel and the dangers of Jewish Blogs.

bs"d
 
Please read Avi Shafran's post regarding the dangers and pitfalls of Jewish blogging.
 
I feel that blogs can bring up important issues that reflect important issues of the day that will be swept under the rug otherwise.  The following is a case in point.
 
 
I have spoken to Avi Shafran by phone and we agree to disagree.  I have asked how come Agudath Yisroel has been silent regarding Yesha (Judea and Samaria) and have been silent about Bush's Roadmap the 2 State Solution.  Isn't this solution clearly against the Torah? What about the Torah Roadmap. It is Rabbi Shafran's opinion that we must trust the Gedoilim and as a lay person not be presumptious to question their knowledge of world events and their decision to speak out or not.  He said that perhaps their decisions are based on whether they will actually have an impact or not etc.  I answered I do not question our Gedoilim Batorah's love for Eretz Yisroel.  However, the root cause of Lashon Hara is failure to encourage the Jewish people to go to Eretz Yisroel and conquer and settle the Land.  The Miraglim the Spies, who were the spiritual leaders of the desert instead preferred to stay in the desert where there was all day learning and studying Torah.  They experienced fear to conquer the 7 Nations.  Yet Hashem said this was a grievous sin for that generation since Hashem had promised Am Yisroel Eretz Yisroel as an eternal inheritance and G-d is all powerful. 
 
How can we ignore the Nissim Gluyim, the revealed miracles in our generation, especially the 6 Day War and the continuous miracles each and every day in Sederot and the unbelievable miracles  that happened daily in Gush Katif.  If we go happenstance than Hashem will go with us happenstance.  I didn't seem to convince Rabbi Shafran, but he did ackowledge the sincerity of my arguments.  I expressed my agreement that we must follow the Gedolim rulings and not diverge right or left but that is if these rulings are Al Pi Hatorah, by the accepted Rabbanim in Yerushalyim (the Sanhedrin) at that time as it says in the Torah.  I told him that perhaps the Gedolim's considerations were many such as money for the Torah institutions and family subsidies, backlash from the Goyim etc.  However, Emunah Peshuta of Daas Torah is that the Land of Israel belongs to Am Yisroel and we in turn are obligated to keep the Mitzvoth Teluyot Baaretz, the commandments dependant on the Land. Even Satmar should agree with that.  Halvei we should have a Sanhedrin in Yerushalyim that is accepted by all, and  whose rulings are made according to the Torah with Hashem's Blessings.  Then we would be obligated to adhere to these rulings w/o diverting right or left.  However, when on Temple Mount, Hamas broadcasts to all the Arabs on Asara Betevet, calling for the destruction of Israel, claiming that Yishmael was bound instead of Yitzchok, and only Rabbi Chaim Richman of Temple Institute and supported by the New Jewish Congress, (which includes the Sanhedrin that was established but does not represent a unified consensus) protests, and the CCJER (Coordinating Council of Jerusalem including Agudath Yisroel, Young Israel, and OU) remains silent regarding this  terrible Chillul Hashem, then isn't it reasonable in a blog to ask from the Agudath Yisroel why they choose to go with the CCJER rather than with the established Sanhedrin?  The "controversial" Sanhedrin came out against the expulsion of Gush Katif, and Rosh Agudath Yisroel, Rav Perlow, admits to it's terrible aftershocks and dismal failure to bring security and devastating consequences to the people from Gush Katif, yet Agudath Yisroel still will not speak out to prevent another Gush Katif in Yesha (Judea and Samaria).  Will we after the fact express that we share in their pain?  How about preventing the pain?  And even if we believe it wouldn't make a difference, maybe let's just try to state the emes just in case it might made a difference. If mainstream Orthodox Judaism fails to publicly object to a the Two state solution and a State of Palestine, chas veshalom, and President Bush has been talking about it since 2002, then why should President Bush even think that Eretz Yisroel, including Judea and Samaria is important to the Jews.  In fact, many Jews have concluded that Eretz Yisroel is not that important for the Jews and necessary for us to be observant Jews. After all, we are now in Galus and until Moshiach comes. Eretz Yisroel is not relevant for us practically. 
 
But why should Moshiach reveal himself if we refuse to recognize the blatant miracles of our generation and don't show much desire to actually keep the Mitzvoth Teluyot Baaret?  The Gedoilim has ruled for good reason that it is assur to eat any produce with the Heter Mechira  which is symbolic selling of the Land, yet do not object when the Land of Israel is actually being given to Goyim? Isn't this inconsistent? How can we observe Shemittah properly when we give the Land away, assuming it was ours to give away.  Doesn't G-d say Ki Li Kol Haaretz?
 
Thank you for listening. 



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