http://www.timesofisrael.com/rabbi-accused-of-inciting-troops-to-disobey-orders/
Silence by Rabbanim is not an option. Lemaan Zion Lo Echesheh... Torah must override immoral and illegal orders for everyone's sake.
Baba Kama 55b-56a
The theme of this sugya is "Patur m'dinei adam, v'chaiv b'dinei Shamayim" - in Jewish law, certain actions are exempt from paying damages vis-a-vis the laws of Beis Din, yet one is still obligated to pay B'dinei Shamayim. The idea is that, although technically speaking Beis Din cannot prosecute this action, it is still deemed as negative by the Torah, and a God-fearing person should make restitution.
Rebbe Yehoshua says: There are four cases where a person is exempt from paying damages in Beis Din, but b'dinei Shamayim, he is liable.
Case Number 4 - Someone who knows useful testimony on behalf of another person, but remains silent and does not testify.
Each of these 4 actions causes a financial loss. But as Rashi explains, the damage in all these cases is indirect, and thus cannot be prosecuted in Beis Din.
Let us connect this to current events.
Testimony should have been given years ago to prevent terrible suffering and financial loss when the people of Gush Katif were forced from their homes. Leaders of the Chareidi Torah community were silent and did not openly testify! They sided with the government and this resulted in the expulsion of 22 thriving communities
Would their testimony have made a difference? I venture to say that had they joined the 250,000 praying at the Kotel with an additional 250,000 or more, tragedy might have been prevented that fateful Tisha Baav in 2005
Perhaps it was rationalized that the gov't promised compensation to those "disengaged" living in Gush Katif. A Solution for everyone. Now we know the truth. Families were stranded with no place to go. Years later, families still without permanent homes.
Chareidim are finding themselves in a similar situation themselves, barely able to meet basic needs, so now they are protesting en masse. Surely those thrown out of their homes from Gush Katif can sympathize with poor Chareidim.
It seems like since the Rabbanim, those who represent Torah scholarship did not testify on earth, they will be judged in heaven.
Can you imagine being judged up in heaven? There were 22 communities, Ten thousand people dislocated from their homes. Beautiful homes totally destroyed. Livelihood, Parnasssa wiped out. Shuls desecrated, destroyed. Bodies exhumed.
House by house will be brought up to testify. Family by family will be brought up to testify. Go to the Gush Katif Museum to get an idea of the extent of the prosecution against all those who were silent. Probably just a tip of the iceberg. How in Heaven's name did you allow this tragedy to happen?????? Why were you silent? Where is fear of heaven?
Come 2014. The gov't of Israel is speaking of a Palestinian State where settlement in Judea and Samaria not included in the agreement share a similar fate of Gush Katif. Again we are silent.
- Even superficial recognition of a Palestinian State is clearly an example of UPROOTING TORAH!
- Allowing our brothers to fight the battle of Amalek alone, not doing our share is an example of UPROOTING TORAH.
Surely Maaseh Avos Siman Lebanim applies. Is there nothing to learn of the requirement of all tribes to join Moshe Rabbeinu to fight Midyan or Yehoshua to fight the Canaanites? How does that differ than the requirement of all Jews to fight IRAN, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, Islamic Jihad etc.
In a twist of justice, Rabbi Wolpo, is the one that is being brought to court down on earth. He who has all the damning testimony against the Government of Israel who executed the evil decree and the Rabbanim who were Silent. It is documented, at the Gush Katif Museum, open to all, so that we can look at the evidence against us. Nothing is hidden. One day, this testimony will be brought before the Kisei shel Maalah, in the court of heaven, and it will be used to testify against those who allowed it to happen. Oy Vavoy for the Yom Hadin! Woe is upon us for the day of judgement.
In the World of Emes,truth, Rabbi Wolpo is preventing the gov't of Israel from executing more expulsions. He knows it's for their own good. Do they really need additional evidence stacked up against them??? But rather than acknowledge truth they prosecute him. The heavens are crying because they know that Rav Wolpo is trying to stop them from further evil and from further harsh judgement against them.
But they are blind. The Gov't is blinded perhaps by greed, power or blackmail of our enemies. The Chareidi Rabbanim are perhaps blinded by the blood money they received to buy their silence. They don't see the nuclear threat of Iran. They don't see their fellow Jews homes slated again for destruction. But they now feel their personal pain of being impoverished. It's not fair they cry out. It's not right they bemoan.
There is a G-d in heaven and perhaps He decreed that this is happening to wake us up from our slumber. Will we now feel our brothers pain or will we just demand that they see our pain?
The statements made by Chareidi Leaders in advance of the"tefilla rally" is a distortion of Torah. Individuals in the government were slandered and accused of desiring nothing other than to "uproot Torah". Rabbanim of the National Camp were slandered. Diba Raah. Evil Talk like that of the Miraglim....
The following passages talk about Milchemet Reshut. Does it say anywhere in these passages that if one wants to learn Torah they are exempt from the draft? In the case of Milchemet Mitzvah, even these exemptions that are listed (like planting a vineyard or being engaged) don't apply.
Deuteronomy Chapter 20 דְּבָרִים
| א כִּי-תֵצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה עַל-אֹיְבֶךָ, וְרָאִיתָ סוּס וָרֶכֶב עַם רַב מִמְּךָ--לֹא תִירָא, מֵהֶם: כִּי-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ עִמָּךְ, הַמַּעַלְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. | 1 When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, thou shalt not be afraid of them; for the LORD thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. |
| ב וְהָיָה, כְּקָרָבְכֶם אֶל-הַמִּלְחָמָה; וְנִגַּשׁ הַכֹּהֵן, וְדִבֶּר אֶל-הָעָם. | 2 And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, |
| ג וְאָמַר אֲלֵהֶם שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, אַתֶּם קְרֵבִים הַיּוֹם לַמִּלְחָמָה עַל-אֹיְבֵיכֶם; אַל-יֵרַךְ לְבַבְכֶם, אַל-תִּירְאוּ וְאַל-תַּחְפְּזוּ וְאַל-תַּעַרְצוּ--מִפְּנֵיהֶם. | 3 and shall say unto them: 'Hear, O Israel, ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies; let not your heart faint; fear not, nor be alarmed, neither be ye affrighted at them; |
| ד כִּי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, הַהֹלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם--לְהִלָּחֵם לָכֶם עִם-אֹיְבֵיכֶם, לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶתְכֶם. | 4 for the LORD your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.' |
| ה וְדִבְּרוּ הַשֹּׁטְרִים, אֶל-הָעָם לֵאמֹר, מִי-הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה בַיִת-חָדָשׁ וְלֹא חֲנָכוֹ, יֵלֵךְ וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ: פֶּן-יָמוּת, בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר, יַחְנְכֶנּוּ. | 5 And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying: 'What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. |
| ו וּמִי-הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-נָטַע כֶּרֶם, וְלֹא חִלְּלוֹ--יֵלֵךְ, וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ: פֶּן-יָמוּת, בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר, יְחַלְּלֶנּוּ. | 6 And what man is there that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not used the fruit thereof? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man use the fruit thereof. |
| ז וּמִי-הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-אֵרַשׂ אִשָּׁה, וְלֹא לְקָחָהּ--יֵלֵךְ, וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ: פֶּן-יָמוּת, בַּמִּלְחָמָה, וְאִישׁ אַחֵר, יִקָּחֶנָּה. | 7 And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.' |
| ח וְיָסְפוּ הַשֹּׁטְרִים, לְדַבֵּר אֶל-הָעָם, וְאָמְרוּ מִי-הָאִישׁ הַיָּרֵא וְרַךְ הַלֵּבָב, יֵלֵךְ וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ; וְלֹא יִמַּס אֶת-לְבַב אֶחָיו, כִּלְבָבוֹ. | 8 And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say: 'What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart melt as his heart.' |
| ט וְהָיָה כְּכַלֹּת הַשֹּׁטְרִים, לְדַבֵּר אֶל-הָעָם; וּפָקְדוּ שָׂרֵי צְבָאוֹת, בְּרֹאשׁ הָעָם. {ס} | 9 And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that captains of hosts shall be appointed at the head of the people. {S} |
| י כִּי-תִקְרַב אֶל-עִיר, לְהִלָּחֵם עָלֶיהָ--וְקָרָאתָ אֵלֶיהָ, לְשָׁלוֹם. | 10 When thou drawest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. |
| יא וְהָיָה אִם-שָׁלוֹם תַּעַנְךָ, וּפָתְחָה לָךְ: וְהָיָה כָּל-הָעָם הַנִּמְצָא-בָהּ, יִהְיוּ לְךָ לָמַס--וַעֲבָדוּךָ. | 11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that are found therein shall become tributary unto thee, and shall serve thee. |
| יב וְאִם-לֹא תַשְׁלִים עִמָּךְ, וְעָשְׂתָה עִמְּךָ מִלְחָמָה--וְצַרְתָּ, עָלֶיהָ. | 12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it. |
| יג וּנְתָנָהּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, בְּיָדֶךָ; וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת-כָּל-זְכוּרָהּ, לְפִי-חָרֶב. | 13 And when the LORD thy God delivereth it into thy hand, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword; |
| יד רַק הַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְהַבְּהֵמָה וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בָעִיר, כָּל-שְׁלָלָהּ--תָּבֹז לָךְ; וְאָכַלְתָּ אֶת-שְׁלַל אֹיְבֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר נָתַן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לָךְ. | 14 but the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take for a prey unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee. |
| טו כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְכָל-הֶעָרִים, הָרְחֹקֹת מִמְּךָ מְאֹד, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-מֵעָרֵי הַגּוֹיִם-הָאֵלֶּה, הֵנָּה. | 15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations. |
| טז רַק, מֵעָרֵי הָעַמִּים הָאֵלֶּה, אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה--לֹא תְחַיֶּה, כָּל-נְשָׁמָה. | 16 Howbeit of the cities of these peoples, that the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth, |
| יז כִּי-הַחֲרֵם תַּחֲרִימֵם, הַחִתִּי וְהָאֱמֹרִי הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי, הַחִוִּי, וְהַיְבוּסִי--כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ. | 17 but thou shalt utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; |
| יח לְמַעַן, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יְלַמְּדוּ אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת, כְּכֹל תּוֹעֲבֹתָם, אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם; וַחֲטָאתֶם, לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. {ס} | 18 that they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods, and so ye sin against the LORD your God. {S} |
| יט כִּי-תָצוּר אֶל-עִיר יָמִים רַבִּים לְהִלָּחֵם עָלֶיהָ לְתָפְשָׂהּ, לֹא-תַשְׁחִית אֶת-עֵצָהּ לִנְדֹּחַ עָלָיו גַּרְזֶן--כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תֹאכֵל, וְאֹתוֹ לֹא תִכְרֹת: כִּי הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה, לָבֹא מִפָּנֶיךָ בַּמָּצוֹר. | 19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by wielding an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, but thou shalt not cut them down; for is the tree of the field man, that it should be besieged of thee? |
| כ רַק עֵץ אֲשֶׁר-תֵּדַע, כִּי-לֹא-עֵץ מַאֲכָל הוּא--אֹתוֹ תַשְׁחִית, וְכָרָתָּ; וּבָנִיתָ מָצוֹר, עַל-הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר-הִוא עֹשָׂה עִמְּךָ מִלְחָמָה--עַד רִדְתָּהּ. {פ} | 20 Only the trees of which thou knowest that they are not trees for food, them thou mayest destroy and cut down, that thou mayest build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it fall. {P |
Even a young child will take note. Many in the Chareidi world are indeed learning Torah and will hopefully see Emes. In the Aseret Hadibrote, the Ten Commandments it says One may not have a false G-d. Are we permitted to follow the dictates of the Gedoilim blindly after having been at Sinai and received the Torah directly from Hashem?
Immoral and illegal orders by the government of Israel that clearly are in violation of the Torah needs to be overridden by the guidance and leadership of Rabbanim.
Orders that are consistent with Torah may not be overridden under a facade of Torah,
Our Torah doesn't change not by by manmade orders of the Government of Israel or even Gedoilim. .
.
Other, contempporary Torah Rulings of the Chareidi world make no sense to those with open eyes. According to one psak, one is forbidden to visit Kever Yosef because of Pikuah Nefesh.
How does the Neshama of Yosef Hatzakik in Shchem feel about being protected by Yishamaelim the likes of whom entered the Fogel family's home and butchered them. How are we protecting Yosef Hatzadik from the PA Police who shoot at Breslev Chassidim as they come to pray at his tomb? Because we didn't ask permission first!?! Surely one with open eyes recognize that Jewish Sovereignty over Kever Yosef and not Arab or joint Arab Sovereignty will protect the people. The same goes for Har Habayit, Kever Rochel and Maarat Hamachpela. As the Pesukim above clearly demonstrate that Conquering the Land is part of Torah.
Let the Rabbanin, those most qualified, testify at Rabbi Wolpo's court proceeding against these bogus charges with the following truths:
- This is Our G-d Given Land! (Covenant between G-d and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob)
- The boundaries of our G-d Given Land are delineated in the Torah. (Parshat Masei)
- Judea and Samaria fall within these boundaries
- Settlements may not be uprooted! (It is considered a terrible curse when this happens and it is as a result of not keeping the commandments)
- Even a fruit tree may not be uprooted. Surely a family with kids is a much harsher crime.
- Protecting Property rights of Jews. Now is the time to elucidate the Gemorrahs pertaining to property rights.
Imagine 90% Judea and Samaria given to a PA State, 90,000 Jews expelled..IDF and Mark Langfans predicted security nightmare, proliferation of nuclear weapons...
אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ קְרַע רֹעַ גְּזַר דּינֵנוּ
We saw unfortunately how Jews did not unite to protest before Gush Katif. We need the entire nation in Israel and the Diaspora to show G-d we desire His Land. We are His Chosen Nation.
Being Chosen is not a racist concept but rather it means Chosen to keep the commandments. Surely if the Chareidim came out in support of Rabbi Wolpo, it would show that indeed Torah is their first and foremost consideration. The Rabbis have an opportunity to undo the Sin of the Spies and speak up to the world and proclaim the Truth of Torah. We the people of Israel are the only rightful caretakers. We have been granted the entire land of Israel, whose delineated borders are spelled out and Judea and Samaria by all accounts fall within the borders, as an everlasting Inheritance by Divine Covenant. This is our Heritage that can not be transferred by anyone including the Prime Minister of Israel. It is not his nor Medinat Yisrael's right to give away. The Land belongs to G-d who decides to whom to give the Land (first Rashi of Breishit). By protecting our Birthright, by breaking the Silence and proclaiming the Truth of Torah, we pray that the world will be blessed with peace and prosperity. Yarosh Yorashnu Osa Ki Yachol Nuchal La.
--
Sincerely,
Robin Ticker
Activist emails sent to my list are L'Ilui Nishmat Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan) and Howard Chaim Grief great activists and lovers of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichronum Baruch. May their memories serve as a blessing.
Most of these emails are posted on
Shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com
Personal emails to individuals will not be posted to my blog.
Rabbi | March 20, 2014 at 2:25 pm | Reply
Dear Rabbi Pruzansky,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I appreciate the honesty which you express in all of your posts and your openness to the feedback you receive in the comments.
While I take issue with several things that you wrote (at least some of which have been raised by others), they all pale in comparison to one: Why do you a feel the need, let alone the right, to use the loshon of "Talmid Chacham she'ein bo da'at"?
I understand that you think you're correct on this matter. Whenever one expresses his opinion, by definition he believes it to be correct. And perhaps other rabbonim agree with you as well. But aren't we talking about dozens of big Talmidei Chachamim, Poskim, Roshei Yeshivos and Marbitzei Torah who have spent their lives immersed in Torah?! Isn't it at least possible that they're right and you're wrong? Couldn't you have expressed your position while still showing a bit of respect for theirs?
And even if you'll say that you're 100% convinced that you're right and they're wrong, why do you feel the need to denigrate these Torah scholars by speaking of them in such a way? Couldn't you have at least shown some kavod, if not for their opinions, for their gadlus in Torah?