I'm wondering, how is it they couldn't get together even 5 rabbanim against Walder? Do you have to be a molester to get off scot free?
Read one of the ridiculous reasons that these "rabbis' give why they they signed the letter against Harav Melamed:
it is stated that the Peninei Halacha on family purity “publishes things which ought to remain covert and should not be disseminated to the wider public.”
Will they now throw out Mesachtas Nidda? How about Shaalas Utshvois of the Noda Be'Yehudah? The Noda Be' Yudah discusses a case in detail about a guy who lived with his mother-in-law and had a child, should we burn his books?
Another reason they give is because he would allow the "Reform Jews to daven by the Kotel." What's wrong with that? Everyone and even goyim daven at the Kotel. They are against him talking with them. Now I don't agree with Rav Melamad on this point, but he has as a respected Poisek an opinion.
I remember when I was growing up, the Chassidishe Oilim and even the Litvisher Oilim would never pasken like Rav Moshe Feinstein z"l. People don't pasken like the Chazon Ish or the Brisker Rav either.
These are just a bunch of jealous frustrated Rabbis who got together not to condemn a molester or a thief, chas ve'sholom" but a Gadol Be'Yisrael!
Shame on them!
Tens of rabbis from the Religious Zionist sector have signed letters against relying on the Peninei Halacha series. The rabbis are concerned about contacts Rabbi Melamed has maintained with the Reform movement as well as by the rulings he issued regarding matters of family purity, rulings which apparently contradict the psak of most accepted authorities.
In one letter, signed by over 20 prominent rabbis, it is stated that the Peninei Halacha on family purity “publishes things which ought to remain covert and should not be disseminated to the wider public.” Additionally, “a number of leniencies are brought there which go against the opinion of the poskim. If the rabbi believes they are mistaken, he should cite the source of their mistake according to his opinion, but he cannot be lenient without explanation, this is not proper conduct.
The rabbis says that they tried to speak with Rabbi Melamed to backtrack on his rulings but “he did not respond.” The rabbis called on the public to use other works. “We call on our Jewish brethren who wish to follow the ways of their fathers to know and realize where the light shines. Our advice to all those who wish to learn halacha is to seek it in other books which are in consonance with the accepted methods of ruling.”
The rabbis also attacked Rabbi Melamed’s relations with reform Jews. “These people are not coming to consult with religious leaders to come close to Torah but rather to receive legitimation for their way and for their goals. Therefore every meeting with them is a de facto recognition of another stream of Judaism, even as they are against Judaism.” The rabbis added that Rabbi Melamed favors allowing the reform Jews to pray at the Western Wall “as opposed to the view of all the poskim in the last generations.”
Another letter containing more than 60 signatories criticizes Peninei Halacha without citing Rabbi Melamed himself. The rabbis attack those who rule “without authority” and called not to use their works.
The rabbis wrote that “we are concerned about the distortion of the method of halachic ruling. When a new question arises we must find sources for it in the rich source material of Torah She’Beal Peh. We see some Talmidei Chachamim who did not serve their rabbis enough initiating halachic opinions which have no basis and without consulting with others, citing only their own personal opinions. They are causing those relying on them to err and presenting a bad example to the public. One may not rely on such rulings.
The letter is signed by former chief rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar, currently rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Tzvi Tau, head of the Har Hamor yeshiva, Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, the rabbi of Ramat Gan and tens of other rabbis from the Religious-Zionist camp..
I'm going through the series right now. It's excellent.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I support setting aside the southwest corner of the Temple Mount for the Reform. It accomplishes two things
1) It makes the main plaza more religious. If the new section works out, you'll have less pseudo-religious groups showing up to do their shtick and more Orthodox Jew and humble tourists.
2) It'll expose the Reform hypocrisy. They don't want the Wall. They want the attention. The minute they get their prayer area they'll show their true colours and continue to show up at the main plaza and cause trouble. And people will realize it finally.
Some of the names don't look fringe at all, just saying.
ReplyDeleteI don't support the letter, but many of the ones who signed are at the forefront of fighting Sexual abuse and at the forefront of fighting for that which is most beneficial to Am Israel. Agree with the letter or not, but these are no hypocrites and not motivated by anything other than the highest intentions. And, if you were to read their seforim, extremely thoughtful and intelligent.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I don't agree with the letter, but I think it's inaccurate to lump these rabbonim with the types you normally call out.
Dovid
ReplyDeleteExcept for at least two rabbis that signed the letter that still claim that Walder was innocent.
In Beit Shemesh at least two rabbanim condemned not the letter but the Rabbanim for signing it. Many more than 70 signed letters against the Ramchal, and Gedoilei Hador supported the burning of the Mishna Torah of the Rambam.
Rabbi Melamed's seforim are "extremely thoughtful and intelligent" and he is a poisek and because he doesn't follow the rest of the pack he gets condemned. Shame on every one of these "rabbanim"
Do you know specifically what Rabbi Melamed wrote that they are referring to? Can you please post more so that I can decide for myself what my opinion is on this matter. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWe're not talking about allowing reform people to daven at the kosel. That would mean that if a reform person comes to daven we let them come. We have never had anything against that and no one ever made an issue of that. We are talking about Giving them an official place and even giving them a sefer Torah. Do you really think it is mutar to give someone a sefer Torah for them to desecrate and abuse? Let's say the kosel is a shul. We let a non frum person come in to daven if he wishes to do so as long as he behaves and doesn't violate the shul. But should the care taker of a shul allow people to use the shul and the sifrei Torah in a way which is against The Torah? If Rabbi Melamed unilaterally publicly condones this while he knows that all others rabbis don't, isn't that a tremendous chutzpa and misdeed?
ReplyDeleteWe just got finished reading a letter from an abuse victim saying that not all that glitters is gold. So even if Rabbi Melamed is otherwise a wonderful talmid chacham and tzadik, that doesn't mean we have to sit by and accept everything that he does. When he's wrong we must call him out.
2:36
ReplyDeleteYou obviously did not read the post if you had you would see that I said that I do not agree even having any dialogue with Christians never mind giving the a space. But for these Rabbis some of whom still to this day claim that Walder was innocent and get together to defame a Talmud Chachum such as Rav Melamed is disgraceful and a Chillul Hashem. BTW rabbanim are now coming out for Rav Melamed.