DIN: In these chaotic times it is amusing to see how out of touch chareidim are! We are losing children in uniform every single day, but they are obsessed with trivial stupidities and narishkeitin! I remember the Gerer Shtiblich in Brownsville, Crown Heights, Flatbush and Williamsburg when 98% of the Chassidim were clean-shaven but wore bekishis on Shabbos! If they had tried this shtick then, the survivors would have told them where to shove it! BTW Satmar always had these "regulations" but some gabbaim look away when someone is a chiyuv!
A new "halachic" imperative has been issued for those seeking to lead the Tefilos in the Gur chasidic sect’s shuls and yeshivos, according to a report on Bchadrei Charedim.
Rabbi Chaim Bunem Shatz, a Gerer posek from Jerusalem, wrote several rules which have been displayed in the various Gerer institutions.
- One whose beard has not yet grown, will only be allowed to be a chazan (lead the Tefilos) if he is over the age of 20.
- One whose beard has begun to grow but is not fully grown will be allowed to be chazan from the age of 18.
- These rules apply even for one who is leading the Tefilos on any random day.
- Mussaf can only be led by a chazan who is over 20
- One who is in the year of mourning for a parent or who has Yahrzeit, can lead the prayers at Shacharis or Mincha in accordance with rules 1 and 2. If his beard has not grown yet, he may lead the tefilos from Ashrei [towards the end of the Shacharis] and for Maariv he may lead even from the age of 13.
The new rules were issued in the wake of a discussion the Gerer Rebbe had with one of his grandchildren. The rebbe heard that a young boy had led the tefillos and was shocked, stating that this is a violation of the halacha which stresses that the chazan should have a beard. The grandchild tried to explain that the boy was an orphan and had an obligation to lead prayers but the rebbe dismissed this stating that it was enough for him to say kaddish and he should not be chazan unless he has a beard.
Well don't you know it's a halacha l'Moshe miSinai?
ReplyDeleteWhat if someone has alopecia totalis? Is he permanently forbidden to lead services?
Additionally, even though this chumra is mentioned in shulchan aruch, isn't the shaming and hurt of a yosem (orphan) a bigger issur?
ReplyDeleteYou ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.
ReplyDeleteWait until the Gerrer Grand Goombah begins not only monitoring facial hair but includes pubic hair in their unconstrained zeal to incorporate new follicle fetishes into their crackpot Hashkafa. This will present new employment opportunities for Ger — Mikva Men to scrutinize the proper hair length regardless of the area from where those follicles sprout.