Sunday, June 30, 2024
More Info on the Tragedy in Lakewood the Murder of Two Young girls
In a harrowing case that has shocked the community of Lakewood, New Jersey, 27-year-old Naomi Elkins has been charged with the murder of her two young daughters. According to a report on Friday in The New York Daily News, the chilling details of the crime, which Elkins claims were committed “for religious purposes,” have left many grappling with questions about mental health and the intersection of religion and personal turmoil.
On Tuesday night, authorities were called to Elkins’ Ocean County home, where they discovered the lifeless bodies of her daughters, ages 1 and 3, in a bathtub, as was reported by The Daily News. The gruesome scene was compounded by the discovery that the younger child had also been stabbed. Naomi Elkins was promptly arrested and charged with two counts of murder and two counts of weapons offenses.
According County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer, investigators concluded that both girls had been drowned. Indicated in The Daily News report was that the shocking revelation about the stabbing of the 1-year-old added another layer of horror to the case. The investigation swiftly pivoted to understanding the motivations and state of mind of Elkins.
In an interview with police, Elkins revealed a disturbing narrative. The Daily News reported that she claimed that her troubling thoughts began shortly after her husband left for a business trip on May 24. These thoughts escalated, leading to the tragic events that unfolded.
Elkins detailed her actions with chilling precision. She explained to the police that she spent time praying before committing the acts, indicating that she believed her actions were driven by religious necessity. She first stabbed her younger daughter, then held her underwater for nearly three minutes. The Daily News report indicated that when her older daughter entered the room screaming, Elkins placed her in another bathtub and forced her underwater, counting to 50 multiple times to ensure she held them underwater long enough.
Elkins’ confession included a belief that she needed to kill her children for religious reasons. This assertion points to a possible severe mental health crisis, possibly exacerbated by religious delusions. However, in the immediate aftermath of the drownings, she realized the gravity of her actions, recognizing she had made a tragic n a desperate bid to save her children, Elkins called Hatzolah Medical Services. The report in The Daily News said that by the time officers arrived, medical responders were already at the home, attempting to resuscitate the girls, albeit unsuccessfully.
The legal proceedings against Naomi Elkins will likely be complex, involving not only the charges of murder and weapons offenses but also considerations of her mental state at the time of the crime, as was pointed out in The Daily News report. Her defense may hinge on establishing her mental health issues and how they influenced her actions.
In a statement to the Asbury Park Press, Elkins’ defense attorney, Mitchell Ansell, highlighted her long history of severe mental illness, according to The Daily News report. “Naomi Elkins has a well-documented history of severe mental illness, which has absolutely played a major role in these devastating events,” Ansell said. He emphasized the importance of considering the complexities presented by mental health challenges, even as they acknowledge the gravity of the charges she faces.
Elkins, who worked at Giggles Daycare in Lakewood, is currently being held without bail at Ocean County Jail. The Daily News reported that she faces two counts of murder and two counts of weapons offenses. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, where a detention hearing will take place.
The community of Lakewood is grappling with the shock and horror of the incident. Such tragic events often leave lasting scars on the fabric of a community, sparking conversations about mental health awareness, the responsibilities of caregivers, and the support systems available for those in crisis.
This case underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing mental health issues, particularly postpartum and other psychological conditions that can profoundly affect parents. It also highlights the critical need for accessible mental health services and the role of community support in preventing such tragedies.
Satmar Devastated as Bed-Stuy blocks approved to be landmarked ‘Will have us moving out’
I have to laugh, really laugh... not at the situation, I am all for Chassidim enlarging their homes and living wherever they want, I am laughing because it wasn't too long ago when both Satmar Rebbes were ranting against the settlers in Eretz Yisrael, barking that they are "instigating the goyim" ...
It seems that when it comes to their own interests "instigating the goyim" goes out the window!
Hashem really does have a sense of humor!
Two blocks in Bedford-Stuyvesant got the go-ahead for landmarking this week despite protests from many Orthodox Jewish residents, who say the designation forces them out of their homes.
On Tuesday, the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously approved the creation of the Willoughby-Hart Historic District, which comprises two full rows of intact brownstones in Bed-Stuy.
Local politicians like Councilman Chi Osse and state Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman, along with some residents, lobbied for the landmarking of Willoughby Avenue and Hart Street between Nostrand and Marcy avenues to protect the neighborhood’s history.
“Rapid development and the ensuing gentrification have eroded the architecture and history of Bed Stuy, and communities are fighting back to preserve our neighborhood’s legacy,” said state Sen. Jabari Brisport in a statement.
“I am proud to stand with community activists as they tell us that ‘community can’t be demolished!'”
The 100-plus homes in the enclave were built around 150 years ago and the area is unique for “the quality of its architecture, strong historic character and sense of place of its streetscapes,” as well as “its community history,” the commission said.
“Many current residents of Willoughby-Hart Historic District represent the latest of multiple generations of families from the neighborhood,” the commission’s release stated.
Lifetime Willoughby Street resident Michael Williams, 67, supported the landmark designation, calling his street, “one of the best blocks” in Bed-Stuy.
But Orthodox homeowners were up in arms when the agency calendared the vote in May, saying they need to be able to expand their houses to accommodate their numerous children, and landmarking will severely limit their options.
They saw the issue as an act of antisemitism.
“We feel that this is antisemitism because they are trying to stop us from moving in here,” Hart Street homeowner Herman Bodek, an Orthodox Jew, previously told The Post.
“This will have us moving out.”
In addition to saying the houses weren’t worthy of preservation, the Orthodox Jews’ attorney Adam Leitman Bailey wrote in papers submitted to the commission: “The proposed districting will all but guarantee that the permits required to undertake such work will be, if not outright rejected, made subject to undue scrutiny, delay and unnecessary expense. This result, likely to drive out this religious group in the time of a housing crisis in the City of New York, offends the purpose underlying landmark status, and should not be countenanced.”
Bailey did not respond to a request for comment Saturday.
The proposed district still needs to be reviewed by the City Planning Commission, followed by the City Council.
‘IT’S A MESS’: Biden to Meet With Family and Obama to Discuss Future of Campaign
According to NBC News, President Joe Biden is planning to discuss his political future with his family and Obama at Camp David on Sunday. The meeting comes after Biden’s horrific debate performance, which followed years of speculation about his cognitive abilities.
Although Republicans have expressed concern for a long time about Biden’s blunders, confusion, wandering aimlessly, and stumbles, the White House has insisted that those concerns are misguided. Last week, press secretary KJP called the many videos of Biden’s decline “cheapfakes.”
However Thursday’s abysmal debate performance, and the clear contrast between Biden and President Trump, who is only several years younger, have sent the entire Democrat party and the media into a full-blown panic.
Many have urged Biden to step aside, including the NY Times editorial board.
Biden’s trip to Camp David was planned before Thursday’s debate.
So far, the party’s top leaders have offered public support for Biden, including in tweets posted by former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Senior congressional Democrats, including Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina and Nancy Pelosi of California, have privately expressed concerns about his viability, said two sources, but they publicly support the president.
“Speaker Pelosi has full confidence in President Biden and looks forward to attending his inauguration on January 20, 2025,” Ian Krager, a spokesman for the former House speaker said. “Any suggestion that she has engaged in a different course of action is simply not true.”
Kossover Rebbe Passes Away at 66
Harav Shraga Feivish Hager, the Kossover Rebbe of Borough Park, after a prolonged illness has passed away over Shabbos at Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan, at the age of 66.
The funeral is scheduled for Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m. at his beis medrash, located at 1353 55th Street in Boro Park. The procession will then move to Monsey for a funeral service at the Vizhnitz beis medrash, located at 25 Phyllis Terrace.
There will be no eulogies at either service.
The aron will be taken to the Vizhnitzer Bais Hachaim at 290 NY-306 in Monsey, where the burial will take place near the grave of his father, Harav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel Hager, the Kossover-Zalishchiker Rebbe, zy”a.
Saturday, June 29, 2024
European Union condemns Jews Building in Their Own Land !
The European Union condemned "in the strongest terms possible" Israel’s decision to transform five West Bank outposts into new settlements as well as to advance plans for thousands of new settler homes.
"This is another deliberate attempt at undermining peace efforts," it said on Friday as it urged Israel to rescind the decision.
The five outposts are Evyatar, Givat Assaf, Sde Efraim, Heletz, and Adorayim.
The Security Cabinet authorized one outpost for every country that unilaterally recognized Palestine as a state in the last month, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich explained.
He agreed in exchange for the authorizations of the outposts to release three months of tax fees he has withheld from the Palestinian Authority.
Smotrich’s statement about the security cabinet’s decision taken late Thursday night was the only one published about the meeting. The Prime Minister’s Office did not publish anything on the meeting, but his announcement is presumed to be accurate.
“After weeks of discussions, the Israeli government promoted an appropriate response to the anti-Israeli measures led by the Palestinian Authority,” Smotrich stated.
This includes its activity against Israel at the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and the United Nations.
This is not a Skit ...This is CNN !
No, this is not an SNL skit. This is CNN. pic.twitter.com/kziJDuzfQO
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 25, 2024
Cabinet Approves Smotrich’s Sanctions Against Palestinian Authority, Legalizing New Settlements
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| Bezalel Smotrich met a Gaza envelope standby team, May 21, 2024 |
In response to the anti-Israel activity of the Palestinian Authority in the ICC, ICJ, and the UN – most recently pushing arrest warrants against Israeli leaders and soliciting the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian State by several countries, the Israeli government has decided on response measures proposed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, including:
Canada Sanctions Daniella Weiss, 79, for ‘Extremist Violence’
The Canadian government on Thursday imposed sanctions against seven Israeli settlers accused of participating in extremist violence in Judea and Samaria – even though one of them will turn 80 next year, and the other is 70. Looks like beating up Arab terrorists is the secret to longevity.
This marks the second instance of such action by Ottawa in just over a month.
The Canadian foreign ministry also announced punitive measures against five Zionist organizations, including the Amana movement headed by Ze’ev “Zambish” Hever, Daniella Weiss’ Nahala movement, and Bentzi Gopstein’s Lehava movement.
Friday, June 28, 2024
Israel Gedoilim ... Ehud Barak and Parshas Shlach!
וישלח אתם משה ממדבר פארן על פי ה' כלם אנשים ראשי בני-ישראל המה
"Moshe sent them (the meraglim) from the wilderness of Paran at Hashem's command, they were all distinguished men; leaders of the Children of Israel"
Read that pasuk above, over and over!
The meraglim were chosen by Hashem!!
Wow!!!!!!!! That's right!
Let me repeat that, the meraglim that brought the Jews into the mess we have today, were the Gedoilei Yisrael, hand chosen by none other than Hashem Himself!!
What does that tell us??
By the way, the ones that supported Korach in his rebellion were none other than the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin were chosen by Moshe himself!
ויקמו לפני משה,ואנשים מבני ישראל חמשים ומאתים נשיאי עדה, קראי מועד אנשי-שם
"They stood before Moshe with 250 men from the Children of Israel, leaders of the assembly, those summoned for meetings, men of renown"
I know that you all do "shnaim mikra" you are all familiar with the above pasukim! But I ask you to read those words very slowly so that it penetrates in your very neshama!
Much ink has been spilled trying to decipher and understand what happened! But what is 100% true and everyone agrees is, that being chosen by Hashem Himself or by Moshe Rabbeinu himself, is no guarantee that they won't become Rashaim and Apikorsim! We see that many times in Tanach!
This week, the week that the entire Jewish world reads the parsha of meraglim, two things happened!
A former Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, a leftist stooge, a leftist instigator together with a bunch of other Israeli former generals besmirched on foreign soil the Jewish State of Israel, writing an OP-Ed in the New York Times, defaming the Jewish State.
Ehud Barak, doesn't know what Parsha this week is, nor does he care!
But the Torah was written for people who open a Chumash and learn it!
I wrote yesterday about what the damage words coming out of the mouths of Gedoilei Yisrael can do!
I am sure that those Leaders believe that there are no coincidences!
And therefore it is no coincidence that Israeli Gedoilim flew on Parshas Shalach, to Chutz Le'aaretz ,the parsha of the meraglim, and bad-mouthed the Jewish State. Well! You are thinking, NOOOOOO! They were bad-mouthing the Supreme Court's ruling!
I don't have any issues if they would have criticized the Court, in Israel itself, but they did this in Fakewood!, on foreign soil on tumedikie soil, And they not only besmirched the rulings, which I can understand but they went after them personally.
Let's go back to the meraglim.
Moshe Rabbeinu gives them instructions:
וראיתם את הארץ מה-הוא, ואת העם היושב עליה החזק הוא הרפה המעט הוא אם-רב
"See the land...how is it? and the people that live there, are they strong or weak? Are they few or numerous?"
What do the meraglim answer Moshe about this specific instruction on their return?
They didn't answer him on all the points, they didn't answer whether they were "few or numerous?"
What they did say is very strange!
אפס כי-עז העם
"But ..... the people that live there, are powerful!
The Ha'emek Davar says that the meraglim used the word "AZ" in the context of " עזות פנים "saying in effect that they were "Chutzpedik"
And that was Loshon Hara!!!!!
What? ....Loshon Hara? Weren't they talking about a bunch of murderers? Amalekites!
Yes!!!
They were talking Loshon Hara against who?? The Amalekim! Weren't we supposed to wipe them out?
Yes! But the Amaleikim were living in Eretz Yisrael at the time and if you talk against people even if they are Amalakeim, that live in Eretz Yisrael, that is in fact Loshon Hara! The meraglim were just supposed to come back with answers to the instructions that Moshe gave them, saying that they were "chutzpadik" is not part of the instructions!
We must be careful of how we speak about residents of Israel, especially in a time of war where our enemies want to destroy us, and especially if we are in a position of leadership!
Gedoiliei Yisrael speaking even about the Israeli Courts in Chutz Le'aaretz during a time of war, is not helpful and they must do what they preach to us, to watch what comes out of the mouths!
Biden looks like a basket case in shocking debate performance — He can’t continue on
It’s a good thing for Joe Biden that the debate wasn’t held in Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater. The audience would have given him the hook and hooted him off the stage.
That’s how bad he was.
Our president is not fit to serve. Forget concerns about how old and infirm he would be after a second term.
He’s a basket case now.
Biden took the debate stage looking like he just escaped from a wax museum and spent much of his speaking time chewing his words before trailing off. Several times he confused millions with billions and ended one incoherent sentence by saying “we finally beat Medicare.”
Huh?
The leader of the free world doesn’t look well enough to have a driver’s license or dress himself.
Confused old man
*Donald Trump:* "I really don't know what he said at the end of that sentence and I don't think he knows what he said either".
So how bad was it? Here’s a quote on Biden on a question on Medicare.
“Making sure we make every single solitary person eligible for what I’ve been able to do with covid, excuse me, with umm dealing with everything we had to deal with. Look, we finally beat Medicare.”
Does that remotely make sense?
Trump’s response: “Well he’s right. He did beat Medicaid. Beat it to death.”
DEMONRATS IN FULL PANIC MODE AFTER BIDEN HORROR SHOW
There is a “very aggressive panic” throughout the Democrat Party following the first presidential debate Thursday, according to panelists on CNN.
Many commentators agreed that President Joe Biden’s demeanor caused “damage” for his party ahead of the election in November. Questions were again raised about the president’s health early into the night, and some progressives called for Democrats to pick a different candidate before voters head to the polls.
Joy Reid on Biden’s debate performance: People texting with her were “very concerned about President Biden seeming extremely feeble, seeming extremely weak.”
“This was a game changing debate in the sense that right now as we speak, there is a deep, a wide and a very aggressive panic in the Democratic Party,” said John King, chief national correspondent for CNN.
“It started minutes into the debate, and it continues right now,” he continued. “It involves party strategists. It involves elected officials. It involves fundraisers. And they’re having conversations about the president’s performance, which they think was dismal, which they think will hurt other people down the party in the ticket, and they’re having conversations about what they should do about it.”
CNN TRASHES JOE: “Biden answers in alot of cases were not coherent. It was deeply problematic. There was real damage done that can not be undone.”
CNN’s Abby Phillips said that she agreed with King’s takeaways and that the “panic” she was receiving from members in the Democratic Party “is not like anything that I have heard in this campaign so far.”
CHUCK TODD: “Biden looks like the caricature that conservative media has been painting … you saw it before your eyes!”
CHUCK TODD: “That’s [Biden’s] his performance after five days at Camp David!? That’s AFTER rest!?”
Demented Ehud Barak Commits Treason Writing Op-Ed Against Israel In antisemitic New York Times
Even in the wake of the horrific massacre of Jews in Israel on October 7th and more significantly, the shocking surge of antisemitism and hatred toward Israel since then, some Jews still haven’t learned the obvious lesson to stay united as the non-Jews are not our friends.
A group of six left-wing Israelis decided to renew their divisive pre-October 7th tactics, writing a New York Times opinion article calling on the Biden administration to rescind their invitation to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to deliver a speech to Congress.
The group includes ex-prime minister Ehud Barak, the most failed prime minister in Israeli history who withdrew IDF forces from Lebanon, bringing us to the current precarious security situation in the north, and former Mossad head Tamir Pardo, who told the Associated Press in Sep. 2023, that “Israel is an apartheid state.”
They wrote in the libelous article that inviting Netanyahu is a terrible mistake” and his speech “will not represent the State of Israel and its citizens, and will reward his scandalous and destructive conduct toward our country.”
They also claimed in the article that Netanyahu is “the main obstacle to ending the war and returning the hostages.”
“Inviting Mr. Netanyahu will reward his contempt for US efforts to establish a peace plan, allow more aid to the beleaguered people of Gaza and do a better job of sparing civilians.”
“Time and again, he has rejected [US] President Biden’s plan to remove Hamas from power in Gaza through the establishment of a peacekeeping force. Such a move would very likely bring in its wake a far broader regional alliance, including a vision to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is not only in Israel’s interest but also in the interest of both political parties in the United States. Mr. Netanyahu constitutes the main obstacle to these outcomes.”
“His supporters in Israel will be emboldened by his appearance in Congress to insist that the war continue, which will further distance any deal to secure the release of the hostages, including several US citizens,” it adds.
“Giving Mr. Netanyahu the stage in Washington will all but dismiss the rage and pain of his people, as expressed in the demonstrations throughout the country. American lawmakers should not let that happen. They should ask Mr. Netanyahu to stay home.”
Thursday, June 27, 2024
Israelis Fed Up with Leftist Anarchists Have Declared "War" on Them!
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| Major Shay Kallach |
Major (Reserve) Shay Kallach, a former F-16 pilot and founder and chairman of the Netzah Israel Movement, on Thursday declared victory over two mayors who had declared a general strike in their municipalities, keeping out citizens who were looking for service. Both mayors folded, according to Kallach, when they were threatened with personal lawsuits for declaring illegal strikes.
The strikes in Ramat HaSharon and Pardes Hana-Karkur were supposed to be part of the anarchist/fascist “Day of Warning,” which included blocking traffic on major national arteries during morning rush hour, to cause rank and file Israelis anguish and financial ruin
“The most important thing we must learn is this: force will be answered with force, and this is what will stop the anarchy in the streets,” Kallach tweeted Thursday morning.
“Only wanton anarchists are capable of harming the spirit of the people during a war and we will not let them,” declared Kallach, adding:
“We call on the entire national camp to unite under the following principles:
1. A personal lawsuit will be weighed against the directors of any public company that strikes, on the grounds of damage to shareholders.
2. Any public authority that strikes will risk a personal claim against its managers and decision-makers.
3. Any business that strikes will be boycotted by the national camp. Our purchasing power is the biggest in this economy.
4. Purchasing should be enhanced this Thursday, especially in businesses owned by IDF reservists who took an active part in the war.
5. Those who can instruct their company’s purchasing managers to concentrate their procuring especially on this Thursday – God bless you.
“The people of Israel have suffered enough years from a lordly tyranny. Following the Kaplanism and the military coup attempt of ‘Brothers in Arms,’ this nation has awakened and started walking, and it won’t be possible to stop it. Remember – nations have always overthrown dictatorial regimes. This is the way.”
Of course, by “dictatorial regimes,” the reservist fighter pilot meant the Supreme Court and the rest of the permanent government of Israel.
Viznitz is asking their Kehila to Daven for the Chusid that Allegedly Spied for Iran!
*פרשת הריגול: זעקה בקו הפנימי של חסידות ויזניץ ▪︎ "נחטף מהבית ונכלא עם פושעים שפלים"*
חדשות העיר
כך נשמעת הזעקה בקו הפנימי של חסידות וויזניץ, לאחר מעצר האברך מבית שמש שמתשייך לחסידות, בחשד למעורבות בפרשת הריגול.
שמו לתפילה: אלימלך בן יהודית שרה.
SHOCK IN BEIT SHEMESH: Chassid Arrested For Allegedly Spying For Iran
A 24-year-old chassidish avreich who lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh Daled was arrested overnight Wednesday for alleged involvement in a serious case of espionage for Iran.
According to the neighbors, a large number of police forces raided his home in the early hours of Thursday morning, arresting him and taking him for an interrogation.
He was brought before the court early Thursday afternoon for an extension of his arrest.
The shocked neighbors told Chareidi media outlets that they are sure there must be some mistake as the suspect is a serious avreich from a known family. One neighbor told Chareidim10 said that the chassid is a computer expert and perhaps unknowingly worked for someone with ties to Iran.
When Gedoilei Yisrael Use Hurtful Words!
by Scott Kahan
Avtalyon said, Sages: Be careful with your words… (Avot 1:11)
אבטליון אומר, חכמים, הזהרו בדבריכם
On Tuesday, the Israeli High Court of Justice issued a ruling that the government must begin drafting eligible Chareidi men into the IDF. The Court also ruled that “in the absence of a law, funding cannot be made from state coffers for yeshiva students who were not legally exempt from service."
The ruling is legally sensible, as the law that offered blanket exemptions to yeshiva students expired last June, and the Knesset has not legislated a new law in its place. The government did pass a cabinet resolution immediately before the law expired, telling the IDF not to draft yeshiva students for ten months; the Court, however, ruled that this resolution exceeded the government’s power, and was accordingly null and void. In fact, the Knesset could vote on a new exemptions law that would replace the law that expired last year, but given the political climate following October 7th, it is unlikely to pass. For that reason, there is currently no legal mechanism that exempts yeshiva students from military service - and accordingly, the Court told the government that it was obligated to implement the law.
You may agree that Chareidim should be drafted (in whole or in part) or you may disagree. However, it is difficult to argue that the Court’s decision was unreasonable. Israel is a state in which the law is taken seriously; the Supreme Court’s decision, while obviously troubling to many, is unquestionably a sensible interpretation of the laws currently on the books.
Later on Tuesday, Rabbi Dov Landau, widely considered to be the senior leader of the Lithuanian Chareidi community, said that,
“The courts - all of them together - cut off the basis of the budget for yeshiva students and kollelim - they cut it off with anger, wickedness, and malice. They hate those who learn Torah… Look, they hate and want to destroy the Torah world in the Land of Israel… I repeat: the evil authorities in the Land of Israel and all the haters from the courts, and all the ‘wicked among the wicked’ there who hate the Torah and those who learn it with a terrible hatred that cannot be described; and they are going to destroy everything, they cut the budget and the budget they cut needs to be filled…”
I have been vocal in saying that the system of blanket exemptions is unfair, unreasonable, and untenable. I believe that some of those who are in yeshiva should be given military exemptions, but the current system needs to be overhauled.
I know that there are many people who strongly disagree with me. I think they’re wrong. I am convinced that they are advocating policies that are ruinous for the State of Israel. I believe that their interpretation of the Torah is very mistaken, and that, in the words of Rabbi Nachum Rabinovitch zt’l, “‘Torah of truth’ does not tell us to hide out in the beit midrash, but instead helps us to understand that if we do not protect ourselves, our land, our birthplace - no one else will do it for us.” The people who think otherwise are hurting us all.
Yet I would never say or think that those who believe in blanket military exemptions are “evil authorities.” I would not dare to suggest that those with whom I disagree are all motivated by hatred, or despise the State of Israel, God forbid.
Nevertheless, this is the language which Rabbi Landau used on Tuesday night - language, unfortunately, which is far from unique among the Chareidi leadership, as well.
I certainly don’t question Rabbi Landau’s massive Torah knowledge, and I have every reason to believe that he lives a righteous life dedicated to Torah and mitzvot. But I still cannot accept his declaration that the High Court of Justice was acting “with anger, wickedness, and malice.” How can we sit quietly when he describes the courts and political leadership as “evil authorities in the Land of Israel and all the haters from the courts, and all the ‘wicked among the wicked’ there who hate the Torah and those who learn it with a terrible hatred that cannot be described” - all for the crime of interpreting the law in a reasonable manner? Even should someone disagree with their legal reasoning, Rabbi Landau went much further and brutally denigrated not their opinions, but their character and motivations - something which Rabbi Landau could not possibly know.
Why should we care what he says?
Because thousands of people look to gedolim like Rabbi Landau for guidance, and model their own actions on their behavior. When leaders speak in a manner which is beneath them, and insult the character of people with whom they disagree, they normalize such discourse and further corrode civil society. When this takes place in a Torah community that values deliberate speech and condemns slander, the tragedy is compounded.
When I taught Gemara in yeshiva, I was fixated on the diyuk - that is, the careful reading of every word and sometimes every letter, knowing that Chazal and the great Rishonim wrote in such a careful manner that every letter was meaningful. The Vilna Gaon was reputed to have read the first eight chapters of the Ramchal’s classic Mesilat Yesharim and said that he could not find a single unnecessary word. The words of great sages are taken very seriously; thus they have the responsibility to speak with care, honesty, and precision.
If only some of the great sages of our own time would take this lesson to heart.
And if the sweeping statement that these judges are “the ‘wicked among the wicked’… who hate the Torah” was indeed said with care, honesty and precision? Then our problems are even worse than I imagined.
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