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NEWS
Condemnation of the book "The Making of a Godol"
We were appalled to hear from reliable talmidei
chachomim about the distribution and sale of a book
called The Making of a Godol, which is full of
severely debasing remarks, derisiveness, degradation and
hotzo'as sheim ra against several figures among
gedolei horabbonim, the leading lights of Yisroel in
recent generations and the rishonim kemal'ochim whose
words guide the lives of all Beis Yisroel, whose elucidations
of the Torah we imbibe and whose greatness, veneration and
holiness are rooted in the hearts of all Jews with a fear of
Heaven. This is what the book seeks to negate, by
discrediting, disgracing and debasing their illustrious
honor, which is also the honor of Hashem yisborach and
the holy Torah, as explained in Rabbenu Yonah, Shaar 3,
The Tenth Madreigoh.
Moreover, the book casts doubt and creates confusion by
infusing spurious opinions and incorrect hashkofoh
regarding certain approaches to Torah study, all in the name
of gedolei Yisroel. By so doing it blemishes the
proper hashkofoh that we have received from our
rabbonim, gedolei hadoros, who raised loud and bitter
cries, and wholly dedicated themselves throughout the last
fifty years to the task of uprooting the terrible breach of
blending external studies together with the pure study of our
holy Torah as given at Sinai. Herein lies an awful danger,
particularly for the young abroad, many of whom [in any case]
face great pressure from their families and their environment
in this matter and are liable to fall into the traps set by
those who seek to distance them from the eternal springs of
devoted Torah study.
Therefore we hereby state our opinion that such an aberration
cannot be tolerated in the holy nation of Am Yisroel and
therefore this book is prohibited from entering kehal
Hashem, whether by bringing it into the home, reading
from it or dealing with it commercially, and every man of
prudence who wishes to keep his fear of Heaven and purity of
heart intact and is concerned to educate his family properly
will keep it at a great distance from both himself and his
household, with the realization that it poses a great danger
to all who have a fear of Heaven in their heart. This is not
a book of tales about gedolei Yisroel, but just the
opposite. It is wholly filled with a chilling spirit that
distances one from the true purpose in life that can have
unforeseen and grave consequences.
He who heeds our words will be blessed by Hashem
Yisborach, and together with his household will rise to
higher and higher levels of Torah and yir'oh, cleaving
to the Tree of Life, the holy Torah, and will cover himself
with the dust from the feet of gedolei hadoros, the
conveyors of Torah, who pass it on for eternity throughout
the generations until the arrival of the Messiah speedily, in
our days.
Upon this we have signed for the honor of the Torah
Hakedoshoh, and the honor of the Chachomim and those who
pass it on in purity.
Yom Shlishi, Rosh Chodesh Kislev, 5763
Signed,
Yosef Sholom Eliashiv
Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman
M.S. Shapira
Michel Yehuda Lefkovitz
Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg
Nissim Karelitz
Tzvi Markowitz
Chaim Kanievsky
Shmuel Auerbach
Shlomo Wolbe
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