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Letter from HaRav Shteinman and HaRav Kanievsky To the Conference of European Rabbis gathered in Belgrade, Serbia
May Hashem exalt you,
There is no point in reviewing facts that are known to all regarding the insecure situation we find ourselves in wherever there are Jews, where we visually see lately the upsurge of anti-Semitism amongst non-Jews. It was of such a situation that Yeshaya Hanovi said (26:2), "Go my people, into your chambers and shut the doors for you." Rashi says: This was the reply which the people gave him: "Go into your chambers - your batei midrash and batei knesses." And this is what all the rabbonim in your countries and communities must do, for only through fortifying ourselves in Torah study and mitzvah-observance will we be able to stand against all those who seek to do us harm and oppress us, as is written, "The voice is that of Yaakov." Only when Yaakov's voice is heard in the shuls and batei medrash are the hands of Eisov powerless.
The Torah was given at Sinai, which denotes sinah, hatred, for at that time and ever since, hatred descended upon the Jewish people; the nations hate us without logical reason. It is also known that even where anti-Semitism is not overt, when Jews are successful, the gentiles become envious and their hearts turn to hatred. This envy is the very source of all anti-Semitism. Where it was not so pronounced, it was because the economic conditions of the gentiles was good, but as soon as the economy declined and the gentiles suffered while the Jews were still faring well, the hatred erupted. Where this situation is prevalent today, the rabbis of each community must exhort their congregants to keep a low economic profile and live in modesty. We learn this lesson from Yaakov who told his sons [during the famine] not to expose themselves, not to appear as if they were sated when others were suffering from hunger.
In general, one should avoid association with the gentiles since one can come to emulate them and adapt their ways which can end up with assimilation. A Jew must be especially wary of involvement with gentiles, for when one draws near to them, Hashem intensifies their hatred so that they make the demarcation.
You, the rabbonim, will sometimes have to "know what to retort" and how to react to incitement. You must learn from Yaakov in his confrontation with Lavan, who chased after him and wished to seize everything from him. It seems that Yaakov should have accosted him with harsh words and attacked him verbally at least. But what did Yaakov say? "What is my sin and my shortcoming?" He answered him gently even in view of the fact that "Lavan sought to uproot everything," to undermine the entire foundation of Klal Yisroel, and yet, Yaakov answered him softly. So must we do when we find ourselves in a similar situation — to explain in a gentle manner and not provoke the gentiles to the best of our ability.
This applies equally to the problem of shechitah which sadly, in many European countries has been outlawed or in others, where the issue has arisen for discussion. Jews cannot live in a country where shechitah is banned but we must face it that this has come to the fore out of jealousy on their part, but the authorities cloak it with the justification of animal cruelty. The rabbis dealing with this issue should speak softly and pleadingly to the authorities in the different countries, asking that Jews be allowed to continue their religious practices from millennia dating back to Moses without any change or modification. Nevertheless, the rabbis must not give in but stand firm in not veering from the Halacha an iota or from the traditions handed down to us since Sinai up till this day. May Hashem grant this gathering a strengthening of the voice of Yaakov so that the hands of Eisov not dominate, and may we merit the Geulah Shleimoh, speedily and in our times.
A. L. Shteinman
Chaim Kanievsky
1 Iyar, 5773
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