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An Important letter from Maran HaGaon HaRav Dov Lando shlita About the Serious Prohibition of Participating and Serving in Zionist Institutions
Zionism is a movement whose goal is to establish the Jewish People on a distinctly secular base whose essence is heresy and revolt against the Heavenly kingdom, and all of the national institutions are designed and built along this line.
There is no permission whatsoever to join with them or to hold any position at all by them or to vote in elections for such national institutions in any way or manner.
...
Question: As of late, there has been a breach regarding our position to the academic world as witnessed to our dismay, the opening of a Bais Yaakov school incorporating an academic curriculum. There is a fear that many girls will enroll in it with the argument that in the present available subjects, there are not enough work places and there is a lack of income and proficiency for graduates without an academic degree. What can we say to these girls that all they want is to establish a Torah home and support a husband devoted to Torah study?
Answer: There was once a certain institution which asked the Rosh Yeshiva, author of Ayeles Hashachar, about various postgraduate studies for seminary students in various subjects. This referred to advanced academic studies. Upon completing such studies, the student would receive a degree enabling her to double and triple her income and support a Torah home comfortably. It was asked that if for the sake of a more lucrative salary, she would be permitted leniency to continue her studies in a separate educational academy.
In his vast wisdom and with a bit of humor, the Rosh Yeshiva replied: "It were better for her to become a thief!"
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"This was the situation with which the White House had to deal during the weeks and months after October 7th, 2023: a war against Israel with many fronts, and a demand from Iran and terrorist organizations throughout the area which it supported stipulating that the only way to stop the war was for Israel to accept all of Hamas' demands. Therefore, we, in the Biden government, reached the conclusion that the only realistic way to end the war was through solid support of Israel while working on a cease-fire agreement whereby the hostages would be released under conditions not dictated by Hamas, and an attempt to tone down the humanitarian implications of the war.
"While Hamas and its supporters claim that it received this framework at the beginning of July, this is not true! Hamas inserted new demands for a permanent cease-fire. And in such negotiations, they would never — ever — even if all the other clauses appeared as accepted, they would refuse to present a list of the hostages who would be released it the cease-fire was implemented. This was the situation throughout all of the negotiations in Cairo and Duha, Qatar, which I helped move during last summer.
"Hamas only seriously considered those subjects which interested them...
What was new and unique about HaRav Yisroel Salanter's approach? Ethical works had been authored generations earlier. Men who had perfected themselves and feared Hashem existed in every era. What did R' Yisroel propound? Did he put more stress on mitzvos bein adam lechavero, or did he merely wish to place these mitzvos on an equal footing with mitzvos bein adam laMakom? What can we learn from his letters and from the stories of his conduct that abound?
The gaon HaRav Chaim Shmuelevitz, zt'l, rosh yeshiva of Mir, stood before the shtender and said, "What was unique and innovative about the yeshivos of the Mussar movement? What did they invent? Does anybody know? They invented...the lunch room!
"Learning? Everyone learned, in all yeshivos, both prior and subsequent to the founding of the Mussar movement. However, when seder ends, everyone goes down to the lunch room. Five or six bochurim sit at a table, and the bowl of French fries arrives. Then, they are put to the test. Will everyone reach for the bowl in a mad frenzy, in an effort to grab the crispest, brownest, fries? Or will each person offer the bowl to his neighbor, offering him the best portion..."
Rain and Kinneret Watch by Dei'ah Vedibur
Staff
Our weekly report of the rain and the level of the Kineret -
Winter, 5785.
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Opinion & Comment
Part II
The first part discussed the existence of differences and the idea of a disagreement that is lesheim Shomayim. It also dealt with the fact that sometimes very strong language is used to express these differences.
Why Differences About Hashkofo?
Question: "I can understand that there can be a machlokes about halochos or in divrei Torah, but why is it necessary for there to be differences in hashkofos? This is especially harmful in our period, in which the Torah-true should appear united.
Answer:
We must uproot a popular misconception. Society insists on dwelling on a person's "world outlook," and believes that almost every issue is connected to it. Maran the Mashgiach, HaRav Shlomo Wolbe, said that "world outlook," weltanschauung, is a concept that stems from German philosophy; it means how a person sees the world and implies that each person can create his own world outlook to fit his personality. This way of thinking is also termed "every person with his own truth." This seemingly awards legitimacy to everyone who holds whatever subjective views he fancies.
IN-DEPTH FEATURES
Introduction
The following recollections of the Alter of Slobodke zt'l offer a spiritual portrait of one of the greatest and most influential educators that the modern yeshiva world has known. As well as eminently qualifying him to elucidate the main ideas of the Alter's outlook, HaRav Chodosh's standing as one of his closest talmidim for over twenty years also qualifies him to demonstrate how the Alter himself was their embodiment. From a close reading of the shmuess, herein it seems clear that in addition, HaRav Chodosh intends to show how the ideas which the Alter spread indeed addressed areas of general human weakness, such as the fear of sin and the importance of humility, with which a superficial acquaintance with Slobodke mussar, with its emphasis on inspiring and uplifting and their distinct outer manifestations, may have led outsiders to believe that the Alter was less preoccupied with than were the proponents of other mussar systems.
Indeed, the term gadlus ho'odom, the greatness of man or mankind, is not fully understood today. Many mistakenly associate it with a certain air of self assurance and style of clothing, as if this approach achieved the improvement of the self image of bnei Torah by having them dress smartly. In this shmuess, HaRav Chodosh sets out the fundamental premise of gadlus ho'odom and shows how its correct appreciation and assimilation led to the realization of the main goals that all the different mussar systems shared.
HaRav Chodosh demonstrates that attaining yiras Shomayim is the work of a lifetime and that success can only result if a person's efforts are firmly founded upon a correct understanding of man's purpose in this world. To achieve this, the Alter continually drew upon Chazal's teachings concerning the greatness of Odom Horishon. HaRav Chodosh goes on to show that the attainment of true wisdom and humility, as well as refined and pleasant character traits, are both an outgrowth of recognizing man's relationship with his Creator. Obviously, this awareness will also require that interpersonal relationships are handled with the utmost consideration for others. An understanding of the soul of Slobodke mussar enables its outward features to be viewed in their proper proportions.
Why didn't the Alter write seforim? Why was he continually speaking about Odom Horishon? His home was open to all, twenty-four hours a day, yet he lived a life of modesty and concealment. He was speaking all day, yet he was a man of silence. Why did he speak softly, so that people had to move closer in order to hear him? Why did he hold onto a handkerchief or cloth during a shmuess? Some of the enigmas about the Alter are explained herein.
The shmuess was delivered by HaRav Meir Chodosh on the twenty ninth of Shevat, 5741, the Alter's yahrtzeit, in the beis haknesses of Hisachdus Yeshivas Chevron in Bnei Brak. It was transcribed by Rabbi Aharon Meir Kravitz, who is a grandson of HaRav Chodosh.
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