RECHNITZ: DON’T STEAL MY MONEY: Current Machlokes “Can Only Lead To The Obliteration Of Klal Yisroel”

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“Sheer Abuse When Child Says That a Nazi is a Frum Bochur or Yungerman Who Joins the Army”

“Go to the Army Rather Than Be Involved in Machlokes”

“Why Are We Letting The Vocal Minority Seemingly Represent Us?”

“Anyone Who Includes Themselves in the Ugliness of Outright Destructive Machlokes Cannot Be Neheneh from Money I Contribute”

“One of the Biggest Divides Klal Yisroel Has Faced”

Shlomo Yehuda Rechnitz was once again the guest speaker at the annual Simchas Bais Hashoeivah at Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim last night.

The renowned Los Angeles baal tzedakah and philanthropist began his remarks by stating that he had a speech ready and decided yesterday to “change what [he was] going to talk about.”

Just a few minutes into his speech, Shlomo Yehuda tackled a hot button issue.

“There’s no secret that, letzaareinu harav, there’s strife and discord in today’s olam hayeshivos,” he said. “I can’t tell you the reasons behind the dispute. I can’t tell you with certainty whose siding with who… I definitely don’t know who’s right and who’s wrong, nor am I sure even if there is a right and a wrong. What I can tell you is that the publicity and the outright chillul Hashem that this causes on a daily basis is beyond belief, without precedent, and is causing a hashchasah and a carnage which can only lead to the obliteration of Klal Yisroel as we know it today. Although I am not considered to be a maven in Jewish history, I cannot say for certain that this is not one of the biggest divides and unrest that Klal Yisroel has faced throughout her rich history.”

Later, he said, “You’d be right if you ask why the opinion of a pruste baal habayis from a different country should carry any weight, or should he even have the audacity to inject himself into something that is out of his league and way out of his pay scale. And in fact, you’d be right for asking, or, better yet, you’d be mostly right. But I and other tomchei Torah have a right to know the final destination of our contributions.

Morai verabosia, I am here to let you know that I never signed up for this, so let me be perfectly clear:

“I know there are chilukei de’os between several gedolim, and in fact through our history there have been many disagreements, where you may have accepted one side or one party’s argument and we all agreed that it was ailu v’ailu divrei Elokim chaim.

“Unfortunately, in this seven-year unprecedented battle, we’ve all taken it to new heights and new places, places that are very dangerous to lurk in. There’s clearly no problem if anyone or everyone follows the advice of their rov or their rosh yeshiva. Klal Yisroel always had different mesoros. But to go one inch beyond, one inch beyond that, and to bring it up to a level or discuss it in a way that will lead to provocation, to sinah and to machkokes, is where you’ve overstepped your boundaries in a dangerous way.

“And therein lies my personal negius.

“I try, and have tried for the past 20 years, to support Torah and chesed, to attempt in my own little way to assure the continuity of ki heim chayeinu v’orech yomeinu. Anything I was able to be menadeiv came solely from siyata diShmaya. But I can also assure you that I’ve invested my share of hishtadlus. And therefore, I want to be clear, even though I presume that this message is not nogeia to anyone here or their talmidim, and beshitah I’ll never hold yeshivos or their talmidim accountable for the bad behavior of a very vocal minority.

“But I’d like to officially state that anyone who includes themselves in the ugliness of trying to convert this from a mere chillukei de’os to outright destructive machlokes in a public manner cannot be neheneh from any money that I contribute.”

As for those who might accept money from Shlomo Yehuda under false pretenses, Shlomo Yehuda said that this year, for the first time, he “specifically and intentionally decided not to ever be mochel one of these people who benefit from the little tzedakah I gave, and he’s a pure ganov or gazlan depending on the circumstances.”

Shlomo Yehuda addressed a rumor that was spread several weeks ago via WhatsApp about him and a certain rosh yeshiva, calling it “sheker vechozov (absolute falsity).”

Shlomo Yehuda spoke about “innocent children who are now 11 or 12 years old” who “know of nothing but machlokes,” and, having grown up with machlokes, view machlokes as “the expected way of living. They’ve been inundated with enough terms to be mevazeh every gadol in Klal Yisroel. They have no chashivus for Yahadus. Their sole interest is political parties. And they’ve lost all the temimus of tinokos shel bais rabbon. Oy meh hayah lanu. Our children are baalei mum.”

Shlomo Yehuda continued: “There’s a crazy phenomenon in the world today, which, despite how nonsensical it sounds, seems to be gaining ground. These are the crazy people who are called ‘Holocaust deniers.’ How different are we when you should ask any child in Yerushalayim, Kiryat Sefer, etc., etc. to describe the Holocaust to you and describe the deadly hatred and almost robotic atrocities of a Nazi yemach shemom vezichrom. What kind of horrible klop it is to those 6 million kedoshim who were killed al kiddush Hashem. What type of sheer abuse would be caused when that child answered a Holocaust survivor that a Nazi is a frum bochur or yungerman who decides, for one reason or another, to join the army, and the whole Holocaust is just a collection of these so-called Nazis.

“Maybe I’m wrong and this is all okay as long as you attend first seder with shmiras hasedorim…,” said Rechnitz wryly.

“Why are we letting the vocal minority seemingly represent us and causing such an unprecedent?”

He added a minute later, “I say it again: Don’t steal my money. I’m not interested in your Torah, I’m not interested in your tefillos, I’m not interested in your maasim tovim. You can keep it all.”

Subsequently, Shlomo Yehuda remarked, “From the little I understand, this whole machlokes has to do with going to the army. On my plaitzos, if you have a choice to be involved in the machlokes, the rabim, lesheim machlokes, or to go to the army – and I’m obviously not referring to giyus banos – then you should go to the army. As a matter of fact, you’re already in the army. You’re starting fires, you’re throwing stones, you’re throwing people out of their homes and botei midrashim. You’re trying to kill the other side. The only difference between you and the IDF is that their uniforms are green and yours are black.”

Shlomo Yehuda ended on an upbeat note, calling for achdus and stressing that it is only with unity that Klal Yisroel can ultimately succeed and prevail.

WATCH (at Minute 2:51):

{By Matzav.com Israel News Bureau, with transcription by CB Frommer and A. Shiff)


46 COMMENTS

    • The high percentage was based on info provided by shebsels and AQUM, or by careless “historians.” As is the field of “Sabbatian studies”. They’re sensational topics, and very few who support them or buy their garbage are in any position to objectively review this “research”. The g’dolim quickly squashed them.

  1. A couple of quotes from the above article:

    First he said: “I know there are chilukei de’os between several gedolim, and in fact through our history there have been many disagreements, where you may have accepted one side or one party’s argument and we all agreed that it was ailu v’ailu divrei Elokim chaim.

    Then: From the little I understand, this whole machlokes has to do with going to the army. On my plaitzos, if you have a choice to be involved in the machlokes, the rabim, lesheim machlokes, or to go to the army – and I’m obviously not referring to giyus banos – then you should go to the army.

    I did not listen to the speach. But the way his
    website, Matzav.com is presenting what the said, they are making it clear that Mr. Rechnitz has chosen one opinion over the other.

    You’re entitled to your opinion. I mean, as long as your opinion agrees with mine.

    • Sorry, but is not what SY Rechnitz said. Being opposed b’shita to joining the IDF in any way, is an opinion. Physically attacking, mocking, belittling, harassing and other causing great tzar to those who join the IDF, or have no issue with some going to the IDF for various reasons, is not a “tzad”, a valid opinion. It is religious terrorism, and such conduct has no validity. If you believe that conduct is fine, then you have a twisted mind. A gutten moed.

      • If you believe that the conduct of Shevet Levi was right when they chased the rest of Klall Yisroel in the Midbar when many of Levi and of the rest of Klall Yisroel were killed, then you have a square and sound mind.

  2. The Mir did not have to hear this. Its Gdolim never had the posture the GR”A condemned. I know of no y’shiva whose rebbeim and talmidim are more ohev-yisroel and ohev-shalom. Or have such dvayqos.

    • I assume he knows that, this opportunity presented itself for him to use this Simchas Beis Hashoeiva as a platform to the wider olam hayeshivos/frum world.

  3. Rabbi Akiva initially believed in Bar Kochva as well. Nu, so what? He changed his mind after he realized what was going on.
    There is no question we NEED achdus. Absolutely. We have to be mispallel shtark for Shalom.

  4. a few points;
    all agree that
    1. everyone waS kulo lshem shomayim
    2. their end goal was the same torah was and is supreme to both
    3 the Israeli gov.and public cannot be expected to comprehend the blanket petur of army service by yeshiva bochurim ( torah is magin…)
    4 the question was what is the best strategy to get there
    5. we have no way to measure who was bigger

  5. I suspect that many involved in the machlokes would respond: “Who cares about what happens to Klal Yisroel, as long as we have Torah.”

  6. To Hypocrisy. I will tell you why I agree with Mr. Rechnitz. If the Torah is our guide then we know the dangers of machlokes. By Korach even children died. Moshe Rabanu and Aharon were punished because of the way the Yidden requested water which led them to respond the way they did. Rashi mentions the wrong way to protest – young and old pushing each other. Blocking cars and inconveniencing others, is Chukos hagoyim This is the way the protesters behaved in the 1950’s which led to the riots of the 1960s in the USA and is the way of the goyim, especially leftist until today. That a frum soldier can’t daven in a shu,l shop in a seforim store or walk down a street without being spat upon is the worst chillul Hashem

    • 1) Korach sought to deny Torah Min Hashomayim. The punishment of that WRONG machlokes also included the minors.

      2) Please don’t confuse the מי מריבה with the request to send מרגלים.

      3) I know nothing about protesting or the right way to protest. I will follow the advice, directive and direction of the Talmidei Chachomim and rabonim with whom I consult.

      4) I don’t know why a ‘frum’ soldier would seek to go into a shul that he is not welcomed in, while wearing is army fatigues and carrying his large gun. He can either enter into a place of like-minded people, or change/cover over his clothing first or daven b’yechidus. Going into a shul where it will hurt the regular mispallilim is evil, disgusting and truly for the sake of machlokes.

      • Why would a soldier enter a shul that dislikes sending boys to the army? Because he’s a Jew and needs to daven with a minyan like all other Jews. His uniform is his respect for a sovereign just like a white shirt and black suit is respect for a sovereign. Welcome him. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

  7. Mr Rechnitz,

    With all due respect, I humbly request that you share your business prowess with the bnei Torah. This will enable them to learn with yishuv hdass bs’d.

    As far as shitos, klal yisroel is blessed with Gedolei Torah shlita who are best suited to lead the charedi tzibur.

    We are all indebted to you for your generous heart and philanthropy and recognize and appreciate it. Non the less as a wise man you certainly know the Mishna ” Aizahu chochum hmakir es mikomo”.

  8. a member of the Moetzes Gedolei Htorah upon being asked of the appropriateness of calling secular Israel’s Nazi’s said ….. If one would understand what a tzioni is they would suffice in calling them tzionim. In another rare public address he explained that the establishment of the medina was to be oker dass r’l. Ask the yidden from Taiman what happened to their children?

    • Have you been sleeping for seventy years?

      Time to wake up!

      Burich Hashem today Medinas Yisruel is one of the greatest supporters of Toyrah in the world today.

      The Tzionim of one hundred years ago are long dead.

    • The quote is from Hgaon Reb Aaron Schechter shlita. He made the statement in my dirah so I am sharing first-hand. There was a crowd so others can attest to its authenticity as well.
      Avrohom Wrona

    • Well, then its amazing how few people understand what a Tzioni is. Why do you think that is?

      Why is what happened with the children from Taiman still being invoked today in reference to people who for the most part weren’t born yet and certainly had nothing to do with it? Even when it did happen how many were involved or even knew about it? Can’t the people who LOVE bringing it up find a more recent example that involved more people?

  9. It is surprising that many do not realize that the social upheaval and disunity in Israel is likely being fomented by similar forces to those doing the same thing in the US. It is now impossible to deny that a deep state and shadow government in the US has been pulling out all the stops with the collaboration of the intelligence agencies to thwart President Trump. It is not hard to imagine that Israeli intelligence agencies are deliberately fomenting civil unrest in order to splinter the Torah community. Concurrent with this, is the propaganda campaign to make military service acceptable to the Charedi population. From my perspective as an American living in the US it seems to me the Israeli compulsory draft system is geared more toward social engineering rather than actual security needs.This problem could be solved by the Israeli government, by going to a model similar to the US whereby Military service is voluntary and incentivized with good compensation and benefits. This is especially true in the current technological age of warfare. Stop and think, maybe “they” want you divided.

  10. As far as I understand, NO Rosh Yeshiva wants or allows his Talmidim to be involved in any protests. Period.
    A Bochur belongs in Bais Hamedrash learning Torah, not throwing stones at cars on Shabbos, not yelling at women who are not dressed properly, not arguing with a Chiloni about yidishkeit, and definitely not attacking any Israeli soldiers – Chareidi or otherwise. I as a parent will not tolerate any of my sons being involved in any such actions. We have tremendous discussions of these subjects around the shabbos table, but my sons will not take part in any protests which for most part are pure Chilul Hashem. The only time my sons will be in a protest is when their Rosh Yeshiva tells them to do so, and as far as I know NO Rosh Yeshiva asked any Bochur to go and attack, throw stones, scream & shout in any protest of any kind.
    Recently there was a peaceful protest in Bnei Brak against the chilul Shabbos by the government, building the new train system. Gedolim called for the protest and it was a peaceful protest and a kidush hashem. NO VIOLENCE. No attacks, no rioting, no screaming, only a massive gathering and Davening!
    IMHO, even when protests are needed, young Bochurim should not be required to attend, on the contrary, they should be required to learn an extra Seder perhaps, or given special Mussar shmues about the subject being protested. The Bochur’s place is only in Bais Hamedrash! I say this with utmost respect to our Gedolim & Roshei Yeshivos who (needless to say) definitely know better then I, and I in no way can be Meharher about their decisions.
    ותחזינה עינינו בשוב ד’ לציון ברחמים.

  11. Can someone please explain why this is front page news, with bold letters, and the entire home page of matzav splashed with it? Don’t get me wrong, I am an enormous fan of Reb SY and the incredible efforts that he puts forth on behalf of everything klal-related, but at what point does it start to stink of idol-worship (not R”L in the torah’s sense of the word), celebrity gossip, and TMZ-like gossip that every move he makes is immediately broadcast to the multitudes? May he and his family be gebentched with kol milei d’tav and continue to put our communities on his broad shoulders, without it being the constant coffee room and water cooler talk

  12. MOney comes from the Ribono Shel Olam, not gvirim. All we have to do is ratzon Hashem.
    He speaks as if his money is something that is here to stay. But the Ribono Shel Oilam can make him lose him money overnight.

  13. How much is Rabbi Rechnitz paying Matzav.com to post this and promote him? I’ve never seen a website promote someone so much. Admit it: How much does Matzav get from SY Rechnitz each month?

  14. Lemaaseh, the Dolphins are 3-0 and things are looking up. Tannehill is back. Lets hope there are no machlokes in the locker room that would mess things up.

  15. I have seen Soldiers carrying lulavim.they should be made welcome with open arms in any Shule these holy soldiers choose to Daven in. Spat upon and chased out this is not the Frumkeit that I was raised
    On.These people should be out in cherem.

  16. These holy soldiers should be made welcome in any Shule.These savages who spit and curse have no Jewish hearts,They should all be put in Cherem.

  17. Kishkush. He has no idea of what is needed to be done in Israel as he does not live here and his children haven’t served in the IDF as mine have. He should stick to running his old age homes.

  18. In summation, he’s saying that the only difference between those starting fires and throwing stones and the IDF, is that one sides uniform is black and other’s is green.

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