Gedolim and admorim are speaking out. In various circles, the violence seen recently in certain Chassidic communities is being condemned.
The first to protest was the Rebbe of Vizhnitz-Bnei Brak, as reported by Matzav.com.
“Raising a hand on a Jew…how can you be included in a minyan?” said the rebbe.
Later, on Shabbos in Belgium, the Rebbe of Pshevorsk issued fierce protests during.
After telling two stories, the rebbe said, “Hitting a Jew is forbidden. There is no permit for this and no excuses will help.”
The rebbe of Karlin Stolin said in a Rosh Chodesh talk to Chassidim after davening, “I did not want to talk about this issue. But everyone knows what happened about a week and a half ago. Something terrible happened. It is hard to believe that such things could happen in our time. Jews were beaten in the streets. There was blasphemy on Shabbos. I do not know how this happens in our times after so many troubles that Klal Yisroel has gone through throughout history. Where have we heard people behave like that?”
The rebbe continued to protest: “There is a Shulchan Aruch. There are things that are allowed to be done and there are things that are forbidden to be done. Beating a Jew is forbidden… Every Jewish child knows what happened to Moshe Rabbeinu when he asked, ‘Lamah sakeh rei’echa?’ What is forbidden is forbidden. There is no ‘sophistication.’ What kind of reputation do we have on the street if such things happen in our circles? …It is such a chillul Hashem.”
The rebbe added: “We do not have a great opinion on these matters, but people should hear well that such things are forbidden and this may have an effect on them. We should act like ehrliche Yidden, and if not, then everything else we do is worth nothing.”
Rav Mordechai Sheinberger, the rebbe of Ashlag, also issued sharp protests about the violent events.
“All the rabbonim who do not protest will not be able to say, ‘Our hands have not shed this blood,'” he said.
{Matzav.com}
where were they the day after it happened?
Keeping silent is equivalent of condoning such behavior.
Why can’t we just shove this issue under the carpet like so many other things?
Hitting any Yid is disgusting and against the Torah. They made and caused a tremendous Chilul Shabbos. Above and beyond all that they caused a tremendous Chilul Hashem.
Why are there no protest letters with signatures of all the Gedolim? They issue them all the time for any other issue(s) that pale in comparison.
Being quiet is also a Chilul Hashem
Is this how we will go to Kabolas HaTorah when two of the Aderes Hadibros were trampled on – Zochor es Yom HaShabbos and lo sirtzoch!!!
Please change the picture. That picture is a Chillul Hashem.
It’s so beautiful to watch Viznitzer chassidus in Monsey, Israel and other countries how they live in harmony, besholom, Rebbes making their ’tishen’ together and FARGIN EACH OTHER.
Violence is an essential part of our history. Levi and Shimon in Shchem, Moshe Rabbeinu used plenty of violence when necessary, there’s the Gemara that they all threw Esrogim at some guy, the one who was a hero for ripping off a womans red coat, the list can go on and on
How dare you say that? Moshe rabbeinu did violence?? He did al pee Hashem. Yidden always acted al pee torah. Rachmana litzlan to say such a thing
Idiot
Too few & too late
A big problem today is that we live in a “me” society. Why this is so, I’m not clear and maybe others may wish to speculate.
In March 2020, the late Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks ZT”L published his latest book called Morality. The main message of the book is that we have moved from a “we” society to a “me” society.
After Shavouos last year, a Rov in Yerusholayim spoke about אחדות in his short thought on the sedra of both שלח לך and קרח.
A few weeks later I asked him what he was referring to and he responded:
“I only know one type of אחדות”.
which I took to mean, even if we disagree with others, we still have to live together באחדות.
finally Matzav wakes up. Not a word about these terrible senseless attacks for over a week. Kol hakavod to the Stoliner Rebbe Shlita
People are so quick to condemn.
Some questions to ask yourself next time matzav publishes such a story:
Where was the violence?
Who are the ‘victims’?
What were the ‘vicitims’ doing at the time? Why did they go there?
and finally, where did matzav get the story from? Maybe they should speak to members of the community as well. They might just learn something and view the story in a whole new light.
Shame on matzav for publishing this story with absolutely no research.
Shame on all the commentors who are convinced they’re saints for spreading false information.
The community is not guilty anywhere but in the court of public opinion.
Every person has a right to go wherever they please. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO BEAT UP ANOTHER PERSON! Your comment shows exactly how wrong you are.
‘Every person has a right to go wherever they please’, technically, yes, that’s true.
But WHY WOULD YOU?
They have no right to walk on the street?
There are rights, and there are responsibilities. Every person has a responsibility to avoid confrontations to the best of his ability.
And, as one familiar with the situation, I can say with certainty that the community has done its best to avoid confrontations.
Yes. We are wuick to condemn a yid who beats up another yid. We don’t need ” research”
You asked where people were. Then you jumped to saying that those who were מחלל שבת as well as beat are innocent. What exactly is your defense? How are defending violating what שולחן ערוך says is אסור?
I did not say that people who were ‘mchalel shabbos’ and ‘beat’ other people are innocent. I just said they’re not guilty. Others have taken the position that the ‘victims’ are innocent, and that’s not the case.
Shame on you!!!!!!!!! Klal Yisroel is disgusted and reviled by these actions which were done in the most public way possible. Who should we believe, you, or our own lying eyes?
There is no justification! And trust me the more “research” and investigation that would be done the worse it would be discovered to be. This article far from fully delineated the true extent of the terrible events that took place. It is the minimum for חובת מחאה!
‘…trust me the more “research” and investigation…would be done the worse it would [be]’ – why should I take your word for it? It seems to me that you haven’t done research, or else you would’ve included it.
‘Who should we believe, you, or our own lying eyes?’ – It’s the mind that draws conclusions. And haven’t you ever heard the cliche – ‘looks can be deceiving’? I think it’s very apropos; it describes the above article and images perfectly.
BH just in the nick of time
to N
there is no other side of the story a jew does not beat up another jew
you are part of the problem
you try to excuse this behaviour but it can not be excused and not shame on Matzav
but shame on yoU
I did not excuse, I explained. It’d do you well not to confuse the two.
Though, funnily enough, no one bothered to explain what those people were doing there.
What did you “explain “??? That your friends beat up a yid ?
No, I explained that the article above is misleading, since it doesn’t provide the whole story; rather, it expresses outrage at the community’s reaction without taking other things into account. I will not detail those things here, but any member of the community will know what I’m talking about.
N stands for Not Ehrlich!
You know like everyone else knows what went on there! You’re disingenuous to speak that way. There are police reports! There are hospital records! There are witnesses!
Hey, as one great president in the 1860s said, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time but you can’t fool all the people all of the time! Hey fella, IT HAPPENED and you know it!
Did you actually read the police reports? Hospital records? Who are the witnesses, and what did they witness? Of course it happened, but why? Somehow, no one bothers with THAT question!
Also, if you have any suggestions for how to avoid such confrontations in the future, please share, because the community has tried dozens of ways to prevent the above from happening, and, frankly, they’re out of ideas.
I have a great idea. Keep.your hands abd feet to yourself and dont kidnap kids. Abd then we’ll talk.
No one kidnapped kids, and you’re obviously listening to media sources whose reliability is questionable. That story is completely unrelated to the community, the family in question has a problem that is entirely unrelated to community in question, or the situation at hand.
It’s easy to say ‘keep your hands and feet to yourself’. As I said before, people are quick to condemn. But I wonder what you’d suggest if you knew the whole story. This article doesn’t give the whole story.
You can’t give the community suggestions without understanding the situation they’re dealing with. If you really want to help, I recommend you speak with one of the community’s leaders (it goes without saying that you’ll have to be open to hearing the other side of the story, not just condemning their behaviour).
“Tried to avoid”. Um, just go find a hobby. Go learn Torah. Go do chesed. Stop being busy with what other Yidden are doing. Stop being mechallel Shabbos. Stop trying to hurt other Yidden.
Please refer to my previous comments and replies.
N and all others, why don’t you listen to the following post on Matzav: “LISTEN: Rav Uren Reich Speaks Out for Kevod Shomayim,” posted on June 3, 2022 4:45 pm.