Rabbi Yosef Shmuel Gerlitzky, the chairman of the Rabbinical Congress for Peace and a veteran Chabad-Lubavitch representative in Tel Aviv, strongly criticized the recent ceasefire-prisoner exchange deal that Israel struck with the Hamas terrorist group, drawing a parallel to the 2005 Gaza Disengagement.
During an interview on Kol Chai Radio, Rabbi Gerlitzky dismissed the claim that the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah had endorsed the agreement.
“This is a true danger to lives,” Rabbi Gerlitzky stated, speaking on behalf of the 400 rabbis in his organization who oppose the deal. “The lack of official statement on the part of the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah does not prove support.”
He continued, “This is a matter which will have severe repercussions.”
Rabbi Gerlitzky urged the government to halt the deal’s second and third stages, emphasizing, “The deal is a true threat to life, and even acts as a sort of ‘second Disengagement.'”
The 2005 Gaza Disengagement saw Israel withdraw from the entire Gaza Strip, which was then handed over to the Palestinian Authority. Following that, Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007.
In contrast, before this recent agreement was finalized last week and implemented on Sunday, the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah, along with Chareidi MKs and ministers, had expressed their approval of the deal.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Did he go through the sugya of pidyon shvuyim?
Can he offer a teshuva on question filled with Chazal?
No. But I’m sure he can get a fax from a dead man’s grave explaining his position. It can be tough when you have a movement as large as his without a living leader… You kind of have to make it up as you go along…
You can scream at me, but the term “Chabad Rabbi” doesn’t exactly mean anything to me nowadays.
To begin with, no one actually verifies the “Rabbi” claim. Just look at all the wedding invitations you get that say “Rabbi and Mrs. so-and-so…” and tell me how many of them actually received Smicha…
Then there is the issue of whatever process and Mahalach is used in giving Smicha within Chabad -Lubavitch. No one, outside of Chabad, (and those to whom a Jew with a black hat is automatically a Rabbi), relies on a ruling issued by a Chabad-ordained Rabbi, because their rulings differ greatly from all other accepted systems.
And then, of course, is the question of what it says on the Kippah which lies under that hat. If it has (literally or figuratively) “Yechi” written on it, that automatically turns the person wearing it into an Apikorus and whatever his “rulings” may be are null and void. (Yell all you want, Maran Rav Shach ZTZ”L was clear about that, and I’ve heard it from several other Gedolim who spoke in private regarding this.)
And never mind that “Rabbinical Congress for Peace” sounds EXACTLY like what a left-wing, reform-based organization would call itself…
I’m disappointed to see here that people are being motzi shem ra on another yid due to their sinas chinam towards Chabad. There are lots of rabbis, both in Chabad and in other communities, who passed the smicha test but don’t actually know much halacha, but on what basis do you assume that rabbi Gerlitzky is one of those? Just because he is Chabad or because he said something you disagreed with?
I’m not part of Chabad and I also am disgusted by Yechi, but how dare you assume without evidence that Rabbi Gerlitzky is part of that shtus?
And just because the Matzav article doesn’t quote him as citing the all the relevant chazals and tshuvos on pidyon shvuyim doesn’t mean his views aren’t based in them. And the views of the Lubavitcher Rebbi זצ”ל are well documented in his statements and sefarim, there is no need for strange faxes or anything. And it is perfectly permitted to cite the rulings of a deceased Rabbi to support your views, one of you just did that with Rav Shach זצ”ל.
I hope that Josh Allen and the Bills beat the overated KC Chiefs this Sunday.