Jpost
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, chairman of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, said Thursday that his organization was compiling a list for publication of haredi institutions that receive its donations.
The move comes after Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, considered the most respected and influential halachic authority among Ashkenazi haredi Jews, signed a declaration saying that receiving money from Eckstein's organization was "close to idolatry."[...]
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, chairman of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, said Thursday that his organization was compiling a list for publication of haredi institutions that receive its donations.
The move comes after Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, considered the most respected and influential halachic authority among Ashkenazi haredi Jews, signed a declaration saying that receiving money from Eckstein's organization was "close to idolatry."[...]
Eida Charedis' reasons quoted in Rav Elyashiv' opinion: "Third [reason:] there is a prohibition against receiving charity from a non-Jew when it causes a desecration of God's name"
ReplyDeleteWhat chillul H' is being referred to here? All the activities being funded sound pretty laudable. They're not suggesting in case a chillul H' should occur, are they?
The article states,
ReplyDeletethe Eda Haredit, gives three reasons for the prohibition against taking money from Christian organizations. First, publicizing that Christians have given to Jewish charities aggrandizes Christianity, which is a form of idolatry according to many rabbinic opinions. Therefore, it is "close to idolatry." Second, it aids missionary activity by making Jews beholden to Christians. Third, there is a prohibition against receiving charity from a non-Jew when it causes a desecration of God's name.•
The Chillul HaShem comes in the violation of the previous two principles. Both of which are found explicity in the Shulchan Aruch under the laws of Avodah Zerah. If Jews enmasse are seen taking money from Christians and thus violating the Shulchan Aruch, this would be a grave Chillul HaShem.
Also I must state that this view of R' Eliashiv is not new. It may be the first that the public has heard of it, but a Rav I know who has been in a debate with R' Eckstein for years over this topic showed me a personal letter from R' Eliashiv stating the same thing. This occurred just over five years ago when I was thinking of permanently making Aliyah. There is a certain organization that aid Olim from North America and also gives them financial grants to help them establish themselves(at the time those grants were quite substantial).
I consulted with this Rav concerning the issue who then took me through the relevant laws in the Shulchan Aruch as well as showing me the psak halacha of the Eida and R' Eliashiv. I cannot speak to whether the timing of such a public revelation of R' Eliashiv's views is politically motivated, but I do know that the views themselves are his own and have been for some time.
http://www.5tjt.com/news/read.asp?Id=5071
ReplyDeleteOther rabbis who issued similar decisions include Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, Rabbi Nissim Kerlitz, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, and Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu.
Thanks,
ReplyDeleteI knew of R Yosef and R' Eliyahu, but had no source for the information so was hesitant to bring it.
I really don't think that this is a "ruling" per se as much as it is reminding Jews of what have become fairly obscure halachot. By which I mean that very few Rabbis have done a concerted study of hilchot Avoda Zera let alone many lay people.
If I remember from my own bekiut, it is fairly meforash that one cannot take charity from people of another religion. I know that the Ben Ish Chai extends this to Muslims as well. I just can't rememeber the sources off the top of my head.
Rav Eidensohn,
ReplyDeleteI understood that accepted criteria for posting here is documentation.
Why were letters written by rabbonim and a copy of a teshuva from Dayan Gestetner still problematic that they were erased?
meinyan leinyan beosso inyan said...
ReplyDeleteRav Eidensohn,
I understood that accepted criteria for posting here is documentation.
Why were letters written by rabbonim and a copy of a teshuva from Dayan Gestetner still problematic that they were erased?
===============
They were not erased but were transferred to the posting about accusations of rabbinic malpractice. I did erase some posts there which had very abusive language but the vast majority of comments that had been posted are available along with some which were added to other posts that were not dealing with these subjects which I transferred.
mekubal wrote,
ReplyDeleteIf I remember from my own bekiut, it is fairly meforash that one cannot take charity from people of another religion. I know that the Ben Ish Chai extends this to Muslims as well. I just can't rememeber the sources off the top of my head.
Doesn't the extension to Muslims make things problematic? If Jews can't take even Noachide charity, then why wouldn't all monies from non-Jews, i.e., even secular monies, naturally be off limits? (We really how Gdfearing & "observant" a Muslim philanthropist is with regard to his charity?) And yet both the State of Israel and many chutznik organizations receive some government subsidies.
Thx, mekubal, for the Shulchan Arukh recap in prior comment.
B"H.
ReplyDeleteThree years ago when I began to write about the influence of Xtian missionary orgs on Orthodox institutions everyone I wrote to thought I was crazy.
I am really relieved that some of our Gedolim are trying to stop it.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1123574.html
ReplyDeleteIFCJ's Rabbi Eckstein tells Haaretz that people are lying to the gedolim about the facts which is what leads them to asser taking the money from Notzrim.
What does R' Eidensohn think?
The difference is whether it brings Kavod of some sort to another religion, whether in the eyes of Jews or other non-Jews. Essentially does it inspire someone to feel good about a religion other than Judaism, doesn't matter if it xtianity or Islam.
ReplyDeleteThe Ben Ish Hai is very clear that Islam does not qualify as Noahide, that it is in fact sheker.
A true Nohide cherity or a secular charity should be fine as it does not cause the uplifting of foreign religion. A true Noahide is one who recognizes the G-d of Israel, and thus there is no problem, he feels better about such belief... or others come to respect such belief.
With secular charities, the worst that can happen is someone comes to respect and praise a organization as being Chesedic. The differences may be subtle but they are there.