Wednesday, December 30, 2009

When Scholars Fall


5 Towns Jewish Times Rabbi Yair Hoffman

There is a well-known Mitzvah to honor Torah scholars (Sefer HaMitzvos 209). Although the Rishonim cite different verses as to the source for the Mitzvah, it is almost universal that the Mitzvah is a Biblical one. Indeed, it is such an important Mitzvah that the Meiri (Yuma 71a) writes that it is a greater Mitzvah to honor a Torah scholar than to honor a Kohen Gadol – the High Priest in the Bais HaMikdash. The Talmud in Menachos (99b) discusses a case of a Torah scholar who has fallen morally. Raish Lakish tells us that we do not shame him in public. To back up this position he cites a verse in Hoshea (4:5), "You will stumble by day and the 'prophet' who is with you shall stumble at night, and I shall silence your mother." The Maharsha cites Rashi who explains the verse to be understood as "cover it up like the night." This seems to be the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch as well (Yore Deah 334:42).[...]

6 comments:

  1. Troppenstein's monsterDecember 30, 2009 at 6:27 PM

    Even when Tropper is not literally with fremde women:

    רבי מנחמא בשם רבי תנחום כל המקבל עליו שררה כדי ליהנות ממנה אינו אלא כנואף הזה שהוא נהנה מגופה של אשה

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  2. So what does one do when the relevant authorities who should be disciplining the fallen rabbi isntead insist on covering up and doing nothing about it?

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  3. The Beis Halevi in the droshos says the same thing as the Baal Hatanya. But the publisher of Hoffman's newspaper is a former Lubavitcher.

    I don't really hear his comparison of Tropper to Acher.

    Acher was stam a baal tayvanik who had issues bain adam lemakom.

    Tropper is a mazik who has harmed all kinds of people.

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  4. And I think it was the Steipler Gaon ztl who once reconciled two seemingly contradictory Chazal to say that you work with someone to improve when he keeps his sins to himself but you throw him out if he is a bad hashpoah on others.

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  5. http://www.thejc.com/comment/columnists/25399/unsavoury-side-strict-conversion

    A prominent member of Rabbi Tropper’s organisation is Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu, former head of the London Beth Din. He has spoken at EJF conventions — most recently in November — and is chairman of its halachic committee in Europe. Moreover, he has been quoted on Charedi websites encouraging EJF to expand its activities into Europe — although the Conference of European Rabbis (whose beth din he also heads) recently passed a resolution strongly objecting to this potential interference.

    Dayan Ehrentreu took up his position with EJF only after he retired from the LBD in 2006. Nevertheless, it is legitimate to ask why he was — and, judging by a letter he signed last week praising the group, still is — willing to associate himself with EJF, whose values are openly antagonistic to those of the supposedly centrist United Synagogue.

    What does this say about his attitudes while still in office? Dayan Ehrentreu was, for years, a dominant force behind the policy on conversions for the London Beth Din. It was his ultra-strict approach to giyur that resulted in the annulment of the Orthodox conversions of Helen Sagal and Kate Lightman — ultimately paving the way for the father of Boy “M” to sue when his child, son of a Progressive convert, was rejected from JFS.

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  6. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1261364519756&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull

    Here is the most ridiculous piece about Tropper yet.

    This misguided soul Joshua Reback who is in Brovender's ultra-left wing Yeshivat Hamivtar, was converted by Steve Pruzansky's beis din in Teaneck.

    Here is a guy who was supposed to be vetted by the RCA, of which Pruzansky sits on their gerus standards committee, arguing that not only should EJF stay open, but that Conservative "rabbis" should also be approved to do gerus if they "follow" halacha.

    His biggest fear is scaring away potential converts to Reform & Conservative, therefore he argues that conversion standards should be loosened. This guy doesn't have the first clue about anything and it makes me wonder if he really had a kabolas hamitzvos.

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