Rav Yisroel Belsky: Why contrary to the Kolko case he says to report abuse to police without any requirement to consult a rav first!

 [Update: Sunday June 9 - Rabbi Shmuel Goldin (president of the RCA responds]
The following letter appears on the RCA website  with the clear unambiguous statement to go to the police in cases of known or credible evidence of abuse. Of critical importance - it doesn't state that this is conditional on first consulting a rav. Statements such as this by a posek of Rav Belsky stature as well as the RCA are welcome and help clarify the haze that was created by the various conflicting statements of Agudas Israel and others on this matter.

The obvious question is, why in the recent Kolko case did Rav Belsky publicly state that going to the police was mesira while in this letter he states that one should go to the police -  without mentioning consulting a rav first. Furthermore the victim's father only went to the police after going to beis din. And only after Kolko stopped the treatment required by the beis din and Rav Sternbuch poskened that he go to the police - only then did he do so. Despite this known chain of events - Rav Belsky still labeled the victim's father a moser! Why?  Click link for other documents in Kolko case

The obvious answer is that despite Kolko confession in court - Rav Belsky knows that Kolko is innocent because of his own investigation into the matter. This is similar to the statement of Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein that only rabbis know whether a person is innocent or guilty - not the police and not psychologists. I would also conjecture that both Rav Belsky and Rav Zilberstein would agree with the recent pronouncements of Rabbi Handler that one should always consult gedolim since they have divine assistance in these matters - something which is obviously not available to the police or psychologists. (Of course it is important to note Rav Belsky's earlier letter not only says Kolko was innocent but that the father of the victim was the abuser - which if made by a lesser figure would clearly constitute a vicious slander since there  is absolutely no evidence to support the accusation.) All this would seem to imply that - since Rav Belsky and Rav Zilberstein apparently view themselves infallible in their judgements - Yosef Kolko's confession constitutes kefira by implying that Rav Belsky made a mistake. Perhaps Rav Belsky was mochel because he felt that Yosef Kolko only confessed because he thought it would save himself from a longer prison sentence.

Thus we are faced with a disturbing question. If we are to rely on Rav Belsky's infallibility then why is he telling people to go to the police - without first going to a rav? If he is not infallible then we are faced with an incredible chilul hashem made by one of the greatest American poskim - who not only mistakenly declared a pedophile innocent but has greatly compounded the problem by slandering the father and causing him to be driven out of Lakewood. Rav Belsky apparently alludes to this confusion about his true position when he states in his letter, "though some of misunderstood my position". However I fail to see a rational resolution of the apparent contradictions in Rav Belsky's statements. Perhaps somebody can enlighten me in this matter. Hopefully the RCA will issue a clarification to prevent severe damage not only Rav Belsky's credibility but that of the RCA.
==================================
If you share my confusion please respectfully send a copy of this post to the OU and RCA

Martin Nachminson      Steven Stavitksy    Rabbi Steven Weil    Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb
Rabbi Menachem Genack      Rabbi Mark Dratch     Rabbi Shmuel Goldin

I just sent the following message:

I have been involved for a number of years dealing with various aspects of child abuse and have published three seforim dealing with the subject under the guidance and encouragement of Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita.  One of the most  problematic issues is that of mesira and one of the most troubling cases is that of the recent Yosef Kolko case. Even more troubling is the reported actions of Rav Yisroel Belsky shlita - especially when they seem to be contrary to the stated position of the RCA.

I just wrote a post on my blog Daas Torah regarding Rav Yisoel Belsky's views on reporting child abuse to the police.  http://daattorah.blogspot.co.il/2013/06/rav-yisroel-belsky-why-contrary-to.html

I respectfully request an explanation of how Rav Belsky's actions in this case are consistent with the accepted halacha regarding mesira as well as the RCA guidelines in reporting child abuse to the police?

kol tuv,

Daniel Eidensohn Ph.D. 

==================================

Rav Belsky's letter in defense of Yosef Kolko which circulated Lakewood [click link for Hebrew]

My ears should have been spared hearing the horrific news that one of your fellow residents in town informed upon a fellow Jew to the hands of the secular authorities,may god spare us,for which the [Jewish]law is undisputed that one who commits such an act has no share in the world to come. (see:Choshen Mishpat 388:4)After conducting a thorough investigation I am absolutely certain that R' Y.K.[Yosef Kolko],may his light shine, is perfectly innocent of any wrongdoing of any nature whatsoever. And not only is he innocent but it is also as cleartone that all these allegations are fabrications made by [REDACTED].

Further, all the reports made to the secular authorities were only for the express purpose of casting blame for their[the victim's family] own shameful and cursed existence on others. And the truth is that the allegations they make against others are crimes they themselves are in fact guilty of and they seek to cleanse their reputation by blaming an innocent man for their own deeds.

Accordingly, as it is a great mitzvah to rescue the pursued from the hands of the pursuer and to make it known that the righteous man is right and the evil man is evil‐to rescue a pure and righteous soul. Therefore, anyone who has the ability to rescue the righteous and does not do so is considered as if he is himself the pursuer. (See: Rambam ‐ laws regarding informing 1: 14) Thus, all who have the ability to influence the informers that they should retract their terrible deeds
should do so. 

Rav Belsky's recent letter posted on the RCA web site:

The necessity and problems of getting Chareidim integrated into Israeli society

NY Times   One ultra-Orthodox job-seeker listed on his résumé, under technical skills, his success in building a hut on his porch for the annual fall harvest holiday and preparing his kitchen for Passover. Another brought a curriculum vitae handwritten on fax paper, folded in his pocket.  

When Binyamin Yazdi, an employment counselor, asks ultra-Orthodox clients their e-mail addresses, many respond, “What’s that?” 

Israel has been consumed in recent months with the challenge of integrating the insular, swelling ultra-Orthodox minority, known as Haredim, into society. The animating theme of the last election campaign was a call for Haredim — and Israeli Arabs — to “share the burden” of citizenship, particularly in military service, and last week a Parliament committee approved legislation to end widespread draft exemptions for yeshiva students. 

But while the draft is the emotional issue that has drawn thousands to protests, the low number of ultra-Orthodox men with jobs is much more important, with a dire effect on the economy in terms of productivity, taxes and the drain caused by welfare payments. 

Because of Orthodox men’s commitment to full-time Torah study and a fear of assimilation, only a little more than 4 in 10 of them work, less than half the rate of other Jewish men in Israel, and their average salaries are 57 percent of other Jewish men in the country. Nearly 60 percent of Haredi families live in poverty, and by 2050 they are expected to make up more than a quarter of Israel’s population. 

“It’s clear this is a situation which cannot continue,” Stanley Fischer, the departing governor of the Bank of Israel, declared this spring, a warning underlined in a recent report to the cabinet from the National Economic Council. 

Without a radical change, cautioned Yedidia Z. Stern of the Israel Democracy Institute, “the Israeli economy will collapse in two decades.”[...]

Rav Yisroel Salanter & the Godol M'Minsk give each other berachos

   הגדול ממינסק   This is an excerpt found on page 34

כנסוע הריי"ל מוקנה בא לפני ר' ישראל סלנטר להפריד ממנו ויאמר לו: "רבי ברכני". ויאמר אליו רי"ס: "לא רבך אני, כי נפרדים אנו בתכונותינו ושיטתנו. אני עוסק בכלל ומעלים עין לפעמים מן הפרט. ובך אני וראה כי אין לך חפץ וכשרון לעניני כלל ואתה ערסק רק בפרט, בהשלמת נפשך. עלי אני מתפלל: הלואי שהכלליות שבי לא תפסיד את הפרטיות שבי . ולך אומר: 'יהי רצון שהפרט שלך יהי משוכלל ומושלם באופן שתוכל להיות מופת לרבים ודוגמא להכלל . ואתה, בן התורה, הלא ידעת כי התורה נדרשת בכלל ופרט, ויש כלל הצריך לפרט, ויש פרט הצריך לכלל . ואם כן לפי האמת אין פירוד בינינו , וכל גבר במסלתו וכשרונו ילך , ובלבד שלא ;יעבט את ארחותיו. ואתה ר' ירוחם ברכני גם אני". ויען הצעיר בסגנון מאמר חז"ל הידוע (תענית ה:)” אילן אילן , במה אברכך? אם בתורה וחכמה - הלא באלה ידך רב לך. ואם במוםר ומרות, הלא אתה חוא שר אוצרותיהם. ואם בעושר וכבוד, הלא אתה ממאם בהם ומבטלם כעפרא דארעא. אלא יהי רצון שיהיו צאצאי רוחך , המה תלמידיך , כמותך , ולא תעלה עליהם קנאת אדם ושנאתם , ולא תבוש ולא תבלם בהם לא בעולם הזה ולא בעולם הבא". ר' ישראל אנגיד ואתנח [חולין נז.] , ויפרד ממנו בנשיקה.

But Is It Tzedakah? by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

5tjt   A couple of years ago, a wealthy individual from Lawrence wanted to produce a documentary on “Meshulachim” and those who collect Tzedakah in shuls.  One of those to be interviewed was told that he would receive a rather large sum of money if he would merely answer a few questions honestly.  It was an opportunity to earn significantly more than he was to make by soliciting funds.The arrangement was that, while he did not have to volunteer information, he did have to answer all of the questions to be posed in an honest manner.  If there was any question as to his honesty, he would not receive the funds.  The person readily agreed to the arrangement.

The exchange went something along the lines of this:

“Good morning, what are you collecting for?”

“Hachnasas Kallah.”

“Mazal Tov! Whose hachnasas kallah?”

“Well, my own.”

 “Mazal Tov!  When is the wedding?”

 “Well the date has not been established yet.”

 “Okay.  Where is the Kallah from?”

“There is no Kallah yet, I have not found her yet.”

 “Oh, I see.”

“How much, do you collect on average per week?”

 “Between $700 to $800 per week..”

We will stop at this point in the conversation to get to the halachic topic at hand.  Is there a communal obligation to support an individual who purposefully chooses not to work, but rather to collect charitable funds?  [...]

Lakewood: How it redefined the nature of American Orthodox Judaism

Tablet Magazine [...] There are assuredly many factors that have contributed to the success of the Lakewood yeshiva, chief among them its determination to be the American yeshiva with the best students and the highest standards. There is another important factor, however, one that went unexamined in the articles published and speeches delivered on the occasion of the yahrzeit: Lakewood’s seamless integration into American society. Although Reb Aharon (as the founder is referred to within the yeshiva world) was radically countercultural, an uncompromising opponent of the American pursuit of wealth and pleasure, his yeshiva has made its peace with American bourgeois values. Many of Lakewood’s alumni sacrifice financially to pursue vocations as educators and community rabbis, and a few do spend their lives in penurious full-time study, but most enter the business world and build lives of white-collar respectability and commercial success, with the attendant trappings of a comfortable suburban lifestyle. Lakewood’s integration of yeshiva ideology and American capitalist lifestyle has been the object of critique from the more hardline Israeli Haredis whose uncompromising stance has put them at odds with the larger society in which they live. But it is these baalebatim, or householders, and others like them who provide the substantial financial support necessary to keep the Lakewood yeshiva, as well as the many other community institutions, going and growing. [...]


The “Primacy of Torah” was an apt phrase for the motto for the azkarah, as it hints that there is something else that serves as a necessary supplement to the study of Torah, namely making money. The pragmatic approach of Lakewood stands in stark contrast to that of the Lithuaninan Haredi community in Israel, where the prevailing ideology is one of “Only Torah.” Yeshiva students there are expected to devote their entire lives to the study of Torah; secular education and jobs are actively discouraged. According to Dr. Benjamin Brown, a Hebrew University lecturer whose research focus is Orthodox Judaism and Haredi society, Israeli Haredis view their American counterparts with a measure of condescension: The bourgeois lifestyle of American Haredis may be acceptable “for them” in America, but not in Israel, where the Haredis hold themselves to a higher, less compromising, and more austere standard. Torah study itself in America is also considered by Israeli Haredis to be on a lower level, which Brown believes is supported by the fact that “American bochurim [unmarried yeshiva students] come to learn in Israel, not vice versa.” The same perspective was shared with me by Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer, a Haredi religious court judge in Jerusalem. According to Pfeffer, the “mainstream” Israeli Haredi “looks upon his Lakewood counterpart as being part of the American experience of affluence and luxury and generally believes that Torah greatness cannot emerge from America—even from Lakewood.”

I asked Aaron Kotler what he thought of these assessments of Lakewood by Israeli Haredis and, not surprisingly, like a good CEO, he declined to respond. Kotler does not appear to harbor within himself any doubts concerning the rectitude of Lakewood’s religious path and its scholarly achievements, and he would therefore have no need to defend himself and his institution. He may also recognize that behind the critique there lies covert respect or even admiration. Pfeffer noted that Lakewood, and the American Haredi community more generally, is perceived by Israeli Haredis to be more “tolerant,” allowing its members “greater freedom of choice in leading their lives: the choice to work rather than learn is not shunned, the dress code is not as rigid … and the ‘prohibitions’ (against iPhones, iPads, etc.) are more flexible.” Although some see this greater tolerance and flexibility as evidence of weakness and compromise, others “admire the American model and wish there could be more tolerance and freedom of choice in the Israeli Haredi experience,” he said. As the constraints barring young Haredi men from entering the workforce and business world in Israel are beginning to loosen, and with the political pressure unleashed in the last election on Haredi society to “share the burden,” the Lakewood model may become more than a secret wish. The “primacy” of Torah may one day rival or supplant the Israeli Haredi ideology of “only” Torah—another example, perhaps, of the steady Americanization of Israeli society.

Rav Steinman: A fixed learning session before candle lighting is an act of cruelty to his wife

Kikar Shabbat    באחד מכוללי "שישי שבת", העלו יוזמה להוסיף סדר לימוד בערב שבת, לפני הדלקת הנרות, בעקבות קריאת גדולי לחיזוק הלימוד בימי שישי ושבת.

בטרם הוציאו את היוזמה אל הפועל, עלו מנהלי הכולל למעונו של מרן הגראי"ל שטיינמן, כדי לשמוע את דעתו באשר לקביעת סדר הלימוד לפני הדלקת הנרות.

להפתעתם, ראש הישיבה הורה בנחרצות לא יעשו כן בשום פנים ואופן.

את הוראתו נימק הגראי"ל בכך שהזמן שטרם הדלקת הנרות הוא הזמן "הלחוץ ביותר בבית במשך השבוע וזו אכזריות להשאיר כך את האישה לבד".

ראש הישיבה הוסיף ואמר כי "מי שרוצה ללמוד ואשתו רוצה שהוא ילמד - תבוא עליו ברכה. אבל לקבוע סדר לזה בשום אופן לא".

"מי שבכל זאת רוצה", הוסיף ראש הישיבה לסיום, "שיחשוב בלימוד".

Orthodox Judaism flourishes more with oppression and poverty than with freedom and wealth

In response to some critical comments about RaP's latest post. There is no question that spirituality is greater when Jews are in an environment of anti-Semitism and are poor and unemployed and therefore Torah is their only option for activity.  The rabbis of the 17th and 18th century were fully aware of this and that is why they resisted emancipation from the ghetto and equal rights. The problem is this goes against modern western thought that assumes that freedom and democracy are inherently good.

In general the Rabbis  preferred the isolation and victim hood that had been imposed on the Jews since the Black Death in the 1300's rather than the freedom and opportunities that existed before this. Of course too much oppression such as Nazi Germany or Communist Russia - is also a problem. Rav S. R. Hirsch was one of the few rabbis of the 18oo's who welcomed emancipation and free access to the world. I think few of us would voluntarily turn back the clock and want to live in a  17th century European ghetto. However that doesn't mean it didn't have benefits and even advantages to our present situation.

This is part of the fight that is going on between the Chareidim and Lapid over the benefits of secular education and sharing the burden. It is interesting to note that the most difficult issue for Mendelssohn to deal with was the separation of Church and State. Emancipation requires that no once can tell you how to think while Torah requires imposing sanctions for deviant religious thoughts and actions deemed offensive by religious authority - even though they are not judged as such by secular society.. How could he advocate participation in a society which requires relinquishing the sanctions that the religious community requires to be imposed on those who fail to conform. Mendelssohn was encouraged to convert to Christianity in order to resolve this problem

=============
 Berachos (32a): R. Eleazar also said: Moses spoke insolently towards heaven, as it says, And Moses prayed unto the Lord. Read not el [unto] the Lord, but ‘al [upon] the Lord, for so in the school of R. Eliezer alefs were pronounced like ‘ayins and ‘ayins like alefs. The school of R. Jannai learnt it from here: And Di-Zahab. What is ‘ And Di-Zahab’? They said in the school of R. Jannai: Thus spoke Moses before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of the Universe, the silver and gold [zahab] which Thou didst shower on Israel until they said, Enough [dai], that it was which led to their making the Calf. They said in the school of R. Jannai: A lion does not roar over a basket of straw but over a basket of flesh. R. Oshaia said: It is like the case of a man who had a lean but large-limbed cow. He gave it lupines to eat and it commenced to kick him. He said to it: What led you to kick me except the lupines that I fed you with? R. Hiyya b. Abba said: It is like the case of a man who had a son; he bathed him and anointed him and gave him plenty to eat and drink and hung a purse round his neck and set him down at the door of a bawdy house. How could the boy help sinning? R. Aha the son of R. Huna said in the name of R. Shesheth: This bears out the popular saying: A full stomach is a bad sort, as It says, When they were fed they became full, they were filled and their heart was exalted; therefore they have forgotten Me. R. Nahman learnt it from here: Then thy heart be lifted up and thou forget the Lord. The Rabbis from here: And they shall have eaten their fill and waxen fat, and turned unto other gods. Or, if you prefer, I can say from here. But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked. R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Jonathan. Whence do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, in the end gave Moses right? Because it says, And multiplied unto her silver and gold, which they used for Baal.

Chofetz Chaim. The Chofetz Chaim taught that each neshama is asked before it is born in a human being whether it wants to be rich or poor.[Nidah (16b)].  The students said that they didn't understand this because so many people are poor and they obviously don't want to be! The Chofetz Chaim replied that from this we see that the neshama is well aware that the test of being poor is less than that of being rich and that is why it is chosen.

 Dayan Gruenfeld (Introduction to Hirsch, Judaism Eternal vol I pp 26-27). If anything had been forced on the Jew, it was not his adher­ence to, but his exclusion from, general culture and education. When at the beginning of the nineteenth century the Jews  again found their way into the world of science and general  education they came in reality back to their own. For the  estrangement was not organic but superimposed. It had by no  means arisen from the essential character of Judaism. Just the contrary was true, as the golden eras of Jewish history in  Babylonia and Spain had shown. In those eras the highest Talmudic and general scientific efficiency were combined. Apart from the enormous support which the study of Torah, Mish­nah, and Talmud receives from secular knowledge, the whole task of the Jew as a servant of God in this world depends on his insight into the natural historical and social conditions around him.

Rabbi Moshe Dovid Tendler (Kol HaMaser interview 2010): The difficulties of Jewish life in that period [of the first immigrants on the Lower East Side] are perhaps best appreciated by examining what followed the initial “settling in.” Once upon a time, I gave a lecture in my shul in which I said that we fell victim to the three A’s –“affluence,” “acceptance,” and “assimilation” – but, unlike the AAA, these A’s did not protect us. Nowadays, after being in Yeshiva all these years and watching what is happening, I have added an I for “irreverence.” There is nothing that is (sacred), nothing that is out of bounds for discussion.

Chabad.org Chabad historiographical tradition espouses a similar attitude towards libertarian France. Accordingly, autocratic oppression under the Russian Tsars was deemed preferable to the comforts to be gained under the government of a more liberal regime. This sentiment is succinctly expressed in a statement attributed to Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of the Chabad school: “If Bonaparte will be victorious, Jewish wealth will increase, and the prestige of the Jewish people will be raised; but their hearts will become separated and distanced from their Father in Heaven. But if Alexander will be victorious, although Israel’s poverty will increase and their prestige will be lowered, their hearts will be joined, bound and unified with their Father in Heaven.”6

Being politically correct: Meretz wants gender removed from Israeli IDs because it upsets the transgendered.

YNet   Knesset Member Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) is seeking to remove the sex clause from Israeli identity cards and has submitted a bill to the Knesset Secretariat with the backing of hee fellow party members as well as MK Merav Michaeli (Labor).

Circumcision device using rubber bands approved by WHO

times of Israel   The World Health Organization approved an Israeli-developed non-surgical circumcision device that could soon be used throughout Africa to help control AIDS. PrePex, a disposable and easy-to-use device made of rubber bands that obviates the need for anesthesia, stitches or a sterile setting, received WHO approval on Friday, The New York Times reported.  

The foreskin dies from a lack of oxygen and either falls off on its own or is easily cut off, according to reports.

20% off my Child & Domestic Abuse vol 1, 2 and 3 - only for month of June

volume 1 Using code JZ9DHZ22 on the links below

Discussion of the unique problems of abuse as well as the halachic issues (with synopsis approved by Rav Moshe  Sternbuch.) In addition there are 25 Essays by 16 experts on important topics.

https://www.createspace.com/3493035

volume 2

500 page Hebrew and English Source Book

https://www.createspace.com/3493457

Volume 3

 Compact summary of basic issues from volume I together with some important sources from volume II

https://www.createspace.com/3609875

For the month of June only, there will be a discount of 20% when purchasing any of the 3 volumes of Child and Domestic Abuse.      click this link for a brief description of the books

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**However this is only when  purchsed through my Create Space eStore -  Using code JZ9DHZ22    using links  above.    There is no discount when purchased through Amazon or in the stores.

Make sure that the discounted price appears before checking out of the eStore.

China suddenly is aware of sexual abuse of its children

LA Times  In China's southern Hainan province, a school principal and a housing authority official were arrested after they allegedly took six girls ages 11 to 13 out to sing karaoke, got them drunk and spent the night with them in a hotel. 

A principal in Anhui province was arrested on suspicion of molesting nine girls, and a 50-year-old math teacher in the same province was charged with raping a 7-year-old girl. A kindergarten security guard was arrested, accused of molesting children.

All these incidents took place in the last three weeks, an unusual spate of sexual abuse cases in a country where such matters are seldom discussed and too-infrequently prosecuted.

Despite the government's role in publicizing the cases and promise to crack down on child abusers, the incidents are inspiring protests — on the streets and on the Internet — and accusations of a ham-handed coverup attempt as parents were forbidden to retain lawyers. [...]

In China, sexual abuse of children has not been the high-profile issue that it is in the United States, or more recently Britain.

That changed on a dime last month. Within the last three weeks, there have been nine major cases of sexual abuse in schools around the country, with more than 30 children involved.

The common denominator in the cases is that those accused of abuse have been people with power, such as principals or teachers, and their alleged victims often children of migrant workers or farmers. Millions of working parents must leave their children with grandparents or at boarding schools, where the young people don't always receive adequate supervision.

Most cases of sexual abuse "happen to the children of people who don't have money and don't have power," said Li Yinhe, a Beijing-based sociologist who writes frequently about sex. She also blamed limited sex education in the Chinese school system.

"Children here have zero sex education. They have no sense that there are some parts of their bodies that other people aren't allowed to touch, and it is very easy for them to be abused by people they trust, like a principal or teacher," she said.

The sudden proliferation of sexual abuse cases appears to be the result of rising awareness and a decision by the government to allow reporting on the subject. [...]

' Thank you ' Yair Lapid and Yesh Atid !: You Have Paradoxically United the Charedi Torah World Like Never Before In Recent Memory !

Guest Post by RaP   Charedi life in Israel is very complicated and competitive and disunited. Degel HaTorah http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degel_HaTorah , the Israeli Litvish Charedi political party was founded in 1988 after Rav Elazar Shach z"l finally consolidated his break with the Chasidish-dominated Agudas Yisroel party. Along the way, in 1984, Rav Shach partnered with Rav Ovadia Yosef to launch Shas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shas the political party of Charedi Israeli Sefardim.

Since then, from 1984 until 2013, for a period of almost three decades, these three Charedi political blocks were in competition with each other for positions in government alliances and national, regional and local rabbinates, allocation of government funds and for general political influence. At times the Ashkenazim of Degel HaTorah and Agudah united for elections to form Yahadut HaTorah (United Torah Judaism [UTJ]) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Torah_Judaism formed in 1992, and competed head to head with the Sefardi Shas party. At other times, the Shas party joined the government and UTJ sat it out. But there was little overall unity as each set of Gedolim and rabbis went their own way fighting for their own slices of the big pie in and out of government to fund various yeshivas, schools, programs and getting help for its people from the Israeli socialistic welfare state in myriads of ways.

No more! With the rise of Yair Lapid and his activist progressive Yesh Atid party, founded in 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yesh_Atid , becoming a key partner in the latest Israeli government coalition whereby they insisted that "no Charedi" party be in the government coalition -- the Charedim of  Israel have been thrown out of government and are now forced to be united in the face of the common threats against them.

What they could not do on their own, Yair Lapid and his Yesh Atid party and  agenda have done for and to them. Like when the Maskilim and Zionists of old  became emboldened, the Misnagdim and Chasidim closed ranks and united against the common threat against them that is part of the history of the rise of the Agudah movement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Agudath_Israel : This phenomenon sounds familiar (from Wikipedia): "World Agudath Israel was established at a conference held at Kattowitz (Katowice) in 1912 after the Tenth World Zionist Congress had defeated a motion by the Torah Nationalists Mizrachi movement for funding religious schools."

Precisely one hundred years later, it looks like we are back to square one! There have now been a series of anti-Charedi proposals and actions that have been emanating from the new Israeli government that is "free of Charedim" with raw insults emanating of "parasites" and worse -- while of course every ruling clique must have it's "court Jew" and Yesh Atid has ensured that it has a modern progressive American Charedi in its ranks as well, namely Rabbi Dov Lipman who has been a lightning-rod for much criticism from his own circles in America and Israel.

The main thrust and weapon of the new coalition is encapsulated in a grand new slogan of "shivyon banetel" ("sharing in [the] burden") whereby Charedim are being threatened with criminal prosecution and jail-time if they don't sign up for and then join the Israeli army. There is even a political czar or commissar who is fittingly a former head of the vaunted Shin Bet security services Yakov Peri who heads a Knesset commission to plan and implement all of this.

This is furthermore backed up with threats of financial blackmail towards the oldest bastions of Torah, the yeshivas that have been the backbone of the Jewish people for over 2,000 years, and their roshei yeshiva, who will face cutbacks and penalties or criminal charges unless they deliver their talmidim to the army. Suddenly the secular Yesh Atid party is an expert concerning the most complex core of the Jewish people as a Torah nation.

It does not stop there. The Israeli tax authorities, under the guidance of both Yair Lapid as Finance Minister and his political partner "Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor" Naftali Bennett from the new Bayit Yehudi party http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jewish_Home founded in 2008, have agents investigating and prosecuting all sorts of Charedi-owned and run businesses and operations that are unique to Israel and the frum world. Even regular Israeli politicians are saying this is just obviously a Charedi "witch hunt"! Minister Lapid has been noticeably absent from important economic panels, forums and international meetings with all sorts of excuses. While he does not hide the fact that he does not have a background in economics, in fact his education did not go beyond high school, here is what Wikipedia says about Lapid's "education" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yair_Lapid#Education : "As a teenager, Lapid struggled with learning disabilities, and dropped out of high school, and never earned a bagrut (high school matriculation certificate)..." yet this is the "expert" on economics who now wants to tell all the Charedi "Gemora Kups" how to run "Yiddisha Gesheften" ! And in spite of the fact that General Moshe Yaalon, the current Israeli Defense Minister OPPOSES the forced mass conscription of Charedim, yet Minister Lapid threatens to bring down the government if he does not get his way.

It gets worse. Latest reports are that the Israeli tax authorities are demanding that Charedi families who have made weddings and simchas show proof of how they paid, where the money came from and who it was paid to. This is a new level of obnoxious intrusiveness that has started to alienate many prospective Olim and, well, what can one say, it is just downright crazy if not plain evil!

So what has all this produced besides all the headlines and recriminations back and forth? One BIG thing! The Charedi world is now united as never before! Now that Shas and UTJ are in the opposition in the Israeli Knesset, they have united in the face of the common threats they face.

Rav Shteinman sounds like Rav Yosef who sounds like the Chasidic Rebbes who sound like all the other Gedolim in the Charedi Torah world. It's not just the rise of a united political front, as symbolized by the fact that the Litvish Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah and the Chasidish Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudah have recently met JOINTLY for the first time since
1988, bringing Litvaks and Chasidim together, but also Charedi Sefardim have united with the Charedi Ashkenazim and Rav Yosef comes to dance with the Belzer Rebbe who it appears is emerging as a key mastermind in the Charedi struggle against the Yesh Atid onslaught against the Israeli Charedi world.

Even more, in one fell swoop, Yair Lapid and Yesh Atid have STRENGTHENED Torah learning. Now all the Gedolim from all the spectrums are calling for more intense Torah learning. Even New yeshivas are being set up, such as by Rav Moshe Shternbuch. A recent letter from Rav Shteinman says that perhaps these challenges against the Torah world are coming about precisely because there has been a slackening of Torah study. But this message is coming from ALL the Charedi rabbis of all walks, and it is all thanks, paradoxically of course, to the loud and clear and unambiguous threats emanating from Yair Lapid and his Yesh Atid colleagues.

So if one wanted to know how Charedim are thinking in the face of all the threats, what would be a typical "lesson" to point out? There is a famous Chazal and it's worth repeating here because it seems that so many enemies of the Charedi Torah world just do not grasp just who they are dealing with:

" (From: Rabbi Akiva's Teachings
http://www.jewishmag.com/123mag/rabbi_akiva/rabbi_akiva.htm ): ...Amongst Rabbi Akiva's teachings was that a person should accept suffering with humility and be prepared to give his life for G-d and His Torah. Rabbi Akiva practiced in life what he taught. When the wicked Roman government decreed that study of the Torah was forbidden on penalty of death, Rabbi Akiba continued to study and teach Torah. When he was asked by Pappus ben Yehudah whether he feared the government and its decrees, he replied with a parable of a fox who was walking along a stream and saw some fishes gathering together. The fox asked the fishes why are they gathering at this point, the fish replied that they were hiding from the fishermen's nets. The fox said to them that they should
come up on the dry land and dwell together with the fox. The fish answered that if in the water which is their natural habit they are in danger, how much more so if they leave it and try to dwell in a place with no water!

'So it is with me,' Rabbi Akiva explained, 'If while we study Torah we are in danger, how much more so if we neglect it!'

A few days later Rabbi Akiba was arrested and imprisoned. Pappus ben Yehudah was also placed in the prison with him. Rabbi Akiba asked him for what reason is he imprisoned, Pappus replied, 'Happy for you Rabbi Akiba that you have been imprisoned for learning Torah; woe unto me who has been imprisoned for vain things.'

When Rabbi Akiba was taken out to be killed his flesh was raked with iron combs to increase his suffering. As he recited the Shema Israel for the last time, his face had a beautiful smile of pleasure. His torturer called to him to explain his pleasure. He replied that all his life he wanted to fulfill the edict of the Torah that one should '…love G-d with all of one's heart, and of one's soul and all of one's might' He said he had been saddened to think that he knew not how he could love Him with all of his soul (life). However now that he was giving his life at the time of saying Shema, how can he not be pleased..."

So, thank you Yair Lapid and Yesh Atid for bringing the Charedi Torah world to such similarly high levels of mesiras nefesh (self-sacrifice) because the Torah world will now PARADOXICALLY become much stronger and better because of you and your "proposals"!

Convicted pedophile is legally raising adopted surrogate daughter

YNet   A sex offender convicted of sex crimes against young children who were under his supervision took advantage of a legal loophole and became the father of a girl through an overseas surrogacy arrangement.

The story was brought to the attention of the National Council for the Child by a woman who learned of the man's past convictions. "She told us of the screening tests candidates for adoption must undergo in Israel, and inquired why those seeking to adopt children abroad are not subjected to the same rigorous procedures," NCC Executive Director Dr. Yitzhak Kadman told Yedioth Ahronoth.

The NCC notified the welfare authorities, the educational institution where the daughter, four, is enrolled, as well as police. "We learned that none of the bodies was aware the man was a pedophile who is raising a surrogate daughter on his own," Kadman said. 

 They also learned there was no legal possibility to take the girl from the father, as the surrogacy procedures were intact. However, the father's relationship with his daughter is being carefully monitored by the welfare authorities, and he was made to attend special psychological guidance. [...]

Rav Triebitz: Challenges of Modernity and Rav S. R Hirsch

This Thursday night at 8:45 Rav Triebitz will continue the discussion about the dealing with modernity - with a discussion of the Seridei Aish's article on Hirsch. Meeting will take place at his home at 6/16 Katzenellenbogen in Har Nof.

Please contact me if you are planning on attending