Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Must husband be informed of wife's adultery IV - Rav O. Yosef

Rav Ovadiya Yosef (Yabiya Omer E.H. 2:2.13): Question: A man who had an adulterous relationship with a married woman and therefore she is prohibited to her husband and then he repented. Is he obligated to inform the husband in order that the husband divorce her since she is prohibited to him or is it possible to find a leniency not to tell him because of the damage this will do to the status of his family and the embarrassment this will cause?... Answer: We can conclude from this discussion that in order not to prevent a person from repenting that it is possible to be lenient and not require that the husband be informed to avoid degradation of the family and embarrassment. We don’t say that there is absolutely no benefit in the lover repenting as it seems to be saying in Chagiga (9b), “The crooked thing cannot be fixed – that is referring to a man who has an adulterous relationship with a married woman and she becomes prohibited to her husband and he is banished from the world and passes away.” That is referring to the fact that even if the husband is informed and divorces his wife – he still cannot correct the damage that was done as Rashi explains there. That is because she will always be irrevocably prohibited to her husband. Since there are views that whenever there are not witnesses to the adultery she is not prohibited to her husband – it is appropriate to rely on these authorities in situations of great need. This is so that it doesn’t seem as one who immerses in a mikve while holding on to the source of spiritual contamination as the Shaarei De’ah (2:81) writes. However the psak is different if this baal teshuva is a heroic man and has a courageous heart to completely repent. Then we let him know – but only as good advice - that if it is likely that when the husband of this woman is informed of the adultery he will divorce her because he believes him as if he were two witnesses – then in fact it is very good to inform the husband. In that way the burden of the prohibition of having intercourse with his unfaithful wife is removed from the husband. Furthermore this repentant lover should forever be involved in repenting and doing good deeds with all his strength and should rejoice when he suffers and he should fast according to his strength. Also look at the Genizei Chaim (150b). He should be involved in a great deal of Torah study. This will restore and cure him.

The Three Oaths - sources

Guest post by Dvar Torah - update with Rav Ovadiah Yosef
Click here for Rav Herzog's view



Breslov IV - Rav Ovadiah Yosef, shlita's opposition to going to Uman for Rosh HaShanna

Yeshiva World News reported and has video

Chacham Ovadia: Say’s No To Uman Rosh Hashanah

August 22, 2007

uman.jpgIn his weekly Motzei Shabbos Shiur, Hagoen Chacham Ovadia Yosef Shlita made his opinion very clear regarding the traveling to Rav Nachman M’Breslov’s Kever in Uman for Rosh Hashanah. Some quotes translated: “The Chassidim should be doing what they are doing. But the rest of the people going, are they Chassidim of Uman? On Rosh Hashanah everyone should be with their families, and not traveling to Kivrei Tzadikim…….Any person who is a Baar Daas, a Baar Sechel, should be Rosh Hashana night making Kiddush for his family. Families should be eating together, drinking together, and celebrate the Yom Tov together. This is what Yom Tov is all about. On Yom Tov what should we do? Go to a cemetery, or be with our families?”

Close to 22,000 people traveled to Uman last Rosh Hashanah.

Arutz Sheva reported August 2007:
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef against Masses to Uman

(IsraelNN.com) Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, who also is the spiritual leader of the Shas party, has come out against the populist movement of visiting Uman for Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year. More than 20,000 Jews from all streams of Judaism flock to Uman every year to celebrate the holiday near the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, the founder of the Chassidic movement bearing his name.

"The Chassidim should be doing what they are doing, but the rest of the people going, are they Chassidim of Uman?" Rabbi Yosef said in his weekly lesson. "On Rosh HaShanah everyone should be with their families...who should be eating together, drinking together, and celebrate the [holiday] together."

Rabbi Yosef:Treating gentiles violates Shabbos

 This news item is very problematic Rav Yosef clearly has poskined in writing that it is permitted. See the teshuva below.

YNet [Rav Moshe Feinstein strongly disagrees with this view] What should religious doctors do if a gentile is injured in a car accident on Shabbat and is rushed to the hospital? According to Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, this does not warrant violating the sanctity of the Sabbath.

During a class on Sabbath halacha relating to religious physicians, the spiritual leader of Shas said that while doctors are expected to do everything in their power – even if it requires violating the Sabbath – in order to save Jews whose lives are in danger, the same does not apply for gentiles.

"If a gentile were to get injured in a car accident during Sabbath, and he is brought to the hospital – Israel must not treat him," he said, explaining that "if the particular procedures come from rabbis (de-rabbanan), then they might be permitted, but if they stem from prohibitions in the Torah (de-'oraita), then they are not allowed, as the Torah forbids to violate the Sabbath for gentiles."
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The above is a contradiction to what Rav Yosef has published. He clearly states, "the bottom line is that the straight halacha is that it is permitted for a Jew to treat a non-Jewish sick person - even if it involves doing Torah prohibitions."

שו"ת יביע אומר חלק ח - אורח חיים סימן לח
ח) מסקנא דדינא, מעיקר הדין מותר לרופא ישראל לטפל בחולים נכרים אפי' במלאכות דאורייתא, כל שעושה לכוונת הצלתו מעונש השלטונות, והצלת נפשות חולי ישראל המטופלים בבתי חולים נכרים בחו"ל. וכל מה שאפשר לו להשתמט, באופן שיוכל להתנצל שהוא עסוק בחולה יהודי אחר, חייב לעשות כן. ומה טוב אם הנהלות בתי החולים בארץ ידאגו שיהיו רופאים נכרים לצורך זה, וכן אחיות נכריות, כדי שיטפלו בחולי עכו"ם. ורופאי ישראל יטפלו רק באיסורי שבות דרבנן. וכאשר נוהגים בבתי החולים בירושלים שערי צדק וביקור חולים. ומכל זה יש ללמוד גם לענין טיפול בחולים חפשיים מחללי שבת בפרהסיא וכו', שמלבד מ"ש כמה אחרונים להתיר מפני שיש לתלות שהרהרו תשובה בלבם, (ע' בשו"ת מהר"ם שיק חאו"ח סי' קמ, ושו"ת מהרש"ג ח"א חאו"ח סי' נג, ושו"ת חלקת יעקב ח"א סי' מה, ועוד) יש להתיר מטעם הנ"ל, שאל"כ יש לחוש מאד שגם רופאים חפשיים יסרבו לטפל בחולים דתיים, ויבאו לידי סכנה. ולפ"ז ניחא גם לגבי אדם חילוני שנפצע מתוך חילול שבת ואיבד הכרתו (שאין לתלות שחזר בתשובה), שמותר לרופא דתי לטפל בו גם במלאכות דאורייתא מטעם הנ"ל. וכ"כ בשו"ת ציץ אליעזר חלק ח' (עמוד פט). ע"ש. ונ"ל עוד לתת עצה לרופאי ישראל הדתיים והחרדים לדבר ה', שכאשר יש צורך לטפל בשבת בחולים גוים, או מחללי שבת בפרהסיא וכיו"ב, יעשו המלאכות דאורייתא ע"י שנים ביחד, וכדקי"ל שנים שעשאוה פטורים (שבת צב ב). וכיון דהוי איסור דרבנן שפיר דמי אפי' משום איבה בלבד. והן אמת שהפרי מגדים בספר תיבת גומא (פרשת פקודי אות ב) כתב, דהא דקי"ל שנים שעשאוה פטורים, היינו דוקא מכרת ומקרבן, אבל איסור תורה מיהא איכא. ע"ש. וכ"כ בשו"ת שם אריה (חאה"ע ס"ס צה) בד"ה ובאמת, שאפילו שנים שעשאוה יש עליהם איסור תורה, דכתיב וביום השביעי תשבות. (וע' ברמב"ם פרק כא ה"א), ושוב נזכר שכ"כ הגאון מליסא בס' מקור חיים (הל' פסח סי' תסו). ע"ש. וכ"כ הגאון רבי יצחק אלחנן בשו"ת באר יצחק (חאו"ח ס"ס יד) שיש עמו ראיות שגם בשנים שעשאוה יש איסור תורה. ע"ש. וכן דעת הגאון בעל אור שמח בספר משך חכמה (סוף פרשת בהר) בד"ה את שבתותי תשמורו. וע"ע בשו"ת ערוגת הבושם (חאו"ח סי' עח). ע"ש. אולם המדקדק היטב בלשון הזהב של הרמב"ם יראה נכוחה שאין בזה אלא איסור דרבנן בלבד. כי הנה ז"ל הרמב"ם (בפ"א מהל' שבת ה"ג): "ובכל מקום שנאמר שהעושה דבר זה "פטור", הרי זה פטור מן הכרת ומן הקרבן, אבל אסור לעשותו בשבת, ואיסורו מדברי סופרים, והוא הרחקה מן המלאכה". ע"כ. ושם (בפ"א מהל' שבת הט"ו) כתב וז"ל: "כל מלאכה שהיחיד יכול לעשותה לבדו, ועשאוה שנים בשותפות, כגון שאחזו שנים בקולמוס וכתבו, או שאחזו ככר והוציאוהו לרשות הרבים, הרי אלו "פטורים". ע"כ. ומוכח להדיא שאף לגבי שנים שעשאוה אין האיסור אלא מדרבנן, שהוא להרחקה ממלאכה. וכבר הבאתי ראיה זו בספרי יביע אומר ח"ה (חאו"ח סי' לב אות ז). ועתה מצאתי ראיתי בשו"ת אבני נזר (חלק יו"ד סי' שצג אות ט) שהוכיח כן מדברי הרמב"ם הנ"ל. ע"ש. וכן הוכיח במישור בשו"ת לבושי מרדכי מהדורא בתרא (סי' קלז אות ג). ע"ש. וכן העלה בשו"ת מהר"ץ חיות (ריש סי' טז). ע"ש. וכן כתב הגאון הראש"ל מהר"ח גאגין בשו"ת חוקי חיים (חאו"ח סי' ג). ע"ש. וכ"כ הגאון רבי מרדכי פרידבורג בשו"ת דברי מרדכי (סי' סב). ע"ש. וכ"כ בשו"ת תרשיש שהם (חאו"ח סי' יב) ובספרו שו"ת חמדת הנפש (סי' ב). ע"ש. וכן הגאון מהרי"א הרצוג בשו"ת היכל יצחק (סי' לב דף עז רע"א) הוכיח כן מלשון הרמב"ם הנ"ל. ע"ש. וכן בשו"ת מהר"י שטייף (ס"ס יא) יעץ בכה"ג לעשות המלאכה ע"י שנים, דקי"ל שנים שעשאוה פטורים, ואין בזה אלא איסור דרבנן. ע"ש. וע' בשו"ת חמדת ישראל (סי' יא אות ב). ע"ש. ומעתה נכון הדבר שכל טיפול בחולים נכרים וכיו"ב במלאכות דאורייתא יעשה ע"י שנים, שאז אין בו איסור אלא מדרבנן. והנלע"ד כתבתי. והשי"ת יאיר עינינו בתורתו הקדושה אמן. 

R' Tam allows only passive sanctions

Rav Schachter and his supporters keep insisting that Rabbeinu Tam allows all actions which are not physical and are not nidoi. Thus they claim that ORA public demonstrations where people chant "Give Tamar her get" are allowed by Rabbeinu Tam. Contrary to this understanding I have  not found a single teshuva from a major posek which describes Rabbeinu Tam as other than a decree on the community to withhold good. I have previously posted Judge Menachem Elon who states this clearly, the teshuvos of Rav Sternbuch who says it means social isolation and even  the word get should not be used and the teshuvos of Rav Yosef and Tzitz Eliezar.

For example Tzitz Eliezar (17:51) decrees: 
, על ידי כן שימנעו מלעשות לו שום טובה או לישא וליתן עמו עד שיגרש, כפסק הרמ"א באה"ע שם, וכאשר גוזר אומר על כגון דא, וכל כיוצ"ב, כאשר ניכר שסיבת דרישת האשה לג"פ הוא בגלל אשמתו של הבעל, בספר הישר לרבינו תם ז"ל בחלק התשובות סי' כ"ד ובזה"ל: "תגזרו באלה חמורה על כל איש ואשה מזרע בית ישראל הנלוים אליכם, שלא יהו רשאין לדבר עמו ולישא וליתן עמו להאריחו ולהאכילו ולהשקותו וללוותו ולבקרו בחלותו, ועוד יוסיפו חומר ברצונם על כל אדם, אם לא יגרש ויתיר אותו האיש את הילדה הזאת, שבזה אין כפיה עליו, שאם ירצה מקיים, והוא לא ילקה בגופו מתוך נידוי זה, אך אני נתפרד מעליו, וכל שיהא זכור בגזרתם וגזרתנו ישמור אותה, ואם יעבור שוגג לא תחול על השוגג".

Rav Yosef writes there
 ...   יש לנהוג בו הרחקה דרבנו תם. דהיינו: שעל כל איש ואשה מישראל וכל הנלוים אליהם, להמנע בהחלט מלדבר עמו כלל, ושלא לישא וליתן עמו במסחר ובכל משא ומתן של ממון, ושלא לארחו ולהאכילו ולהשקותו, ושלא לבקרו בחלותו, ושלא להושיבו בבית הכנסת, ושלא להעלותו לתורה, ושלא לשאול בשלומו, ולא לחלוק לו שום כבוד, ולהתרחק מעליו ככל האפשר עד אשר ייכנע וישמע לקול מורים ולתת גט לאשתו ולשחררה מעגינותה. 

The following is an excerpt from Rav Gestetner's Kuntres on Get Me'usa. Where are the teshuvos from the major poskim which contradict this understanding and give explicit permission to use active sanctions? Where is a single teshuva which permits public demonstrations and active attempts to degrade the husband

Rav Ovadia Yosef is claimed to approve EJF seminars


[in a press release apparently from EJF itself it is claimed that Rav Yosef approves of EJF seminars - but no actual letter was published]


Yeshiva World News

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef yesterday issued a halachic ruling that it is a "great mitzvah to conduct seminars for intermarried couples" interested in building a Jewish home.

Rabbi Yosef was referring to seminars sponsored by the Eternal Jewish Family for intermarried couples that include a non-Jew seeking a halachic conversion and a Jew who agrees to become a baal teshuva. Rav Yosef's ruling is consistent with many p'sakim of previous and contemporary Gedolei Hatorah who say that unlike ordinary geyrus, it is permitted to be "mekarev" such a couple, particularly where the Jew will be atoning for his/her mistake by becoming a baal teshuva. [...]

Rav Ovadia Yosef commented that conversion courts are too stringent

Jerusalem Post just reported the following. I personally find this item rather strange in that it doesn't directly mention what Rav Ovaida Yosef's view is in regards to the recent ruling concerning Rav Druckman's conversions. It is difficult to fathom the significance of this report - since what it says he said is not being disputed. Therefore the conclusions drawn are simply not justified. Any more comprehensive reports of the view of Rav Ovadia Yosef, shlita would be greatly appreciated. See Yeshiva World's comment.

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"Conversion courts are too stringent"

Preeminent Sephardi halachic authority Rabbi Ovadia Yosef said this week that conversion courts were being too inflexible and stringent with potential converts, said sources close to the rabbi.

"Accepting the yoke of the commandments is essential for conversion," Yosef reportedly told a small group of Shas MKs and functionaries. "But we must not push off converts too much. It is not right to cause them pain by rejecting them."

According to MK Haim Amsalem (Shas), who was present when Yosef made the comments, Yosef quoted from the Babylonia Talmud to prove that rabbis should be lenient and welcoming when dealing with potential converts.

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 99-100) relates that the patriarch Abraham rejected Timna who wished to become his concubine. Instead, Timna married Eliphaz, Abraham's great grandson through Eisav and gave birth to Amalek, the Jewish people's archenemy.

Yosef said that from this passage in the Talmud we must learn to be more accepting of gentiles who wish to become a part of the Jewish people.

Yosef's comments come as a group of haredi Ashkenazi rabbis have launched an attack on the Conversion Authority, the official state-sponsored body responsible for conversions, for being too lenient.

Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar, who is responsible for conversions, has also been severely criticized by the haredi community for giving his backing to the conversion authority.

Amar, one of Yosef's protégés, has been under pressure to adopt more stringencies with respect to the acceptance of converts. However, Yosef's more lenient stance on the issue will give Amar the rabbinic backing he needs to stand up to this pressure.

Yosef's position also underlines differences in approach between Sephardi rabbis, who tend to be more lenient in their halachic rulings in comparison to haredi Ashkenazi rabbis.

How ‘Coward and Phony’ Tim Pool Became One of the Biggest Political YouTubers on the Planet

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-coward-and-phony-tim-pool-became-one-of-the-biggest-political-youtubers-on-the-planet 

Since then, Pool has discovered a style of commentary and audience where a lack of knowledge or journalistic skills might not prove an impediment to success. In some ways, incuriosity and incapacity serve as valuable attributes in this medium. Not solely because of the political valence but thanks in part to how YouTube itself functions: rewarding the kind of high-volume, sensationalized, and sloppy churn Pool specializes in.

Fox News Accused of Radicalizing Americans by Former Neo-Nazi Recruiter

 https://www.newsweek.com/fox-news-accused-radicalizing-americans-former-neo-nazi-recruiter-1574330

Frank Meeink, once a prominent neo-Nazi, previously went to prison for kidnapping a man and beating another man unconscious. Although Meeink used to host a talk show called The Reich, he turned against his extremist views in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995—which was carried out by domestic white nationalist terrorists. Speaking to CNN in a Saturday interview, Meeink said the stuff he now hears on Fox News sounds like the things he used to say to recruit and radicalize white Americans.

"It's fear and narcissism. And that fake patriotism, that's just nationalism wrapped up again with worshipping an idol," Meeink said, commenting on what is driving the growth in domestic extremism within the U.S. "But, again, what we can do is with these people that are just continuously passing conspiracies, is we have to realize that Fox News, and I know that this is CNN, but Fox News has completely radicalized so many Americans," he said.

Rav Schachter’s Bright-Line Rule On Halachic Innovation

 https://cross-currents.com/2014/02/10/rav-schachters-bright-line-rule-on-halachic-innovation/

Rav Schachter begins with trenchant criticism of those who write teshuvos when they are not qualified to do so. Not everyone who has learned in yeshiva, or even in kollel, or received semicha, he says, is authorized to write responsa. To be considered the gemara’s magia le’hora’ah / one who has attained the stature and background necessary to pasken new questions, a candidate’s learning need be balanced. People who lean excessively to the side of kula, or to the side of chumrah, cannot properly write teshuvos.

This is the real intent of the gemara. When our souls are filled with enthusiasm to draw closer to Hashem and we hit upon activities that we think will best express our love for Him, we need to pause. Any such activity needs to be scrutinized by “recognized gedolei Torah.” They are the embodiment of the zikeinim that the gemara references in Shabbos. Without their approval, any such activity may be devoid of any real meaning.

‘Gedolim’ are human

 https://www.jpost.com/opinion/gedolim-are-human-456462

There seems to be a strong tendency and need, especially from members of the haredi and hassidic community, to view their religious and spiritual leaders as perfect and infallible. This enables them to place their complete reliance and trust in them and their decisions and increases their dependency on them, which to a great extent is facilitated and encouraged by the leaders.

Pesak, Gedolim, and Halakhah

 https://www.yutorah.org/_cdn/_materials/Handout-on-Gedolim-Pesak-Humanism-Halakha-546795.pdf

One of the most difficult questions in this field, relates to and encompasses the topic of our discussion: If there is no 'da’at', how can we have 'Da’at Torah'? To illustrate this, I will relate a story. Many years ago, I travelled to Bnei Brak to console my rabbi and teacher, Rav Yitzchak Hutner zt'l, in his mourning, when his wife had passed away. When I went to see him, I found him sitting alone. We had a private conversation, and this was conducted in a very open and honest fashion, from one heart to another. Rav Hutner told me that one of the talmidei chachamim who came to console him, tried to convince him and to 'explain' to him how his wife's passing was 'positive', inasmuch as she was now in the world of truth, a world which is entirely positive and other such nonsense… It is superfluous to state that saying such things is totally unsuitable. I remember that when Rav Hutner told me this, he raised his voice and he applied the following severe words of the Midrash to that talmid chacham (Vayikra Rabba 1): "Any talmid chacham who lacks 'da’at' is worse than a putrid animal carcass!"

Two Types of Orthodox Judaism

 https://www.torahmusings.com/2011/07/two-types-of-orthodox-judaism/

To be sure, every movement, religious or otherwise, needs a level of hischadshus, innovation. But this problem is solved by the idea of Gedolim, the leaders and halakhic decisors who are the arbiters of the tradition and who determine what is and what is not considered an authentic part of Judaism. When the Gedolim, the masters of the mesorah, give their imprimatur to an innovation, the innovation becomes justified and validated.


US Justice Department probing Trump's efforts to overturn election

 https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-713159

The US Justice Department is investigating Donald Trump's actions in its criminal probe of the former president's attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing sources.