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Of Making Many Books

And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end (Ecclesiastes 12:12) A pdf version of this essay  can be downloaded here [*] Years in brackets refer to an individual’s or book author’s year of birth Thought experiment for the day: Anyone born 1945 would be pushing towards 80 and mostly past their prime. So name any Charedi sefer written by someone born post war that has or is likely to enter the canon, be it haloche, lomdus, al hatorah or mussar. Single one will do for now — IfYouTickleUs (@ifyoutickleus) July 27, 2022 A tweet in the summer which gained some traction asked for a book by an author born from 1945 onwards that has entered the Torah and rabbinic canon or is heading in that direction. I didn't exactly phrase it this way and some quibbled about 'canonisation'. The word does indeed have a precise meaning though in its popular use it has no narrow definition. Canonisation, or ‘entering the canon’ is generally understood to

Outside the Tent p****ing in

Big Tent - Copy

For translation see below

If you like following Anglo-Jewish politics, and no one will blame you if you don’t, you will know the politics of making a big tent for anything. A bit like I’m a Celebrity except that it goes, I’m a Reform Get Me Into There. The right wing of the US responds, We’re (pseudo) Charedim and get ya the hell outa here because you’re as welcome as Berlusconi at a Bat Mitzvah party. At this point the Jewish miLlionares Club (aka JLC) will see it as their duty to intervene with their own version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire or, rather, who wants a share of our millions. No 50/50 lifelines but an edict to phone-a-‘friend’ or else. Naturally, the Board of Deputies follows suit and, and, come on, wake up there at the back.

If you’ve followed this far you’ll have heard of the Big Tent events which basically gather together similarly minded pro-Israelis who spend a Sunday bemoaning boycotts and deligtimisation of which we are supposedly the hub. After a few cockle-warming speeches and feeling awfully sorry for Israel and disgusted by its detractors everybody goes home feeling they’ve done a good deed and gone out of their way to do their bit for Israel. Of course, the Israelis themselves couldn’t give a monkeys and they happen to think that we’re more into Christmas than Chanukah. The biggest elephant nowhere near the tent remains Israel’s inexorable slide towards a racist theocracy which continues unabated but trust these guys to see the enemies anywhere but staring in their face.

Anyhow, if pro Israelis unite on anything the nay-sayers of Stamford Hill must have a contrary position and so they have. A bit late but this is Stamford Hill after all. In the notice above we are exhorted to stay away from such events, which may only be referred to by its acronym, and told that anyone who has ‘a brain in his coconut’ will know that they bring no good to the Jews. Not, surprise, on tznius grounds, but apparently because this non-event of an event of which other than some bickering machers few have heard of could jeopardise and endanger our very existence in this country. (As for wholesale reliance on state handouts, I’m afraid the notice is silent on that point.) And if not for the notice we would of course have been flocking to it in droves.

The signatories are mostly Satmar affiliated though for reasons known only to themselves Padwa and Halpern Snr added their names. Belz and Ger steered clear as did Dayan Dunner despite his anti-Zionist streak. Also absent are Halpern’s sons and in fact there are no Golders Green rabbis at all who generally lead a more nationalistic flock. This is the second time Padwa has alligned himself with the loonies on Israel; last year he signed for a demo at the embassy on grave digging. Rabbi Schneebalg of Manchester has more sense and knowing that he serves a wider community, abstained. Shame Padwa didn’t inherit those aspects from his father who would have no truck with any of this.

Perhaps the most surprising signatory is Dayan Gukovitsky of Springfield Shul which is affiliated to the Federation. It may have something to do with his territorial battle over his shul and wanting to gain some right-wing allies which he is sorely in need of, but more on that another time.

Translation

A Call from the Rabonim

In light of reports of various meetings (BTFI) across England (currently in Manchester), it is obvious to anyone sensible that such activities and their like are of no benefit to Jews, God forbid.

It is unnecessary to dwell on their inherent dangers and it is incumbent on everyone to avoid attending them and to do everything to publicise and announce that these meetings do not speak on behalf of Jews who believe in God and His Torah. God forbid to allow this destruction to enter England where thank God we dwell under the protection of the state, may its grace be exalted*, which is a benign realm.

We are obligated to pray for the well being of the realm and not to become involved with various people [groups] the majority of whom have cast off the yoke of Torah and mitzvos entirely or in various degrees, and their habit is to maraud and cause destruction.

In the merit of undertaking upon ourselves the yoke of our exile and behaving with humility in this country as we have in each and every generation throughout the thousands of years of our exile may we merit to be saved from all forms of peril and to the arrival of the Messiah speedily in our days, Amen.

London [27 November 2011]**

Signatories

* An expression used for the Tsar and Kaiser and is not used very often nowadays.

** The date of the Manchester Big Tent event though the notice was publicised only last week.

Comments

  1. Dayan Guko has always been right wing and has alienated his former members who stopped attending. He has lost his battle at the London BD but he is fighting on, putting up notices and issurim. He has now amassed a new minyan of chasidim mostly dropouts and is fighting for his survival. He has friends and relations in the Union but they are all in awe of the LBC and will do nothing to help him. He has still to learn that you cant fight money.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You wrote: "The signatories are mostly Satmar affiliated" "Belz and Ger steered clear"

    Not entirely correct.
    RED Friedman is a Viznitzer (and rav of -old - Belz)
    RY Padwa is a Belz chasid
    RB Blum is Bobov
    RA Weiss is Viznitz
    RZ Feldman is definitely not Satmar
    RD Hager is Viznitz
    RYS Friesel is Skver
    and a few others there are also not identified with Satmar

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anyone not aguda in SH is satmar. Which of these rabbobonim identify with aguda. We will see at their daf yomi siyum but I am not sure that is proof.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Reb Chunah Halpern was added on without his knowledge He has said that to many people and posted it in his Shull. All GG rabbonim disagreed with this poster. Even Rabbi Rberts didn't allow this poster in his shull.

    ReplyDelete
  5. i wish you'd translate...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dayan Gukovitsky Shlit”a

    Dayan Gukovitsky has always been a “anti Zionist” he always express this in his Droshas on shabos shuve and Hagadol

    As for his battle: he did not lose his battle by any mean at the LBD as one of the mayor issues in the so clearly written Psak of the LBD is : that any issue regarding Minhogim, Nussach , or layout in the Shul cant take place with out the approval of the Rav!

    His issur by the way of not allowing to daven in nussach Sefard at the Springfield Shul is halachadig based (as it is well known for example when the wisnitzer rebbe was in the “rem”a “ shul in Cracow he also davent nussach ashkenas as you not allowed to do other in a Ashkenas Shul and vice versa) and by those “ rich chevre” ignoring the Rav’s clear Psak the only shooting in their own legs!

    Our Rav will never ever “learn” that you can’t fight agains money! He is one of the only Rabonim I know who would not be scared to say his clearly daas Toire, and should it much be uncomfortable for so and so “ gevirim” as he has done in the past and will do until his last breath.

    Springfield. synagogue

    ReplyDelete
  7. Look if his rich gevirim who at the moment pay for everything left or as he puts it are given notice (he will still take their money)on what is he going to live. He cant suddenly rent out the place to anyone else.
    Come on.
    How much do the chasidim dropouts in his minyan pay if anything.
    Let him show is satmar credentials and refuse their 'dirty' money.
    NO WAY.

    ReplyDelete
  8. His issur as the LBD have said has no basis in halacha.
    In halacha if the members change so does the nussach.
    At the moment his dropout chasidim do not daven ashkenaz either.
    The rov does not decide the nussach, he is only employed, he forgets that he is not the boos. The members do.
    And how are they shooting their own legs because he said meesa meshuna on them. Ever heard a rov talking like that. Yes moshe rabainu on korach.

    ReplyDelete
  9. How is Israel a "racist theocracy"?

    I'm a secular Israeli living not far from Bene Brak and I would like to know if you ever visited Israel.

    Those ads appealing to Israelis to move back to Israel don't prove anything negative about Israeli attitudes to Jews outside Israel.

    It's just making the statement that if you stay away from your country your children get disconnected to it, That's all.
    Where did you get the "racist theocracy" thing from?

    ReplyDelete

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