Rav Sternbuch: Hotels are Against the Torah

Before I begin this post, I want to repeat that I do have a lot of respect for Rav Sternbuch. The problem is that he is a kanai, an extremist. He is not an extremist in everthing, but enough of one that he decided to accept the offer to join the Badatz of the Edah Hacharedis.

So here's one example of this extremism. Rav Sternbuch, along with the other members of the Badatz Edah Hacharedis, state that it is forbidden to go to hotels for vacation. Apparently, going to a hotel is against the Torah. One note: the letter was written a few years ago and was posted again yesterday, probably because it is the summer and Rav Sternbuch wants to make sure that people don't go on vacation.

Crime and Punishment

I didn't intend for this blog to be uniquely dedicated to attacking my esteemed colleague, the Daas Torah blog. It can't resist, since he provides us all with such easy fodder.

Here's what he writes about Rav Sternbuch's psak that one should go to the police to report abuse.

One of the major objections to Rav Sternbuch’s psak regarding the police is that in some cases he would not require calling the police. There is a basic difference between the halacha and the secular law in this matter. The halacha is based on the existence of likelihood of present or future danger to the child. Therefore if there is no element of danger – the fact that a crime was committed does not always justify calling the police. In contrast the secular approach is that if there was a crime there has to be punishment. It is important to note, however, that there is no uniformity in the secular law. In America, at least, there is no legal requirement for the average citizen to call the police. American law does not require informing on others for various crimes such as tax fraud or suspected child molesting. There is a major exception for professionals. Doctors, nurse, teachers and therapists are required by law to report suspected child abuse. Thus the issue of following the law of the land versus halacha is an issue only for those that the law requires to contact the police. This is a serious issue which requires consulting with one’s own rav. My understanding is that concerning the halacha the issue is harm. If someone will likely harm a child he must be stopped even if it means being put in jail. However if there is no longer a danger to the child, the question becomes that of the likely danger to a child molester in the prison system.

1. "In contrast the secular approach is that if there was a crime there has to be punishment."

This is actually the approach of Jewish law as well. However, today, Jewish courts have absolutely no power, so they have no possibility of punishing offenders. In previous times, the Jewish courts -- or, in some cases, communal leaders, such as the 7 elders of the city -- would meet out punishment, even where the criminal was no longer a danger. The reason: to instill fear in others.

2. "American law does not require informing on others for various crimes such as tax fraud or suspected child molesting."

This is not true. Many states in the US have reporting requirements for everyone. Texas, for example, has such a requirement. This is also the law in Israel. The point is more or less moot, in any case, since invariably, a legally mandated person will most likely hear about the abuse: a parent, therapist, teacher, etc.

3. "However if there is no longer a danger to the child, the question becomes that of the likely danger to a child molester in the prison system."

This is also a moot point. What does "no longer a danger to the child" mean? We are not talking about one child; we are worried about all children. Molesters don't simply change and they will most likely strike again. To that end, both in Israel and the US, there are laws that restrict sex offenders and prevent them for comming into contact with children.

Acid Parties

I don't know who the Israel Hasbara Committee is. One thing is for sure: the people who write for them, in the charedi world, are either naive or ignorant.

This post, blogged by our friend, Daas Torah, claims that the modesty patrols do not have rabbinic backing.

Here's the incriminating quote:

The ‘modesty patrol’ does not do things this way; the Rabbis would never condone such actions. There are fringe groups in every city and Beitar Illit is no exception.

That is an outright lie. These groups are backed by a number of rabbis. I will blog, hopefully, about some of them.

I will admit that acid is quite a stretch -- usually, bleach is the weapon of choice.

The Evil Empire

I promised in my first post that I would blog about the recent posts, on the Daas Torah blog, concerning Rav Sternbuch's position on calling the police.

Before I continue, let me say that I truly respect Rav Sternbuch. His positions in his halachic works are well-thought and suprisingly moderate. His views on the affaires Slifkin and Kaminetsky displayed an unusual independence of thought.

That being said, Rav Sternbuch is a member of the Badatz of the Edah Hacharedit.

As such, he subscribes -- or, at least, purports to subscribe -- to a belief system that is anathema to the majority of Orthodox Jews and in direct conflict with the views of mainstream charedi leadership.

Rav Sternbuch might hold that it is a requirement to call the police in the face of child abuse -- in America. How about in Israel?

What follows is a loose translation of a transcript of what Rav Sternbuch said at a gathering of the Edah Hacharedit, 18 Adar 1, this year, which was printed in a broad-sheet pamphlet entitled, "בהירות", or "clarity". This meeting was held after Rav Elyashiv and other mainstream, Charedi leaders, called upon the Israeli government not to make concessions on the unity of Jerusalem. The point was to demonstrate that the Edah Hacharedit does not believe in the existence of the state of Israel and that, in fact, its existence is against God's will. Let me add that the pamphlet, a collection of anti-Zionist diatribes, was distributed the day after the Mercaz Harav massacre.

"The Source of Troubles: Rebellion Against the Kingship of
Heaven"
We are, today, in an awful situation. Fire is burning all around us, heresy and the 'might and strength of my hand' [my note: a reference to Zionism]. Throughout history, he did our thing and they did theirs. We understand that the source of our troubles is the rebellion against the kingship of heaven and they explain [our troubles] as coming from politics, as do the gentiles.

The main war against the evil inclination today is to destory the holy of holies, the Bnei Torah and Charedim, the remnants upon whom God's name rests: they want us to join them in their sorrows and their war, and to take out minds of our main obligation, to fight a holy war against the destroyers of religion.

Rashi cites, in chumash, that God forsaw that the tribe of Levi would not sin with the golden calf, and thus chose them for himself. We, too, are the tribe of Levi, and no one can confuse us with the claim that their authority [the Israeli state] is in peril. ...

This meeting today is a declaration that we have no part in them. ...

So, what's my point?

How in the world do you expect Charedim to have a positive outlook with respect to the Israeli government, from the police to social services, when the State of Israel is the root of all evil?

פתיחתא

After years of toying with the idea of starting a blog, I decided to bite the bullet and just do it.

What did it? I saw a rather disengenuous post on an Israeli-Charedi blog and I just had to respond. We'll get to that in the next post, iyh.