Brooklyn, NY – Op-Ed: The Airav Rav Is Alive And Well

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    A group Protest and Shout Yemach Shmo Against Hagaon Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman in Williamsburg on Tisha B'av Tuesday, August 9 2011Brooklyn, NY – Imagine a street corner filled with a dozen vile and depraved individuals. Not one. Not two. But twelve. And we are not just discussing wrong or misguided people, but people who are as repulsive and disgusting as a Levi Aron or as a Menashe the son of Chizkiyahu.

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    Chazal tell us that Menashe was one of the most evil and vile people that ever existed in Klal Yisroel. The Midrash (Parshas Nasoh) tells us that no one ever sinned like Menashe Ben Chizkiyah sinned.

    The Gemorah in Sanhedrin (99B) expresses it very clearly. Someone who is mevazeh a Talmid Chochom, someone who denigrates a Torah scholar is equivalent to Menashe Ben Yechezkel.

    But let’s start at the beginning.

    Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman Shlita is a Rosh Yeshiva in Ponevech. He is a true sage in Israel, a senior Gadol BaTorah who has almost reached the age of 100 years old Bli Ayin HaRah. He is a leader in Klal Yisroel and is respected by all Bnei Torah, by all our venerable Roshei yeshiva, indeed, by all of Klal Yisroel. Rav Shteinman Shlita is also the author of the well regarded Ayeles HaShachar, a sefer that earned the respect of Klal Yisroel even while its authorship was entirely anonymous. Anyone who comes in contact with Rav Shteinman is immediately struck by his tzidkus, his Ahavas Yisroel, and the depth of his wisdom.

    The group of twelve. On the other hand, is comprised of young shnooks, whose goals and aspirations in life are not to learn Torah, but to appear on Youtube videos and to denigrate senior Gedolim. Another goal of these people is to block traffic on Wallabout Avenue in Williamsburg – so that Chas veShalom, their holy work in producing their “Heiligah” Youtube Video would come to people’s attention.

    But it is not just the lack of Torah study and their love affair with Youtube videos that earns their comparison to Menashe Ben Chizkiyah or Levi Aron.

    No, it is the fact that they call for the death of a great Torah sage.

    It is the fact that they called one of our illustrious leaders “Amalek.” That they used the words “Rasha meRusha.” And that they appended the expression, “Yimach Shmo” – may his name be blotted out, chalila – Heaven forbid.

    Let us all recall that this is a mere few days after Tisha B’av. Remember Tisha B’Av, our lovely dozen? Do you remember that the cause of the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash was sinas Chinam?

    How dare you?? How do you have the temerity, the unmitigated impudence to think that you are so holy and dare denigrate a sage in Israel? You, my dirty dozen, are the cause of why the Churban Bais HaMikdash is still a reality.

    Woe to the mothers that bore such children! Woe to the fathers who raised such sinas chinam and lack of kavod HaTorah in their homes! Woe to the Rebbeim who ever taught such students!

    There is a fascinating Rashi in Bereishis that quotes a pasuk in BaMidbar. The Pasuk traces the lineage of Korach all the way back to Levi. But it stops there. There is no mention of Yaakov Avinu. Rashi tells us why that is. Because Yaakov Avinu was so repulsed by the future actions of Korach that he prayed, begged and pleaded, that his name not be mentioned with Korach’s.

    And according to our Midrash in Parshas Nasoh, Menashe Ben Chizkiya was significantly worse than Korach.

    So, once again, you vile and despicable Levi Arons who dare hide behind the cloak of Torah as you denigrate one of our Gedolei haDor, listen and listen clearly.

    You are the reason why the Bais HaMikdash is not being rebuilt. We do not look at you as representatives of Torah, or as representatives as anything remotely representative of a true Torah view. The heiliga Gedolim of yesterday, especially those who rejected Zionism, reject you. The Holy Satmar Rebbe zatzal looks at you as he would look at Levi Aron and Menashe Ben Chizkiya.

    Why?

    Because you are violating an explicit Gemorah. No one would doubt that Rav Shteinman Shlita is an extraordinary Talmid Chochom. No one. One may disagree with him regarding whether Chareidim should join the IDF, but no one would ever disagree that he is a Talmid Chochom. The Gemorah in Sanhedrin says clearly that someone who is mevazeh a Talmid Chochom has no share in the world to come. It also says that he is equated to Menashe Ben Chizkiya.

    So get this straight. We look at you no differently than we view Levi Aron. Perhaps worse. If you want to get your point across, disagree, by all means.

    But do not call one of our leading Gedolim a Rasha Merusha.

    Do not append the term “Yimach Shmo.”

    And do not call him, or anyone else for that matter, “Amalek.”

    So, you, our lovely dozen attention seekers, Elul is coming. What is interesting about Menashe ben Chizkiya is that notwithstanding his evil and vile acts, Hashem still accepted his Teshuvah. If you act now, Hashem might accept yours too, if it is sincere enough.

    Shlomo HaMelech tells us that “Maves veChaim beyad Lashon – life and death are in the hands of the tongue.” Words do matter. Words make an impact. When you call someone Amalaik, someone may take these words and act upon them. We just witnessed the unprecedented murder of a Rav, a leader in Klal Yisroel.

    If we have learned anything in these past few weeks, we should learn that we should not just sit by and allow people to get away with murder – either in action or in speech.

    If we see someone burning a Sefer Torah chalilah, should we not stop him? The Gemorah (Makos 22b) tells us that Talmidei Chachomim are equated to Sifrei Torah themselves! Should we also not stop this? How can we let such travesty continue?

    It is time to stand up for Kavod HaTorah. If not now, when? If not for Rav Shteinman then for whom? These people should be denounced in every shul, Yeshiva, summer camp and bungalow colony. No one with even a rayach of Torah should have anything to do with them until they realize the extent of the avlah they have perpetrated.

    If ever there was a time for a Kol Koreh by Rabbonim – it is now.

    Our reaction should not, of course, lead to violence, but when we come in contact with them we should express our view that anyone who denigrates a Talmid Chochom steps on the Torah itself, as the Maharsha there explains.

    If they continue to be mevazeh Torah sages in this manner, we should encourage and pressure the mosdos from which they benefit to stop benefitting them until they apologize and take it upon themselves not to burn our living Sifrei Torah.

    They must be told what apparently their mothers and Rabbeim have not. How to be civil, how to be appropriate and how to follow the dictates of Torah.

    The author can be reached at [email protected]

    The video posted where they are Mevazah Rav Steiman.

    Editors note:
    Please be civil in commenting


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    85 Comments
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    toolee
    toolee
    12 years ago

    Waht a chillul H’, & people wonder why bad things are happening amongst us.
    Would like to see the Rabonim put a cherum on these low lifes.

    Shmoger
    Shmoger
    12 years ago

    I agrred 0 to this artical if someone wants to get a message across to him should make an appointment and talk to him private and tell yhim whatever you want but not berabim

    shimonyehuda
    shimonyehuda
    12 years ago

    these “people”make a chillul hashem and they have physically attacked other chadisishe yiddin even women with carriages those attacked have had the grace not to file assualt charges against them

    NeveAliza
    NeveAliza
    12 years ago

    The fact that these 12 NK fools have nothing else to do in the rain but protest against Rav Shteinman is not news. They don’t work and can’t learn and have only 1 agenda. As Churchill once said, “a fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject”. My issue is with the Satmar and the other Hussids in Williamsburg who allow this human garbage to remain in their midst. By not expunging them from their community they are de facto agreeing with them.

    ofcourse
    ofcourse
    12 years ago

    With all due respect i understand the frustration but to publish an article and to even take notice is just helping them get publicity, Crazy. Secondly why does it show chasidim? it should show self hating jews nothing to do with Chasidim

    On a side note, i wonder why the same writer didnt have an issue on other Gedolim as an example a feeks ago with the Skverer Rabbi Shlita and Vosizneias was posting at the time some very nasty and disrespected articles i wonder why this is different.

    schwartzi
    schwartzi
    12 years ago

    these apikorsim. these sonei yisroel. they are achzorim,and the gemorrah says,we do not have to have rachmonus on an achzor.

    12 years ago

    Why are you legitimizing this by posting this story? And sinas chinam goes both ways.. you cannot hate people for their misguided and bizarre views.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    12 years ago

    If this Rav Shteinmen lives in EY and they have legitimate disagreements with his teachings or actions (the article is not clear on what their broigas is about) why are they demonstrating in willy?

    trachtgut2
    trachtgut2
    12 years ago

    You are right! But I just have one question. What do u want from they’re mothers y r u blaming them? Do u blame menashe ben chizkiya’s mother? I’m sure she tried to teach him right from wrong and yet he still bacame a rasha! Or what about avshaloms parents? He was a rasha too! We don’t c anyone blaming dovid for that!

    meandI
    meandI
    12 years ago

    Just a few comments/corrections;
    1. I agree with most if not all of the author’s views on this matter.
    2. The video was not submitted by this group. A passerby was so reviled by this demonstration “on Tisha B’Av” that he had to film it. He then asked many opinions on the merits of posting this online and ultimately decided that the world needs to see this.

    HAPPY12
    HAPPY12
    12 years ago

    1. Who is the author, where is he a Rabbi?
    2. Why was this posted, what is the point? More sinas chinum?

    I was by the event and it was a non issue. All women attended, there was a large crowd. They are getting more attention here then they got at the event!

    SherryTheNoahide
    SherryTheNoahide
    12 years ago

    Wow. I was sickened when I read the article, but watching the video is even worse! To see people yelling about a Talmud Chochom in such a vile manner…and with smiles on their faces! My goodness!

    The article did not mention WHY these folks were protesting Rav Shlita in the first place! It just said they were calling him horrible names like “Amelek”!

    Amelek?! For one of the Jewish Nation’s Talmud Chochom’s?! Wow. That is really, REALLY harsh!

    And right after the 3 weeks they do this?! Right after the 9th of Av?! What is going on here?! (:-o

    Thank G-d the month of Elul is coming up…I have a feeling a LOT of us are going to need to make serious T’Shuvah this year, before Chas veShalom, HaShem decides to send even stricter penalties against us!

    It’s time to wake up to the baseless hatred!

    joek212
    joek212
    12 years ago

    im not disagreeing with the article its just that its utter hypocricy becuz rav shteiman wrote and spoke against internet 100’s of times yet u ignore that wich is the same bizayon hatorah as them!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    12 years ago

    There are two sides to this issue, and it is not as simple as the author tries to make it. This debate existing in the time of Rabbi Kook, and even before, i.e. in the time of Shabtai Zvi and thereafter. Usually Jews don’t evaluate who is who until many years after the person or persons are no longer alive. In the meantime, Rabbi Steinman supports the State of Israel as do many others, and this is contrary to the teachings of the Brisker Rav, R. Elchonon Wasserman, the Chafetz Chaim, the Minchas Elazar, the Rashab and Mahareitz of Lubavitch, the Chazon Ish, R. Chaim Ozer, the Saba Kadisha, and many, many other gedolei Yisroel who predicted everything that would happen with Zionism, rachmana litzlan. Why don’t people, including the author of the article, do their historical research? I recommend these:
    Mi-Katowitz Ad Heh Iyar
    Dor Achron
    Mishkanos Haro’im

    Secular
    Secular
    12 years ago

    Can someone please explain what these people are protesting..

    MAYERFREUND
    MAYERFREUND
    12 years ago

    In this country they have freedom of speech and I have no problem with them let them do what they wan’t and have a good shabos.. In other words I don’t care.

    BenGrey
    BenGrey
    12 years ago

    To compare these protesters to the murderer of a child is inappropriate and I would think the comparison is quite hurtful to the family who lost their child. (I say this even if the protesters called for the death of the Rav in Erets Yisroel).

    kligermentch
    kligermentch
    12 years ago

    how does that —— dare scream on a talmid chacham and a godel byisroel, a word y’mach shemoi, all i can saw is yevurach hamevurach, thath klule should go on himself, i heard once, that even the satmerer rebe zt’l never said yemach shemoi on any yid while thaht yid was alive, (hertzel) because as long as he is allive he can become a baal tshva, not in this case, here is a gadol byisroel, and these low lifes go out and mevaze talmid chacham brabim, they allready have many many bad things waiting for them

    Nebech
    Nebech
    12 years ago

    There are thousands of
    Crazies in the world
    The only thing that gives them power is by recognizing them

    This article in itself gives them power it makes their voice heard

    There fellow satmar chassidim
    Ignore them

    So now they are coming to us

    If we ignore them they will fade away

    This whole article in my opinion is the promotion of a sect which should be ignored

    cpsey
    cpsey
    12 years ago

    These people are really sad. I agree with the writer 100%. Hashem Yishmor! These people are seriously evil… how dare they!!!! This was really infuriating. I would have been better off not knowing about these Reshaim!

    12 years ago

    if you look in the letters and tsehves sforom from gdole Hungary you will see that they said “YEMACH SHEMO” of rav Kook and he was a biger gudel the rav steiman

    12 years ago

    About the only thing about Rabbi Katz’s editorial that is correct is comparing the lunatics protesting in Williamsburg to the Lunatic Levi Aron. To imply however that because people are lunatics that they are therefore “vile” and the various other pejoratives used in the editorial is just not right. Really one should not pay attention to the Williamsburg nuts because that is precicely what they want – attention. As I have posted before, it is pretty clear that Levy Aron is severely mentally impaired whether he is on his medication or off his medication. Levy Aron is not the kind of person the Torah had in mind when it warns us – normal people- against murder. If you do want to be critical of the mentally unstable protesters in Williamsburg, then you really should be intellectually honest and direct your criticism to the ideaology that they feed from, which is the virulently Anti Zionist theology espoused by the Satmar Rebbe Horav Yoel Teitelbaum Zatzal and continued to this day by his successors and followers. One might make the argument that even in official Satmar circles, these protesters are considered extreme and deranged, but that would be for them to say.

    Nebech
    Nebech
    12 years ago

    whether people hold of rabbi shteinman is another story
    But for those who don’t hold of him
    They don’t agree with
    These misheguim in anything

    This article serves the wrong purpose
    It’s not about the gedolim
    It’s about these group of people who should be ignored
    I agree with number 22 1000%
    This article should not have been written
    The author of this article will see how this article will
    Spiral out of topic
    Because he stressed the wrong point

    12 years ago

    As the child of Holocaust survivors, I find the whole anti zionist thing impossible to understand or make any sense of. I can only conclude that these people are crazy plain and simple. I think they only want attention and it seems that is what the author of the editorial wants as well for even bothering to make an issue out of these Belview escapees.

    jaayy
    jaayy
    12 years ago

    I agree with #7 . Its the first time VIN is so outspoken and standing up for a gudel be torah. Is rabbi steineman on the board with VIN ?

    jaayy
    jaayy
    12 years ago

    I agree with #7 . Its the first time VIN is so outspoken and standing up for a gudel be torah. Is rabbi steineman on the board with VIN ?

    OyGevald
    OyGevald
    12 years ago

    Shreklach!!!

    jaayy
    jaayy
    12 years ago

    I agree with #15 if you want to show support to rav steineman don’t use the internet. Something he despises regularly

    joseph
    joseph
    12 years ago

    Where is Aryeh HaKohain protesting the attacks on the Gedolim by the leftists MO’s all over the Jewish blogosphere?

    joseph
    joseph
    12 years ago

    Why is Katz giving these people attention?

    Liepa
    Liepa
    12 years ago

    We need to be ‘Daan l’kaf zechus’ that out of entire Klal Yisroel there are only 12 dissenters going against the mainstream then we are doing pretty well, especially 1943 years after the destruction of our holy Bais Hamikdash and the begining of this extremely long golus.

    12 years ago

    I agree 100% with # 7 … shame on you VIN for posting this story, untill now a few people knew about it and now everyone knows, why do u need to post such stories from a few sick people

    PinnyMeir
    PinnyMeir
    12 years ago

    Perhaps the title is from YouTube, but if technically possible you should remove the title on the above video which says “Chasidim protest…” These vile creature are anything but Chasidim, they are Rasha’im!

    SHOU-B
    SHOU-B
    12 years ago

    Why even acknowledge this creatures, this is the reason the Geula is not coming.
    To belittle a TORAH GIANT is apalling Send them off to tehran where they belong.
    They are NOT part of the Jewish People

    PinnyMeir
    PinnyMeir
    12 years ago

    I don’t think we need to discuss here the hashkafos of past and present Gedolim, and who agreed and who disagreed with them.
    NONE of those Gedolim should be compared to, or even mentioned in the same breath as these menuvalim.
    NONE of those Gedolim would EVER have allied themselves with (hugged and kissed!) the murderers and wannabe MASS murderers of Jews, as these shratzim have done!!!

    chesed72
    chesed72
    12 years ago

    don’t understand why your so outraged, what happend now more then was gong on against chabad, klousenburg, belz, any rebbe that disagreed with satmar got even worse treatment then this, this how satmar was built already 60 years ago, its not going to change, even if these people are not satmar now, there talmidim from satmar, this was the ‘shitah’ in satmar with any1 who dare diagree, no matter how big tsadik/gudol, this is it & just gotta deal with it.

    5TResident
    Noble Member
    5TResident
    12 years ago

    Of course the Airuv Rav is alive and well. Just look at the Chasidesche maniacs who burn the Israeli flag and meet with Ahmadinijad. What else would you call them but Airuv Rav?

    sechelhayoshor
    sechelhayoshor
    12 years ago

    I believe that this protest was staged ON tisha b’av. What sinas chinom!!! These people are reshaim arurim and this is what is keeping moshiach from coming!!!

    12 years ago

    This entire article is Loshon Hora.

    Rabbi Yair Hoffman
    Admin
    12 years ago

    I agree with #50 -exactly.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    12 years ago

    Are secular Jews turned on to Yiddishkeit by the behavior of Kahanists, or of West Bank settlers? Are they turned on to Yiddishkeit by the frum parties who are mostly interested in money? Are they turned on to Yiddishkeit by the support of wars and violence without a heter of a Sanhedrin? I usually see non-frum people as having more common sense about these things than frummelach. Sad but true. Too many frummelach are SELFISH, NARCISSISTIC, PARANOID and RACIST. This doesn’t attract anyone to Yiddishkeit.

    my4amos
    my4amos
    12 years ago

    These dozen men may be engage in very unpalatable activity, but the article lost all credibility when it compared them to Levi Aron and Menashe Ben Chizkiyah. Some people who compared President Bush to Hitler. Or some others who compare Ubama to Hitler. We call both of them deranged.

    sissel613
    sissel613
    12 years ago

    I am as appalled at these self centered shnooks ( they don’t look so young to me). Can you imagine if the Litvisher world would do this kind of protest against the Satmar Rav or Kloizenberger Rav or the Pupa Rav or any of the other Rabbanim. Even they have something they aren’t happy with, do it bi’sesser–not out in public for the whole world to see and make a chillul Hashem. they are no better than that awful group who went to see Ahmadinijad in Iran and go to demonstrations against Israel. whatever a person’s zionistic attitude it, they are killing their own B’nai Yisroel–I don’t think the Ribbono Shel Oilam is happy about them nor is He happy about these guys either. Mamish shame on them. And furthermore–if you wouldn’t publish this stuff, Vos iz naies, they wouldn’t get the publicity they seem to be craving for.

    Butterfly
    Butterfly
    12 years ago

    I agree with #39 and #42 Why bother giving these crazies all this publicity?? That is exactly what they want!! Take this post down!! It is not right for our children to see!! Gut shabbas!!

    12 years ago

    Lol on whoever wrote this harsh and bitter article, and then ends it with “please be civil in commenting”. Looks who’s talking!

    12 years ago

    בעקבתא דמשיחא…………….חוצפא יסגי

    lostinCA
    lostinCA
    12 years ago

    did i hear this clown correctly?
    he quoted the Chafetz Chaim (shmiras haloshon) to say ym”sh on a yid?
    these guys need serious brain surgery before they do any real damage.

    observer_lishmah
    observer_lishmah
    12 years ago

    How ironic. We continue to pay for our Aveiros.

    One of the reasons for Tisha B’Av is because of the Meraglim and their sin of Lashon Hara.

    Here we see another twelve Meraglim committing Lashon Hara.

    Ubieartem Ha’Rah Mekirbacha.

    Paulie123
    Paulie123
    12 years ago

    These evil wild animals will burn in hell for eternity along with Hitler and Haman. They are NOT Jewish. There are merely disguised as Jews. These are the most vile sickening creatures in the world and make the Nazis look like angels. Rot in hell and die a slow and painful death all of neturei Karta starting with dovid weiss and ending with Beck YMS

    Track5
    Track5
    12 years ago

    I’m from Willy and strictly condemn this troublemakers that’s not yidishkiet and that’s not chasidus.