Yesterday, as I flew back to Chicago reflecting on my Yom Tov in Israel, I once again marveled at the wonderful community that is Ramat Bet Shemesh. It was everything I expected it would be and more. The population seems to be swelling. There is a virtual explosion of construction of there. Mostly of new homes, but also of Shuls and shopping areas. Schools there are bursting at the seams. The community seems is growing into quite a Makom Torah, where nearly every resident is Shomer Shabbos. And as I said in an earlier post, there is no trace of the extreme behavior reported about in Ramat Bet Shemesh this past year. At least not outwardly.
But there is a fly in the ointment.
Shortly before I left I was told of a recent incident that makes me wonder if there is any progress at all in Achdus. We are regressing ever further down the path of divisiveness in Klal Yisroel. If not for the one day of unity that was Simchas Torah, I’m sorry to report that Torah Jewry is more divided than ever. And the issue this time once again surrounds Rabbi Nosson Slifkin.
No, he did nothing new to warrant new protest. But the repercussions of the original ban on his works and by association Rabbi Slifkin himself just keep unfolding. The Kanaim are as strident now as ever. They are spread out all over the world and won’t leave this matter alone. They will do whatever it takes and destroy whoever gets in their way.
This time it isn’t those directly responsible for the ban of Rabbi Slifkin’s books. It is those who have taken it upon themselves to carry the torch!
Rabbi Chaim Malinowitz is now being villified. Rabbi Malinowitz is one of the general editors of the ArtScroll Shas Bavli. He is a major Talmid Chacham who is well respected by rabbinic leaders of all stripes. You don’t otherwise get to be a general editor of the premiere translation of Shas with approbations from major rabbinic leaders of our time. Artscroll is accepted and used by virtually the entire Torah world.
What is Rabbi Malinowitz doing ‘wrong’? He gives public support to a famous member of his Shul, Rabbi Nosson Slifkin! That is enough to put him in the dog house.
The most recent attack against him was made in the following case. A fellow had made Aliyah to Ertez Yisroel and decided upon Ramat Bet Shemesh as his new home. Before he moved, he asked his Rabbi if he should Daven at Beis Teffila a shul he had heard about and seemed to fit his Hashkafos. Beis Teffila is Rabbi Malinowitz’s Shul. The response by his rabbi: Assur! It is Assur for him to Daven there. He did not say, that he shouldn’t… or that he would be better advised to Daven elsewhere. That would have been bad enough. He said it is Assur to Daven there because that is where Rabbi Slifkin Davens.
When this fellow pointed out that the Rav of the Shul was the distinguished Rabbi Chaim Malinowitz, the retort was that not only that it didn’t that matter and still Assur, but that perhaps it was an even stronger reason to make it Assur... because Rabbi Malinowitz is guilty of providing cover and support to Rabbi Slifkin!
This isn’t the first time Rabbi Malinowitz has been attacked for supporting Rabbi Slifkin. It is an almost ongoing adventure for him. When it was first discovered, attempts were made to actually put the ArtScroll Shas in Cherem. Of course those attempts went nowhere fast. But not for lack of trying.
When Bais Teffila offered Shiurim by Rabbi Slifkin last year (it was around Shavuos if I recall correctly) it was publicly protested and there was an attempt to boycott those Shiurim by anti Slifkin zealots. The boycott failed thankfully. Rabbi Malinowitz stood by Rabbi Slifkin; the Shiurim took place and were very successful.
There you have it. The tolerance and unity of Simchas Torah was only an illusion. The animus toward Rabbi Slifkin and anyone who dares to support him continues …and is probably as strong and widespread as ever. And the numbers who share this animus are not small.
I just wish these people would get a life and stop thinking they hold the keys to heaven. They don’t!
