I was happy to just see at an Israeli website that a son in law of מרן שר התורה שליט"א, Rav Yitzchak Kolodetsky shlit"a issued a statement that Rav Chaim (like גדולי גדולים מדורי דורות before him) doesn't know exactly, for certain, when Moshiach is coming.
That came in wake of a widely disseminated recent dubious report, allegedly in the gaon's name, that Moshiach would come before the approaching Israeli election (scheduled for less than two months from now אי"ה).
Rav Kolodetsky explained that Rav Chaim, as other גדולי ישראל, when asked about something beyond the immediate future might remark, in a hopeful vein, that משיח will have already arrived by then. However, that is not a concrete prediction, but rather an expression of hope and deep yearning for, and belief in, ביאת המשיח. Rav Chaim is not a נביא (prophet), his son in law said. He additionally shared that רב חיים שליט"א himself regularly states that only a נביא can say exactly when Moshiach will come.
This is not the first instance of this nature in which questionable things publicized in the gaon's name, were actually inaccurate. Instances which debase the name and reputation of מרן שר התורה שליט"א, and כבוד התורה in general.
People who act irresponsibly in disseminating such things are עתידים ליתן את הדין.
May we be zoche to the fulfillment of the words in Tehillim, תאלמנה שפתי שקר.
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Friday, February 1, 2019
How Is This Segulah Different Than Other Segulos? Thinking About Zera Shimshon
One of the 'newer' segulos in the segulah marketplace (there are various segulos - alleged and actual - competing for people's attention and patronage) seeking the attention of the masses is connected with the sefer זרע שמשון.
People are being implored to learn the sefer, and told great stories about how it has helped people.
Even Artscroll was running an advertising campaign for it a while ago, connected with its publication of related works by a well known storyteller, R. Nachman Seltzer (volume one and volume two).
That surprised me, as I didn't recall that publishing house hawking segulos in such a manner in the past. In my mind, Artscroll was run, generally, broadly speaking, in a Litvishe way, especially under its founder, R. Meir Zlotowitz z"l, in which tradition such things are not stressed.
Keep in mind as well that זרע שמשון is just one of a number of works that are considered segulos. There are other seforim of which it is reported that their authors promised benefits to those who learned and/or printed them too.
Now let's be clear about something. Zera Shimshon is a precious sefer. That is not disputed.
However, there is a danger that people will concentrate on a segulah, as a type of magic, placing excessive faith in it. And that is religiously problematic.
And, perhaps more importantly, learning any type of Torah is a great thing and a segulah.
If people feel connected to a certain part of Torah, that is where they should learn, as discussed here in the past.
Lest a reader say that I do not know from what I speak, let me share that I have looked into and learned some זרע שמשון. It made a favorable impression on me. However, to encourage every person to drop what they are doing, e.g. other לימודים קדושים, and start learning דווקא that work, strikes me as lacking in responsibility.
As Rav Yaakov Moshe Hillel shlit"a was once heard stating to someone who was asking him for a סגולה - why do you need a "segulah", we are the עם סגולה?
Have a great Shabbos and a freilichen chodesh.
People are being implored to learn the sefer, and told great stories about how it has helped people.
Even Artscroll was running an advertising campaign for it a while ago, connected with its publication of related works by a well known storyteller, R. Nachman Seltzer (volume one and volume two).
That surprised me, as I didn't recall that publishing house hawking segulos in such a manner in the past. In my mind, Artscroll was run, generally, broadly speaking, in a Litvishe way, especially under its founder, R. Meir Zlotowitz z"l, in which tradition such things are not stressed.
Keep in mind as well that זרע שמשון is just one of a number of works that are considered segulos. There are other seforim of which it is reported that their authors promised benefits to those who learned and/or printed them too.
Now let's be clear about something. Zera Shimshon is a precious sefer. That is not disputed.
However, there is a danger that people will concentrate on a segulah, as a type of magic, placing excessive faith in it. And that is religiously problematic.
And, perhaps more importantly, learning any type of Torah is a great thing and a segulah.
If people feel connected to a certain part of Torah, that is where they should learn, as discussed here in the past.
Lest a reader say that I do not know from what I speak, let me share that I have looked into and learned some זרע שמשון. It made a favorable impression on me. However, to encourage every person to drop what they are doing, e.g. other לימודים קדושים, and start learning דווקא that work, strikes me as lacking in responsibility.
As Rav Yaakov Moshe Hillel shlit"a was once heard stating to someone who was asking him for a סגולה - why do you need a "segulah", we are the עם סגולה?
Have a great Shabbos and a freilichen chodesh.
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