It is most important to seek truth (אמת) and accuracy when studying and expounding Torah. When ח"ו people stray from the straight path in learning, even if they claim good intentions for said deviation, their learning and teaching is distorted and corrupted, and is not תורת אמת.
These thoughts came to me the other day, after seeing a Hasidic publication on the weekly portion of study misquoting and distorting a midrash.
This is what the publication looks like.
In its first excursus it states "Chazal say (Bereishis Rabbah 48:8) that Avrohom Avinu sits by the gate of Gehenim and does not allow any Jew to enter".
The problem is however, that that is not what the Midrash actually states, from which it deviates on multiple counts.
The Midrash says א"ר לוי לעתיד לבא אברהם יושב על פתח גיהנם ואינו מניח אדם מהול מישראל לירד לתוכה ואותן שחטאו יותר מדאי מה עושה להם מעביר את הערלה מעל גבי תינוקות שמתו עד שלא מלו ונותנה עליהם ומורידן לגיהנם הה"ד (תהלים נה) שלח ידיו בשלומיו חלל בריתו.
It talks 1) about the future, not generally, 2) about the circumcised, not the nation in general, 3) it explicitly explains how even then, circumcised sinners can end up in גיהנום, ר"ל.
So what is this Hasidic publication of the teachings of the son of the קרעטשניף ירושלים Rebbe talking about? It seems to be either willful selective quoting and distortion, or gross negligence. Either way it is shameful.
Some, in the Hasidic movement and elsewhere, like to peddle half baked half-truths (as a famous old saying goes, א האלבע אמת איז א גאנצע ליגען, a half truth is a complete lie) in the form of "feel-good" teachings like this, claiming that no Yidden go to גיהנום, that lack legs to stand on. But such things, instead of making people feel good, are sickening actually.
May הקב"ה help us adhere to the way of truth, and save us from falsehood ר"ל.
וטהר לבנו לעבדך באמת
א גוטען שבת
Misquoting Chazal is a terrible thing. However there certainly are maamarei Chazal that say very similar things that are more inclusive. Eruvin 19
ReplyDeleteדְּאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: פּוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין אוּר גֵּיהִנָּם שׁוֹלֶטֶת בָּהֶן
And
אֶלָּא הָא דִּכְתִיב: ״עוֹבְרֵי בְּעֵמֶק הַבָּכָא״, הָהוּא דִּמְחַיְּיבִי הָהִיא שַׁעְתָּא בְּגֵיהִנָּם, וְאָתֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ וּמַסֵּיק לְהוּ וּמְקַבֵּל לְהוּ. בַּר מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבָּא עַל הַגּוֹיָה, דְּמָשְׁכָה עׇרְלָתוֹ וְלָא מְבַשְׁקַר לֵיהּ.
Hi BFG, LTNS, nice to know that you are still following here. :) Thanks for your checking in. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis is a sugya that would benefit from more העמקה, in depth study. I hope to study it further, בקרוב, ב"נ.
Re the gemara in Eruvin that you cite, it is not a total free "be spared of gehinnom" card. Reish Lakish there compares poshei yisrael to the mizbach hazahav, teaching that just like the mizbeach was not consumed by fire, so too, the פושעי ישראל would not be. However, the mizbeach definitely felt the heat, so continuing with the analogy we could say that the sinners under discussion would also feel the heat, even if not consumed by it. And the fire of gehinnom can be quite strong, very high temperature... Indeed, Tosafos there (top of the amud) says that their faces are blackened, so they are affected, even if not consumed.
Thanks Mr. L for broaching this critical subject. I'd like to second Mr. L's welcome back to BFG and I urge others to contribute. I don't think that these distortions are limited to Chasidim. I live in a neighborhood which is heavily involved in Kiruv and the Rabbis routinely defend what the atheistic college professors say while dismissing our traditional beliefs. Then there's the Lubavicher Rebbe who changed Pshat in the Gemara Sanhedrin111a which said that what will occur at Yemos Hamoshiach will mirror the events of Yetzias Mitzrayim There are different reasons as to why people play loose and free with our Torah but the bottom line is that its Reform Judaism and it must be called out.
ReplyDelete"a neighborhood which is heavily involved in Kiruv and the Rabbis routinely defend what the atheistic college professors say while dismissing our traditional beliefs."
ReplyDeleteCan you elaborate, give examples of such a startling alleged phenomenon so we can better grasp the situation?
No problem. A shul I used to attend had a Kiruv Rabbi speak on Parshas Noach 2019. He first said that we all know that what's written in Parshas Breishis isn't true. Then he said that we also know that once we get to Abraham the story is true. The question is,"What about Noach?"After a pause for effect he said,"It never happened.," Now I should explain that I'm not a fundamentalist like Rabbi Miller. I think these subjects are exceedingly complex but to blithely dismiss our traditions so that you can win over the audience just doesn't fly.
ReplyDeleteThat seems outrageous. What is he being mekarev the students to? Apikorsus R"L?
DeleteIs this some type of left wing MO, YCT type "kiruv", or more right wing? Seems that the guy should be reprimanded, censured, fired, or subject to some other very serious discipline.
You seem surprised by that Kiruv Rabbi, but it's not a Chiddush. The only way to be an Ish Emes is to be willing to accept the truth even if that truth is at odds with long standing beliefs. Thats why people of truth are few and far between. Several months ago I saw an old friend and I told him you can't continue defending Chabad. He answered, Rabbi Miller said, referring to Rav Shach and the Rebbe, when great people fight we don't get involved. Sorry when the Godol Hador makes a pronouncement everyone is obliged to investigate if it's correct and not just bury one's head in the sand.
ReplyDeleteLet me share here some of your response to my previous comment (I hesitated to post some of the details you sent me in original form, so am just sharing part of it here). "This fellow is an interesting study. He grew up w/o any knowledge of Judaism. As a teenager he went to Israel and ended up in..." (a kiruv institution). "He wasn't interested in learning so they told him to do Kiruv."
ReplyDeleteMy response: Thanks for that info. So it seems this guy is maybe not your typical kiruv worker, like some type of freelancer.
FYI the one and only Dovid Lichtenstein will be addressing the Kinus Shluchim today.
ReplyDeleteYes, I saw the story recently (https://matzav.com/david-lichtenstein-to-serve-as-guest-speaker-of-chabads-kinnus-hashluchim/). Actually, that was sort of foreseen here over two years ago in a comment (at https://mrlitvak.blogspot.com/2019/08/straight-talk-about-chabad-lubavitch.html). We will see what happens later I guess.
DeleteNo it's completely predictable. And we can guess that Efrem Goldberg will be next. But here you have Lichtenstein who can debate Halacha with Poskim and now he'll gush because some Mechallel Yom Kippur put on Tefilin. Rabbi Miller said that the letters which spell Rosho can also form Rash or noise. Chabad never stop tooting their own horn except when they can get others to do it for them.
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