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Important article on Mishpacha here…

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סיפר הרב אריה פינקל מישי’ מיר שהגיעו פעם לגרי”ח זוננפלד קבוצת קנאים ושאלוהו על סתירות לכאורה בהנהגתו של הרב זוננפלד כלפי הרב דיפו, הרב א”י קוק.

וכך הסביר הרב זוננפלד (באידיש):

“אין זיינע ספרים איז דא אפיקורסות, אבער ער איז קיין אפיקורס”.

כך מוסר הרב אהרן לופיאנסקי בשיעור (באנגלית). הקטע המדובר בדקה 24.

יש כעי”ז בספר פאר הדור, ושוב הועתק לס’ “מעשה איש”, שהחזו”א אמר שאפשר לקנות את ספרי הרב קוק בהלכה ולא בהשקפה (כך מזכרון).

הערה: אני מוסר דברים ככתבם, ולא אומר כאן כלל את דעתי.

From Wikipedia:

Bush promised a humble foreign policy with no nation building. He had criticized the Clinton-Gore Administration for being too interventionist: “If we don’t stop extending our troops all around the world in nation-building missions, then we’re going to have a serious problem coming down the road. And I’m going to prevent that.”

So, no, Bush didn’t “prevent that” (he was running for office, so lies are only to be expected). We don’t get to vote on policy and presidential advisors, even for show. The vote concerns purely which actor will be the pretty face of the State.

But the prediction part was spot-on!

Some family members of Rabbi Ben Zion Abba Shaul testify their father had a negative opinion of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s halachic rulings (not in a small way).

I know I know, you think I’m crazy. Aren’t there many stories of their friendship and mutual respect (qualified, of course, with respectful halachic disagreements, even methodological disagreements, but את והב בסופה)?!

Well, you can do the same research I have. Go ask Rabbi Abba Shaul’s family (but find someone trustworthy who also trusts you [or your messenger], as well!).

In fact, I once objected to these tales by one of his grandchildren by noting the rabbi’s book “אור לציון חכמה ומוסר” tells a positive story about Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. So, he said the following: There are two consecutive stories in that book, the first being a positive one about Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, and the second a negative one about an unnamed rabbi. Well, they have a “family tradition”, said he, that the second story concerns none other than Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, while the first, positive story, while factually true, was inserted solely in order to permit (while still concealing the villain’s identity) the revelation of the second story!

I won’t go into much detail. And I have already expressed my opinion on Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s lack of halachic reliability (for any ethnic group).

But there is another important lesson here: If you can’t protest a custom or individual loudly, for whatever reason, at least start a whispering campaign!