Retraction: Poor Example of the Steipler’s Noble Lies

In the original article, I gave several examples of the Steipler’s noble lies. Thanks to a wonderful reader, I realize, my main example was incorrect, however.

In KD volume 1, page 138, Siman 113 (numbering from the newer edition) he wrote:

הכביסה בשבת הוא חילול שבת גמור ר”ל ואפי’ לשפוך מים על מקום המלוכלך הוא אב מלאכה ממש ה’ יכפר כי שגגה היתה.

I thought he was saying two different things, but I was wrong. ה’ יכפר כי שגגה היתה.

Tomer Devorah Endorses Religious Coercion (Again)

She writes:

Many citizens of Israel are confused on this matter and because of the assimilation of western values and ideals, they feel that so-called “separation of religion and state” should be the desired goal.

However, we are not a state like all others. This is supposed to be a Jewish state built on holy ground. If you want to see what that is supposed to look like, you need only go back to the last time we returned from a stay in the exile. It is most instructive to read the accounts of the first return from exile in the writings of Ezra and Nechemiah.

Count me among the “confused”, then!

Indeed, this is not a state like all others. The question of how exactly to coerce Torah observance and when is important. The knee-jerk response to either side is wrong.

In short, since when does the state get to do Beis Din’s job?!