The Steipler’s Noble Lie

The Steipler wasn’t against lying for “principle” in principle. There is plenty of proof for this (not to mention his promotion of Rabbi Shach), including his infamous letter on the Besamim Rosh. And I’m not even talking about the book “Shi’urim Shel Torah”.

Update

In the original article I then added:

“In the special collection of the Steipler’s letters to unmarried men dealing with problems of personal holiness (adapted from Kraina De’iggresa) he writes: It is a Torah prohibition of “Rechitza” to wash Keri off the flesh on Shabbos, even with regular water alone and no towel. Since this is false, I assume he was trying to stop his questioner from Aveiros this way. (This is from my notes; I’m away from a good library and I’ll try to find the reference later.)”

This is totally incorrect, however, see here!

The State of Israel Was Founded to Destroy Judaism?

The Charedi adage that the state of Israel was founded to destroy Judaism, as the Brisker Rav said, is true but myopic. It’s not just Israel! All states are founded so as to destroy all religions (especially by co-opting them).

Firstly, the authorities of each are mutually exclusive. Either God rules men or Man rules men (see Sefer Shmuel, esp. I chapter 8).

As Leibowitz recounts his conversation with Ben Gurion:

Some twenty years ago I had a lengthy conversation with Ben-Gurion, whose attitude toward Judaism is well known to you, about the problem of religion and state. He said to me: “I understand very well why you demand the separation of religion from the state. You want the Jewish religion to be reinstated as an independent factor with which the political authority will have to contend. Therefore I shall never agree to the separation of state and religion. I want the state to hold religion under its control.” The official representatives of Jewish religion are resigned to this state of affairs; even worse, they count on being “kept” by the secular government.

Secondly, they cannot lastingly abide family guardianship or self-government or private education, either.

Benjamin Constant:

The interests and memories which spring from local customs contain a germ of resistance which is so distasteful to authority that it hastens to uproot it. Authority finds private individuals easier game; its enormous weight can flatten them out effortlessly as if they were so much sand.

Even false opposition to the state like Cursedianity is too scary.

Intentions aside, the results of the state’s war on Judaism have been mixed.