Dear YWN,
I hope you will publish this letter, as I find the situation deeply disturbing.
Recently, someone sent me a letter that was signed by dozens of baalei batim, with an effort underway to collect even more signatures. Part of the letter reads as follows (quoted verbatim):
“Therefore, we make our position explicit. We remain wholly committed to the support of Torah, Yeshivas, Kollelim and Talmidei Chachamim — the very life force of our holy nation. And because of that commitment to the Torah Chaim, we cannot in good conscience support institutions whose public posture undermines those charged with defending Jewish life. Accordingly, we will only provide financial support to Torah institutions that do not publicly speak against, protest, or delegitimize the IDF while they bear the burden of defending Jewish lives. This policy will remain in effect until such positions are reconsidered in a manner consistent with the defense of Jewish life.
This stance takes no position on the current debate regarding the draft. It addresses only the propriety of public opposition to the IDF during an ongoing defense of Jewish life.
We state this position in unity and responsibility, confident that the strength of our people lies in the alignment of Torah, security and mutual commitment. Through achdus, may we merit the geulah sheleimah, b’karov.”
It is not my place to personally attack those behind this letter, despite what I view as breathtaking audacity — publicly threatening Torah institutions and, by extension, Gedolei Yisrael, over matters of hashkafah and public expression. But Chazal already warned us what the period before Moshiach would look like. “Chutzpah yasgeh” is not a metaphor. It is a reality we are living through, and this episode feels like a textbook example.
What shocked me most was seeing the names of two close friends of mine on the letter. I reached out to them directly. Both told me the same thing: they were misled. They were not shown the final text, nor were they told clearly what the letter would actually say.
That raises serious questions about the integrity of every single signature on this document.
Ironically, these are often the very same baalei batim who habitually question kol korehs issued by Gedolei Torah, asking whether the Rabbonim truly signed, whether they were misled, or whether the wording was altered. Yet here, the same tactics appear to have been used — only now in reverse, by private individuals seeking to leverage money and influence.
Is there truly no limit to the chutzpah of this generation, where a small group of people with financial means feel empowered to pressure, threaten, and attempt to silence leading Torah figures by dangling funding over their heads?
I am a real person. I am signing this letter sincerely. I am choosing to remain anonymous — not because I lack conviction, but because I genuinely fear being bullied or intimidated by some of those involved.
That fact alone should trouble anyone who still believes we are having an honest, respectful discussion within the Torah world.
The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/76692515692303107/5239678301297866501
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