Plus a special program on measles and more tomorrow night
In part 40 of The Prophetic Teachings of Rav Elchonon Wasserman we continued learning a 26-point essay that is called, ironically, “Da’as Torah”. Here is a translation of point 20:
[As Chazal teach:] “The entire body follows the head.” We are talking about B’nei Torah, Rabbonim, and Admorim [Chassidic rabbis], who were put in place to be guardians of the wall of religion. Are they fulfilling their duty? “You eat the fat, and you wear the wool…but you don’t take care of the sheep” (Yechezkel 34:3). (We are not speaking about all of them, of course; far be it to say that. We are talking only about a minority.)
They benefit from the Torah, but what does the Torah benefit from them? They write and sign public pronouncements that the Jews should donate to causes that the Torah does not recommend — meaning to say, they testify falsely in the name of the Torah. For what and why? In order to find favor by lowlifes. However, the results are contrary to their hopes. “False witnesses are scorned by those who hire them” (Sanhedrin 29a).
In the generation in which the son of David comes “the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog” (Sotah 49b). The practice of a dog is to run in front of its owner. But where is he running in front? Wherever its owner wants to go, there he runs in front. In the footsteps of Moshiach the face of the generation [the rabbis] run in front. They run to the place the generation wants to run (stated in the name of Rav Yisrael Salanter, zt”l). They swim with the flow of the street, and in order to find favor in the eyes of the street the rabbonim become jesters.
How do people get rabbinic positions today? Either through an announcement of one of the parties, or through public auction. They are sold in the meat market and weighed in liters. The rabbonim argue that this is the fault of the homeowners, whereas the homeowners argue that this is the fault of the rabbonim. Both are correct. We are all guilty over the shame of the Torah, We are all harmed from “Woe to the creatures from the shame of the Torah” (Avos 6:2).
This was originally published 90 years ago. If that was the situation back then, when it was already the footsteps of Moshiach, what is it like today, when we are that much closer to the end? If a significant number of rabbis were selling out and testifying falsely in the name of the Torah back then, what do you think is going on today? How many of them are even writing their own pronouncements anymore?
If you accept that we are living in the footsteps of Moshiach, you must also accept that much of the rabbinic establishment (by now far more than the minority Rav Wasserman politely refers to) is corrupt, Erev Rav. They benefit from the Torah, but the Torah does not benefit from them.
Another point to consider: Would any “Orthodox” Jewish publication print Rav Wasserman’s essay today?
Would Rav Elchonon Wasserman be hireable today?
Would he be able to find a good shidduch?
What does that say about us?
The entire class is embedded above and on Rumble here. We don’t have too many left in the series. The link to register for the live classes is here.
Sunday night at 9:30 PM Israel time will be another special program with Dr. Yael Tusk on measles and more. The link to join the live program is here.
I spoke with Dr. Tusk a few months ago on the topic of measles and vaccines, and the recording is available here.
Sunday night’s program will be a follow-up. Questions from participants are welcome.
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