Nineteenth of Kislev: Does the Chabad holiday of the 19th of Kislev, “Chag Hage’ulah,” have any significance to all of the Jewish people?
Rav Aviner: “Ge’ulah,” at its most basic level, means the revival of our nation in Eretz Yisrael; in other words, building the land, settling in the land, the establishment of the State of Israel and the IDF. This isn’t an exclusive matter to Chabad Chasidut, which deals more with personal improvement. Therefore [as Rav Kook famously wrote], Chabad is part of Judaism, but not all of Judaism.
The Destruction of a Shul: How can I explain to my child that the State destroyed a shul?
Rav Aviner: (1) You shouldn’t expose your child to complicated issues like these. (2) If you already did, then tell him that the State is good, but not yet perfect. It may have destroyed one shul, but it builds thousands.
A Disaster on Asara B’Tevet: Many people are spreading the rumor that Asara B’Tevet (fast day commemorating the tragic siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar) this year will be a difficult day for the Jewish people. What should we do?
Rav Aviner: Certainly, this fast is difficult, but there were already many fast days, and the key is to do teshuva (repentance, returning to spiritual and physical roots).
A Disaster on Asara B’Tevet (continued): I meant, difficult as in millions killed in Israel.
Rav Aviner: Definitely. But don’t forget that we are fasting over the churban (destruction of the Temple), when the blood of millions flowed in Israel. And now, in His great kindness, Hashem has returned His presence to Zion. Again, the key is to do teshuva.
Contempt for Rabbis: It hurts my heart to see rabbis from the Shas party (right-wing, Sefardi Charedi political party, formerly led by Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l) attacking Religious-Zionist rabbis with tough language. To call Rav Uri Sherky “the partner of Amalek”?! How long will this contempt of Torah go on?
Rav Eliyahu: Mr. Benziri, who called Rav Sherky “the partner of Amalek,” was not to blame. He learned to behave this way from Rav Shalom Kohen—the head of the Council of Torah of Shas, who speaks even worse than Mr. Benziri, and never apologized for all of the hundreds of thousands of people that he compared to Amalek, including talmidei chachamim (Torah scholars) and virtuous men no less than him. Rav Kohen never explained and said that his words were misunderstood, not on Erev Yom Kippur and not any other time, and he left such a bad name for a large group of Jews. I hope that Mr. Benziri will quickly stop following his rabbis in this way, for you surely know what the sages said about one who shows contempt for a fellow man in public—he has no share in the World to Come. All the more so for someone who shows contempt for and shames a rabbi in public. It’s a shame that he will have this punishment in the World to Come…
Fringes of Techelet: Should one be wearing tzitzit with p’til techelet (a recent, more definite version of the fringe of azure on tzitzit, as per the command in Bamidbar 15)?
Rav Eliyahu: We never put p’til techelet on our tzitzit because we didn’t know for sure if this was true techelet or not. If someone does put it on, he doesn’t violate any prohibition, and it may even allow him to fulfill the commandment of tzitzit b’hidur (on a nicer, higher level). But, there is no obligation to put p’til techelet on tzitzit until we know for sure that this is true techelet.
Printed in Olam Katan on December 11, 2015. Edited by Rav Mordechai Zion, reprinted and translated with permission.
Rav Shlomo Chaim Aviner is the French-born head of Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim in the Old City of Jerusalem. Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, son of the famed Rishon Lezion (Israeli Sefardi chief rabbi) Rav Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l, is the chief Sefardi rabbi of Tzefat. Together, they answer about 400 questions every day about Judaism, Halacha and philosophy, as well as the occasional gem of advice, via SMS messages. They publish their best ones every week in the Olam Katan Shabbat newsletter. Shu”t SMS questions can be sent to Rav Aviner at +972 52-3653028.
Translated by Tzvi Silver/JLNJ Israel
