Whenever Josh writes about controversial subjects, people email me and complain.
First of all, you do not have to read his blog. I suggest that if it offends you, do not click on it.
The reason I keep Josh on the Blog Roll is because I myself have been conned by a rabbi [many years ago] and I think it is important that people understand that there are, unfortunately, rabbis today who are not what they appear to be [I'm speaking generally here, not referring to the subject of the controversial posts]. Some of these rabbis have a huge yetzer hara for money, and will do anything to get it. Contrary to their followers' claims that these rabbis are "tzadikim", in reality they destroy lives and destroy souls.
As I don't have personal information about the rabbi[s] being written about, I don't get personally involved. However, I do remember that at the time I was taken for a ride.... no-one believed me, and the rabbi concerned has not changed his ways at all, has not done teshuvah, and continues on his merry way, destroying lives and families.
For this reason, I think it is pertinent that people wake up to the fact that we live in a dangerous world where very few people can be trusted. Josh, however, can be trusted, whether you agree with him or not, and for me, an honest person will always be welcome on my blog roll. But if you don't want to read his stuff, don't click on his blog. I do not take responsibility for what he writes, you need to complain directly to him, not to me. Josh is staying on the blog roll for many reasons, but it's your choice whether or not you read him.
Many Jewish people are, by nature, naive. If we don't possess the trait of deceit, it's hard to notice it in someone else until it's too late and we've already been conned. Sometimes we need a wake-up call and sometimes those wake-up calls are hard to digest, but nevertheless they are necessary.
If you comment, please don't yell or hurl abuse at me, because I will delete you :) Josh, however, will stay.
Devorah,
ReplyDeleteI commend you on this post and on maintaining parshablog on your blogroll. I was concerned when it seemed to have disappeared for a few days. I am not always in agreement with Josh Waxman's positions, but I great respect him and his objectives. I viewed the recent controversy as machloket min shamayim. His message that gedolim can and do err is one that klal--perhaps especially Haredim and Sephardim, as well as other traditional camps--need to be reminded of.
Kol tuv,
HaSepahradi
right on devorah. it is your site and it has helped and helps both jews and gentiles. a few may have opened the blog after seeing the name baba elazar. in my humble opinion, defaming the dead, when they are not around to defend themselves, let it be jew, gentile or rabbi, is like hitting below the belt. as low as a person can go. if someone is corrupt as in madoff's case, every effort should be made to bring the person to justice. how Hashem judges baba elazar, we just dont know. When Hashem stopped the angels from rejoicing over the egyptians death because His creations is being destroyed, i wonder how HE feels when a jew is defamed after death? or even a gentile? by jew running down jew in blogs and sites, muslims, xtians and others read this, it would make them or us gentiles wonder, ''hey, this is our way of doing things......we thought the jews were different, but actually they are behaving like us.''
ReplyDeletei think its in your site that i read the sages said, when we see faults in others, its because we have it in us, atleast a small amount.
Quote "when we see faults in others, its because we have it in us, at least a small amount.
ReplyDeleteThere's an old saying: "Fool me once - shame on you, fool me twice - shame on me."
In that vein, see this post: Mind Games
Been there, done that. Seems the club is bigger than I thought.
ReplyDeleteI wish that we would stop calling every Jew that gets murdered, mashicah Ben Yosef..
ReplyDeleteAnonymous at 4:45 - LOL
ReplyDeleteDev what post u referring to?
ReplyDeleteI'm not really referring to any particular post, just generally, as I often get emails from various people complaining... I guess the latest post that is being complained about is the Baba one.
ReplyDelete(from yesterday I think)
Annon @ 4:45, If you want to find out the period of time to look for MBY, look no further then the Tanach. Daniel outlines it clearly in Daniel 9:24-27. (Unless Daniel is completely mistaken as some have suggested). So since that has taken place, we wait for MBD. Since the Tanach specifies two mashiachs as one person, we can safely assume it would be a reincarnation. So, if all these Jews who have sadly passed where reincarnations of MBY in theory, they don't pass the test of the Tanach as they have died. Therefore they are neither MBY or MBD. It's sort of like spilling the seed. If haShem reveals him to us, then we will know, until then STOP the nonsense.
ReplyDeleteWake up Israel.
Devorah, speaking as a regular -- if infrequent -- visitor to your wonderful site I'd like to add my $0.02. IMHO the Baba Elazar affair, the Katzav and Olmert trials, the Holyland Hotel criminal investigation -- all of these and other events in Eretz Hakodesh are examples of non-stop and intensive revelations-of-what-was-previously-concealed. Nothing can better prove the truth behind HaRav Kook's words that you highlight on your blog: "Before the world of truth can come, the world of lies must disappear" - Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook
ReplyDelete