Natan Slifkin (sometimes Nosson Slifkin or simply HaMumar Slifkin) (born 1975), also popularly known as the "Zoo Rabbi", is an ordained but non-pulpit serving Orthodox rabbi best known for his interest in biology, zoology and natural history and for his books on these topics, which have become a focus of controversy within the Haredi world.
I like it when my opponents are funny!
That is so strange that someone would do that. Why are people so desperate to go to gehenim?
ReplyDeleteThey don't think that they are going to Gehennom. They think that they are simply calling a spade a spade.
ReplyDeleteIn case anyone is curious, the addition in question was made from a person using a Verizon connection in Brooklyn.
ReplyDeleteI actually suspect I know the person who changed the wikipedia entry, his intention probably wasn't to call a spade a spade, but rather to update wikipedia with accurate info. unfortunately for you, you are known in many circles as hamumer slifkin ym"s, it's a fact as much as any fact. I don't see why someone just recording a true fact would go to gehenom. On the other hand, I find it funny to see you talk about people going to gehenom, when your posts (such as the last one for example) are replete with pure letzanus, and of course one of the groups that don't see the sechina are kat letanim, so you talking about gehenom would be the stove calling the pot black.
ReplyDeleteNo, Funny would have been Ha Mooo-mar Slifkin.
ReplyDeleteI reverted the change, noting in the revision comment that I was "reverting vandalism." Another anonymous person reverted my reversion, noting that "Not valdalism, but rather common knowledge, and a wellknown nickname in Orthodox circles." (A third anonymous editor deleted the phrase again.)
ReplyDeleteEven if this is true, it doesn't belong in the article without citation and explanation that it's a pejorative term used particularly by some of your critics. But I'm curious: Is it true, to your knowledge?
Is it true that I am a mumar, or is it true that it's a common nickname? ;-)
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of it before. Besides, if anything, it would be hakofer, not hamumar!
Wow...didn't know you had a blog. Added it to the external links of your article. All pejorative edits were cowardly made using IP addresses, so all that could be done was warnings made to those iP addresses.
ReplyDeleteRabbi Slifkin,
ReplyDeleteIn fairness, the person that wrote that is just an imbecile. I think that one can object to some of your books, even in a way of kannayus, and still be a normal, respectful person. I have never seem someone write "yemach shmo" after your name. chas v'shalom to say such a thing about another Yid. I'm sure people exist that would write such a thing, but your average very charedi person, from Lakewood or Bnei Brak, is very likely to hold that some of your ideas are k'fira without being m'vazeh YOU as a person.
HaRav Elyashiv SHLITA himself told Rav Feldman that Rav Shlifkin may be a lamedvavnick for all that he knew (but that nevertheless he maintained his opposition to his books). Rav Miller the posek of the Lakewood community and Rosh Kollel in Toronto had a warm and cordial meeting with Rav Shifkin - while I am sure still strongly maintaining his opposition to his positions. Talmidei Chachamim are don't resort to name-calling and other types of childish behavior - they can disagree in a dignified manner.
ReplyDeleteYilel, the saying is the pot calling the kettle black. Yes, anyone who is mivazeh another Jew in public and thereby embarrasses him does go to gehenom since it is like killing a person.
ReplyDeleteActually the real joke is that we're into the Three Weeks and this kind of stuff is still happening.
ReplyDeleteOnly the jokes on us, isn't it.
{Sigh}
Hopefully, it wasn't "kanno'im" at wikipedia, but only one kanai, or, as Michoel wrote, just an imbecile.
ReplyDeleteI think this little incident is being blown out of proportion. First, it is highly doubtful that whoever edited the wikipedia entry is a kanai. Kanno'im are not allowed to use the internet, and thus no self respecting kanai would expose himself as being not only internet savvy, but also knowledgeable enough in it to be able to edit a wikipedia entry. Yet the chance remains that this person is in fact a kanai, in which case this kanai is himself a mumar for contradicting the p'sak of his Rebbeim. What else can you say to such an individual aside from, "Sit Kanai! Bad Kanai!"
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, in all likelihood it was some stupid yeshiva kid. React the way that Rabbi Slifkin did: just laugh.
If I may add one more thing: Can we all stop condemning each other to Gehennom!? If there is one thing I think Rambam would agree with it's that no human being can know who is going to Gehennom and who is not. Leave all the fire and brimstone to the televangelists! It belittles the purpose of this blog for its apparent proponents to be making such benighted comments.
ReplyDeleteCan we all stop condemning each other to Gehennom!? If there is one thing I think Rambam would agree with it's that no human being can know who is going to Gehennom and who is not. Leave all the fire and brimstone to the televangelists!
ReplyDeleteSeriously. Rabbi Slifkin, I'm delighted to learn that you have a blog, but, speaking as a frei Jew and an apikoros (I have certification!), I would hope this is not the general tone of it.
(Also, my Chabadnik nephew tells me that nearly everyone is going to Gehinnom, but not, as the evangelicals and Hareidim would have it, for eternity. And my MO friends seem to think that no one is going there - no one they know, anyway!)