Unfortunately, but hardly surprisingly, this is not at all the case.
Here's one striking example. In one of his tirades against Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Reuven claims that Rabbi Sacks said the heretical statement that "Yetziyat Mitzrayim was a parable." But Rabbi Sacks never said any such thing!
Reuven presents a video clip of Rabbi Sacks that he has completely misunderstood (or willfully distorted). In the clip, Rabbi Sacks is asked why there is a difference between Adam and Eve (which Rabbi Sacks explains as a parable) and the Exodus. Rabbi Sacks proceeds to explain why they are different. Now you might dispute his explanation, but one thing is indisputable: He does not state that the Exodus is a parable; in fact he explicitly explains why it isn't.
A friend of mine, Rabbi Scott Kahn, wrote to Reuven to point out that he falsified Rabbi Sack's position. You'd think that someone who is committed to 100% truth, to saying only things that are backed up, and to fix it if he made a mistake, would welcome the opportunity to issue a retraction. But instead, Reuven continually refused to admit that he was wrong, and eventually responded to Rabbi Kahn that since Rabbi Sacks is a heretic, anyone who seeks to defend him needs to "learn more Torah."
Clearly, Reuven is not interested in truth. As far as Reuven is concerned, if he rates someone as a heretic, then he can issue slander about him, and he doesn't need to back up his allegations.
Here is another example, which I find of more personal interest. In a recent lecture, Rabbi Reuven issues the following astonishing claim about me:
Natan Slifkin, shem reshaim yirkav ("the name of the wicked should rot")... he came out with a book about animals, pretty much saying that the Torah made mistakes, Chazal made mistakes. Rav Elyashiv, and many other Gedolei Olam, said... "These books should be burned, he is in public cherem permanently... you're not allowed to count him in a minyan, you're not allowed to do business with him, you're not even allowed to be within four feet of him!"Of course I'm familiar with people falsely claiming that my books "pretty much" said that "the Torah made mistakes." But Reuven also issues an extraordinary lie that even I haven't heard before. Yes, the charedi rabbonim said that my books should be burned. But there was never, ever any cherem on me personally! I've never even heard of anyone at all claiming otherwise. In fact, Rav Aharon Feldman publicized an account of his meeting with Rav Elyashiv in which Rav Elyashiv was explicit that he was not saying anything at all about me personally, and was only banning the content of my books (since the rationalist approach of various Rishonim and Acharonim is forbidden to be studied):
Dear ***, My short visit to Israel last week was, among other reasons, to ascertain Rav Elyashiv's reason for the issur on Nosson Slifkin's books. Contrary to rumors, I did not travel on anyone's behalf.
Rav Eliashiv felt that the hashkofos of the books regarding Chazal and the age of the universe are forbidden to be taught, and this despite the fact that others, even great people (such as R. Avraham ben HaRambam, Pachad Yitzchok and, in our times, Rav Dessler and R.Shimon Schwab) may have said similar things. "They were permitted to say these things, but we may not," he said. In other words, the halacha is not like them.
Most important, Rav Eliashiv said that by his signature on the public announcement regarding the books he did not mean to rule that the author is a min or kofer. As far as he is concerned, Rav Eliashiv said, "the author could be one of the lamed vov tzadikim"; the books nevertheless are forbidden to read. He was surprised when he was shown that the announcement described the books as kefira and minus. He then dictated a statement to me,in the presence of his secretary, Rav Yosef Efrati, and one of his grandsons, which read as follows:
כוונתי כשהצטרפתי לקול קורא היתה רק בנוגע שהספרים אסורים לבא בקהל
or, "My intention when I added my name to the public announcement [regarding the issur] was only regarding that the books should not enter the Jewish community." The word "only" was meant to specifically exclude the implication that the author is a heretic.
With best wishes,
Aharon Feldman
But Reuven issuing this staggering falsehood does have a benefit. It provides irrefutable proof that for someone who claims to speak 100% truth, with everything backed up, Rabbi Yaron Reuven is actually... something else.
See too the earlier post: Laughable Lunatics or Dangerous Inciters?
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These guys are complete hacks. Why on earth do you bother addressing what they say.
ReplyDeleteBy responding you give the impression that they espouse content of some sort of worth. But in the same way that scientists don't dignify flat earthers with a discussion I think similar treatment is in store here.
As for their followers, anyone convinced by these people is certainly beyond the reach of this blog.
Well said Isaac
DeleteRabbi Yaron Reuven - the irony here is perfect. They've done studies, you know. He tells the truth - 60% of the time, every time.
DeleteAnd in the same way real scientific scholars of history, Bible, archaeology, genetics, etc never addressed Farrakhan or his idiotic arguments with discussion and refutation, and look where that got us. (Likewise regarding Hebro Israelite cult).
DeleteNow a sizable chunk of the population has bought into his ideas as if it was real scholarship, with no one explaining to them that they are being lied to, and no other standard by which they could have simply tested these claims that he makes to scrutinize the propaganda themselves.
This is not the right strategy and never was. Ignoring it allows it to fester. Banning it produces skepticism "They must be banning it because it exposes them, and they must not like it because it's true." This is the era we live in.
You are really lowering yourself by treating this lunatic with any sort of respect e.g. analysing the things he says.
ReplyDeleteI will mention this again. Since it appears that both Mizrachi and Reuven deal in slander and libel, there is only way to deal with then. That is hit them in their pocketbooks with law suits. Do it both in the US and in Israel(under the Lashon Hara law). A Bet Din will not pursue it in a vigorous way that a secular court would do. Both are bullies and they wrap themselves up in the Torah and whatever else and continue to lie, incite, etc. The only way people like this understand the errors of their ways is to hit them back hard, Not nice, but it is the only thing they understand.
ReplyDeleteAre you listening to yourself? If you take another jew to Civil Court you must be put in Cherem (excommunicated) according to Jewish Law! Do you even keep anything jewish to talk against a Rabbi???
DeleteI'm sure everyone is thinking it. It isn't very difficult making a sephardic Baal teshuva. They are mostly uneducated and very traditional. They are also predisposed to fundamentalism. Not much credit to the rav.
ReplyDeleteI doubt many people were thinking that. Maybe no one.
DeleteRM
What does "RM" stand for? Rabbi Mizrachi?
Delete@Big Mouth...as a sefardi baal teshuva, I find your comment to be fairly insulting. Clearly you do not hold self restraint in high regard.
Delete@big mouth you sound crazy!
Deletestart taking pills.
Thank you for showcasing the difference between these crazy hyperbolic "Rabbis" and Rav Aharon Feldman Shlita.
ReplyDeleteLook at the difference you can disagree with Rav Feldman but his letter is concise reasonable and to the point.
Mizrachi and Reuven just scream and yell. And anyone who disagrees is a "heritic"
Umm..that's how Rav Feldman WRITES (sometimes -- as in this letter), but it's not necessarily how he thinks. So, don't assume he's more receptive to reason or limmud zechus on those he disagrees with when it comes to matters of Da'as Torah. (He's just more sophisticated.)
DeleteI'm not assuming anything I know him personally. You are entitled to disagree with him but he is a VERY honest, consistent and respectable individual.
DeleteNot in the same category or league as these hacks
Agreed. No comparison..R Feldman is a true scholar as well. R Reuven is just a lecturer that knows a couple of topics.
DeleteThe fact that he claims to tells the truth 100% of the time and lies every time is very telling. Disappointed Rabbi Yaron Reuven.
ReplyDeleteI did not even know these people exist. I have followed you from your day 1. I liked when you focussed on nature and animals. Not only are you as above lowering yourself..... it is behavior that truly holds up the geula even though you rationally do not believe in it. Experts in all fields say your response is not proper focus . Such negativity is only from poor middos per Rambam.
ReplyDeleteNot worth responding to these Rabbis. better to just ignore them
ReplyDeleteYou made a spelling error: Not worth responding to these Rabbits.
DeleteThe takeaway here, to my mind, is that Rav Elyashiv, zt"l, speculated that you "could be one of the lamed vav tzadikim." I'd run with that!
ReplyDeleteI, too, would advise you to move on to better and more productive subjects. Three of your last four posts have been devoted to this mishigas. Don't forget, "There's no cure for stupid."
ReplyDeleteHowever, you Noson definitely have the right to defend yourself and I am very glad that you pointed all this out.
DeleteThank you
A fundamental truth set forth by Chazal, and reiterated in modern day psychology, is "כל הפוסל, במומו פוסל". The hate and venom spewed forth by Mizrachi and Reuven (not to mention highly revealing rantings like Reuven's "waste of seed") are indicative of serious personal failings in both of these pathetic characters.
ReplyDeleteHistory, including Jewish history, is rife with pompous, self-righteous demagogues who take pleasure in excoriating others' sins, who were discovered to be philandering in secret. It will not surprise me in the least to hear in the future that both of these "rabbis" belong to that group.
"אמר רב יהודה אמר רב: כל המבזה תלמידי חכמים אין לו רפואה למכתו" (שבת קיט:)
These Rabbis are speaking up for the truth. They ask Rabbanim for advice on every word. If you are against them speaking up against other people that are spreading heresy, don't spoeak up against tehm because that too is lashon hara, rather motzeu shem ra.
ReplyDeleteThese rabbanim are only out there to teach the world the truth. The world is full of lies and heresy and they are replacing that with emes. They are here to educate the tinokim sheyesh bo. if you don't want them saying bad about others, don't say bad about them either.
ReplyDeleteMizrachi and Reuven, two filthy rabies infected SEWER RATS, who should be dealt with exactly as you would a diseased rat
ReplyDeleteIn case anyone was wondering how this clown (term intended) "fills" his lectures, start listening at 3:10 - he pays $15 for kids to come and listen to him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_A_jwq-6Ek
ReplyDeleteIts pretty clear that any one who bad mouths a rabbi that is saying truth coming from psukim in the torah, simply cant handdle it and he cant face reality and do tshuva.
ReplyDeleteone thing is forsure is that god hates the dirty comments and good luck trying to free yorself from hell.
his lectures changed my life and many others. please keep your trash to your self!!
The reality is we are living in a world with a lack of Torah leadership.
ReplyDeleteThere is also a lack of unity, and jews
Can no longer agree an anything.
This one is secular, this one is yeshivish, this one is hassisdish, etc....
Just follow a Rabbi you trust and most importantly get close to g-d. Only you can do that, if you will be a tzadik or a rasha is up to you.
Personally, I have listened to hours of Rabbi Reuven speak and he does know a lot of torah, and many people have made teshuva because of him. He has done a lot of good for kiruv, and if he has a problem with somebody let him speak his mind, I do believe his intentions are pure.
Have any of you researched Reuven's life as a financial person? Not according to him, but according to those he dealt with.
ReplyDeleteNo Rabbi has the whole truth, but every rabbi pursues it.
ReplyDeleteThese rabbis, i assume sephardic, have some bad takes, they also point out some bad takes.
They are a necessary kind of person to keep the wider body of Judaism focused and accountable.
Adversarial but necessary.
Just like we need some of the loose leafed ones who are more about love and forgiveness, not so much overly concerned with pure legalism.
If all we had were Manis Friedmans we'd end up secular, with no direction, no different that the goyim, and if all we had were reuvens we'd be an authoritarian dictatorship, not unlike h--ler (may his name be eradicated).
The dichotomy and the push/pull between rabbinical forces is what keeps the wider Jewish body Jewish, and it's why we're G-ds chosen people, because our leadership is like an advanced adversarial recursive deep neural network that forms an acceptable approximation of the thinking of HaShem himself.
He is able to see a reflection of himself in us as a people precisely because of this dichotomy.
It creates a balance of fractal symmetries that is taken together holy and pure, not too much venom, but not too much coddling either. If all you give a kid is nothing but coddling, they end up spoiled, they won't recognize consequence and end up destroying themselves as a result, but if all you do is give them punishment they will be cruel, and merciless, and will only destroy others as a result, so to have a harsh rabbi like this one, and a kind one like the one that wrote the article, to have one who is versed and sees the scripture through the lens of science, and to have one who sees science through the lens of scripture, creates a balance that brings us down the narrow path to HaShem's real truth.
Now we all have our favorite rabbis, and scholars, and that's good too, but I respect and appreciate all of them, even if they don't feel that way about eachother, you just gotta remember no one Rabbi has it all, it's just not possible.
Each of us needs to build a stronger foundation. We need to develop a stronger sense of yiras shamayim, emuna, and bitachon. if we are geared with these basic principles fo judiasm, we'd be willing to listen to the truth of the Torah. There is no heter in the Torah to bash and slander others. We must take a moment to think about what we are posting before clocking that send button. We can not talk about any Rabbi or even any person like this!
ReplyDeleteThis man needs to be purged. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou have no clue what you’re getting to no one Talks like that about rabbi Yaron you wish you can get even to 0.001% of what he is and accomplish 0.001% you wish
ReplyDeleteSeems relevant for this post:
ReplyDeletehttps://reason.com/volokh/2022/09/27/messianic-jews-vs-orthodox-jews-now-a-libel-case-over-allegations-of-a-non-theological-fight/