A baby stork in distress: Educator Rabbi Chaim Reich, who came to give a 'strengthening talk' at the Gur Seminary in Jerusalem on Monday, against the backdrop of the 'Meron disaster', took the opportunity to criticize the students for the violence and boycotts against the community of the Gur Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Alter.
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The seminar's strengthening session began with the words of Rabbi Daniel Lieberman, supervisor of the 'Nazar Israel' yeshiva, who expanded on the students' belief in the sages and devotion to the righteous of the generation. He was followed by a speech by Principal Gita Waserzog, who emphasized the duty of every girl to adhere to the righteous, and the duty to stay away from technological devices.
But at this point, a drama unfolded: Rabbi Reich, a renowned Lithuanian lecturer, began to speak about human relations and stated that even when you see followers of the Ha-Rashid Alter, you should say hello to them. "Spit on someone? Did the tzaddik tell you that? I don't believe it! There's no such thing! Even if you pay me, there's no such thing!" said the educator.
Following this, a commotion broke out. The seminary girls said in conversations after the event: "They told the girls to get out of the hall.".
Here is the transcript of Rabbi Chaim Reich's full lecture:
""This is not the time to point an accusing finger, nor is this the place, and I am not the man... I do not... Listen to what I say, the finger does not accuse, it is a finger that brings closer, it is a finger that builds.".
But when you see them falling on each other, when they trample each other, when they strangle each other, when they hurt each other, you can throw me out later. I'm in a Gur seminar, and each one will take things to their own place. There is no power in the world, no power in the world that can say to hurt a Jew, there is none!
To harm a Jew in Israel, to speak ill of him, to say bad things about him, to harm him. When a Jew gets married and doesn't come to his wedding, it's an insult! It's a crime! It's the destruction of all of Israel! For a Jew to walk down the street and not be answered, it's the destruction of all of Israel!
And I'm close, I'm close to the plague, I'm close to the plague, I have a son-in-law who is a scoundrel.... Throw me out of here, I don't care if this will be my last conversation. There is no permission in the world not to say hello to a Jew who is a follower of this and that. Even if he betrayed and they want to protest and move on, there is no such thing, there is no such thing that will harm Israel as a whole!
Someone in the community got married and didn't attend the wedding - my heart was broken!
I am not worthy, I do not belong, maybe you will bring the Rebbe to come and say yes... The Rebbe is an angel of God, you should know that he is an angel of God! I do not believe that this... I am saying things here, I am saying that God will give me the words. But even if there is a disagreement, and it is permissible to have one thing, it is permissible to say one thing: 'We have a different leadership, we have a Tzadik of the generation, we follow him!''
Spit on someone? Is that what the righteous man told you? I don't believe it! There's no such thing! Even if you pay me, there's no such thing! I don't believe it! A supreme saint cannot be... There's no such thing!
Get out of here and say hello to all the followers of Rabbi Shaul, you can throw me out of here!
.... [shouting]
Gentlemen, I conclude: May God grant us that... and we will behave in... that you will respect each other and respect Jews that... I am not pointing an accusing finger!
What happened? What happened? What did I say? I didn't say anything. I hope that the things I said... I said things I didn't plan to say today, I didn't plan to talk about it, I said things here... and God Almighty will help that... from the conversation I spoke today, that we all strengthen ourselves in free love even when it's not... and that we will respect each other, and not trample or hurt, but rather, we will respect others and that we will merit eternal salvation in Christ, our righteousness will soon be established in our days, Amen!""
Officials at Gur said in response: "Education for obedience and devotion is our soul bird. This act of sneaking in and preaching against our rabbis is crossing a shocking red line.".
We were unable to receive Gore's official response.
