The Unpublished Dispute: Mea Shearim versus Shmuel Rabinovitch

B"H

Nowhere else in town will you find any publications about the dispute between Mea Shearim's self - appointed group "Campaign for the Rescue of Meron" and the Chief Rabbi of the Kotel (Western Wall), Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch. Nor in the secular press and neither in the litvishe media of "HaModiah". Not a word. Nothing.

If you go to Mea Shearim, however, the Pakshivilim are screaming from the walls. Rabbi Rabinovitch has been the subject no. 1 for the past two weeks or so. First Rabinovitch was attacked because he let's the Zionist government reign freely over the Kotel. Now he is getting attacked because he wants to transfer his new laws and regulations also to the grave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron (Northern Israel). Begging at the Kotel is forbidden and Rabinovitch intends to introduce the same at Rabbi Shimon's grave.
The "Campaign for the Rescue of Meron", however, sees a danger for poor widows, orphans and other needy people. Until now, they were begging near the famous grave and thus, earned parts of their income. But now, davka the Kotel Rabbi arranged a special service where guards watch over Rabbi Shimon's grave. If anyone starts begging, the Zionist police are coming to take him away.

There is actually a famous story taking place in Eastern Europe, where some religious people came to a chassidic Rebbi. They wanted his permission to forbid the begging around a synagogue because they thought that the poor are disturbing and disgraceful.
The famous Rebbe looked at them and said: "Do you know where this took place what you are intending to do ? In SODOM and GOMORRHA !"
The religious people left the Rebbe's house completely shocked and embarrassed.

And thus a Pakshivili from Mea Shearim is claiming the same:
Religious Jews came to the house of the GRA (the Vilna Gaon) and asked him to forbid the begging around the synagogue. The GRA responded that the poor are there for us in order to cause our own Tikun (soul rectification). And if we don't help the needy, Sodom and Gomorrha cannot be too far from us anymore.

But there are more Fakshivilim about the behaviour and background of Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch. Last Shabbat, the following headline was almost screaming from the Satmar Beit Midrash in Yoel Street (Rebbe Zalman Leib Teitelbaum's place).

This Fakshivili was quoting from an interview given to the paper "Makor Rishon" on November 19, 2007:

"Rabbi Rabinovitch is 38 years old and has one of the most important rabbinic positions. He is the Chief Rabbi of the Kotel (Western Wall). Already at the age of 27, the government appointed him as the Rabbi of the Kotel. Since, he has been welcoming celebreties like Putin, Clinton or Madonna.

Already his father, Rabbi Chaim Yehudah Rabinovitch, was close to Rabbi Shlomo Goren as well as to Shimon Peres, Yitzchak Rabin or Yossi Beilin. His son Shmuel first worked as a rabbi and soon he made a career at the "Misrad HaDatot - Ministry of Religious Affairs".

By appointing such a young Rabbi as the head of the Kotel, the Rabbanut (Chief Rabbinate) wanted to bring in "fresh blood and youth". One of the first actions of Rabinovitch was getting rid of all the disturbing beggars around the Kotel Plaza. Another act was bringing all the Israeli soldiers at least once to the Kotel".

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Rabinovitch has his pros and cons just as everyone else. However, what does a Kotel Rabbi have to do with Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's grave in Meron ? And why is a Kotel Rabbi welcoming all the Gentile celebreties ? Of course, you may claim that already our prophets foresaw that in the days before Meshiach, the nations will stream to Jerusalem. And we Jews should show them respect and welcoming them in our holy city.

My personal opinion is that a Chief Rabbi of any place has to have a certain kind of piety and Chochmat Torah (Torah wisdom). He has to be an outstanding figure and not just be appointed because his father so - and - so had political connections. Unfortunately, this is how religious governmental institutions work nowadays. Call it "political correctness".

It is said in many circles that Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch receives donations from Christians. Money, of course.
Even if he doesn't fear any obligations, one day those donors will come and ask for a favour. If they haven't already shown up. Who knows.

And then what ? Christians pay and ask for favours ? What about the Jews and G - d ? Somehow the whole precarious situation reminds me very much of the disgraceful behaviour of the corrupt Sanhedrin during Temple times. I am talking about the days when the Sanhedrin and the Cohen HaGadol were already corrupt and involved in idol - worship.

It is high time for the Meshiach to come and to choose the right pious people for special tasks. Reinstitute the pious Sanhedrin and rebuild the Third Temple.