Caulfield Hebrew Congregation warmly welcomes
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
celebrated Chief Rabbi of Efrat
(formerly of Lincoln Square Synagogue, New York)
as our scholar in residence for the Shabbat of 4-5 June, 2010 Parshat Shelach
We are pleased to invite the community to hear this innovative thinker and dynamic speaker at the following times:
Friday 4 June, Mincha 5.00pm followed by Kabbalat Shabbat 5.45pm
“The Conversion Conundrum”
Saturday 5 June, Shacharit 9.15am
“Is the State of Israel Still Vital to World Jewry?”
Saturday 5 June, Mincha 4.45pm followed by Seudah Shlishit
“Is There a Future For Modern Orthodoxy?”
Don’t miss this rare opportunity!
JBD and the Werdiger family cordially invited you to a lunchtime lecture in the city by
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Efrat, Israel
Where there is a rabbinic will, you can always find a halachic way.
Is this true?
Time: 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm (followed by Mincha) Date: Wednesday 2nd June 2010
Rabbi Riskin tells us that he always refers to Jesus a "Rabbi Jesus" and considers him as a model rabbi!
And did we understand him correctly? Did he say that when the Moshiach comes, he will ask if this is his first of second coming?
And some googling brought us up this gem of his hypocrisy:
Isaac Balbin said...
On Rabbi Riskin and Chabad:
When Rabbi Riskin was on a recent visit to Melbourne, he visibly squirmed when he noticed the "Yechi sign" at the back of the main shule (Rabbi Groner z"l's shule). He could not believe that it was still up there and felt uncomfortable davening there.
He immediately went to see Rabbi Groner and complained directly to him. Rabbi Groner was quite ill and bed ridden
As I recall, Rabbi Groner told him in not so delicate tones "If you don't like it .... "
Rabbi Riskin is an excellent, excellent, learned rabbi who graduated top of his high school, top of YU and studied under Soloveitchik - I think this post is nitpicky and unfair. I hardly think that he has a crusafix up in his house and obviously the whole Rabbi Jesus bit (which I haven't heard before) is part of a larger drosha, of which no context is given here. Just because he isn't chabad doesn't mean that he isn't a credible, excellent rabbi.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of this website but I don't like posts like this.
I don't know Isaac Balbin, however, when there was a discussion with Rabbi Groner, I was present together with one other person. It was not Isaac. What was discussed between Rabbi Groner and Rabbi Riskin is not accurate and neither is the reported response. To disagree with Rabbi Riskin, bevakasha. However, to engage in purposeful motzi sham rah, is both distateful and shameful. It appears as if neither you or Isaac attended any of the shiurim Rabbi Riskin delivered in Australia. This is a pitty as you both may have taken away from his shiurim, the need to spread Ahavat Yisrael. Perhaps its time for AJN Watch to reconsider its position, and to think of the good it could accomplish if it saw this as a goal. In addition, before quoting individuals, I urge you to please try and check the accuarcy of the source. This can prevent unnecessary sinat chinam.
ReplyDeleteDavid
I can't understand why Shuls and frum groups keep inviting riskin.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't an invite from Jews for Jesus be more apprpriate? OTOH
maybe he could establish a Rabbis for Jesus?
I am a Talmid of Rav Riskin. He has done incredible work in educating thousands of students, and bridging the gaps between secular and religious groups.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with the "yoshke" situation. However, from what I understand Jesus was Jewish, and his teachings reflected Jewish concepts. It was only hundreds of years after he died that writings were canonised and that he was transformed from teacher to a Messiah. Although that is a clear departure from Judaism, it is quite probable that during his life what he taught ahd preached was entirely consistent with Judaism. That is why so many people refer to Judeo-Christian ethics.
Whatever Rav Riskin said, you can be sure that it was well grounded on the basis of informed Torah Judaism.
Gedalia u should listen to your rebbes song and praise of his model - rabbi Jesus and then comment. Somehow the two of u remind me of Rabi Meir and his teacher Acheir. But Rabi Meir understood what acheir was . U don't
ReplyDeleteThanks again to this blog for information that no other aust source offers
Rabbi Riskin makes another false claim. He claims to be from Efrat in Israel. Last I looked at the map, Efrat was on in the Occupied West Bank which the state of Israel has not claimed as part of its territory. Doesn't anybody care about false claims?
ReplyDeleteSol Salbe
I am horrified by this gratuitous attack on Rabbi Riskin.
ReplyDeleteRabbi Riskin is a great Orthodox Rabbi and Torah teacher. This villification is disgraceful.You should be ashamed!
Message to Gid and Ged
ReplyDeleteAs the gemara tells us "Rabbi Jesus" is still wallowing in "Tzoah roseches" - not exactly the usual reward for someone who in his "life ...taught ahd preached (material that) was entirely consistent with Judaism."
The best explanation for Riskin's idiotic or apikorsish statements are that "he did it for the money".
he gets hundreds of evangelist Christians coming to his campus in Efrat and as we know "Shochad yevaer einei tzaddikim" - and kol shken those who are not such tzadikim.
Any Gid and Ged - why not ask your rabbi how he explains his own words?
Reminds me of an early AJN Watch piece about another "rabbi" that respected rabbi Jesus so much that he went all the way!
ReplyDeletehttp://ajnwatch.blogspot.com/2009/06/meshumad-dies.html
The sinat chinam here is astounding! I've watched the video and I see no issue. There is nothing that Rabbi Riskin says that is not grounded in Jewish thought and perspective.
ReplyDeleteSol - if you have ever been to Efrat and walked along derech chevron, you will have retraced the steps of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Mohammed never walked there.
Politically Israeli Governments have accorded the Gush Etzion the same status as Jerusalem - eternally part of Israel and legitimately and traditionally an area of Jewish settlement.
Having being alerted to selected quotations from what I wrote, it is worth pointing out that a) I did attend Rabbi Riskin's shiur, and b) I am a supporter of his, and c) I haven't seen anyone here claim that Rabbi Riskin was happy with the sign or that he didn't raise his concern about it.
ReplyDeleteRabbi Riskin has been maligned. I have actually defended him if you google further that you did.
So Isaac are you also an admirer of rabbi Jesus?
ReplyDeleteAnd don't you feel that theor may be some 'hypocrisy' here? Being against the rebbe as Moshiach (or at least the Yechi sign) but talking about asking Yoshke or his version of moshiach - if he is coming the first or second time?
I Balbin why do you write that Rabbi Riskin has been maligned? What has been posted about him that was untrue or incorrect?
ReplyDeleteBased on recent articles on AJN Watch we almost need a third blog called AJNWATCH Watch.
ReplyDeleteESTABLISHMENT OF NEW MOISDOS
ReplyDeleteGiven the (generally commendable) desire to open new Moisdos (institutions e.g. a Shule, Minyan or Chabad House etc.) for the purpose of strengthening and spreading Yiddishkeit, we would like to draw the community’s attention to guidelines stated by the Rebbe in this connection. In the Sichoh of Shabbos Mevorchim Adar 5748-1988, which was edited and corrected by the Rebbe himself, two issues are raised for consideration:-
1. The question of unnecessary duplication i.e. an evaluation of whether it might not be preferable to invest efforts etc in the establishment of a Moisad which is at present completely absent rather than merely duplicating something which already exists.
2. The more important (Halachic) question of Hasogas G’vul (encroaching on someone else’s territory) which is, in many cases forbidden by the Torah.
With regard to the second issue, the Rebbe directs all those who wish to establish a Mosad, to first consult a Rov in order to ascertain that the opening of such a Moisad does not constitute any form of Hasogas G’vul. The Rov should be locally based, in order that he be fully conversant with the circumstances and details of the proposal, and should also be a Posek i.e. one who is regularly consulted and gives rulings in other areas of Halacha. It is also desirable that he give his decision in writing, in order to avoid further complications in the event of another party wishing to later establish a similar Moisad.
We are sure that everyone will appreciate that adherence to the above recommendations is in the best interests, not only of existing Moisdos, but also of any new Moisad, whose success is ultimately dependent on its being based on firm foundations, i.e. the will of Hashem as expressed in His Torah.
With blessings that we merit the immediate and complete Geulah through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
Avi, we haven't got the faintest idea why you think that your comment is relevant to this thread. Seeing that it is pretty harmless we let it go through.
ReplyDeleteBut can you enlighten us what all this is about?
AJNWatch: Why do you say "we let it go through"? Is the blog run by more than one person, or is this a case of "Na'aseh odom b'tzalmeinu"?
ReplyDeleteI understood from one of the earliest posts here that the blog is run by a number of people. Not that I really care. I enjoy and agree with 90% of the posts and I thank all who supply material
ReplyDeleteNow he's into mosques!
ReplyDeleteRabbis Visit Mosque; Condemn Attack
(Tuesday, October 5th, 2010)
Rabbis from Gush Etzion on Tuesday visited the mosque in the West Bank village of Beit Fajar which was the victim of an apparent “price tag” attack on Monday, Israel Radio reported.
Rosh Etzion Yeshiva head Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein and Efrat chief Rabbi Shlomo Riskin were among those who visited the mosque, condemning the actions which included arson, Koran burning and graffiti in Hebrew with the words “price tag” and “revenge” written over a stone doorway.
The rabbis brought new copies of the Koran to the mosque to replace those that had been burned.
JPost