Israel – Rabbi Elyashiv: No Crocs on Yom Kippur

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    Israel – Rabbi Elyashiv of the Lithuanian stream of ultra-Orthodoxy has ruled that it is best not to wear crocs shoes on Yom Kippur even though they are not made out of leather and, therefore, would seemingly be permissible for the holiday. His reasoning behind the ruling is that they are too comfortable, and thus don’t provide the level of suffering one should feel on the holiday.

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    Leather is traditionally not worn on Yom Kippur as a symbol of humility and increased humanity on the atonement holiday.

    The halachic ruling came in response to a question posed to the rabbi by a young yeshiva student asking whether it is permissible to wear on Yom Kippur shoes one would normally wear throughout the year. In response, the rabbi ruled it is best to avoid wearing crocs on the holiday. “It is permissible legalistically, but it is inadvisable,” said Rabbi Elyashiv.

    The rabbi further explained his ruling saying that he ruled according to the halachic authorities who believe that the prohibition against “wearing sandals” refers to not wearing leather shoes.

    Despite this, the rabbi added, he took into consideration the interpretation of halachic rulers who see the prohibition against “wearing sandals” as referring to creating a level of discomfort. As such, any shoe that is not from leather but is comfortable to wear is forbidden on Yom Kippur.

    Rabbi Elyashiv’s ruling will create a challenge this year for his students, many of whom have chosen in recent years to wear crocs on Yom Kippur.

    Because worshippers spend most of Yom Kippur at synagogue for prayer services that include long periods of standing, crocs have been a favored choice among synagogue-goers on the holiday and have gained popularity in the haredi sector because of the difficulty posed by standing through all the prayers.


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    115 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I just bought new crocs 🙁

    themathprof
    themathprof
    14 years ago

    So, all my friends that wear sneakers to shul during the year should wear shoes?

    all the "reid"
    all the "reid"
    14 years ago

    the toldos avraham yitzchok rebbe shlita wears white crocs for yom kippur

    TheTruth
    TheTruth
    14 years ago

    Not only that, but we should spikes in our non-leather shoes. This is a bigger hiddur. And wear a size that is too small.

    AuthenticSatmar
    AuthenticSatmar
    14 years ago

    This theory would eliminate most of the shoes people wear Yom Kippur.
    Sneakers, tennis shoes, and slippers are all designed to provide comfort.
    Look for a new line of shoes with a hashgacha. I’m sure some entrenpaneur will come up with it.

    Yoelish
    Yoelish
    14 years ago

    Then I guess that means, no Crocs for me!

    ney sayer
    ney sayer
    14 years ago

    oh come on… This is a bit much

    Yoelish
    Yoelish
    14 years ago

    Why are making fun of the Posek Hador? Do you know so much Torah, that, you can chastise his p’sak? Are you of his callibur?

    merkin
    merkin
    14 years ago

    sounds like a croc to me. Personally, I wear shoes made of thumbtacks on Yom Kippur.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    it is a known fact that r elyashiv is not speaking to the hamoin am-he is gearing his psak to yeshivalait,thats why he doesnt look to be maikel,people that knew him years ago said he used to pasken more lekulah-and they asked him what changemhe said he saw that he is paskening for yeshivalait which should not be looking for kuulos,therefore of course if its too difficult for the aalei batim-this psak does not mean to asser it from you,but if u could follow it-it will be a zechus for you on yom kippur

    s
    s
    14 years ago

    what in the world would make someone ask such a question?!

    crocs me up
    crocs me up
    14 years ago

    I’ll believe it when I hear it from his mouth myself. There is absolutely no source quoted here to prove it. TZOM kAL

    CHAP IT
    CHAP IT
    14 years ago

    #2 all the reid : how do yo know? do you actually see the toldos avrohom yitzchok rebbe, shlita wearing them. and anyway maybe he needs them for heath. be dan lekaf zchus once in a while(and especially during the aseres yemei teshuva) and don’t make a zilzul of the gadol hador’s psak.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    just got a pair of the new crocs (called crocband) lovin it will wear on yk

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    typical misnaged mussarnik psak

    ST
    ST
    14 years ago

    He didnt rule thats its assur, only that its not appropiate.. if you with your daas Bal Habayis hold differently, then do what you want.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Can someone please tell us where it says we must suffer on Yom Kippur?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Acrock.

    chochom
    chochom
    14 years ago

    i think that crocs are assur. it is a gezera for crocodile leather!

    Chaim S.
    Chaim S.
    14 years ago

    Typical Litvak psak halocho. If you can be machmir on something that has no basis of chumra, do it anyway. Then you can scream at the lenient chasidim who are wearing crocs. A Litvak avreich was walking in Bnei Braq with a sour face. What happened asked his friend? I went to my rov with a sheila and he said it was muttar. Awwww. The Gemoroh says that koicho d’heiteiro odif. Rashi explains that to pasken a hetter you have to understand the halocho. Anybody can pasken l’chumra and say no.

    dr. bill
    dr. bill
    14 years ago

    there is a brisker chumarah, observed by the Rav ztl, to actually feel the earth thru one’s shoes on yom kippur. i believe the Rav wore rain galoshes. it is not intended to specifically cause discomfort and, like many such chumrot, are meant for yechidai segulah who have acheived such a level of observance.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Wat about mothers, looking after kids is strenuous on such a day do i needa suffer more by wearing ill fitting shoes???

    JACK
    JACK
    14 years ago

    Every few months, someone goes to a Gadol in Eretz Yisrael, and tries to get them to pasken a “halacha” to how they want it paskened. I want to know if the person brought the actual crocs to R’ Elyashuv and showed him the crocs. If anyone here has ever tried to speak to R’ Elyashuv, it nearly impossible to ask him a detailed shilah about a croc. Furthermore, why would someone waste the time of one of the oldest Gedolim in the world to ask him such a silly question? obviously this person wanted to be able to say “R’ Elyashuv said no crocs”

    its all black and white
    its all black and white
    14 years ago

    ok i hope that im not the only person here that actually picked up a sefer, if you look in the Rambam Shevitaat Asur (halachot Yom Kippur) 3:7 he says that you have to feel the ground when you walk. Needless to say there are other Poskim that disagree, but it’s the Rambam take it or leave it

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    where does it say not to be comfortable??? what a hack in tchainik!

    formelly
    formelly
    14 years ago

    actually this makes perfect sense, the reason for not wearing leather is comfort (non comfortable does not mean suffer). so why do people wear shoes that are more comfortable than leather shoes.

    When the halacha was written not to wear leather, leather was the shoes to wear for comfort. They did not have sneakers crocs and so on.

    Ouch
    Ouch
    14 years ago

    There are plenty of leather shoes out there that are far more uncomfortable than any Croc or cloth shoe.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Is it this rabbi or some other rabbi in his community, that paskened that a woman should not wear a sheital/wig in order to cause suffering on the women; and the divorce rate went-up amongs the ‘anti sheitals.’

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I did not think that Yom Kippur was about suffering, it is about raising one’s spiritual level to that of malochim… suffering does not necessarily do that… this is not tish’a b’av… it’s a holy day of teshuva!

    Joseph
    Joseph
    14 years ago

    This doesn’t surprise me at all.

    If a person wants to accept extra afflictions on himself not mandated by halacha, that’s his choice. But don’t pasken something like that for the masses (and to his credit and common sense, it doesn’t sound like he did).

    power up
    power up
    14 years ago

    i respect his pesak, but n”h he is not my posek

    Kavod Rabonim
    Kavod Rabonim
    14 years ago

    note the Rav said **”In response, the rabbi ruled it is best to “avoid” wearing crocs on the holiday. “”It is permissible legalistically””, but it is inadvisable,” said Rabbi Elyashiv”** he never said it is assur. The “Jewish” media likes to put things in our Gedolim’s mouths and then try to get people to say loshon Horah and belittle them.

    boroparkyenta
    boroparkyenta
    14 years ago

    Regular terry slippers, and sneakers are more comfortable. Some people dont find crocs comfortable at all. We are always more comfortable in slippers than in our leather high heels. I always think while standing in shul on yom kippur that I am so happy not to have to wear fancy Shabos shoes with high heels. I am allowed to wear slippers or sneakers to shul! Yay! I never wear sneakers all year round.
    I even exercise in flat leather shoes. The flat styles that are so in fashion now are a blessing, especially for taller women that hate heels anyway.
    Crocs are so unflattering, and not all that comfortable anyway. I own a few pairs but never wear them. My children do like them. Whoever does, should enjoy.
    The important thing is to daven and do tshuva.

    Meira  Kingberg
    Meira Kingberg
    14 years ago

    I have lots of foot problems nothing feels comfortable if I’m on them. LOL
    For me, new leather would provide many hours of intolerable suffering, should I then wear leather so that I suffer enough?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Wow first off oh my do the posters here respect any gadol Rav elyashiv might be a litvak but find me the one chasidesheh gadol who would dare and wouldent tremble in fear of disagreeing with him and I happen to be what is known as a liberal chusid but I know as great as my rebbe is the posek hador is rav elyashiv and chzal warn us about disrespecting our gedolim second one can think than nebech a little discomfort has become worth than the gallows around here we use words like suffering couse our chioce shoes are out we sound like a child crying over the collor lollypop he got in shul and nebech I guess befor crocs klal yisrael just couldent survive yom kipur it was so horibule this tortuers yom tov nebech let’s just get rid of it how can one be excpectet not to eat not to drink not to be comfetuable such suffering nebeach by the way look it up I know ur going to go balistic but has anyone notict the lil Halacha where it’s better not use a pillow when you sleep or less pilows so in order to be meaneh the guf for all the extra comfurts it allowd itself during the year that’s the point of teshuvah my my how we ever survived befor crocs nebech is all that’s left to say let’s daven moshiach comes real soon

    AK
    AK
    14 years ago

    To all you Am Haaratzim who have nothing better to do Erev Yom KIppur but to make fun of Gedolei Yisroel, Please open up a Mishna Berurah Siman 614 S”K 5. He says that one should be machmir and not wear any shoes, leather or not, that prevents you from feeling that you are barefoot.

    This is not a “Brisker” chumrah. It is the shitah of the Elyah Rabbah, Shaarei Thsuvah, Pri Megadim, and Chasam Sofer.

    R’ Elyashiv is paskening like this Mishna Berurah to those who ask. BTW, the Mishna Berurah says not to be Mocheh on those who are Meikil. I am certain R’ Elyashiv would say the same for his pask in line with the Mishna Berura.

    Be happy we don’t hold like the Bach, who holds that you must go specifically barefoot. See Biur Halacha.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I think a very important part is missing. Many great Rabbonim wrote responses about 150 years ago permitting the use of non-leather shoos, while some Rabonim did not allow it. Although the accepted Halacho (I think this is by all communities) is to wear non-leather shoes Lechatchila, Rabbi Elyashiv is apparently (to me) of opinion that one should not wear shoes that are very comfortable and worn outside regularly. BTW, if you really want, my daughter made in kindergarten Yom Kippur shoes of thin cardboard and staples. Pretty sure that if you wear them the staples will go in all places and guarantying some Inuy.
    Easy fast and Gemar Chasima Tova.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Not all answers are supposed to be public. Did anyone ask R’ Elyashiv if this was a public psak or meant for the specific person. This is a big problem in our day of email/text/internet. Hence the idea of asking your local Rav. If you want to wear crocs and YOUR Rav says or HAS SAID its fine, go right ahead.

    zaide
    zaide
    14 years ago

    if this is the case then Sheitels are also ASSUR

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    sorry if you like it or not he is our posek and we cannot pick and choose what psak we like or not IF he actually said that we have to listen.

    Tishma Oti
    Tishma Oti
    14 years ago

    First of all Crocs are so gay NO men should be wearing them. Second, I take off my shoes in Shul and daven in socks so I can feel like an anav on Yom Kippur. Third, it is improper for all the above writers to be insulting to the Posek HaDor of the Yeshivishe Kehillah. It is unbecoming to act this way if one is a frum Yid. Period. Non Frum Yidden, please refrain from insulting our Rabonim, especially on matters pertaining to halachah that the Reform Community does not respect. Just one man’s opionion.

    not a croc wearer
    not a croc wearer
    14 years ago

    I wear crocs only Tisha buv and Yom kippur. I hate them. Can I still wear it?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    how about wearing only a kittel with no jacket or bekasha under it is that permitted?it sure is comfortable to where one over your shirt.does anyone have the answer?

    No!
    No!
    14 years ago

    In my humble opinion: Horav Eliyashiv Shlita SHOULD’T have said this, because most people will NOT adheed to his Psak, and it would only make a mockery of him and Piskey Din of Rabonim. [ The same thing happened when Rabbonim made a “ban” on a frum concert ].

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Thank you #46 .

    I am crying for Klal Yisroel as I just read through with absolute shock that just a few days before Yom Kippur there are people here posting opinions and knocking our undisputed Gadol Hador. UNDISPUTED amongst all Frum circles. Litvish, Chasidish, Misnagdish, Yeshivish, Sefardish, etc. There is no Rov in the entire world who will not tell you that Rav Elyashuv is our Gadol Hador. Even if they have a different Psak have you ever seen anyone in the last 10 years say a Psak from Rav Elyashuv is wrong???

    I cry for those who used this forum to level hock and mock on and about Rav Elyashuv. It is you who will find yourself crying before next Yom Kippur for the tragedy’s that will fall upon your family and you will need to remember that being Mivazeh a Talmud Chochom not only casues you to loose your Oilam Haba but destroys your Oilam Hazeh. I shudder to think of the children Klal Yisroel will bury next year because of the comments made on this topic.

    Maybe Rav Elayshuv did give this Psak maybe he didn’t – but to knock this Torah giant??? a few days befoere Yom Kippur???? What a Chaval on where Klal Yisroel is holding as a whole to have you people as a part of our Am Hanivchar. Atah Virchartanu Mekol Hoamim – Hashem chose us. The lowest Yid is greater then the greatest Goy in the eyes of Hashem. How sad that we cannot realize that and act accordingly.

    ………And then from the same mouths that spew this disgusting redderick about our Gedolay Yisroel will come a Teffila of Ani Mamin for Moshiach??? and we expect the RBS”O to listen?????

    we truly are a dor of Yesomim.

    Reasonable Guy
    Reasonable Guy
    14 years ago

    I will not even think I can argue with the Gadol Hador; I would just question the idea of suffering. This is Yom Tov not Tisha B’Av. I know that they are halachikly ok, as he, himself, said. I just wanted to know what the inyan was that he is refering to. I know many poskim, who are in the same stratosphere as the gadol, who are not worried about this.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I think with all do respect, the person who asked this Shaila had NO right to ask. All he did was cause more machlokes and more Loshon Hara. What was his point? What did he gain? If hes such a tzadick, he should not have asked and did what he knew for himself was proper. Everyone knows the Halacha and so DID HE!

    speak for yourself!!
    speak for yourself!!
    14 years ago

    “our undisputed Gadol Hador. UNDISPUTED amongst all Frum circles. Litvish, Chasidish, Misnagdish, Yeshivish, Sefardish, ” He is NOT my gadol hador!! this psak seems ratherextreme to say the least- VERY misnagdish!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I was always taught that the no leather rule was to create more discomfort and because leather represents luxury, wealth, and comfort. My fabric tennis shoes feel more comfortable than any leather pair of shoes which give me calluses and rub my heels.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    #61 – your point is not a good one. Every person has a right to ask and should ask any Shayla they want. It’s a Mishna In Pirkei Avos – Ain Habayshon Lomad. Ask away. The Chaval here is not on the person who asked. If anything it may be on the sites that publish the article. Why would they do it? If their intention was Ltoeles Horabim so we can all learn from and here the latest Psokim from our leader we need to thank them for helping us. If their intention was to create a forum for people to hock then they should be destroyed. I think in the future these articles should be published but without any ability for anyone to log in and comment. This way we hear the news, we hear the psak and we cannot offer our feeble opinions which are really meaningless to the readers.