Jerusalem – The haredi Mishpacha newspaper created a social media firestorm on Thursday after it published an opinion article in which the first paragraph, printed in Arabic and in Hebrew, asked that since members of the haredi public do not go up to the Temple Mount “could you please stop murdering us.”
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The article, written by Mishpacha Magazine deputy editor Aryeh Ehrlich, explained how the haredi community refrains from going up to the Temple Mount since the haredi rabbinic leadership prohibits visiting the site.
Almost all leading haredi rabbis and arbiters of Jewish law rule that Jews may not visit the Temple Mount since they may enter areas that are forbidden to enter without undergoing purification rituals which cannot be conducted today.
“Us, the haredi community, we have no interest in going up to the Temple Mount in our time,” Ehrlich writes. “We oppose this vehemently. Moreover, Jewish law see this as a severe prohibition – punished by spiritual excommunication.”
“So even if you have solid information on Israeli desires to change the status quo at the Dome of the Rock – something which is incorrect to the best of our knowledge – the haredi community has no connection to it. So please, stop murdering us.”
In the rest of the article, the Mishpacha deputy editor observed that several victims of the recent spate of terror attacks have been from the haredi community, and wrote that he was trying to understand why this was the case.
He went on to detail a conversation he had with an Arab worker at a Rami Levi store and he tried to convince him that members of the haredi public do not go up to the Temple Mount.
Ehrlich was subjected to fierce condemnation on social media once awareness of the article spread.
“How wretched and ghetto like can you be? Is this your version of ‘loving your neighbor as yourself’? Of loving your fellow Jew,?” asked one person on Twitter. “Are you are calling on Arabs not to murder haredim because they don’t go up to the Temple Mount but insinuating ‘go and murder those who do? Disgusting. What about just calling on them not to murder. It would be more humane and more Jewish.”
One talkbacker on haredi website B’hadrei Haredim exclaimed “What about other Jews who aren’t haredi, them you should kill?????”
“The Mishpacha newspaper is turning to murderers to ask them not to murder haredim…everyone else is okay apparently. (He forgot that the pogrom in 1929 was because Jews went to visit the Western Wall),” tweeted far-right former MK Michael Ben-Ari.
Following the outrage prompted by his article, Ehrlich took to Twitter and said that he was trying to explain in his article that the Islamic Movement in Israel was trying to create a religious war and has urged Palestinians to attack people with a religious appearance.
“My article in the Mishpacha Magazine says: This religious war is wild incitement based in imaginary rumors. Most people who observe the religious commandments don’t go to the Temple Mount, if only because of the religious prohibition. The article was trying, naively it must be admitted, to tear the away the mask from the murderous Palestinian aggression which has been going on for decades, and to neutralize the false Islamic incitement.”
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem
What a disgrace. Pitting Jew against Jew, “don’t kill us, kill them.” Just as bad as those on the left who encouraged the terrorists to go for the “settlers” and not those who live within the Green Line. I thought that we were all on the same side, no matter where we live, how religious we are and what our politics are. Those that kill–want to kill Jews, it doesn’t matter which magazines they read.Cancelled my subscription.
There is a bad misquote in your article the message in both the Hebrew and Arabic reads “…. at this time”. It does not say “in our time”.
I am a member of the Haredim community. I was never given any opportunity to approve or disapprove of that message. Had I been given an opportunity to decide I would never send any such foolish message. Now not only was I not asked to approve or disapprove that gross stupidity I know of no one else that was asked.
How stupid do they think the Arabs are? A) they don’t read mishpach B) if you think this is anything other then Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s plan- you shouldn’t be writing for a “Frum” magazine. These kedoshim from the last month (and since the beginning of time) were decreed to pass on Rosh Hashona. It could have been an illness, it could have been a random accident, or even a heart attack – the difference is that their deaths were meant to put into action a string of events- that we don’t understand. To equate a radical Muslim to a serial killer with a specific target is ridiculous, why would they go into a shul in Har Nof which is over 2 miles away from Har Habayis? The members of khal bnei Torah obviously don’t pray on the Temple Mount ? It’s because they were an easy target and Hashem wanted us to understand that this situation effects all of us , not just Jews on the other side of the green line.
Mishpach ISRAEL (I don’t believe that the American one is the same) did klal Yisroel a huge injustice.
And the right will blame the left for the sinas chinam that prevents Moshiach from coming . This is one of the worst pieces of stupidity I have ever seen written by a frum Yid. Let’s see if Avi Shafran has the decency/courage to condemn it.
At a time that we should be both praying for and demonstrating achdus, the writer’s thesis reminds me of the disgusting attitude of some German Jews prior to World War II who looked down on their Ostjuden co-religionists. The article states that chareidim (who are morally better by implication) don’t deserve to be stabbed, but other Jews (who might possibly be among the small minority who go to Har Ha-Bayis) are less worthy. Shittah Menuvelet! May we all be protected, including the author with the very strange set of values.
From the description in this VIN article, the Mishpacha op-ed seems fine, and its the Zionists who are twisting it to insinuate that the writer was saying that its OK to kill non-Haredim.
To the Zionists I say: Stop being trouble-makers. The writer wrote exactly what he wrote, and you have no basis to start making up stories by claiming he wrote something else, or that he meant something else. Just stop being trouble-makers. Murderous Trouble-makers. And, the world knows plenty well that it was your incitement started the 1929 riots. You want to make trouble, and them try to run and hide under the umbrella of good-will that Charedim have, and tarnish the reputation of the Jews. Just start being Jewish; Stop being trouble-makers.
This aggression will not stand.
This is dumb, disgraceful, a chilul Hashem, sinas chinam not to care about all yidden. And empowering the terrorist pigs to boot.
I don’t know – maybe I’m crazy but I don’t see why the outrage. I don’t see it as “Don’t kill us, kill them” – which definitely should warrant outrage – but more of a “Stop claiming it’s because of Temple Mount when you’re killing obviously hareidi pple and we aren’t the ones going up there”. It’s a good point and shows that clearly other motives are at play.
And THIS kind of lunacy is why I don’t buy Mishpacha. Who needs CNN, we can destroy ourselves in the media without their help.
This clown should be FIRED from the magazine. Otherwise, many Yidden will stop buying it.
my lantsman, and you americanos – Please dont be such a pazzi – the world needs to fight the god fight ; deport them and thats it – dont destroy a perfectly good house just deport them for good plus their whole family – its that or kill them .
really do you think people in NYC would tolerate New Jersians coming to attack them if they walk on 5th ave? stomach ache and eye sores yes but no knoves.
sheesh
Kudos to Mishpacha!
The fact is that during the most recent spree of violence Palestinian’s targeted Haredim.
Why?
Because Yehuda Glick and his ilk in a way look and act Haredi and Palestinian’s believe that going up to the Har Habyis IS a Haredi thing. Comes Mishpacha and tells the Arab world that WE Haredim have nothing in common with inciters and agitators right wing extremist. And please dont target Haredi Jews. Don’t target anyone.
There is no mitzvah to go up there.In fact it is not allowed. And even IF some think it is allowed Jewish blood comes before Yehuda Glick’s and his ilk nationalistic Zionist agenda.
How pathetically stupid are these people to Addressing, thereby inadvertently justifying, the lie that the reason arabs are killing Jews is because of the Temple Mount?! Not to mention how heartless they sound, directing the savages to just target the non-Chaveirim Jews!!!!!! This is probably the most absurd, outrageous and pathetic thing I’ve ever heard! They owe the entire Jewish nation a huge apology and had better do teshuva!
The temple mount is not the issue for anyone with a drop of intelligence. It’s pure anti semitism. The temple mount is a fake excuse for them to express their murderous hatred. If it’s not temple mount there will be another excuse to kill jews Gd forbid. What’s more, it’s shameful hope the Israeli government alows and supports this lie. The question at the end of the day is, does the whole land including the temple mount belong to us yes or no? If it does then take over the area completely. If it’s not then we are on stolen land and we should move to Uganda.
As it turns out it was reprinted in the Arab media . Very irresponsible of this “frum” guy to write this. With his logic, the IDF shouldn’t protect Chareidim bec they don’t serve. Lunacy and dangerous
Therein lies the problem and why Israeli’s, Frum and otherwise, have problems with Chareidim.
This feeds the issue that Chareidim care only for themselves and to the detriment of others. Everyone should pay more taxes to support them, everyone’s children should risk their lives to protect them but not their children whether they are learning or not and even if other people’s children are learning. The fact that Chareidi Shuls don’t even have the decency to make a Mishabeirach for those who do risk their lives, adds much fuel to these feelings..
I do not believe that the average Chareidi is that callous and uncaring. The problem lies in their leadership, especially their political leadership.
It’s time for the average Chareidi to stand up and insist these vile comments and utter stupidity STOP!
You have to question the real value of the Torah learning of misfits who actually think like that.
the write of the article and his friends should move to Arab areas and not expect the if to protect them
The answer is to boycott Mishpacha. By the way, the first to get killed if (G-d Forbid) the Arabs take over will be frum people because they are the ones more recognizable then everyone else……
What happened to the halacha that you are not allowed to let someone else die ?
This is ultimate Hutzpah from Mishpacha magazine. I will cancel my subscription today and will notify the store that sell it to take it off their shelves !
Two facts about Israel: 1. the Palestinians hate Israel more than they want a State. 2. the charedi hate Israel and secular Jews more than they fear the paleys who want to throw them in the oven. Maybe we need a three state solution: a paley-charedi pale of settlement in bnei brak.
This article proves again the Chareidim obnoxious disregard for others, The New Square community that celebrates the release of a potential murderer , displays openly this self centeredness, and loathsome selfishness ,
If a Haredi were to stand up against the tyranny of his evil leadership, we see what happens. Bleach attacks, arson, bribery of state officials, messages of exclusion and sinas chinam. They will not fight or die alongside the Jewish people, but they will fight against us if it means they get something out of it.
that article is precisely the problem with Israeli charadim. they are primitive and naive, it is dangerous for those guys to hold any major gov. position
the article is a real shame, no ahavas yisroel. only selfish shelves..spiritual arrogant.
Are there not people who would describe themselves as Charedi and who do go up to Temple Mount? If two people dress and look exactly like the same camp but are ideological opposites, does one of them own the term “Charedi” more than the other?
“Al tifrosh min hatzibur”
A lot of over-reacting here! This message has to be made to the Arabs who think they are waging a holy war! Yes, the implication is not a very nice one, but like I said, the point has to be made! Cancel your subscription at your own loss if you want! The message is a very valid one for the Arabs, not for us!
This is the problem in the frum world. The Us vs Them mentality. Keep ’em poor and uneducated that’ll solve this problem.
EVEN the Jewish Press, no lover of Mishpacha readers, published an article saying that it’s clear the ENTIRE piece has to be read in order to fully understand it .
They are NOT saying what this report claims.