Jerusalem – Nahal Haredi Rabbi Who Was Attacked By Radicals Attends Rav Auerbach’s Funeral

Jerusalem – A respectable delegation of Netzach Yehuda (Nahal Haredi) rabbis, who escort charedi soldiers throughout their army service, attended yesterday’s (Sunday) funeral of Hagaon Harav Shmuel Auerbach, zt”l.  One of them is Rabbi Yitzhak Bar-Haim, among the noted founders of Netzach Yehuda Association and the Brigade itself. Approximately one year ago, Bar-Haim was assaulted by extremists who claimed to represent the battle against the draft of yeshiva students.

In an interview after the funeral, Rabbi Bar-Haim explained that he chose to attend because, “Rav Shmuel was a gadol, great in Torah and avodas Hashem. Even if he opposed things that I’ve done, there is no question regarding the stature of his Torah and service of G-d. That’s why it wasn’t even a question for me whether I should attend this funeral. The world is now sorely missing a righteous Jew who toiled in Torah despite immense challenges and adversity.”

Rabbi Bar-Haim adds that along with attending Hagaon Harav Shmuel’s funeral, he also attended a memorial that took place simultaneously on Har Hamenuchot in memory of a Haredi soldier from the Netzach Yehuda brigade who passed away one year ago. Bar-Haim attended both the late soldier’s funeral and memorial.

Participating in the funeral along with Bar-Haim was a large contingency of Haredi soldiers and Haredi army veterans, as well as Netzach Yehuda rabbis including Rabbi Yochanan Danziger, Rabbi Yaron David, and Rabbi David Fuchs.

Recalling the beating he endured approximately a year ago from draft protesters, Rabbi Bar-Haim explains, “I know what a gentle person Rav Shmuel was. He was pleasant, soft, and unusually sensitive to the poor and downtrodden. If he had any idea how much the soldiers are suffering, I have no doubt that he would have protested strongly against the negative behavior.

The people around him fed him lies and deception, and those in his court stirred the cauldron. This was not who he was and this was not the house where he was raised.” Bar-Haim adds that, “I’m not convinced that those same people who threw eggs at me attended his funeral at all. It’s hard for me to believe that the inspiration for such activities came from Rav Shmuel. A Jerusalemite Torah scholar once confided in me that he himself is frightened to enter into certain batei medrash in Jerusalem out of fear of what they’ll do to him.”

Discussing the bitter conflict that has arisen regarding the draft of yeshiva students , Rabbi Bar-Haim notes that, “Since time immemorial, there have been differences of opinion among the Jewish nation. Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel disagreed with each other, and the whole gemara is chock-full of debates and machlokes. The actions that I’ve taken were not made independently; I always consult with rabbanim who are much greater than me.

“I once asked an esteemed Torah scholar, who is one of the gedolei hador, if I have to worry about Rav Shmuel and other Rabbanim harboring a grudge in their hearts against me? He answered, ‘You have whom to trust and rely upon, so there can be no grudge.’  This is beside the fact that the Netzach Yehuda Brigade has been in existence for 20 years and is continually developing, succeeding, and growing. When Chassidus began, there was also strong opposition and even cherems imposed. Opposition is positive, because it compels us to prove ourselves and show that despite the hostility and criticism, we are accomplishing and succeeding on behalf of Klal Yisrael and acting l’shem Shamayim. Twenty years is a long time that’s enough to prove itself.”

In addition to the rabbis who attended the funeral, Nahal Haredi Organization also published an official mourning sign proclaiming: “The rabbis and administrators of Nahal Haredi Organization, along with thousands of students and all of Klal Yisrael mourn the passing of Sar HaTorah Hagaon Harav Shmuel Auerbach, zt”l, who was one of the celebrated teachers of Torah in our generation. The passing of Hagaon Harav Shmuel, zt”l, is a tremendous loss for all Jewish people and for charedi Judaism in particular. Hagaon Harav Shmuel, zt”l,’s legacy of diligence in learning and stringency in every matter of halachah will continue escorting and guiding us.. ”