Letter Urges Lubavitchers Not to Buy Oz Vehadar
A letter was released by an anonymous group (purportedly) comprised of Chabad Rabbonim in Eretz Yisroel, urging Lubavitchers not to purchase Gemaras or other Seforim from the popular Oz Vehadar Publications.
Don’t be a partner in the war against Chabad
Dear friend, Anash chassidei Chabad everywhere
Lately, we merited to blessed era of a publishing period, in which many dignified and helpful seforim in all fields of Torah, as well as a new and beautiful edition of the basic from chumash to halacha were published. This great project merited great encouragement from the Rebbe who pressed and urged those involved in this field.
In addition to the joy of the new era in which learning is made more convenient and qualitative, we as Chassidim need to publicize those individuals who are acting harshly in this field, sometimes intentionally and sometimes out of suspicion. But practically, they are ignoring the chidushei Torah of our Rebbe’im, thereby causing that thousands of Jews are deprived of learning these chidushim, and even more yet, becoming acquainted to with the Torah greatness of our Rebbe’im.
In their audacity, they are interested in selecting who is the godol btorah. One who is not according to their desire, they will wage war to remove their words of Torah from everywhere possible because in their opinion this is not for the klal Yisroel.
Such wild deeds, were, to our pain, done, not only lately.
The known Torah of Nigleh of the Alter Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek and the Rebbe, were removed from many dignified seforim that later became an inheritance for the public.
The natural shock and reaction that passes over every chossid from these acts, becomes magnified seven fold by the Rebbe. Facts and responses from the Rebbe addressed on a similar matter will be publicized soon. Just to cite one of the Rebbe’s responses which he wrote when one author ignored the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, “My blood is being poured”.
If for the past we need to make a big and bitter macho’o (objection), in our time, when a publishing house is publishing every year new and qualitative seforim, amongst them compilations on various topics it is surely necessary. In addition to the fact, that every Jewish circle is quoted besides Lubavitch, the owner of the publishing house declared many times with chutzpa (and did not find reason to explain or justify himself) that he will never quote from our Rebbe’im.
That is what he is doing. Besides some few quotes from the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch (where it was appropriate and necessary to cite) the publication house ”Oz Vhodor” does not publish for its learners from the treasures of nigleh and chassidus from the Rebbe’im.
In the section כפתור ופרח, in the mesivta gemoro, are cited short topics in avodas Hashem that relate to the gemoro. They are from all sifrei haChassidus. You will not find anything form sifrei Chassidus Chabad!
In the Haggada Shel Pesach published this year, you will fund a compilation from all Hagadas in the world but the הגדה של פסח עם ליקוטי טעמים ומנהגים from the Rebbe, in which the treasures don’t stop to puzzle everyone who searches for Torah from all circles in the last 66 years, is not mentioned even once!
The Rebbe’s unique insights on hilchos chanuka, answer all the questions from every corner in Nigleh (of Torah), but the משנת המועדים, decided rather to leave the question unanswered but not to cite from the Rebbe.
In the Shabbos zmiros that was lately released, they mention the custom of girls kindling shabbos candles before the wedding in the name of the resposna שו”ת אז נדברו. The staff of Oz Vhodor never heard that the Rebbe clarified this halacha from the foundation. And many more tens of seforim which are “clean” from suspiciously containing Torah of נשיאי חב”ד r”l.
The same is valid in חידושי הש”ס וההלכה, הרמב”ם וההדרנים ועוד ועוד
What can be done?
Thousands and tens of thousands בלה”ר of chassidei Chabad and all who respect the Rebbe have no idea to picture for themselves how with a lack of awareness they become supporters to these acts.
Thousands of gemoros which are annually purchased by more than 60 chabad schools, hundreds of shasim that are bought for every new home, hundreds of seforim for smicha, and the huige quantity of other seforim generate a big income, and a strong support for the Oz Vhodor.
Also those who innocently sponsor the publication of seforim are unaware of Lubavitch being omitted by the staff. There is no doubt that most of them would not consent to this and are not ready to become a partner in ex-communicating Lubavitch. The hierarchy of Oz Vhodor figure that their dark acts will pass in silence and no one will stand out and demand the honor of lubavitch.
It is definite that us as Chassidim have the obligation to clarify that we have no connection with these people, and not even one Chabad penny should go to them.
From now on a chossid will not buy a sefer of their publications and their publication should not be found not in our home, yeshiva or shul!
When one will ask, their gemoros seem to be beautiful with a nice compilation?
There are two answers
1) Even if we would need to study from a written manuscript and a scroll of parchment in order not to participate in the desecration of the kovod the Rebbe’im, we would do that.
2) To date, there three different Shas sets (besides Oz Vhodor), and in many aspects are even better than them, such that there is no need to compromise in the convenience and pleasure in learning.
Signing with a prayer that these acts will be removed from the world, יתמו חטאים ולא חוטאים
Chassidei Chabad and those who revere the Rebbe amongst other circles
P.S. It is an obligation to note, that prior to publicizing this letter long and continuous consulting took place with rabbonim and mashpi’im who are already involved in this field for decades. They are those who are at the head of this vaad. This includes as well, as many of the gedolei horaboim and mashpi’im.
Stop Hacking A Chainik
whoever said that oz vehadar does not quote lubavitcher sefarim, check again! what about the beautiful gemara kiddushin (printed last year) and bava metzia (printed this year) and gemara Shabbos (for the coming year) with the section called chiddushei rabboseinu n’sieinu?!
not only did oz vehadar allow them to print it, they even took out part of THEIR additions in order to accomodate the chiddushim of our rebbeim!
so before you make such a statement, make sure what you’re saying is true.
Stupidity
first make macha’os against more practical and real problems, before you make macha’os against buying holy sefarim, which only contribute to torah learning
Pashkviler also
Ok, so this article is a pashkvil, just making sure.
moshe der g
this is an unsigned letter ? = pashkvil
the people behind this should get some rabonim to sign this ??
Response
a. the letter says that it’s backed by many of the gedolei horabonim and mashpi’im, but hasn’t named a single one. For all practical matters, this letter is a pashkevil – an anonymous letter attacking an a public figure or organization – something that also pained the Rebbe very greatly. How are we expected to take this anonymous letter seriously, and why should we believe that rabbonim or mashpi’im are behind this letter? Show us some signatures.
b. the argument that the “said” publishing house has ignored publishing the Rebbe’s Torah’s is not true. I have personally seen a “Lubavitch Edition” of their Gemaras, with more than a hundred pages of sichos relating to the Gemara, which brings me to my next point: Chabad has to stop acting like a victim.
c. Oz Hehodar hasn’t just published a newer, nicer Gemara with a clean and crisp typeset, but they have also performed extensive research in order to clarify important girso’ois of the Gemara, Rashi and Tosfos, which make the Gemara more understood. Their research is unique to their Gemara, and if an individual chooses to learn from a different Gemara, he will surely be missing out, and his “basic understanding” of the Gemara WILL NOT be the same. So if you propose a boycott on these Gemaras, what do you propose we use instead?
d. even if you were correct – on some level – about the Torah of the Rebbeim being ignored in these publications, it’s not the first time in history that this was done, and we never responded with these silly boycotts. Everyone is familiar with the fact that the Tzemach Tzedek wasn’t published in our classic Gemaras because the Rashash – who was rich – was published instead. Some old Gemaras still have the Tzemach Tzedek in them, but have you EVER heard of Lubavitch boycotting all the other prints!?
Anonymous
Today’s Vilne Shas is almost just as nice,
only thing really missing is the Likutai Rashi,
otherwise no Great Shakes on the Oiz V’ehodor,
There is no reason that we should not vote with our dollars to stop this censorship,
The only reason they printed a select few with toiras chabad
is because of “Heter Iska”
yes Lubavitch Dollars Count
Make your voice heard
No loss going with The Vilna Shas
to "anonymous"
The chiddush of the Oz Vehodar Gemora isn’t the fact that you can find Likutei Rashi on the page. It’s their own “Hago’os V’tziunim”, where they have a team of talmidei chachomim go through rishoinim and look at how they quote the Gemara, Rashi and Tosfos. They then use their l’shoinois to piece together new girso’ois which make learning Gemara flow easier and make a lot more sense. These important hago’ois v’tziunim don’t exist in the classic Vilna print. That’s specifically what makes the Oz V’Hodor special – apart from the new, crisp typeset, and adding more things within the margins.
its a stupid pashkville
to be ignored..
“purportedly” should not be in parentheses it should be in bold.
time for people to grow up. it would be nice to add some of the rebbes chiddushim bbut going down this route is lunacy
Michoel S
to # 5 and anyone else
The Gurary gemoro that was published a yr. or two ago (under Oz Vhadar) was only exception paid with big money.
.
In this case it’s not relevant if it is signed or not. THE FACT IS OPEN FOR ALL. OPEN ALL THEIR SFORIM AND BROWSE FOR CHABAD THERE.
The pashkvil argument is only an excuse to cover your eyes and not want to face facts.
What else is new?
I asked a real chassidishe yid once, who wasn’t Lubavitch, who was speaking about the Rebbe, which surprized me at the time, why he thinks the Lub. Rebbe is the Zaddik Hador? His amazing, poshut answer was, “Everyone’s against him”! “That’s the proof”.
Well, if that’s what, ‘That’s life’ is. So be it. We’ll just continue getting our behinds kicked until Moshiach arrives, as otherwise we can’t get it together ourselves. Nebach.
nonsense
what about boycotting artscroll for not publishing the rebbe’s torah? why deprive yourself of good sforim?
concerned Citizen
Are the Yeshivos supporting this? I received my kid’s book lists and they all specify “Oz VeHadar” gemoras/
Anonymous
It seems to me that this letter/vaad is not keeping with what chassidus demands that we stay away from machlokes….see Tanya, end of perek 12 last 8 lines….
The outside publishing world has no obligation to print any individuals chidushim….
If it is so important that the chidushim of our Rebbeim be printed, THEN PRINT IT YOURSELF! Don’t worry, the Torah world will find it and learn it….Support Kehot Publishing so they can keep printing…..Sponsor seforim…..
It is too bad that the promoters of this letter do not publish their names…….These are chassidim?????
Mendel
Following this logic, you will end up boycotting the entire frum world because they don’t recognize Lubavitch.
The reason the frum world is not accepting Lubavitch is because Lubavich does not do anything about rampant Meshichizm. Nowadays Litvaks accept chassidim as being valid and vice-versa, except for Lubavitch.
The bottom line is that either the entire frum world is wrong or the meshichistim are wrong.
long before machistin
…back in the ’60’s-same thing-rampant disrespect for the Rebbe and chabad, even though the Rebbe sent some children from our families to Telz under some special circumstances(the ones I know of all are shluchim). The last shred of respect for Telz evaporated for me when they bragged about how one of the administration was watering the garden in front of his home and sprayed some shluchim because they dared to come to the Telz campus. The lack of respect for Chabad was echoed by almost anyone I talked to then except one Chassidishe posek. This disrespect for Chabad was one of the things that led me to come to 770 and see for myself-haven’t ever left.
ummm
plz explain, didnt the gemoroh come out last year with all of the Rebbeims pirushim on it?
yanky bennish
what about the ‘oholei shaim’ gemmorahs that are published (at least in in part) by oz vehador and have hundreds of pages of chiddushim from our neisim?
mottel
I am so confused – surely they CAN’T print the rebbe’s torah anyway as it is copyrighted by kehos…? Also Kehos don’t print anyone elses chiddushim so what’s the big deal? THey are not a chassidishe publisher. let Kehos print books or gemoros with the rebbe’s chiddushim. This is a bit ridiculous…
Doesn't matter
Please educate yourself a bit before commenting
Mottel is right about the fact that...
Mottel is right about the fact that Kehot could print their own Gemara with the Rebbe’s peirush. As a matter of fact, printing nigleh is also part of their on-paper mission statement, and at one point (years back), they even printed a Gemara with the Rebbe’s pirushim. They did it for one mesechta and stopped there.
Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch
Wasn’t one of the first Seforim put out by Oz V’hadar a new edition of the Alte Rebbe’s Shulchan Oruch?
nice story
#11 maybe just maybe sit and learn and they will be niskarev to chabad via your torah knowledge not people bashing.
Was told
Apparently there is a meshugener in Yerushalayim who claims to be a novi.
His major nevuah is, that Mashiach will come on the very day that every last Lubavitcher shul has a Noam Elimelech, Kedushas Levi, and Sfass Emess, on the shelves.
declasse' intelelctual
If, as they claim, a problem–why are they afraid to sign their names and to document with evidence their contentions? Does anyone boycott Art Scroll because they do not publish Lubavitch works????????
In such controversal times and the Jews in the homeland threatened by outside enemies and a forced
peace treaty hanging over their heads, do we need such letters and arguments.
to 8
look in thair na-ch you will see meny of all the rabbaim’s torah in it
its all about the money
some of the sponsors make demands of censorship,
The Mesivta is a good product,
if you are buying it for the biur toisfos you’d be better off with a sharei toisfos,
but the regular gemoro is way overblown,
go with the vilna gemoro & save a few dollars,
All above emails areclearly from the same person
I am reading comment after comment above anf they are all THE SAME person. You could tell from his style.
Either he is from OZ v’hadar damage control or some spineless individual.
There is merit to a boycott. If Chabad is not included in any perushim
If they printed a SEPERATE edition with Chabad pirushuim thats WORTHLESS! Its for business just like any goyishe publisher would print if it can sell.
BUT TO EXCLUDE THE CHABAD PERUSHIM AMONGST GEDOLEI YISROEL . THATS THE CHUTZPAH!!!!
Its pretty simple!
(and NO its not copyrighted by Kehos)
no look here
http://www.judaica-world.com/product.asp?dept=0&Product=BCH195
Don't confuse us with facts
Just as I was getting myself all worked up, enjoying the feel of my blood boiling, angry and ready to go into battle, you KILLED it all by throwing in facts that disprove all this. DO you enjoy killing our fun??
the kush n tush rebbe
all you big rabnim, ganovim and gazlonim!! as mosai!!!
until the letter, or any other letter your vaad or another vaad sends out without names or signatures. they are all letters that are void, useless and worth nothing…
Yes #1
After all the trouble chabad is in we need this? Lets first have some achdus ourselves.
This unsigned letter...
The fact that this silly letter is unsigned makes ALL of our rabbonim and mashpiim look bad. Would the rabbonim and mashpiim who are behind this please take responsibility for this letter?
What's the difference?
Nu, so they don’t mention Lubavitch? Neither do Mechon Yerushalayim, Mosad Rav Kook, Feldheim, Artscroll or any other large publisher… What are you gonna do, boycott everything? And what are you going to learn?
Oz V'hadar
Oz V’hadar Is giving “strength and beauty” to the Torah. We should continue to support Oz Vhadar.
– Chabad Chassidim
what is that sopposed to mean
what is that sopposed to mean
Artscroll Rashi Chumash
It is known that the first 2 volumes of artscroll’s Rashi Chumash did not have anything from the Rebbe… They were threatened with a boycott of the set and you will see that the last 3 volumes have quotes from “Biurim Lpirush Rashi AlHATORA”
NOT OUR DERECH TO BOYCOTT!
We fight darkness with adding light, אנן פעלא דיממא אנן
so stupid
if they print alter rebbes shulchan aruch the whole lubavitch screams that it’s copyright if they don’t print you scream that they don’t print our torah. what do you want them to do?
Chabad Gutnik Shass
Why does’nt a group in Chabad print a new Gemara (similiar to the Gutinik Chumash) and stop complaining what others do.
All above emails areclearly from the same person
THAT NOT THE POINT!
We already have Lekutei Sichos.
The issue is, and its pretty easy to understand with some intelligence. When a company publishes EVERY gadol / Rebbe (and even smaller reb’s) YET intentionally does NOT include the Rebbes pirush THATS A STATEMENT which we don’t have to seetle for.
Its America. They are free to do what they want. SO are we free to vote with our wallets.
And to those that say its not Chabads Derech… REally!! how do you know? There is precedent. (food items)
Pashkvil
So these big rabbonim are too embarrassed to sign their names, and we should take their Pashkvil into account?
Better worry about the idolatry R’L and chillil Hashem in the women’s section of 770. THAT is a bigger probelm that no one wants to tackle
dont get cought up
think about the facts what do u think sould i support them or no don’t get cought up in the stupitidy
Yisroel
We need to boycott the frenkels rambam too
with the old breed
wow, you have a big problem you are running out of things to have problems with.
Chani
who took out all the alters rebbes shlchon oruchs from 770?
Rabban Shel Yisroel
Once upon a time…. we learned Gemara be’al peah. There were no printed seforim or Artscrolls or Oz VeHadars or Soncinos.
The point is … Baruch HaShem we have all these wonderful seforim. Please, let us stop fighting over them…
To # 5
“Everyone is familiar with the fact that the Tzemach Tzedek wasn’t published in our classic Gemaras because the Rashash – who was rich – was published instead Some old Gemaras still have the Tzemach Tzedek in them”.
Without commenting on the issue on hand – these “facts” are utter nonsense.
Yossel
I don’t accept any paskvil without names. From what I gather, many publishers don’t mention Lubavitch because of their personal sinas chinom. Hanoch Teller writes stories about the Rebbeim but won’t mention that fact; he changes the names or leaves Chabad out of the narrative.
For those who think they hate us because of the Moshiach campaign, aside from a few meshugginas who make a Chilul Lubavitch, it was the REBBE himself who kept pushing the idea of Moshiach. He was purported to say (to the effect of) .”They (the non-Chabad world) say I’m crazy about Moshiach..and they are right, I am..” The hatred of Chabad started long before 5740.
to number 11
Artscroll quotes the rebbeim (I’ve seen the Tzemach Tzedek quoted in the footnotes of their Gemoro, where the Gemoro speaks about beards.