Rabbi Osdoba: I Staunchly Oppose Crown Heights Eruv

In response to public chatter that he might support the idea of Crown Heights Eruv – if done properly, based on a letter he wrote in which he said that any Eruv built in Crown Heights would have to conform to strict Halachic standards,  Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba has come out with a new letter today clarifying his position – that he is unequivocally opposed to an Eruv being erected in Crown Heights, and that there is no possible way to do so in accordance with Halacha.

The recent storm of controversy regarding an Eruv in Crown Heights follows the launch of a fundraising campaign by a group that aims to build one, and has reportedly already obtained the necessary permits and begun construction on the project.

The letter was published today by the office of the Badatz, and released in both Hebew and English.

[pdf-embedder url=”http://crownheights.info/assets/2016/05/eruv-eng..pdf”]

[pdf-embedder url=”http://crownheights.info/assets/2016/05/eruv-heb3..pdf”]

 

On the same subject, the librarian of Agudas Chasidei Chabad, Rabbi Sholom Dovber Levin, published a Kuntres which explores the subject of an Eruv in Crown Heights at great length, according to the Halachic rulings of the Alter Rebbe. The Kuntres as well as been published in both Hebrew and English.

[pdf-embedder url=”http://crownheights.info/assets/2016/05/eruv-levin-kuntres-english-opt.pdf”]

[pdf-embedder url=”http://crownheights.info/assets/2016/05/eruv-levin-kuntres-hebrew-opt.pdf”]

37 Comments

  • why post the link?

    Why post the go fund me link? Are you showing that you support this blatant project against the will of the rabbonim?? Please reconsider and take the link off!!

    • Chaim Hershkop

      Rabbi Bogomilsky did speak about the Eruv in Shul (Khal Beth Rivkah) this past Shabbos. He did not give an Halachic ruling, however, he gave his opinion (as you asked).

      Bottom Line: He is not for it.

      For more details about what he said, you can reach out to me privately or simply contact the Rabbi himself to hear it from his own mouth.

    • Milhouse

      Mario Mendoza, R Moshe’s psak is irrelevant, for several reasons:
      1) He was very much a daas yochid
      2) He is not the rov in Brooklyn
      3) His information about Brooklyn’s population and layout were completely wrong.

    • Sorry Milhouse

      Rav Moshe was a daas yochid??? And the Rebbe doesn’t count at all in your cheshbon???. The rebbe is against it, especially for CH, and f I remember correctly, Rav Moshe followed up after the Rebb spoke about it-or would you discount the Rebbe also because he’s a daas yochid?
      Rav Moshe’s words were reconed with all over the world, and his daily contact with Rav Dvorkin and his correspondence with the Rebbe is(or should be) well known.
      Your third point seems to be something you just made up, you’ll have to back it up.
      THE REBBE SPOKE AGAINST A CH EIRUV, AND THAT SHOULD (IF SOME PEOPLE RESPECT AND FEAR THE REBBE’S WORDS) BE THE DEFINITIVE PSACK

  • Please

    This is the final battleground for the soul of Crown Heights, as Kan Tziva, the shchuna ….

    Because of the Ahavas Yisroel we have, as ingrained into us by the Rebbe, We have let a portion of our community go without judgement for very long. We are not here to admonish of judge.

    It’s clear that the Rebbe did not want this, and this is the Rebbe’s community. People are free to live anywhere, and any other communities where an Erev is allowed or used.

    Please. If nothing else, out of respect for the Rebbe.

    Can we drop this?

  • fine

    CH is not only chabad there are many other communities that live in CH if they would like to make a Eruv with their rabboim they should be allowed to do it and Chabad does not need to use it

    • Chaim H.

      The realty is that we (ALL Jews) are all still living in Crown Heights because of the Lubavitcher Rebbe ob”m.

      Many moons ago, the Crown Heights neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods were full of Jews, Jews from all walk of life (Many Chassdic groups and beyond), at some point, for one reason or the other, people fled Crown Heights to other areas and only CHABAD (and it’s Rebbe) remained. We remained because that’s what the Rebbe wanted.

      Anybody who moves in to Crown Heights is (knowingly) moving into a Chabad neighborhood.

      If you are not here because Chabad (aspect of the neighborhood), then why are you here, cheaper housing? better schools? better and cheaper shopping?

    • smh

      CH is made of all types of people chabad or MO and anywhere in between, we have 3 hashgocho in the community we have many different rabbonim, there is no reason one of these groups can’t make a eruv. Nobody is forced to use it but don’t force people not to use it. If you feel as a chabad chossid that it’s not appropriate to use it that’s fine but why can’t a non chabad person be able to use it just like anywhere else in the world?

    • other communities

      OK so where is their rav? This is really about a bunch of laypeople who don’t have a rav (not even a YU rabbi) and want to shop around

    • Milhouse

      There are no non-Lubavitch communities in Crown Heights. Individuals who move to Crown Heights are required by halocho to adopt and respect minhag hamokom, and accept the Rebbe’s absolute authority in all matters for as long as they live here, just as one who moves to Kiryas Yoel or New Square is required by halocho to adopt their minhogim and accept their authority. Remember that minhag hamokom is not a minhag; it’s an explicit halocho, and it overrides minhag ovos. One who is not willing to submit to this should move out.

      Now people outside Crown Heights are not so bound, so if they were to make an eruv that happens to include CH within its boundaries it would be a kosher eruv and the CH rabbonim would not be entitled to a say in the matter. But to make an eruv in and for Crown Heights, in defiance of the Rebbe’s wishes, is simply a chutzpah.

    • K

      Minhag hamokom: Yes, sure.

      Let’s see – the minhag hamokem regarding:
      tznius…
      modern/open orthodoxy practices…
      eating chodosh…
      lax in mitzvos…
      lax in koveya itim…

      Is that all part of the minhag hamokom that one MUST and is BOUND to keep?!

  • an old Zeidy....

    maybe CHI can tell us in a nutshell:
    does Rabbi SB Levine (Hagam I am not sure who asked his opinion and who is paying for his time to get involved in an issue that’s not “part of his job”…) – allow it or not ? or is he saying an eruv according to the Alter rebbe is not doable at all?

    TY

  • Naftali Michalowsky

    The article states it wrongly.

    Article states: “based on a letter he wrote in which he said that any Eruv built in Crown Heights would have to conform to strict Halachic standards”

    The letter states “the construction of an eruv requires the expertise of a highly qualified Rov with experience (in construction of an eruv) and endorsed by the mara deasra”

    The literal reading speaks to building eruvim in general. You can infer what you wish as to the intent, whether rightly or wrongly, but the letter does not ‘say’ “that any Eruv built in Crown Heights would have to conform to strict Halachic standards.”

    • Ch'er

      Agreed very ambiguous indeed. Have much to say. But I’ll
      Leave it with that. Him being ambiguous is his problem. Me realizing this is my AV DEKA”K is horrifying

  • However

    Unfortunately, for the past few years, one cannot rely on Rabbi Groner’s testimony in the name of the Rebbe.

  • I'm against the Rabonim

    I don’t care what they say or don’t say. It will be a wreck that according to Halacha. We are seeking outside views

  • Everyone in CH is a Rabbi

    Mr Fine. The reason the Rabbonim are not labeled Chabad, is precisely because Rabbi Marlow A’H and to good long life Rabbi Osdoba and Rabbi Heller were elected by everyone in Crown Heights including non Lubavitchers.

  • Since when

    The Rebbe said many times do not believe anything said in his name even from Mazkirus unless it it is printed or written since when does a Mazkir say things like this with nothing to back him up. What if tomorrow he said The rebbe was against pizza shops? and what if Rabbi Krinsky says the shul belongs to him lets believe him also

    We have a Rebbe and if it is written or printed then ok if not let all of these old people keep their mouths shout

    • we have a beis din

      so everyone follows beis din. You follow the local rabbonim. You’re going to tell me that if there is a shayla whether or not a chicken is treif that you will just eat it anyway because the Rebbe didn’t specifically say you couldn’t? that you can just look around until you find a rabbi from say, New jersey who permits the chicken even though everyone in town holds it is treif?

  • Anonymous

    This is simply a fight against time. Already, young ChaBaDniks are moving east past Utica to find cheaper housing. Already, the modern orthodox of Park Slope are moving east to CH to find cheaper housing. Ten years max and CH will be home to a modern orthodox community. May we be zoche to all be living in Yerushalaim by then so as to avoid the chillul HaShem that will occur when this now mostly internal battle being fought with loud and discordial voices spreads beyond the ChaBaD community.

  • Aaron Minkowitz

    I think that if this is such an important issue which the Rebbe was adamant about then there surly needs to be something in writing by the Rebbe regarding this issue. Did the Rebbe ever speak publicly about no Eruv in CH. Has the Rebbe ever told someone other than R. L. G. ?
    someone needs to get to the bottom of this as many of us including myself coming from cities where there are Eruvim and have carried in CH on the holy Sabbath.

  • south florida

    there is a project in south florida that is a gated community
    they have a normal young rav and in a gated community you have an eruv

    in miami and in north miami they have an eruv

  • SB Levine as NEW Rav???

    Rabbi SB Levine – who asked his opinion and who is paying for his time to get involved in an issue that’s not “part of his job”…??? to cast his opinion if the/any eiruv is allow it or not ?

    TY

  • The Rebbe's answer printed

    Rabbi Krasniansky printed the Rebbe’s answer about making an eiruv.
    The link to his essay is readily available ,and easily verifiable.

    ” Takalah Ayumah ” is what the Rebbe calls such an eiruv !

  • The is a boss

    Reb Moshe is a das yochid?!

    If anything he was a close to a Chad bedora who was THE posek of his time no one dared to go against his psak only years after his histalkus…

    Compare that to our Das yochid were now years after gimmul tammuz…

  • A clear "solution"

    What about organizing a Chessed organization of girls volunteering to help mothers who are home with young children on Shabbos? There are many ways this can be done. Either purely on a volunteer basis, or girls can be paid but will accept a reduced fee, or they can be paid fully but the organization raises funds to help cover the costs. If this is organized and run professionally this can be an excellent solution. Certainly all of the time, work, and big money that is being raised towards building and maintaining an Eiruv can be instead used towards such a Chessed project. Women who are home with young children will get an extra pair of hands to help out; they will get some company, and they can choose to either go out if they wish, or get a little rest etc. This is really the answer. If those who claim they “care so much about women” really do, this is what they should do. However, somehow I get the feeling that this is not really what this is about… The solution is so obvious and clear, –however the fact that it is not being implemented shows that those trying to build an Eiruv have their own agenda they are trying to push and really could care less about actually helping a mother who is home with young children on Shabbos…

  • Simple Jew

    I don’t see the eruv being being for anash as being positive but when there are yidden visiting ch who are just starting to learn about yiddishkeit who will carry anyways on shabbos. perhaps there is a benefit for them…

  • K

    Does it matter if the Rebbe was for or against an eruv?? The Lubavitcher Rebbe was against contact lenses – yet chabad chassidim wear contacts!!! Mai nafka minah???

    • Toshov Hashchuna

      Mai nafka minah???

      Are you pretending or are you really a shoiteh sh’ain lo shiyur?

      Privately a person can listen or ignore the Rebbe, but to PUBLICLY make an eruv against the Rebbe’s wishes is a ultimate CHUTZPA.

  • Kick Him Out

    עד מתי יהיה זה לנו למוקש – how long must we suffer from K and his insults??!! Send him off! Enough already!