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Monsey Rov Endorses Crown Heights Eruv

A few weeks after the completion of the Crown Heights Eruv, during which several Rabbonim – including the members of the Crown Heights Beis Din, headed by Rabbi Avrohom Osdoboa, and Rosh Kollel Rabbi Yosef Heller – came out in fierce opposition to it, two prominent Rabbonim have come out in support of the authenticity of the Eruv and in defense of those who use it.

In the first letter, Rav Bentzion Yaakov Halevi Wosner, Av Beis Din Shevet Halevi Monsey-Beit Shemesh, proclaims that those who use the Crown Heights Eruv are not being Mechalel Shabbos. He goes even further to say that due to a combination of Heterim, there is “not a single Posek from before our time who would render the Crown Heights Eruv non-kosher.”

He then goes on to say that those who wish to be Machmir and not use the Eruv are free to do so, but they have no right to protest those who are more lenient. “Those who protest and shout at users of the Eruv are playing with fire, because they are mocking the words of the Chachomim,” he wrote.

In the second letter, Rav David Aharon Tzubeli, Director of the “Mehudar Eiruv Organization” in Lakewood, NJ, writes that he personally inspected the Eruv and found it to be “complete.”

[pdf-embedder url=”http://crownheights.info/assets/2016/06/Eruv-letter.pdf”]

[pdf-embedder url=”http://crownheights.info/assets/2016/06/Wosner.pdf”]

Rabbi

[pdf-embedder url=”http://crownheights.info/assets/2016/06/Tzubeli.pdf”]

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100 Comments

  • resident

    To these so called rabanim , first stop your chasidus from picking at the jews bones by building for yuppies. Then we might listen to you . especially rabbi wosner. U know how many of your chasidim are hurting lubavitch families by out pricing us. Go away from here. Leave us alone to decide ourselves

  • Yankel

    Hmmm he has travelled to Warsaw & cracow doing quick giyur for goyim there, very sad this rov is known as lenient in every area of halacha

  • Anonymous

    Putting aside the fire HE is playing with by playing with the Rebbe. Even from a non lubavitch perspective the guy is openly disregarding the words of ALL of the local Rabbanim.

  • Anonymous

    Monsey again mixing into crown heights business. You did enough damage with vaad hakol/community council. We should have our own rabbonim. Would we mix into their stuff? We allow it

  • Yay!!!

    Now we can carry with no guilt at all!!
    Maybe our rabbonin can try to make life a bit easier for us and not be like sharia law…

    We want to live…not hide in a box all day..

    • Dont be anonymous

      Move to Monsey. There’s no reason for you to stay here and not listen to our legitimate Rabbanim when they take a stand. Please post your name, and those of others who will be mechallel Shabbos by using the eruv. We aren’t allowed to eat in your home, have you as an ayd, nor invite you to our homes if we choose to put non mevushal wines on our table.

  • Enough mud slinging

    Listen like it or not he does sight sources so I think instead of having an endless mud slinging match someone from the ch beis din needs to publish a tshuvah explaining their position.

  • Lubavitcher

    A “rov” that comes out against OUR Rabbonim and against the Rebbe disqualified himself from being a reliable figure. Any Lubavitchet can’t use any of his hechsheirim, ask him any sha’alos etc….
    Our Rabbonim MUST all unite and fight this raging battle in unison. For that matter, Lubavitcher Rabbonim.worldwide should unite in support of our local Rabbonim and fight this battle in the strongest way for the Livid of the Rebbe and Lubavitch.

  • yankel der shlepper

    it is interesting how a “rov” ignores a simple halacha that he can NOT pasken against a bais din kovua. he can be G-d’s son or Vozner’s grandson. can anyone pasken for his community against his opinion?
    Lets all come on. in honor of Gimmel Tamuz lets beat Lubavitch and the Rebbe from within!!!!!

    • Milhouse

      In a large city there is no such thing as a beis din kovua for one neighborhood. The whole concept does not apply, when there are many rabbonim easily accessible 5 or 10 minutes away. (This was explicitly told to me by a very prominent Crown Heights rov.)

      Now, of course, there is no longer any beis din, since we have two competing sets of rabbis who each hold the other in cherem, so nobody has to listen to either of them. The whole thing is a joke.

      In addition, even if there were a beis din kovua in one neighborhood within the eruv, the other people in the eruv, especially the community that built it, would have no reason to obey them. Kol Israel was never under the authority of any rabbi from Crown Heights.

  • Sam green

    This is rediculous the rebbe clearly stated that we must defer to r moshe on this as he waS the posek hador and r Moshe was unequivocally against anyeruv in bklyn.period.

  • not the first time he oversteps his boundaries

    http://joshyuter.com/2006/07/25/judaism/jewish-law-halakha/recap-of-rabbi-wosner/

    “For example, one woman asked why/how he could rule on the community’s Eruv when other Rabbis in the community would not. R. Wosner responded that like being asked a question in tzitzit, as a rabbinic advisor he could give halakhic advice which is not bound by geography. Although the question raised a serious issue of mara de’atra and local authority, R. Wosner would not have had the time to give a more detailed answer.”

  • Mordy

    Rabbi Heller should apologize…. he is guilty of incitement… causing criminal activity of certain individuals…
    it is clear from many letters of the Rebbe that a eruv should be built.. shame on those that lie in the name of our leader.

  • Standard Shut

    He’s not paskening for ch he’s answering the question he was asked.
    It just do happens to have implications for all of ch.

  • Talmud Chochum

    My chasidish friends from Monsey say he is a really well respected Talmud Chochum but we’ll answer to any question asked of him not at all political similar to Monashe Klein.

  • Monsey

    If a Rav from Monsey (RABR) can Pasken if Rabbi Braun is a qualified Rav in Crown Heights or not – why can’t another Rav of Monsey also Pasken if the Eruv in Crown Heights is good or not!!!!!

  • Bravo and thanks

    to 13#

    U need to see a DR. THEIR IS NO BAIS DIN HERE. NO SIDE HAS 3 RABBONIM

    • Yaakov

      Correct.

      Not even a Beis Din Sh’Eino Kavuo.

      To be a Beis Din, you need to be 3.

      To Be a Beis Din Kavuo, you need to be elected and work together.

      In this case, it is questionable if any of them have the authority of Mara D’Asra because they were only appointed to Pasken together. It’s like a Zablo which fell apart….

  • Chaim H.

    All those that except this Rabbi from Monsey opinion, should drive down to Monsey every time they have a Taharas HaMishpacha question.

    • Asking the Rov

      That said. I would takka ask those using the erev when was the first or last time they approached a Rov about T”H questions or for that matter anything else (as it pertains to Halacha). Giving them the benefit of the doubt (as you do) that they actually did ask, I would ask who was the Rov and did you ask that very same Rov about the erev?

  • What do you expect?

    The Wosners are not exactly pro-Chabad. And even if this guy is our biggest friend, he has no right to open his mouth and decide what is kosher according to the Alterer Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch. Keep out of OUR business & look at your own Kehilla & THEIR problems.

    • Milhouse

      Why should he not decide what the Alter Rebbe holds? The Alter Rebbe is a posek like any other, and is not owned by any sector. Would you claim that an Ashkenazi can’t decide what is the Rambam’s opinion?! Or that a Polish rov can’t decide what is the Chasam Sofer’s opinion?! There is a new concept called “cultural appropriation” that has become trendy in the insane left, but like most of their concepts it’s a perverse idea with no basis in any sane system of ethics or morality.

    • Shocked

      You are sick!
      Any true Talmud Chochom has the right to open up any Sefer and decide what is kosher according to his understanding of the text, using his own intellect. And yes, R. Winner is a Talmud Chochom who does not need me approval.
      You sound like an עם הארץ full of hatred for Rabbonim. Shocking to see these types of comments here.

  • to # 2

    you should wash your wormy mouth and the Alter Rebbe mechila for your your words. you are playing with fire as the Misha states in Avos

  • to # 10

    You should be embarrased in rejoicing of the support agasin the Rebbe’s wishes who has explicitly said (also to Rabbi Balkany in yechidus) he wants not eruv in CH.

    • Rabbi Balkany

      That’s very interesting, please fill us in with details about this conversation between the Rebbe and Rabbi Balkany

  • decision

    One cannot meddle in a community with a Bais Din.

    He wouldn’t accept from another Rav, the same goes for R’ Wasner himself.

    Thus, his psak is worthless !

  • ch resident

    I dont get this circus. Either its a kosher eiruv or its not. If its not then no one is allowed to carry. If it is then anyone can carry. Its very possible that its a kosher eiruv for anyone but not to the standard of chabad. In the meantime i think that a eiruv that is kosher even if chabad doesnt hold of it is a very good idea. The reason being that we have a lot of orchim from out of town especially Israel where there is an eiruv and when they come to the Rebbe they wont be mechalel shabbos if they carry by mistake

  • YMSP

    What do we have here?

    The main problem is that there are two definitions as to what a Reshus HaRabim is lhalacha (Shulchan Aruch does not bring down other opinions lmaaseh). According to the most lenient opinion, lmaaseh, there needs to be 600,000 traversing the area every day.

    An area, a “reshus,” is defined by the number of people and the congruence, the flow of the area. In the Gemara’s time, as Rashi explains, a reshus harabim was a straight road, with a gate on one side leading to a stratya, a road leadingbto another city and, on the other side, a platya, marketplace.

    The Shulchan Aruch seems to view Rashi’s explanation as a description of the usual way that a reshus harabim would be built, because, after establishing the perimeters of what constitutes a reshus harabim, it then describes it as a city with a street in which 600,000 traverse daily (usually). Commentators and Shulchan Aruch HaRav further explain that such was not found in 18th century Europe (and was also not the case in early-mid 20th century America).

    But the definition of Reshus HaRabim goes by area, as Reb Moshe saw clear to define (an area of 3 million, because 1/5 will traverse it daily). The fact that old European towns consisted of 1 main street, whereas today’s cities are more spread out, is of no relevance to the issue of what constitutes an area that is a reshus harabim. Indeed, the Shulchan Aruch gives a very different definition than the Gemara for this very reason.

    And therefore Reb Moshe, Rav Hirschprung, Rav Dworkin and Rav Yolles, zichronom livrocha, all paskened that an eiruv couldn’t be built, period, in certain parts of Brooklyn.

    This, the MAIN ISSUE, wasn’t even dealt with in the attack letter, for certainly a letter that does not deal with the MAIN halachic issue can be characterized as nothing more than an “attack letter” and a baseless one at that.

    It’s also interesting to note that other concerns, real concerns about whether a mayor has the authority to act as baalim, on behalf of all property owners and what happens if the mass eruv breaks on Shabbos are pushed aside completely and whatever this wiring is is portrayed as the most mehudar way of keeping Shabbos, with a zeal worthy only of the callousness of today’s age.

    • Milhouse

      This “main issue” wasn’t dealt with in the letter because the letter doesn’t address in detail any of the issues; it’s not a teshuvah explaining why the eruv is kosher, it’s a letter assuring the recipient that he has ascertained that the eruv is kosher. He’s addressing the meta-issues, not the underlying issues themselves. He simply writes that there is not even one posek or mechaber of the past according to whom this eruv would be possul. If you want to know why, you can ask him.

      However, your “main issue” is actually easy to deal with:
      1. That the requirement of 600,000 refers to the whole city is the view of a very small minority of poskim. The vast majority hold that it refers to a single street.
      2. even according to the small minority who do hold that the whole city is counted, Brooklyn doesn’t have what it takes to be a reshus horabim.
      3. even if it did, it has mechitzos so it’s definitely not a reshus horabim.

      In NYC the city owns all the streets, and can sell them if it likes, so clearly it can lease them.

      Once an eruv is checked and found to be kosher for that week, one may carry until one finds out that it has become possul. If nobody checks it again on shabbos then there’s no need for any system to notify people that it’s down.

  • Rabbi Alan Betsalel Friedlander

    The Problem with the Crown Heights Eruv

    To hold like a gadol that the Crown Heights eruv is kosher is not the main problem, we don’t need to argue with him b’dieved. The problem is in ignoring the feelings of the majority of a kehillah and the authority of the Crown Heights Bais Din to set policy and interpretation of their customs. This eruv did not have to be done with strife.

    “A mitsvah that comes through a sin is a sin.” Causing pain to others is not open to strictly objective standards in halacha. If you step on a person’s foot and it hurts, you should say sorry not say, “Oh don’t be so sensitive.”
    Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh, we must take the feelings of others into consideration before doing that which will offend many.

    But this is the main point. If thousands are taking it as an assault on their customs and as a halachic impossibility, it can never be accepted by them, their pain will not go away as long as this business is in their faces, and there is potential for cousins to argue with each other on the holy sabbath over this. We must not disassociate from the pain of our fellow Jews. We can’t add insult to injury by accusing those offended, who are supporting their own minhagim, of sinful strife. Blaming the victim is rarely a way of peace.

    Korach lied, so his strifeful stance was called strife. Bais Hillel and Bais Shammai argued over the best way to the truth, and that is not called strife.

    Random people suffer, and we feel for them. A terrorist attack and we take pause. Our brethren suffer and we should ignore? Our brethren suffer at our very choice of methodology in mitsvah performance, and we should rejoice?

    WHEEEEE, we are now doing a mitsvah! How wonderful!! Let’s take pride in it too. Right? …or not?

    The strife did not begin by the protest to violation of a kehilla’s custom, but with how this eruv was set up. We don’t steal the peace of many for the peace of a few. Also, there is a “Gufah Kasha”, if we dispute giving kavod to Rabbanim in a neighborhood, why must we give kavod to Rabbanim from outside of a neighborhood. Also even if this Rav is considered greater individually than any posek in Crown Heights, the mishnah in Avos would apply, “Don’t judge individually, for they (the majority) are permitted, not you.”

    The organizers of the eruv should have done this in a manner that built consensus, not caused strife, by going to lone rabbis in the face of a close-knit community’s Bais Din’s psak, this whole matter got out of hand. Go to many rabbis before you start something if you think there is massive rabbinical opposition, or if they went to a great posek, a Gadol Hador, who is considered equal to all the rabbis in Crown Heights put together, before the eruv was put up, that could have also resolved matters that for non Lubavitchers it is OK to rely on the eruv.

    Even if a majority of the rabbis in the world were to eventually condone the eruv, to the point that even the Crown Heights bais din relented in their position, and they argued only for Lubavitch minhag, not the basic kashrus of the eruv, this strife did not have to be. This delay to the geulah did not need to occur so a few could get their way right now. The best we can do is in perfecting our method of protest to the eruv.

    A respite care network on Shabbos for young mothers could have and could still be established to remove reliance upon the eruv.

    It may hurt fellow Jews if the eruv is used. It is likely aggravating a LOT of Jews in fact and the height of their aggravation is on Shabbos day, in place of greater oneg shabbos. To error on the side of Ahavas Yisrael is the safest policy. Why hurt people unnecessarily. Is that how eruvim are supposed to be set up?

    As far as a test case for other eruvim, do not make eruvim in this manner, where the opinion of pro eruv rabbanim drips in drop by drop like a chinese water torture; meanwhile thousands of people are offended and aggravated for weeks when a clear unified letter signed by gedolim and publicized before the eruv was used, could have removed this aspect of the problem.

    My advice to my Lubavitcher friends in Crown Heights, in reference to this public stance by a gadol, do not publicize that the eruv is pasul, because that would be you versus the gadol, rather say it is not kosher according to minhag Lubavitch, which no outside rabbi has the right to rewrite.

    Rabbi Alan Betsalel Friedlander

    https://rabbifriedlander.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/the-problem-with-the-crown-heights-eruv/

  • Toras Chessed ..................

    The Lubliner Rov who was a chossid of the Tzemach Tzedek and was one of the most respected Rabbonim in the world in his day writes in a tshuva (siman Tes).

    “An eiruv which is based on the use of a tzuras hapesach may NOT use existing wires or structures for Tzuras Hapesach. The Tzuras Hapesach needs to be set up specifically for the use of a Tzuras Hapesach.”

    He bases his psak on the Magen Avroham (siman 630 sif 2) and on the Yershalmi.

    Please someone verify whether or not special poles and wires have been installed for the use of a tzuras hapesach or were existing structures and wires been used.

    • Milhouse

      1. That quote does not appear in the sefer. You made it up. Fabricating a quote disqualifies you from any further consideration.

      2. He raises as a possible sevara that a tzuras hapesach that occurs on its own and is visibly not made for entry and exit can’t be counted for an eruv. He does not say this is the halacha, but merely uses it as one line of reasoning towards his psak.

      3. The whole question is irrelevant to most eruvin, since it’s unusual to find a pre-made “tzuras hapesach”. Usually there is existing wire under which one must construct lechis, or existing poles over which one must run string. Therefore it’s not a problem.

      4. This eruv relies mostly on string which is run over the tops of existing poles. Thus the issue doesn’t apply.

      5. In any case, lemaseh I don’t think anybody holds that way. In the unusual case where there is a pre-existing tzuras hapesach, I have never heard of a posek today who would hesitate to use it. (The Melbourne eruv does in fact rely, in some places, on such pre-existing tzuros hapesach, and nobody has ever raised this as a problem)

  • okkkaaaayyyy?!?!!?

    I dont really know who this rabbi is nor do I care. One thing I do know; This rabbi DOES NOT live in Crown Heights. Who is he to paskan whether the eruv can be used or not, I’m still trying to figure out. It was a very clear consensous from all the Rabbanim in Crown Heights that this eruv is not kosher. period. end of discussion. So now I’m left trying to figure out what this rabbi is trying to paskan here.

  • Anonymous

    its the fault of some of our rabbonim who had the chutzpah to label those who rely on the eiruv as ‘Mechalilei Shabos Befarhesia’ when its clear that many great poskim (maybe even most) consider it a kosher eiruv. and by the way i dont support the eiruv in crown heights

    • Follow the rabbonim

      If the local rabbonim hold that it is mechalel shabbos, then we abide by that psak and not drink the wine of those who use the eruv. If they don’t, then we don’t. We don’t go off and do things on our own (such as insult people who use the eruv) or pick rabbis from monsey.

    • That Isn't So

      Ummm, that isn’t true. Most poskim were against the Eruv. Did you read the beginning articles about the Eruv?

    • Milhouse

      Wrong, and wrong. Even if you believe the eruv is possul, you are forbidden from treating those who use it as mechalelei shabbos. Not only may you drink their wine, if you are in their home you are required to eat at least enough to show that you accept it as a kosher home. That is an explicit halacha in Shulchan Aruch. It is forbidden to refuse to eat in the home of an observant Jew, even if you hold that something he does is against the halacha. Because he is entitled to follow a different legitimate psak.

      And the majority of poskim — actually almost all poskim — hold that this eruv is kosher. The opinions cited against it are those of a small minority.

  • Cherry Bim

    What is the opinion of the CH rabbonim concerning other halachos which are ignored in CH, such as, the chiyuv to wash and eat s’udah shlishis on Shabbos or sleeping in a sukkah in our safe times?

    • Ezra

      Please study Likkutei Sichos vol. 21 pp. 84ff and vol. 29 pp. 211ff, then come back here with any questions.

      Hint: these are not “halachos which are ignored in CH,” but halachos where we follow the statements of our Rebbeim.

    • Milhouse

      These halochos are not ignored. Minhag Chabad is specifically not to do them, for reasons that the Rebbe explored in detail in several sichos. As the Rebbe said, the fact that the Mittleler Rebbe didn’t sleep in the succah proves that the Alter Rebbe didn’t either, since no sensitivity to “mochin debinah” would have prevented him from doing as his father did. And if the Alter Rebbe held that it really was an obligation, nothing could have prevented him from doing it. Therefore the fact that he didn’t is maaseh rav that there is no chiyuv.

    • CR

      I am far more interested in this Rav’s opinion on the use of liquid soap on Shabbos, “Cholov Stam”, unfiltered NYC tap water, etc. Anyone who wants to follow his “heter” on the eiruv will be obligated to follow all of his machmir rulings on other controversial topics. Any truly G-d fearing individual does not want to be seen as rabbi-shopping, do they?

    • Milhouse

      CR, that would only be the case if he were giving some kind of “heter”, rather than stating the obvious, that the vast majority of poskim have no problem with making an eruv in an area like Crown Heights. One using the eruv is not relying on this rov’s halachic opinions, but merely on his testimony about the metzius, that the eruv is indeed made and supervised by someone who knows what he’s doing; so needn’t follow them in everything.

  • Outsider ///

    Heller is also an outsider. Most nights of the week he sleeps in Boro Park. He comes here during the day for his Kollel Job

  • LOGIC WINS!

    I hope that all our prestigious Rabbonim in Crown Heights will together write a letter to the world at large, and particular to the individuals in Monsey and Lakewood, that we don’t appreciate it! At one point, Lakewood was mostly Litvish/Yeshivish, and NO WAY would any individual from another State or community ever dare to get involved with any Halacha pertaining to Lakewood!

    Should our Rabbonim get involved with the Erev in Williamsburg? Boro Park? Flatbush? We have no business whatsoever to do that, Halachakly, or even logically!

    If any Rov/Rabbi has an issue with our Beis Din Kovuah, make an appointment, and discuss it, personally with them.

    There was absolutely no benefit to their rant, against our Rebbe, Shulchan Orech, and Rabbonim, other than “let’s stir the pot.” And, that, they were successful of.

    We, as Jews, stand above the fray, and will not be intimidated. Although, I’ve never heard of these two individuals, they will surly come around, and publicly apologize, as soon, as they realize their mistake. After all, they too are Jewish, and have a Neshama! (we should have pity on them, and Mekarev them.)

  • Izzy

    The Crown Heights Bais Din is concerned about POWER & MONEY
    We follow them with kabbolos ol like little sheep. Rabbi Groner thinks he is above us all.
    It’s time to think for our selves. I think the Crown Heights Rabbis are power hungry & not really concerned about us or the eiruv.
    You decide if you want to follow eiruv or not. Think for your self.

  • BTW what's the heavenly punishment for ripping down an Eruv?

    Regardless of your personal beliefs in laws and customs, if one believes at all, in our G-d and Judaism, how are you going to answer after 120, when on purpose, you caused so many to be Mechalel Shabbos? Maybe the zealots don’t really believe, just like many a previous set of violent thugs, running wild and amok.

  • 48 yr in the hood

    i feel very bad 4 this RABBI vozner , may G-d help him and protect him .hashem yerachaim
    he is starting up with the REBBA & ALL our rabboniem .
    hashem yeracaim

  • mendoza

    HE is playing with the Rebbe. Even from a non lubavitch perspective this rabbi is openly disregarding the words of ALL of the local Rabbanim.
    hashem yeracaim on him
    and his family , may G -d protect him

  • Lubavitcher

    I wonder if all to jump on the new great endorsement of this rov will make sure their wife’s adhere to his halachic rulings on the laws of “tznius”(dressing modestly).

  • Anonymous

    How many people are not religious how many people are shaving how many people are wearing short pants how many people don’t come to Shul at all how many people and children and adults are on drugs smoke on Shabbos and they’re out on the streets not in scool how many divorces are there-why how many people did the schools help to give them the credits. Degrease so they can go get an education if they’re not shluchim and earn a proper living is the euryv the only conversation why is there no Beth din for din torahs where was rabbi Heller for the last 30 years why is there no elections for community Council and gaboim and The house is in from other neighborhoodstheir building buildings so many new buildings for yuppies why don’t the rabbis bring everyone together and talk about Real issues building our community when was the last time the community Council made a meeting seems like the only ones who wanted to do something for our community and paid money for it actually are the people who built that eiruv yes Crown Heights is not a private courtyard for Chabad the rebbe wanted instructed that it to be a neighborhood for everyone and there are a lot more people than only Chabad and it’s hard to know today who is the majority of the who do you have to cater first dose ago to be shluchim leave us the whole world dumpes on us so we have people from all over over here by now this became the capital of restaurants who is eating in those restaurants are those chassidishe he people I don’t think so Who works in these restaurants goim with goieshe Music does anybody speak about these things I’ve come to know conclusions but it seems like it’s out-of-control I don’t know where to start maybe frome myself but I don’t go to those restaurants I won’t carry with an eiruv so which people are we talking about and who do we really care about is it for who said what or is it for what are the needs of the people and how is it addrest this issues and other sensitive issues in a caring Manner

  • just someone

    bla bla bla…if you don’t want to use the eiruv just darn don’t.

    What’s with all the hate? And the ahavas yisroel to others?

    Besides, what exactly did our esteemed rabbonim do for our schuna? Like REALLY WHAT?

    Enuff said!

  • Mendel

    Mr Cherry Bin, please post that comment to a hate blog, not here. We all know about seuda shlishis and sleeping in the suka, and why Chabad does what they do. It’s printed and published and any Hebrew reading friend can assist you with translation. Save your hate for people who deserve it.

  • Moshe Eliyahu

    Just would like 2 get it straight, is Rav Wosner a Dayan in Monsey or Beit Shemesh, meaning does he live in Monsey & is also considered a dayan in Beit Shemesh as well while living in Monsey or does he live in Beit Shemesh & is a Dayan 4 Monsey ? Thank u

    • Milhouse

      It means he has positions in both places. Just as one local rov in Crown Heights also has a congregation in Belgium.

      (The date on the letter would seem to indicate that at the moment he is in Bet Shemesh.)

  • crown heights is not just chabad

    its like saying all williamsburg is all satmer. there are other jews beside chabad living in crown heights, they would like to have benefits of erev in the community. Just because some chabad don’t hold from this erev, should mean that others who would use it to call them michalel shabbos. isn’t chabad suppose to encourage people , not bring them down.

  • to shameless

    what a stinking chutzpa of these fellows sticking their nose into issues and areas which is non of their business especially when the local rabbinate said there’s and most important where the Rebbe reigns and is his shchuna!

  • supervision

    Who is the Rav overseeing regular supervision of the eruv, notifications if is down etc.? This is very essential to an eruv being kosher! This is separate from the problems of the local Rabbanim being so disrespected (which I understand is HALACHLY very problematic!) and of course the Rebbe not wanting it. Funny enough, I would be happy for there to be an eruv, especially for the more modern or not lubavitch residents, and even more for those who may not be careful with Halacha. But as you can see, even someone like me with very minimal halachic background can see a lot of problems.

    • Milhouse

      There is no mystery about who is maintaining the eruv. And there is no notification if it’s down, because like almost every eruv in the world you are to assume it’s down until you are notified that it’s up. How are you not aware that that is the modern standard for eruvin? That is how Kol Israel’s eruv has operated since it was first constructed, and there’s no reason for its expansion to have made a difference.

  • What a shame!

    For all of the Ahavas Yisroel that Lubavitch is about (and I am one of them), most of the commentators here sound like they were raised without a drop of it. Any time a non-Lubavitcher disagrees with a Lubavitcher Rov’s psak he is treated as the root of all evil in this world. What hypocrisy. What a shame.

    And for #29… R. Wosner has a Lubavitcher son-in-law and is not anti-Chabad at all. Tone down the sinah.

  • Milhouse

    It’s not clear from R Wozner’s letter whether the addresee is a Lubavitcher. I have my own ideas about the addressee’s identity, and I suspect he is not, in which case the encouragement to carry proudly is appropriate. Having ascertained that the eruv is good, there is no reason not to use it, and refraining from using a completely kosher eruv can imply that ch”v one doesn’t really believe in eruvin.

    But no Lubavitcher should use this eruv, because its own makers openly say that it is not kosher according to the Rambam. Now everyone (except Temanim) agrees that the halacha is not like the Rambam. The Alter Rebbe agrees too, so no Lubavitcher has the right to say that it’s possul. But the Alter Rebbe recommends that one should be machmir like the Rambam anyway, so anyone who considers himself the Alter Rebbe’s chossid ought to heed this recommendation.

  • He is going against his father

    His father (the Shevet HaLevi) writes that it it’s impossible to make an Eruv in Brooklyn.

  • Milhouse

    By the way, the fact that this eruv wasn’t made according to the Rambam shows that it was not made for Lubavitchers to use. If the makers wanted Lubavitchers to use it they could have made it with mechitzos that are עומד מרובה על הפרוץ. It would have been more difficult and expensive, and have taken longer, but it could have been done. And had they done so Lubavitchers would be facing a real nisoyon, and have to make a decision which way to go. By making it in a way that is not suitable for Lubavitchers anyway, they made it easy for us. No matter how one feels about all the issues that have been brought up, one still shouldn’t carry.

  • mendoza

    I am sorry to tell u guys , but Crown Heights belongs to the lubavitcher Rebbe! The Rebbe’s opinion is clear!

    Either Accept it ? or move out…

  • ZABLA ///

    Since there is a dispute – let’s go back to the Zabla Bais Din and let Rabbi Rosenberg decide one and for all.

  • to Rabbi Heller

    The Rebbe Mh’m who was against the Eruv, never called those who carry M’Chlelli Shabbos Befarhesia. By putting in your own two sense and Lumdus you opened up a can of worms. You should just have stated “the REBBE is against it period.” Remember “LO SOSIFU”

  • Clarification needed

    I’m surprised Reb Yoel hasn’t come out with clarification as to the Rebbe’s view on the Eruv ??? !!!

  • Rafael V. Rabinovich

    I wonder is Crown Heights Info will also publish R. Weissmandl’s refutation to R. Wosner on this subject.

  • Eiruv>>Erev Rav

    How can one ever put up an Eiruv with such a major thoroughfare like Eastern Parkway?

  • Rabbi Zajac Letter

    Rabbi Zajac in Brazil has sent a letter abiut this individual Wasner and how “converted” nonm-Jews as Jews. When hearing about it, his father, the dignifed posek, cried bitterly saying “I have no control over him. he is a disgrace for the entire family”.

    This is who is telling us to ignore our rabonim?!

    The Rebbe is the baale bayis in this shechuna and if someone doesn’t like it, they can leave

  • to 91

    All the rebuttals are worthless.

    This anonymous guy writing rebuttals, would not dare pick up his head before gimnel tamuz. today every one considers themselves a macher

  • Chani

    Enough about the eruv, The person that put up the eruv did not put it up for the Chabad community anyway, Get a life

  • no chabad

    Simply put, Crown Heights is not exclusive to Lubavitch
    You do not like the Erev, dont use it.
    You dont like all the new Orthodox families, too bad. They are here to stay.And more to come. These people do not have high regard of Chabad
    Where is your Ahavas Yisroel