The writer does bring up some good points, on the shortness of time being given to the community, to get to know the candidates. There most certainly should have been more time, no one is disputing that, and an Op-ed by Yitzchak Wagshul to that affect was published some time back.
But the medicine (a tryout period), the writer is suggesting, is way worse then, the disease (not enough time).
Op-Ed: A Rov is not Subject to Public Opinion
Recently there appeared an article on one of the websites, suggesting (and seemingly tying to pressure) Rabbi Rosenberg, to change his Psak, and make a “tryout period” from the third Rov of the Bais Din of Crown Heights – Kan Tziva Hashem es Habrocho.
The writer does bring up some good points, on the shortness of time being given to the community, to get to know the candidates. There most certainly should have been more time, no one is disputing that, and an Op-ed by Yitzchak Wagshul to that affect was published some time back.
But the medicine (a tryout period), the writer is suggesting, is way worse then, the disease (not enough time).
The crown heights system is set up very much like the American political system, with three separate branches of government.
The Vaad Hakohol – is the executive branch. They make all the decisions, on where to invest our limited resources.
The Netzigim – is the legislative branch. they oversee the books, run elections, and report to the community, keeping the Vaad in check. (This Branch has major flaws, and Rabbi Rosenberg pointed them out in the Psak).
The Bais Din – is the judiciary. whenever there’s an argument or disagreement, it goes to the Rabbonim/judges who oversee both branches.
Both the executive and legislative branches are up for election every few years, the exception being the judiciary. The reason for that is simple:
A judge is higher than politics. The judge has to be able to make a ruling without any fear of political backlash, or public opinion. Now, if the judge is up for election every so and so year, his rulings may be slanted, to find favor in the eyes of the voters, or his political party.
The same reasoning applies to a Rov, (that is one of the reasons why a Rov is a lifelong position in the first place), if the Rov will be put up for another election in 6 months or 6 years, as the writer suggested, then all his rulings in that period will be slanted, thus destroying the Bais Din and continuing Machlokes even more.
We just have to look at two places to see this difference. In the United States where the supreme court judges are “in for life” a judge have no problem voting for what they really think is correct, and sometimes voting against his party line, (as done by many supreme court judges).
However in Israel, where the “Rabbanut” is for just ten years (the Rebbe was very unhappy when it was changed) the Rabbonim are under enormous political pressures… we all know how it looks.
In closing:
Yes, There isn’t allot of time left to find out about the candidates, so participate in all Shiurim, call friends, do whatever it takes to learn about the candidates, hustling for a few days won’t kill anyone, however making the Rov prone to public opinion is disastrous and very dangerous.
Ksiva Vachasimo Tova
Non-Native
Thank you for explaining the system.
In theory but not in practice
The n’tzigim should be the “legislative” branch of a tripartite system but are not and never were. Since every shul reserves the right to appoint its own ntzig and there are no uniform guidelines for an election process for ntzigim, it opens the door for serious systemic abuses. For example,people, some quite prominent in the machloikesim of recent years NEVER set foot in the shuls they claim to represent. Others who were thrown out of the original shuls they represented, found obscure venues on the fringes of Crown Heights and finagled and become ntzigim from those places. Go there on a Shabbos, if you care to take a hike to places like S.John’s and Franklin Avenues and see if the n’tzig is in fact davenning there. It was decided way back in the beginning that the n’tzigim wouldn’t presume to tell the shuls how they should choose their n’tzig. This has proven to be another way that the system was abused, along with the inadequacies of the by-laws.
vot R.B
vote rabbi bogomoilky the only man who can bring unity. thats what we need forget the politics
Wondering
Is there a reason the Op-ed is unsigned?
Mendel G
This article is so flawed. This campaign with websites, ads, videos and booklets looks nothing like a Rabbonishe election. It looks like a typical political election in its full glory.
I dont recall seeing Rabbonim being so agressive to get people to vote for them.
More importantly in the US Supreme Court the candidates are not selected by the people they are selected by the Senate who scrutinize them intensely on their merits and past performance. This election is being elected by the people who know absolutely NOTHING about the Rabbonim or what they stand for.
i agree!!!!!
very well said