Posted to Op-Ed on
by Yaacov Behrman

Op-Ed: Tiny Flea Rises Up Against Mighty Eagle

A week ago, when a private letter from Rabbi Ezra Schochet, addressed to the Beis Din of Johannesburg and Chabad Representative Rabbi Yossi Goldman, was leaked to CrownHeights.info, calling it “prohibited and unacceptable” for any Chabad Rabbi to allow Rabbi Shmuley Boteach to speak in their synagogues, I didn’t give it much thought.

I studied under Rabbi Schochet and understood why he doesn’t want Boteach giving public speeches in Chabad institutions — Rabbi Schochet feels that Boteach’s printed materials and publicized actions are beyond the limits of orthodox theology and go against some of Chabad’s fundamental beliefs and the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s instructions.

I don’t feel that it’s necessary for Rabbi Schochet to be specific when stating his opinion since his concerns are blatantly obvious to anyone who has read Boteach’s book and is familiar with basic orthodox theology and Chabad’s core values. Judaic scholar Rabbi Chaim Rapoport, in a letter clarifying some of the problems with one of Boteach’s books, wrote “Any knowledgeable person who will read the book will see that many of the assumptions and theories are contradicting the Halacha, and the Jewish traditions.” Dr. Lawrence H. Schiffman, Vice-Provost of Undergraduate Education at Yeshiva University and Professor of Jewish Studies, wrote a critique of Boteach’s book “Kosher J” addressing some of these concerns. Even Yossi Goldman,“one of the world’s most successful communal rabbis”, in an email defending the rationale behind his invitation to Boteach, wrote ”I am relieved by my decision to deliberately ensure that he is, in fact, not speaking on that topic”.

Rabbi Schochet, dubbed by his colleagues and students as “the Rosh” ( “ראש” , literally “Head”) for his brilliant analytic style, depth of understanding and vast Talmudic scholarship, is a strong minded scholar and educator who is known within Chabad for speaking his mind even when others are silent. And like many serious scholars he can come across as harsh to those that don’t know him. When Messianism ran amok in Chabad in the early 90s, shortly before the Rebbe’s passing, the Rosh was among the few leaders unafraid to speak out against the craziness. The story goes – and I stress that it is unconfirmed – that the Rosh and Steven Spielberg had a falling out after the Rosh chastised Spielberg for building a bathroom with see-through walls. The Rosh undoubtedly thought it was immodest and foolish and told Spielberg so, even at the risk of losing a major donor. I don’t think Boteach’s bullying scares him much.

I knew Boteach was going to respond but I naively thought he would use the opportunity to honestly address some of the controversy surrounding his persona. Boteach, in his op-ed, accuses the Rosh of sending his letter to two “gossip-mongering and illiterate websites – who trade in daily attacks on leading figures in Chabad and beyond”. As far as I know the letter was only published on one website not two. The editor of the website told me that he was amused that Boteach was critical of his website. “Before we had a falling out and Boteach threatened to sue me, he would send me articles some of which I printed. Ironically, despite Boteach’s claims, I never received anything directly from the Rosh, not now and not ever,” he said.

Personally, I have no issue with Boteach lecturing and consider myself to have a friendly relationship with him. But I’m hardly a good example because I probably wouldn’t be bothered even if Spinoza was given a platform.

Boteach certainly has every right to defend himself but, sadly, his op-ed does none of the above. Instead he falsely maligns the Rosh as a radical comparing him to an Islamic extremist and implies that he is running a “Taliban madrassa.” Over the years, the Yeshiva in Los Angeles attracted all different types of students with many different religious standards. Boteach owes an apology to the thousands of Yeshiva alumni including those former Yeshiva students who have gone on to successful professional careers. Graduates from the Yeshiva include prominent Shluchim, rabbis, doctors, attorneys and educators, and the list goes on.

Boteach attempts to paint himself as a knight on a white horse and deceivingly argues that the Rosh disapproves of him because he says that “HS Jewish men should be encouraged to put on tefillin.”

As a student in Los Angeles, I directed the outreach office for the Rosh’s Yeshiva. I happen to know for a fact that the students pay weekly visits to both men and women regardless of their orientation. The only criteria for Tefilin is that the person be male and Jewish. They are there to put on Tefilin with the men, to bring Shabbas candles to women and, generally, to bring the joy of Judaism into their lives.

Shmuley, before you also unfairly accuse me, you should know that I supported Assemblyman David Weprin’s bid for congress, in the face of many orthodox Rabbis’ rejection of him for voting for the same gender marriage law in New York.

I acknowledge that Boteach is a great defender of Israel and an excellent speaker. But it is absurd for Boteach to write that “this air of intellectual sophistication is being lost to Chabad – with fanatics and extremists like Rabbi Schochet rising to prominence amid the dearth of scholarly leadership….. But just a generation ago, in the Rebbe’s lifetime, Chabad was producing world-class orators and thinkers who resuscitated Jewish life”

That a man of Boteach’s intelligence could delude himself into thinking that he is in the category of Chabad’s “world class thinkers” while implying that the Rosh is the new kid on the block who only rose to prominence “amid the dearth of scholarly leadership” should puzzle anyone who knows both men.

The Rosh is simply in a different league than Boteach.

In his younger years, the Rosh studied under Rabbi Dovid Soloveitchik Rosh Yeshiva of Brisk in Jerusalem, a Yeshiva attended only by select young Talmudists. Rabbi Aharon Kotler of Beth Medrash Govoha praised the Rosh saying one day he is going to be a Gadol B’Yisroel (a great scholar amongst Israel).

The Rosh is the foremost authority within Chabad on the complex laws of the international dateline and how it relates to the laws of Sabbath, Omer, Bar Mitzvah etc. He is well versed in the Talmud, Rishonim Acharonim, Code of Jewish Law, Musser and Chassidus.

There are literally dozens of scholarly letters between the Rebbe of Lubavitch and the Rosh. I am not aware of even one to Boteach.

I am reminded of the words of the Baba Sali regarding a time when a Jewish leader differed with the opinion of Lubavitcher Rebbe on Shabbas candles for children

The Baba Sali asked, “How does the tiny flea dare to rise up against the mighty eagle?”

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50 Comments

  • Chossid

    Great article! Any chance for a source for the Baba Sali zt”l quote?

  • ACCURATE BABA SALI QUOTE

    מה לזבוב קצוץ כנפים, ולנשר בשמים

  • get a life

    whats your point? you remind me of the person who gave a eulogy for his friend but spoke mostly of HIS OWN quality’s

    • Milhouse

      The point is very clear: even if Shmuly had done nothing wrong in his entire life till now, his having the chutzpah to call the Rosh a “fanatic” and an “extremist” is enough to write him off completely as an oisvorf. The Rosh is not his peer. He owes him respect, even when he disagrees with him. And his lack of such respect just proves that what the Rosh wrote about him was correct.

  • thank you YB

    as an alumni, i was derelict in my duty to denounce a vicious attack on the Rosh Yeshiva that had no basis in fact, as you eloquently pointed out.
    We all know him to speak his mind, leaving PC and kumbaya for others. He says it as it is, and moreover has publicly acknowledged mistaken opinions without defending himself and covering up.
    SB has no business swimming with in the olympic pool, when he doesn’t even know how to tread water.

  • great articale!!!

    i agree %100 but just to make things clear, i was also in yeshuva in la and the sheluchim did not give out shabbos candels by mivtzoim time, i asked them why, they said “because that’s what the rosh said”
    but don’t get me wrong, there is no way that botech can even reach the toes of the rosh!!!!

    • Oy, what will be?

      Six lines, six spelling mistakes, and YOEC teaches English. Hashem Yishmor.

  • Thanks for keeping it short

    Usually these oped pieces require 30 min to read this one was exceptionally short much appreciated

  • Shoshanna Silcove

    The problem is that this flea roars with his gigantic media platform.

  • The truth can be frightening

    A simple fact not stated The Rosh is the Rosh for many years even when Boteach was a simple kid singing as part of The Miami Boys Choir that alone should say something.Boteach is out for his own glory regardless of what is right & wrong having the claim to fame as Roseanne’s Rabbi? Compared to The Rosh?? No context as Warner wolf might say take the Rosh & the points!

  • feivel

    Why is the denigrtation necessary. You can make a point without belittling someone.

    • In this case, it IS necessary

      Boteach sincerely believes he is right. He is above the norms of Chabad because HE was a buddy of Michael Jackson. He rubbed noses & broke bread with the rich, famous & sleazy. The only thing I can see is that he isn’t involved with people from the criminal underworld.

      Boteach’s ego is all-encompassing. He has dirtied us all with his coarse subject matter and his self-aggrandizement. Kudos to Mr. Behrman (with whom I usually strongly disagree!) for saying it how it is…at least as regards Boteach & the Rosh (how can I even put them in the same sentence?)

      We are going through difficult times for Klal Yisrael. We should be standing together – 2 strong, impassioned & erudite men should join forces to combat the klippa we are enveloped in. Instead, we have a man with zero respect for “authentic Judaism”, who parades his celebrity status like a poodle on a leash arguing (and failing miserably) with one of the most brilliant minds of this generation. Boteach needs to grow some humility, sit back, & re-think his position. It kills him that mainstream Chabad will not accept him. Well, that was his doing. He turned himself into a circus act. Now live with it.

    • Milhouse

      Tell that to Baba Sali. The author is merely using his words. And Baba Sali used them of a person far more respectable than Shmuly. That person, whom Baba Sali called a wingless fly, is an eagle when compared to Shmuly.

  • moshe

    Yasher koach.
    Well written perfectly said! And what really counts: it’s all TRUE!!
    משה אמת ותורתו אמת
    ראש הישיבה גדול מרבן שמו

  • OPEN MINED

    IT HELPS TO LOOK AT PEOPLE DIFFERENT OPINION,PERHAPS THAT WOULD HELP PEOPLE TO MOVE FORWARD

  • great article!

    The last few paragraphs were “dayenu” how much more so the whole thing. Go YB

  • Enough of Boteach already!

    You touched on the fact when you used the word “delude.” Boteach is delusional. Period. Why anyone continues to give this narcissist attention is beyond an enigma.

  • sheker v'chazav

    the rosh strongly discourages any interaction with women on mivtzoim!

  • Mendel

    Los Angeles is one of the only places that the Litvishe olam doesn’t ever speak out against Lubavitch and it’s thanks to the “Rosh”. So much so that a number of years ago, when Rabbi Elya Svei (an anti Chabad Philadelphia Rosh Yeshiva) came to Los Angeles and spoke the words of the menuval from Bnei Brak, he was told in LA we don’t speak against the Rebbe and Lubavitch.

    • Yossel

      That may be, but it seems to me based on my dealings with the Rosh that he has a misnagdish way of doing things. While I wish him many good years of health and happiness, I don’t agree with this approach. The Rebbe never cow-towed to misnadgim with regard to Moshiach or any other issue where the litvishe gave him grief.

      On the other hand, Boteach’s book regarding Yoshke is totally off the wall and definitely NOT according to Torah, so I agree with the Rosh on his ruling.

    • PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

      אמר רבי יהודה: לא חרבה ירושלים אלא בשביל שביזו בה תלמידי חכמים

      כל המבזה את החכמים–אין לו חלק לעולם הבא

    • moishie

      mendel – if you’re referring to Moreinu Harav Shach in your comment (I won’t even dignify your comment by quoting it!), I would highly recommend that you get on the next flight to Eretz Yisrael, get a cab to Bnei Brak, and BEG MECHILA with a minyan by the kever of Moreinu Harava Shach. The Rebbe ZT”L NEVER put down Moreinu Harav Shach, and there was never anything personal between them, they differed in their shitos.
      HOW DARE YOU speak against Moreinu Harav Shach!!

    • Milhouse

      Moishie, that is garbage, and you know it. We all heard how the Rebbe denounced that menuval, and declared that no yid who puts on kosher tefillin could possibly have such sin’as yisroel as that menuval showed, and so his tefillin must be possul. He gave the Rebbe such agmas nefesh, how can you defend him here, and call him “zatzal”?

    • Kop Mentch

      Milhouse, Your Rebbe had the right to say as he saw fit, you have no such right! Your feet do not fit into your Rebbe’s shoes!

  • GO ROSH !!

    And then that man wonders why nobody wants to marry his daughters why would he alienate himself and his famliy from the community for generations what a silly Iranian the Gayveh of that man is incredible

  • berman now added to SB hitlist

    Thank you berman for speaking the truth against a self-promoting bully. You will now no doubt be on his hitlist, which is growing longer than rebbetzin Hillary’s. May you be blessed from heaven for your good deeds.
    Signed,
    An LA Boy, who has no recollection of any bans from the Rosh on who to put on tefilin with or not. I also don’t recall any ban on giving out shabbos candles. But I do recall when he showed spielberg what would happen if he brought in the cake to the bochurim. Spoiler alert: it ended with the feet of one the shluchim inside the cake, ala the shmuel munkes story.

  • Good story

    We have Rabbi Ezra Schochet to thank for extracting the star of Brisk, Rabbi Y. Heller, and planting him firmly in Chabad to be our Rov and Rosh Kollel.

  • Very well written!

    Very impressed with this article… point very well understood as well as respectful.

  • News?

    It’s appalling to me that once again this website us being used to denigrate an individual whom we have come to disagree with.
    If the work chilul Hashem means anything to the readers of this website they would not be posting replies and or denigrating articles to begin with.

    • Milhouse

      It’s appalling to me that any web site is being used to denigrate a godol batorah, calling him a “fanatic” and an “extremist”. This and every web site must be used to protest that, and to uphold his honour against the worms who dare to denigrate him.

  • not a berman fan at all

    This time I agree with you which is extremely rare. Boteach has no business speaking out against rabonim and has no authority to decide what is correct hashkofo according to torah and chassidus.
    However, you yaakov have made an admission about yourself on a personal level. You state that personally you have no problem with boteach or even spinoza.
    Therefore, by your own admission you are also not qualified to comment on issues pertaining to tora and halacha , and therefore you should stop writing op eds on torah issues, such as on botei dinim and women voting etc, because you are as unqualified as boteach to do so. And think twice before running to the Huffington Post. Other than that, it was a nice piece.

    • NG, LA

      YB was joking about ‘no problem’ with him – he’s a live and let live type of guy. I’m sure he opposed his philosophy and heresy as we know today regarding Spinoza. Respect YB – he sometimes actually brings some sanity to an unsane world!

  • BOTEIACH IS A NEFICHA COMPARED TO THE ROSH VEDA"L

    VEDA”L. CHOSHUV ONLY B”EINEY ATZMOY BUT BY NO ONE ELSE

  • Speaking against a Jew/SAD

    None of you who are writing comments including crownheights.info who is allowing this are listening to the Rebbes words.

    Moshiach will come when there is ahavas yisroel.

    • Milhouse

      YOU are the one not listening to the Rebbe’s words. When did the Rebbe ever allow such chutzpah to a godol batorah to pass by without denouncing it?

  • Boteich is only looking for publicity

    anyway he can get it by talking about sex or kashering yoshke what does that tell everybody about him just a pity he doesn’t use his talents for any good

  • Do you know ?

    What is the difference between GOD and Boteach ?
    GOD dose not think He is Boteach.

  • moshe to # 29

    Get your facts straight! you should beg mechila from Mendel.

    The only thing wrong Mendel said was that the description is wrong, the correct one is אותו האיש מבני
    ברק

    • PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

      כל המבזה את החכמים–אין לו חלק לעולם הבא

  • Boteach is dog whistling & pandering to progressive left & reform

    That trying to destroy yidishkeit worldwide, (without even getting in to the issue regarding rabbi shochet) a person that calls himself a orthodox rabbi that referres to rabbonim as fanatics & extremists & hoping to scribe some more points with left elite is a major red flag to every torah observant Jew.

  • Rav Aron KotlerZL,Reichmans and Rav Ezra Schochet

    The famous Reichman family of Toronto have told the story when they had first met the Lakewood Rosh Yeshiva Rav Aaron Kotler ZL in Florida winter 1962.

    Upon hearing that the Reichman’s are from Toronto,
    the Rosh Yeshiva excitingly exclaimed that he has a talmid from Toronto, the likes of which he has not seen in the last 50 years!
    The talmid from Toronto ???? Then 19 year old (Rav) Ezra Schochet!

    Heard and verified by Shlomo Z Rosenzweig Toronto

    • Kop Mentch

      It is a good thing that the Rosh “escaped” from the Litvish/Yeshivish world.

      If he would have remained in their midst, they would have nailed him to a crucifix and bowed to him as their deity.

  • Anonymous

    What the polemic is about? The many ways, as there are many more, to see, to understand and to take position towards a particular issue! So it seems.
    No, it is the new view; radical and rebel versus the orthodoxy. The Rosh did not reveal any consideration other or outstanding the Torah and the ways of our heritage.
    However, R. Samual Batooch, went in long and large to show the borderline and antinomical Judaism that personae before him played with (ym’shemam); petting stnyut issues, tenets’ ideological issues and trying lamentably the “I am right and show the world on Darwin hypothesis of evolution”; even more the catastrophe as he represented horribly the Lubawitz community at large.
    B’Hashem that only a small and insignificant group of Jewish yoopies and ‘lilithians’ are (if even) reading his books. In the academic world, he is a laughable anathema.
    I feel personally sorry for him, as I knew him then and he had good inclination in learning, but his mental borderline tendenz took him for out in his imbalance and that just became worse with the time.

    Sha’a achat im Kono, mikol chaye olam Haze. tefoss et hastmecha!!! a zman over…nu.
    Begu choshkele, ba begu.