Page 4 • JEWISH PRESS. Friday, May 15, 1987 Inside View MENACHEM PORUSH What Did Rabbi Lichtenstein Member of Israeli Parliament REALLY ay ... As I See It '-_________________________... By Yehuda Schwartz A "prominent lawyer" thodox rabbis, he said, no answer; so they wound a "Thereupon the prophet sought to minimize the Orthodoxy should 'per­ scarf round his neck and came and reassured him: potential damage which haps pay a certain price tortured him. 'Say ye not a confederacy, Demjanjuk Trail would have been in the form of legitimiza­ "When R. Abbahu concerning all of whom this wrought upon the hala­ tion and recognition.' came and found him in people do say, A confeder­ The Demjanjuk trial is now taking place in Jerusa­ chic community by Rabbi "Religious Affairs Minis­ that state he said to them, acy' (Isaiah VIII:12). It is a lem. Until now I did not devote any article to this trial, Lichtenstein's tacit over­ ter Hammer, head of the 'Why do you torture him'?' confederacy of the wicked, because I am certain that it is being followed by everyone. ture towards the legitimi­ National Religious Party, Said they, 'Have you not and as such cannot be However, since I look upon my column as a diary of what zation of the Conserva­ pursued a similar line of told us that he is a great counted for thepurposeofa happens in Israel, this subject should not be passed by tive and Reform clergy in though~ calling for 'isolat­ man? He cannot explain decision." without comments. Israel. ing the extremists' - those to us the meaning of this • • • Listening to the trial hearings, we are continuously All he wanted to do was who advocate recognizing verse!' There seem to be those shocked. We thought we had heard everything, only to be to seek a resolution to the the children of Jewish "Said he, 'I may have told who consider Rabbi Lich­ surprised with more unbelievable tales. ' problem of "gerus," the fathers as Jews or who con­ you that he was learned in tenstein "a great man" as This trial undoubtedly means a lot for many reasons. "prominent attorney" done intermarriage - 'by Tannaitic teaching; did I w.ell (judging from some of First of all, it means alot about Demjanjuk himself. It is charged, and everyone continuing to talk to the tell you he was learned in the letters I have received · difficult to comprehend how a person with the features of jumped on him in the press on this series). a human being could be able to do what he is charged with and media. But it seems he does not having done. "Everything would be know the explanation of the It is also of utmost importance that our youth listen done (conversions - Ed.) Orthodoxy should "perhaps pay a Gemara in Sanhedrin 26a, and read about the Holocaust. They must know what we by an Orthodox Beit Din," certaIn price In the form of judging from his willing­ lived through. For too many in the young generation, all he said. "And only thereaf­ ness to "pay a certain price the stories we have told them appear as legends. Witness­ ter, somehow, there would legitimization and recognltlon. " in the form of legitimiza­ ing this trial and listening to that which Ivan the Terrible be an involvement with the tion and recognition" of has done, enables them to visualize it more clearly. others." non-Orthodox rabbis. The trial is also important for the non-Jewish world. Well, either the "promi­ Tell us, Rabbi Lichten­ There are all too many who are ready to forget about this nent lawyer" knows others' in American Scripture?' stein, how do you explain sordid chapter in the world's history. If, already in our nothing of the details of Jewry." "'How is it then that you the Gemara just quoted? generation:while there are still individuals who saw with this problem in Israel, or Despite all the "defense know it?' they contended. What does it mean when their own eyes how thousands upon thousands of people conveniently he seeks to attorneys" for the Har 'We: he replied, 'who are it says -KeBher reshaim were gassed, burnt, and cremated, and still there are degrade the Chief Rabbi­ Etzion Rosh YeBhiva, frequently with you, set eino min hamlnyan?" - a people prepared to deny the Holocaust, what will happen nate itself, who in fact alleged denials of such ourselves the task of study· confederacy of wicked when the witnesses are gone? There are already peClple officially disaBBociated statements, or charges ing it thoroughly, but those men may not be who write that all this never happened. In only a few itself from any such that the media was mis­ of Babylon do notstudy it as counted••• generations there will be many who would like to say that "involvement." quoting what was actu­ carefully.' the Holocaust was only a legend. "Said they, 'Will you then The great love for a Just for the record, the ally said in public (not 4_11 __ ..... '-- _ ___ !-._.. ty __ :11 This trial is therefore very important for the whole . ... • • ./I .... .. D o ",",,, ~""_,,,".rI 8 . ... .... + ~,.. .............. ---- "UC .lJ:U'~UD,,-....a;a \Jn~ JCI5~IIU. Just for the record. the ally said in public (not "Said they. 'Will you then The great love for a This trial is therefore very important for the whole "involvement" that the meant!) - there still has tell us the meaning?, 'I will Rebbe demands that the world that they dare not forget or deny. Our young gener­ "prominent lawyer" sought not been a definitive explain it by a parable,' he student quote accurately ations must see the truth made clear to them, when we to dismiss so eagerly. even­ DENIAL of these state­ replied. and not take out of context bring an example of one of the terrible devils who commit­ tually would have permit­ ments. and a Torah posi­ "'To what may it be com- some of his Rebbe's words ted those dastardly acts. The world should know and ted the Conservative and tion by Rav Soloveitchik's pared? To a man who is the to suit given political situa­ remember - especially those who want to say that the Reform rabbis to sign on son-in-law against the creditor of two persons. one tions. Holocaust never happened - by seeing the truth before the conversil)n. according alliance of Torah people of them a friend, the other When the "prominent their very own eyes. By recalling the past, we attempt to to insiders. This would con­ with those who do not an enemy; of his friend he lawyer" assumed that insure that this should not happen again, G-d forbid,. stitute "approval" of their beUeve in "Torah min will accept payment little Rabbi Lichtenstein "only Therefore, one cannot underestimate the importance "judicial" status as "rab­ Hashamayim." by little, whereas of his wanted to seek a modus of this historical trial. It will serve as a reminder to those bis." And such a possibility There is a Gemara in enemy he will exact pay- vivendi with Conservative that wish to forget. It will serve as an historical lesson for was always unacceptable to A voda Zara 4a as follows: ment in one sum!' So does Judaism" he was going those that know not yet about the full tragedies our people Torah people and "daya­ "R. Abbahu com­ G-d punish Israel only by against his own Rav who suffered. It will confront forcibly those that wish to deny nim" in Israel. and shall mended R. Safra to the intermittent visitations." said, "There are not always and falsify history. It is only proper that the trial take always remain so. 'minim' as a learned man, Even though R. Yocha- solutions to agonizing prob­ place while there are still living accusers. Rabbi Lichtenstein and he was thus exemp­ nan repproached Resh lems." Our duty is not to forget this terrible Holocaust. knows it. ted by them from paying Lakish for his intolerance, The Rav, in connection The lawyers knows it. taxes for thirteen years." R. Yochanan did not with the "mamzerim" case All honest Torah peo­ The Soncino explains retract. in Israel many years ago. ple know it. that the term "minim" was The Gemara continues: said specifically, "Many "dayan" in Israel. • • • used generally as a desig­ "What is the reference to problems are insoluble; you Talmud Torah, and to find But just to lay to rest once nation for the early (Jew­ 'a confederacy of wicked can't help it." It would seem in Talmud Torah a • • • It is fitting to end with a and for all what Rabbi ish) Christians. From men?' It is as follows: that this is the case with the redemptive, cathartic and Lichtenstein reportedly many plaC!es in the Talmud "Shebna expounded the conversion issue as well, inspiring reality." sentence from Pirkei Avot. it appears that to taunt rab­ and the lawyer should Chazal spoke of other did or did not say. I will law before thirteen great know and respect the hala- • • • quote from the February bis. particularly about dif­ How can Rabbi Lichten- things beside "peace," ~ men, whereas Hezekiah cha as defined by HIS Rav! for example, to know when report by the Jerusalem ficult Biblical passages, stein even suggest the expounded it only before The Rav continued: of to keep quiet. Post foreign service. was a favorite practice of eLeven. inclusion those "rabbis" printed in a recent edition the "minim." "When Sennacherib "We are opposed to'shi- of the Jewish Week: His exemption was given came and besieged Jerusa- nuiim,' changes in t~e h~la- as honorarium for his work 1 Sh b te ate cha..