Rabbi Abadi
Question
Dear Rabbi, You often lament the state of "frum judaism", "yeshivot" and so-called rabbis today. Believe me, many of us lament with you. However, as long as I have been a follower of this site - which has been a number of years now - I have always been troubled by a burning question: why was your father, the posek at Lakewood and a renowned talmid chacham, not capable of stemming the tide of this idiocy in the Yeshiva world? Many of your comments suggest that the former students of your father no longer respect him, pasken against him, consider him a misguided renegade, etc. Why is this? What happened that caused your father to leave Lakewood after having been established for so long? Was there a conflict between his views and those of the other rabbanim in the yeshiva? In summary, what was the reason for the separation of your father from the mainstream yeshiva world, being that he was a leader of such a respected yeshiva for so long?
Answer
Answered by Aaron AbadiPolitics! Rebetzin Kotler wanted him out at all costs. Rabbi Shneur Kotler was a very close friend to my parents. He & his wife walked them down the Chuppah as their wedding. Rav Shneur was always on the road collecting money. The Yeshiva was a huge burden. My father sat & learned 24/7. Eventually, there were lines of ten or more people waiting to ask him all types of questions and advice, after each prayer at the Yeshiva. This didn't go over too well with the Rebbetzin. After making his life miserable day after day, my father gave up and left, and made his own Kollel. Suddenly, overnight, those people that were his students, the ones standing on those lines daily, or sitting in his Chabura (group studying together), were suddenly able to fight against their Rebbi. The Rebbetzin created a "Vaad Haposkim" from these people. Four of them were appointed, and they remain until this day. I was there, I remember. It says that one who fights with his Rebbi is equal to one who fights with God. And one who Paskens (states a Halacha/law) in the lifetime of his Rebbi without permission is Chayav Mitah (deserves to die). I didn't make up the rules. I just remind you of them. It is amazing what a little "Kavod" can do! (meaning, how far people will go for a little bit of extra respect). I grew up watching his students get jobs outside Lakewood as Rabbis. The first few months they called him daily with questions. Then weekly, then monthly, and some don't even call anymore. They learned the game, they can do it on their own. If a person's Rebbi is alive and they don't go to ask permission before they set up shop as a Posek, then you & I both know that the reason is because they themselves know that they're not ready. They don't consider him a renegade. They are seriously threatened by his knowledge, and by what a Talmid Chacham he has become. This makes them all into little ants. Just seeing me makes many of them want to crawl into a hole and hide. Knowing that I was there and I know the truth....... There is an unlimited amount on this topic, but here is enough to get the question answered. AA