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A p’sak halacha is expected to be released by Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita in the coming days regarding shabbos elevators following the recent media stir on the matter. YWN-Israel in September published a report that gedolei hador issued a new ruling, prohibiting the use of the elevators based on new realities.
It now appears that Rav Yosef Efrati met with experts, along with Maran Rav Elyashiv, and the gadol hador permits the use of shabbos elevators ‘l’chatchila’ for people with special needs, a category that seems to include the elderly and their care-takers, the ill, pregnant woman and those who just gave birth.
It appears the meeting was held in response to a request from HaGaon HaRav Chaim Dovid Shubkis, a Belzer dayan.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Ever hear of the boy who cried wolf? Please spare us of these p’sak halacha / gedoli hadar stories.
Comment by NeveAliza — November 12, 2009 @ 8:15 am
Hodu l’Hashem Ki Tov that we still have an Adam Gadol. We barely deserve him!
Comment by Avreich Man — November 12, 2009 @ 8:56 am
How about we avoid psak by rumor.
Comment by charvona — November 12, 2009 @ 9:34 am
And how about making clear that “shabbos elevator” is one that has been especially constructed according to plans that eliminate all the shaylos, and that taking an ordinary elevator and putting it on a timer does NOT turn it into a shabbos elevator? That is where most of the confusion is coming from.
Comment by Milhouse — November 12, 2009 @ 10:40 am
Does it also include women who have to shlep their not-yet-walking children up the steps? In my opinion, that’s a lot harder than walking up the steps while pregnant.
Comment by rebetzin — November 12, 2009 @ 11:13 am
With no p’gia in the Kavod of the Rav, this situation is a bit rediculous. Let’s look at what happened:
1. A major fuss is made by “Askanim” - “something that was considered Muttar for decades based on Piskei Halacha of previous Gedolim may be an Issur Deoreisa!”
2. Based on “new facts” given to them by “experts” supported by people with an agenda, the Gedolim come out with a new Psak - “Assur! There’s no Tzad to be Matir! Everyone change the way you’ve been doing things all along!” Anyone who disagrees is viewed as “not really Frum” “looking for a Heter” or “lacking in Kavod for Da’as Torah”.
3. Following a backlash, real experts point our errors in the “new facts,”, and say that the new Psak is based on an incorrect understanding of the Metzius.
4. Based on the corrected facts, which are generally the same as those understood for decades and on which the original psak to be Matir was based, the Gedolim come out with a revised psak - “based on a further exploration of the issue, it’s actually Muttar”. No retraction of the bad-mouthing of those who (generally respectfully) questioned the psak of Assur is issued since they’re “not really frum enough to count anyway” (i.e., they have a college degree, are Dati Le’umi, are from America, etc.).
End result - lots of Agmas Nefesh for the Tzibur, an Askan who feels important since he got the whole world into a tumult on account of his pet issue, and a Tzibur whose Emunas Chachamim is not what it should be, since the Gedolim “can’t make up their mind”. This is what happened with the Indian hair sheitles, and is what’s happened with this situation as well.
My intent here is not to Chas V’shalom criticize the Rabbonim, but to point out a repeating patern caused by those with an agenda that damages the respect that the Hamon Am has for the Rabbonim. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to prevent something like this happening again?
an Israeli Yid
Comment by IsraeliYid — November 13, 2009 @ 6:49 am