Just a quick personal story: I once asked Rav Matisyahu Solomon (about 2 years ago)why if there are so many tragedies both personal and for the Tzibbur going on, why don’t the Gedolim tell us what to do? It seems they are very quiet. His response was so fantastic. He answered: They ARE!!! Every time something happens we ARE told clearly what to do. The problem is we don’t want to listen and we think it is not good enough. We want the “Segula” without the “Ikkur”. We don’t feel satisfied that we are doing anything unless it is something tangible. The problem is not the Talmidei Chachomim staying silent said the Lakewood Mashgiach, the problem is the Yetzer Hora is preventing Klal Yisroel from accepting the answer as an adequate one.

I asked the Mashgiach what is this we are being told that we won’t accept. He answered it is SAY TEHILLIM, DAVEN WITH KAVANA AND FIX THE LACK OF DECORUM IN OUR SHULS! As soon as we realize that the one and only thing we must do is become closer to Hashem everything will be better. Until then, we are sent all types of messages from the RBS”O reminding us that we need to turn to him.

TRUE, so true except there are a few minute details missing. Issues are brought to the moetzes hagedolim with the proper information, they then discuss, research and decide. Since mentioning that you are personally involved with our heiligh gedolim, surely you are aware that there is not MAJORITY opinion on each issue (& hardly ever b”h). There happens to be a vote and the majority decides. (eg. Rav Elyashuv shlit”a and Rav Steinman shlit”a disagreed on a certain issue and the 2 different p’sak was accepted). You have painted a colorful mural of mutual agreement by all leaving out the various strands that make up this mural.

YWN is a WONDERFUL site that takes pride and is concerned in spreading only what is important to Klal Yisroel. These posts can be looked at as a problem because everyone voices their opinions and there are thousands of people who check YWN on a daily basis. Or we can look at these posts and see that passion so many Yidden have to see us succeed. There is no nation like ours.

But keep in mind the powerful words of Rav Pam ZT”L, and Rav Elya Svei ZT”L of recent or of R’ Aron Kotler ZT”L, Rav Shach ZT”L – all of which is known and available to hear. The ONLY Torah we can have is one WITHOUT ANY compromise whatsoever. Anything else is not Torah. It is only Gedolim as they who can decide what is a compromise and what is not. If our leaders today feel this is not an important issue, or it is important but not that we become vocal about it then too bad on us if we feel otherwise. It makes no difference how clear something may seem to you but you DO need their green light (as you say)in order to know if what you want to do is the right thing.

Don’t make the mistake of acting on your own based on what you think is right. Don’t attempt to gather the troops to support what you think is the way to go. Korach also meant everything Lshem Shomayim. Penina also meant everything Lshem Shomayim when on her own she decided to “bother” her sister Chana in order to inspire her to Daven better, but in the end Penina’s children all died and Chana had Shmuel Hanavi.

Our intentions may be good but if it is not what Hashem wants the real tragedy will be far worse. Only our leaders (not us) can tell us what Hashem wants.

The Orthodox Union, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization representing hundreds of synagogues and their members in New York State, is gravely disappointed by the New York State Assembly’s passage of legislation legalizing same sex-marriage.

The Orthodox Union’s leadership issued the following statement in the wake of the Assembly’s vote:

The Orthodox Union opposes in principle the recognition of same sex marriage based on Jewish religious tradition, and we reiterate our opposition to this radical change to a timeless institution today.

Additionally, we take this occasion to particularly note the grave threat to a fundamental civil right – that of religious freedom – this legislation poses.

Legal scholars on both sides of the same-sex marriage debate agree that codifying same-sex marriage without providing robust religious accommodations and exemptions will create widespread and unnecessary legal conflict that will “reverberate across the legal and religious landscape.” We have already seen religious congregations, social welfare agencies and youth groups which object to same-sex unions penalized by authorities in states where such unions have been legalized.

In recognition of this reality, two states that have recently enacted same sex marriage – Connecticut and Vermont – have incorporated robust and thorough protections of religious liberty in their laws. New York’s legislation has no such protections.

Irrespective of one’s view on same-sex marriage, it should be extremely troubling to all that New York’s legislation poses a grave, unprecedented threat to religious liberty. Without modifying the legislation to include proper protections for religious liberty, such as those enacted in other states, New York State is about to expand the legal rights of some New Yorkers at the expense of the rights of other New Yorkers.

Bash away my friend but it wont solve your problems.

Kol HaKavod Reb Dov!!