Reply To: ???? ??????? vs. Orthoprax

benignuman: As I noted, I was going from memory and as it turns out wasn’t entirely accurate on his position. Here is the relevant communication from Rav Elyashev on the issue. My point remains that Wolf isn’t an apikorus despite his above-mentioned position.

Dear ***,

My short visit to Israel last week was, among other reasons, to ascertain Rav Elyashiv’s reason for the issur on Nosson Slifkin’s books. Contrary to rumors, I did not travel on anyone’s behalf.

Rav Eliashiv felt that the hashkofos of the books regarding Chazal and the age of the universe are forbidden to be taught, and this despite the fact that others, even great people (such as R.Avraham ben HaRambam, Pachad Yitzchok and, in our times, Rav Dessler and R.Shimon Schwab) may have said similar things. “They were permitted to say these things, but we may not,” he said. In other words, the halacha is not like them.

Most important, Rav Eliashiv said that by his signature on the public announcement regarding the books he did not mean to rule that the author is a min or kofer. As far as he is concerned, Rav Eliashiv said, “the author could be one of the lamed vov tzadikim”; the books nevertheless are forbidden to read. He was surprised when he was shown that the announcement described the books as kefira and minus. He then dictated a statement to me,in the presence of his secretary, Rav Yosef Efrati, and one of his grandsons, which read as follows:

?????? ????????? ???? ???? ???? ?? ????? ??????? ?????? ??? ????

or, “My intention when I added my name to the public announcement [regarding the issur] was only regarding that the books should not enter the Jewish community.” The word “only” was meant to specifically exclude the implication that the author is a heretic.

With best wishes,

Aharon Feldman

So, I remain with the position that, secretly, Wolf is still one of the lamed vov tzadikim.