username:
Interesting tshuvah. However, I suggest, as we have heard from Gedolei Yisroel of recent generations, some of whom have been quoted earlier, that the case today is completely different. The risk of bittul Torah is something one can take, as per Rav Baumel. We should have no trouble recognizing, as the Chazon Ish did, that the risk today is pikuach nefesh. It nearly seals the future of that talmid to leave shmiras mitzvos altogether, and who can guess the longer term effects on future generations. The Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT”L (I believe it was the Rasha”b) had a talmid that committed something that warranted severe consequences. The Rebbe himself called in the bochur and informed him that he needed to expel him from the yeshiva. The talmid accepted the consequence, but then asked the Rebbe, “If I am thrown out, ok. But what will be of the future generations?” The Rebbe embraced him and took him back into the yeshiva. Today’s consequences are far more serious than being oveir gezel. I would hope that people don’t just jump on the bandwagon of a tshuvah like this and claim we can discard talmidim who are annoying. Do we do that to our children who wake us during the night?