Reply To: circa 1900: Letter from Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Heresy of “Religious” Zionism

@yaakov-yosef-a
>What is so hard?

Regarding public statements that are kefira, erliche Jews are worried very little about what the Rav’s intent was, rather how it is perceived by the public. If Rabbi Friedman’s statements are being easily misunderstood, it is our obligation to call it out for the sake of the public not falling into kefira.

Rabbi Friedman certainly has a big enough platform and regular presence to retract his statements as misunderstood. His silence given the public backlash is also a clear answer if there was a misunderstanding.

The last thing anyone wants is to reach out to a kofer who says “oh! total misunderstanding! i didn’t mean THAT at all” and for them to leave their publication in the public sphere without edit. This was the exact trick Kook used, shr”y, when he came crying to the Gerrer Rebbe over his cherem. He never retracted his lies.