Following the provocative actions of Shinui activists who entered the central Tomchei Temimim yeshiva in Kfar Chabad and the publicity given this in volume 864 of "Kfar Chabad," in which the reply of Chabad spokesperson Rabbi Menachem Brod appeared, we now publish a letter on the topic sent to the editors of "Kfar Chabad" by the Admor of Slonim shlita.

The Torah, in the section dealing with an instigator (Deuteronomy 13:9) said: "You shall not consent to him, nor listen to him. Your eye shall not pity him nor shall you spare or conceal him." Rashi wrote: "Do not consent to him: have no longing for him -- you shall not love him. Since it is stated, 'Love your neighbor as yourself' [it states here] 'this one you shall not love.' Do not listen to him: When he makes supplications for his soul it is forbidden to forgive him. Since it is stated, 'release him' [it states here] 'this one you shall not release.' Your eye shall not pity him: Since it is stated, 'you shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor' [it states here] 'on this one you shall have no pity.' Nor shall you spare him: Do not search for his merits. Nor conceal him: If you know a sin he's done you are not permitted to remain silent."

According to what is written, your call to show love of Israel for instigators and agitators is not appropriate. They trespass, penetrate into our homes intent upon poisoning the souls of our children and distancing them from G-d and His Torah, and there is no doubt that about this sort of instigator and agitator. The sweet singer of Israel wrote in Psalms, "Behold, those who hate You I shall hate and those who quarrel with You, with them I shall quarrel; I hate them, they are my enemies."

What shall a rational and honest man do when poisonous snakes penetrate his home and seeks to sink their poison into the hearts of his children or when murderers break into his house with drawn swords and threaten the members of his household? Must he accept it with equanimity or should he stand and fight for his soul and the souls of his household?

Therefore those who responded as they did are not hot-heads and their actions are not violent nor rash. Their response is that of a healthy person whose most precious thing has been threatened, abuse that which is holy and dear to him. It is as though a man had risen and killed another, and as Chazal said, 'one who makes another sin is worse than if he had killed the other.' We congratulate the Tomchei Temimim students who defended their souls, and we hope that these fiends have learned their lessons and will not repeat their vile act or renew their misdeeds.

The prophet (Malachi 3:19) said: "For behold, the day comes which shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble. The day that is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But for you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall." We hope that soon the day when knowledge of the Lord fills the earth will come and those who err will learn wisdom. Then the whole world will recognize and know that all knees shall bend only to Him and all tongues shall swear loyalty to Him; before G-d they will bow and bend, and give honor to His name. All will accept the yoke of His kingdom for the kingdom is His, and He will forever rule in His glory.

Wishing you a happy and healthy new year
and success in spreading Torah and the fear of Heaven,

Avraham Weinberg

From: Kfar Chabad weekly magazine, issue 870, August 26, 1999