Leah-Perl Sholar at the so-called Jewish Learning Institute [JLI] Community Blog asks the question "Can We Celebrate Osama bin Laden's Death?"
Here is my response to her post....
It is a shame that you miss the main point, at least where Jews are concerned, and that is halakha (Jewish Law).
1. We do not learn halakha from random pesuqim.
2. We do not learn halakha out from isolated sections of Talmud.
3. We do not learn halakhic determinations from women.
4. It is a misswah for Jews to take revenge on non-Jews; yet, we do not take revenge on fellow Jews, rather, if they deserve punishment we take them to Beth Din (Rabbinical Court). Many questions regarding the former were taken to rabbinical authorities regarding the Holocaust, and the go ahead was given. Certainly, there are reasons which may preclude the carrying out of this misswah. But, it is a misswah, nonetheless.
5. If nothing else, the elimination of this murderer, of Jews and non-Jews alike, has prevented loss of life.
6. How dare you compare Jews fighting for their lives killing Nazis with Yishma'elim (Arabs - "perei adam" - There's random pasuq proof!) in Ramath-El (Ramallah) killing Jews whose only crime was to take a wrong turn!
7. This post is an excellent example of the confusion between Western culture and sensibilities and Jewish culture and sensibilities, experienced by Jews in the golah (exile). They are not one and the same, and not even necessarily compatible.
I doubt you will publish this comment, so I will.
So what is the JLI? Apparently, it is a "division of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch - The Educational Arm of the Worldwide Chabad Lubavitch Movement"
Two things do not surprise me about this:
1. Active apologetics directed toward the goyim. This is a typical galuthi response. But, what I do not understand why they needed to post something like this at all? They could have remained silent, until someone started spouting antisemitic epitaphs. But, even then, I do not believe this would have been necessary.
In all fairness to Chabba"d, it is called "more Zionist than the Zionists." Well, it is in neighborhoods like Me'ah She'arim. The point is that I doubt this kind of post would come from a Chabba"dnik in Israel. At least, one would hope.
The Jews did not do it, and it was a popular death among even the goyim. Go figure....
2. A woman was allowed to cite and interpret HaZa"L (Our Sages, may their memories be for blessings) and delve into matters of halakha. Over the years, one of the ways in which Chabba"d has demonstrated its increasingly condescending attitude toward other Jews has been to allow their women to address such issues.
Ironically, Chabba"d is very into letting everyone know how frum they are.
They have the most Pesah humros (Passover stringencies) of any Jewish community, save for perhaps Satmar and Toldos Aharon. Yet, they allow their women to enter the domain of men.
Yes, VERY frum, indeed!
Chabba"d's unpublicized attitude has always been... "If you're religious, that's good, but if you're not Chabba"d, you're still wrong."
More and more, its attitude has become ... "Everyone who is not Chabba"d is as unknowledgeable as a fresh ba'al teshuvah (one new, or coming back, to Torah). Even our women know better than you."
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