Rabbis Who Were Respected Until They Broke From the Party Line - So Kids Could Stay In Yeshiva
Jews used to discuss things, argue, disagree, but still live together. Now militant zealots have created a mindset produced only by the Pharmaceutical Companies that people who do not accept the "vaccines saved humanity" narrative are evil and dangerous, worthy of being hated and removed from civil society. Parents are a danger to their children, not knowing what is best for them, and they certainly are not entitled to attend school under any circumstances, even when perfectly and completely healthy.
The following letter, written 5 years ago, demonstrated how a few brave rabbis were willing to trust parents, their own research, and indicate that a Jewish education was far more important than whether a person has vaccines. This line of thinking should be clear to all. Sadly, it is not.
Which is why these rabbis can sleep at night knowing they did not throw children out of yeshivas.
The irony is that the ones who HAVE thrown children out of yeshivas can probably also sleep at night because they believe those who don't vaccinate are subhuman. (more on this at another time)
On the 29th of Tishrei 5774 (Oct. 30th 2014), many Poskim and gedolim signed the following letter:
The Torah commands, (ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם (דברים ד, טו. This Biblical commandment requires one to be very vigilant in caring for one’s life, and to refrain from any action that may put his life or health in danger. The benefits and risks of vaccination is a much-debated topic in medical and scientific circles. Although one may follow the opinion of most doctors and choose to vaccinate his children, the individual who has done his research has the obligation to act according to his knowledge. If his research has led him to understand that the risks of vaccination are greater than its benefits, and particularly when his view is supported by many medical doctors and researchers, the commandment of ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם obligates him to shield his children from vaccines. This is even more so when a parent has reasons to believe that his children are sensitive to vaccines. To act otherwise would be a transgression of the above Biblical commandment.
Schools must honor the request for religious exemption from such parents, for it is entirely justified. Coercing parents to vaccinate against their will under the claim of protecting the public is a display of lack of בטחון, for the risk that the unvaccinated children are posing to the public is statistically so small that it is not the duty of a 'מאמין בה to worry about it (see the letter of Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita. The medical establishment, too, is of the opinion that this risk is insignificant. This is the reason why schools are obligated by law to accept religious exemptions as long as there is no outbreak of preventable disease). Additionally, anyone coercing someone to vaccinate against his better judgment becomes responsible before Hashem for any adverse reaction – big or small – that could result from it, ח”ו.
This letter was signed by (in chronological order):
HaRav Shmuel Kamenetzky (R”Y of Philadelphia Yeshiva),
HaRav Shmuel Meir Katz (Possek in Lakewood),
HaRav Eliezer Halevi Dunner (Rav and Dayan in Bnei Brak),
HaRav Arieh Malkiel Kotler (R”Y of BMG, Lakewood),
HaRav Binyamin Zev Halpern (Rav in Lakewood),
HaRav Elyah Ber Wachtfogel (R”Y of South Fallsburg Yeshiva),
HaRav Asher Hashwal (Rav and Dayan in Flatbush),
HaRav Mattisyohu Salomon (Mishgiach of BMG, Lakewood)
and HaRav Aharon Schechter (R”Y of Chaim Berlin Yeshiva, Flatbush)
The following letter, written 5 years ago, demonstrated how a few brave rabbis were willing to trust parents, their own research, and indicate that a Jewish education was far more important than whether a person has vaccines. This line of thinking should be clear to all. Sadly, it is not.
Which is why these rabbis can sleep at night knowing they did not throw children out of yeshivas.
The irony is that the ones who HAVE thrown children out of yeshivas can probably also sleep at night because they believe those who don't vaccinate are subhuman. (more on this at another time)
On the 29th of Tishrei 5774 (Oct. 30th 2014), many Poskim and gedolim signed the following letter:
The Torah commands, (ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם (דברים ד, טו. This Biblical commandment requires one to be very vigilant in caring for one’s life, and to refrain from any action that may put his life or health in danger. The benefits and risks of vaccination is a much-debated topic in medical and scientific circles. Although one may follow the opinion of most doctors and choose to vaccinate his children, the individual who has done his research has the obligation to act according to his knowledge. If his research has led him to understand that the risks of vaccination are greater than its benefits, and particularly when his view is supported by many medical doctors and researchers, the commandment of ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם obligates him to shield his children from vaccines. This is even more so when a parent has reasons to believe that his children are sensitive to vaccines. To act otherwise would be a transgression of the above Biblical commandment.
Schools must honor the request for religious exemption from such parents, for it is entirely justified. Coercing parents to vaccinate against their will under the claim of protecting the public is a display of lack of בטחון, for the risk that the unvaccinated children are posing to the public is statistically so small that it is not the duty of a 'מאמין בה to worry about it (see the letter of Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita. The medical establishment, too, is of the opinion that this risk is insignificant. This is the reason why schools are obligated by law to accept religious exemptions as long as there is no outbreak of preventable disease). Additionally, anyone coercing someone to vaccinate against his better judgment becomes responsible before Hashem for any adverse reaction – big or small – that could result from it, ח”ו.
This letter was signed by (in chronological order):
HaRav Shmuel Kamenetzky (R”Y of Philadelphia Yeshiva),
HaRav Shmuel Meir Katz (Possek in Lakewood),
HaRav Eliezer Halevi Dunner (Rav and Dayan in Bnei Brak),
HaRav Arieh Malkiel Kotler (R”Y of BMG, Lakewood),
HaRav Binyamin Zev Halpern (Rav in Lakewood),
HaRav Elyah Ber Wachtfogel (R”Y of South Fallsburg Yeshiva),
HaRav Asher Hashwal (Rav and Dayan in Flatbush),
HaRav Mattisyohu Salomon (Mishgiach of BMG, Lakewood)
and HaRav Aharon Schechter (R”Y of Chaim Berlin Yeshiva, Flatbush)
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