S.D. Homnick

The Bobover Rebbe, in a campaign to end idle chatter during davening, has ended the sale of aliyos before Krias Hatorah, including the exception for his own aliya, Shishi. Bidding previously started at $3,600, with the Rebbe reciting a Mi Shebeirach for the purchaser.

I’ve noticed that our musical Hallel on Chol Hamoed Sukkos is being discussed on social media. Many were inspired by it. Others criticized it as being some sort of “reformation” of our Avodas Hashem. The specific, technical question is not a new one. There is room for legitimate debate in the realm of halacha and minhag. But something else has crept into this conversation, and I think it needs to be called out. Musical Hallel is suddenly being dismissed by some as “a Modox invention.” As a “Zionist” phenomenon. As something that belongs to a supposedly “less serious” stream of Orthodox Judaism. And that is not a Torah argument. There is an enormous difference between a halachic debate and saying, “Of course those kinds of Jews would do something like this.” The first is a machlokes. The second is using Torah language as cover for contempt toward other frum Jews. And we should be intellectually honest enough to know the difference. You are completely entitled to believe that another Torah community is mistaken. Torah Judaism has never had full uniformity of minhag, hashkafah, or practice. But disagreement in this realm demands enough respect for another Torah community to actually engage its position. And no - labels are not arguments. “Modox” is not a mareh makom. “Zionist” is not a legitimate rebuttal. Our mesorah contains fierce machlokes. Beis Hillel and Beis Shammai were not engaged in a campaign of “let’s all get along.” They believed that matters of Torah were worth arguing about. But they argued about Torah. That distinction matters. Because there is something deeply unhealthy about reaching for Torah language when what you really want to say is that you do not respect the religious world of the Yidden standing across from you. We can argue more seriously. We can insist that Torah ideas be defended with Torah substance rather than sociological cudgels. If there’s one thing that we can learn on this 3rd anniversary of October 7th, it is perhaps that we need to recover more honest machlokes. The art of holy disagreement while still loving and respecting our brothers and sisters who might not agree with every one of our opinions.