An Upside-Down World

The following mind-boggling story appeared on Bechadrei Chadarim, and was reported and translated on the Daas Torah blog:

The Voice is the Voice of Yaakov - Gathering with the Rav.

After a long absence, Rabbi Leib Tropper arrived in Israel. He got chizuk (encouragement) from Gedolei Yisroel and met with tens of alumni of Yeshiva 'Kol Yaakov'. Photographer Yosi Pormansky

By Shmuel Klein.

24/01/2011

[Photo: Rabbi Tropper lectures]

Tens of people gathered motzei Shabbos Shira in a bais medrash in the Bucharan section Jerusalem with the founder of yeshiva 'Kol Yaakov' Monsey, Rabbi Leib Tropper from New York.

It's hard to believe that all the participants at the event, bnai Torah in full, are baalei teshuva. One was a doctor, another a sportsman - and so on. All had been far from Torah and mitzvos. Until they got to yeshiva 'Kol Yaakov', where their Jewish spark was ignited.

Two events brought Rabbi Tropper to visit Israel: He came to visit the fresh grave of his father Rabbi Yehuda Tropper z"l who died about two months ago and upon the completion and publication of the sefer [book] of the 'Taharas Yisroel' with the added commentaries of Rabbi Tropper.

Rabbi Lipa Yisraelzon, grandson of Rav Elyashiv, affirmed before the students, as one who has accompanied Rabbi Tropper on his Israel trip, on the warm connections he has merited in the homes of Gedolei Yisroel.

So, on his trip, Rabbi Tropper came to the homes of Gedolei Yisroel. Aside from the Halachic questions that he placed before Gedolei Yisroel, he received their blessings for his holy work.

At the main lecture Rabbi Tropper conveyed, that he expanded the importance of prayer as preparation for greeting our righteous Moshiach.

Putting this together with some other recent stories, the following picture emerges:

- You can have a history of manipulation and arayos, culminating in using your power in gerus (attained by bribing Roshei Yeshivah) to bribe/blackmail potential converts into sexual perversion which is then exposed on the Internet in perhaps the greatest chilul Hashem of all time, but still be showered with praise and blessings from the Gedolim;

- You can lead a cult of physical child abuse resulting in one child being put in a coma for life, but by virtue of your being a marbitz Torah the Gedolim will attest that you are righteous and innocent;

- You can be convicted of terrible sexual abuse against your children, but the Gedolim will visit you in prison to give you chizzuk and declare you innocent of all charges;

- You can molest hundreds of children over decades, but the Gedolim will not publicly name you and shame you;

But, on the other hand - if you write books presenting the rationalist views of the Rishonim, if you write the historical truth about Rav Aharon Kotler, or if you throw a concert of modern-style Jewish music in Madison Square Gardens - the Gedolim will publicly condemn you in the harshest way!