Those aware of the raging machlokes over the leadership of the Torah community in Eretz Yisrael might be realizing the irreparable spiritual damage being inflicted on our society in its wake. There is no need to rehash the details of a conflagration that has pitted bochur against bochur but suffice to say that machlokes is not an exclusively Israeli phenomenon and even an insular split all too easily spreads across continents. So permit me to share with my overseas readers a story that vividly illustrates the tragic and devastating consequences of machlokes – a story I heard in my own youth and makes me shiver to this day.

The story was told by the Aderes (Rav Eliyahu Dovid Rabinowitz-Teumim) to his son-in-law Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook ztz”l as a cautionary tale yet its message is timeless.

It is well-known that in the eighteenth century there was a deep rift between two Torah giants Rav Yaakov Emden also known as Yaavetz and Rav Yehonason Eibeschitz. Rav Yehudah Leib Maimon author of Sarei Hamei’ah described the bitter poisonous fruits of that machlokes. He writes that he was once honored with a visit by Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook who wished to avail himself of Rav Maimon’s extensive library. As he passed over the shelves of sifrei halachah he saw that two volumes Kereti Upeleti by Rav Yehonason and Mor U’Ketzia by Yaavetz stood side by side. His face lit up and turning to Rav Maimon exclaimed “If this machlokes had been confined only to the inner circle of followers of these two giants of our nation who were crowned with the glory of the holy and pure then surely these two geonim would have made peace in their lifetime. But unfortunately the Satan succeeded in getting the rank and file involved people of lesser caliber whose only intention was to provoke a fight and these people injected poison into the disagreement and expanded the rift.”

Then Rav Kook with an air of heartbreak told Rav Maimon the following: “I heard this story from my father-in-law the tzaddik Rav Eliyahu Dovid Rabinowitz-Teumim the Rav of Yerushalayim about the sad end of one of those who dishonored Rav Yehonason.” Rav Kook told his host. “It is a chilling story that underscores the warning of our Sages: Be careful of their glowing coals lest you be burned for their bite is the bite of a fox their sting is the sting of a scorpion and their hiss is the hiss of a venomous snake…

“A distinguished Jewess was admitted to the home of the Gaon Rav Binyamin Diskin (the father of Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin) the Rav of Horodna. Through her tears she related that she had come here from Prussia where she was living a proper Jewish life with her family. But she was the daughter of the apostate who authored a book called Nesivos Olam [not to be confused with the holy book by the Maharal of the same name] a libelous attack on Torah Judaism and its alleged hatred of Christianity. That book caused tremendous harm to the Jews at the time and this lady had been just a little girl when her father left her with her impoverished mother and wandered off to England where he made a pact with the Satan sold his soul to the enemy and translated his book of invective into English.

“Thanks to her proper upbringing by her mother the girl remained faithful to the way of Torah and when she came of age she was married to a Torah-faithful Jew. Baruch Hashem they went on to raise their children too in the tradition of authentic Judaism. Years passed and she tried to erase the memory of her father who had tarnished the name of his family and his people. But one day she received a letter from him. It was full of grief regret and repentance; he begged her to take pity on him as he was now wretched and miserable abandoned and shattered. Would she allow him to live out his remaining days in her home? She was riddled with conflict about whether to pay any attention to his pleas. All the pain sorrow shame and humiliation she had suffered for so many years came rising to the surface. All the bitterness from years of insult and dishonor washed over her and she all but threw the letter away. Yet after discussing it with her husband a kind and benevolent man compassion had won out over bitterness and they agreed to bring her estranged father into their home and support him.

“This man did indeed return to his people and his G‑d wholeheartedly but his conscience tormented him. In bed at night he would toss and turn unable to rest over the treasonous rebellion against the Jews and the Torah. His grief turned to depression and in his depression he didn’t arise from his sickbed until the day he died. But before his last breaths he summoned his daughter and son-in-law and this is what he told them:

“ ‘My beloved ones I need to tell you something I’ve never told anyone. I was born in Altona and my father was among those who stood at the side of Rav Yaakov Emden and instigated the war against Rav Yehonason Eibeschitz the rav of Altona. Many of the venomous attacks against Rav Yehonason were written by my father who was very gifted with words. In fact the book Akitzas Akrav (Altona 5513) which is full of scathing words and mockery against Rav Yehonason and which is attributed to Yaavetz himself was actually written by my father. He finished writing it on the day of my bris and the joy in our home was redoubled. All the guests saw it as a good omen and predicted a shining future for me. And my father told me that Yaavetz gave both him and me this brachah: “May your newborn son merit to be raised in the spirit of the sefer you’ve just completed and like you may he too oppose the views and teachings of that man (i..e. Rav Yehonason) who calls himself the Av Beis Din of Altona.” My father answered Amen with all his might and when the brachah was later repeated to Rav Yehonason he replied “I too answer Amen to this brachah and I hope and believe that such will be the future of this child…”

“ ‘And now you see my beloved ones’ cried the penitent in bitter pain and despair ‘that the brachah of Yaavetz along with the hope and belief of Rav Yehonason was fulfilled in me… how far afield did I go in my opposition to the Torah and teachings of the Rav of Altona! I have been treacherous I have falsified our Torah I have caused apostasy among our people and have provided the enemies of Israel with excuses to incriminate and attack the Jews and the Torah. Through the sin of my father who placed himself between two great mountains I left the Torah completely. I have sinned and done damage beyond repair and where am I now going?’

“The sick man held his daughter’s hand and pressed it in a vise cried out in utter despair and then fell silent. For several moments it seemed as if he had already passed into the Next World but then he suddenly recouped his strength an idea flashing through him giving him solace in his final minutes. ‘Please dear daughter do me one last kindness ’ he gasped. ‘After my death seek out one of the gedolei Yisrael someone righteous and perfect in his deeds tell him my story and ask him to advocate for me and my sinful soul…’

“His daughter fulfilled this last request and after he passed away she told the story to Rav Diskin. And this my esteemed colleague” Rav Kook told Rav Maimon “is a lesson to all generations that we should know how careful we must be with the honor of our great sages for those who dishonor them will never be cleansed.”

Yes a frightening tale. Is there anything to add?

Only this: Hamaskil ba’eis hahi yidom. One who is wise will be silent at such a time. Very silent.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Our Sages have said that "slander kills all three" - the subject of the slander the one who relates it and the listener. This is all in spiritual terms which is more severe than physical murder.

(Baal Shem Tov)