How Haredi Judaism Really Works

However, other reliable informants, including Rabbi
Greineman, insist that the Ḥazon ‘Ish, in keeping with his native
Lithuanian practice, did not consider [metzitza b'peh] even a hiddur miẓvah. A
prominent local mohel attests that this too was the psak he personally
received from Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach in the late 1980s. When
asked why he did not publicize his position, Rav Shlomo Zalman
replied, “I am too old and too weak to withstand having bricks hurled
through my windows.”

This quote comes from an excellent article by Dr. Shlomo Sprecher published in the new issue of Hakira. Dr. Sprecher proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that MBP is not a part of the mitzva of mila. Further, he documents haredi misrepresentations of history and halakha that have clouded this debate and risked – and perhaps taken – Jewish lives as a result.

Please download this article and print it. Make copies and give them to every rabbi and community leader you know. You may very well save lives by doing so.

[Hat tip: Hirhurim.]

Comments

[Anonymous]

I personally witnessed R. Elyashiv act as a sandak at a bris where metzitzah was performed with a sterile tube. Did R. Elyashiv protest? Certainly not, because he knows that MBP is not an halakhic requirement.

[The_Middle]

I came across your site yesterday through a link Kelsey posted on Jewlicious (I've visited once or twice before a long time ago) and find that you have an impressive output of posts that seem to be both timely and important. I hope you have a strong readership.