OU Publishes Defense Of Dangerous Haredi Circumcision Practice, Endorsement Of Haredi Rabbi Who Tried To Destroy Modern Orthodoxy

The OU has published an article on the medical halakha rulings of the late haredi leader Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv that contains a defense of metzitzah b'peh (MBP), the dangerous mouth-to-bleeding-penis sucking done primarily by haredi mohels after cutting off the baby's foreskin. Perhaps worse than that, it has also published at least two other glowing articles about Elyashiv – a man who openly tried to destroy Modern Orthodoxy.

Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv

The OU has published an article on the medical halakha rulings of the late haredi leader Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv that contains a defense of metzitzah b'peh (MBP), the dangerous mouth-to-bleeding-penis sucking done primarily by haredi mohels after cutting off the baby's foreskin.

But perhaps worse than that, it has also published at least two other glowing articles about Elyashiv – a man who openly tried to destroy Modern Orthodoxy.

That's right.

The supposedly Modern Orthodox OU has published a series of articles by haredi writers that glowingly endorse various aspects of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv's life and work.

The articles provide no context, no scholarly or other criticism, and no evidence of the very real evil Elyashiv did, especially to Zionist Orthodox converts to Judaism.

The articles read almost like ArtScroll hagiography, rather than a typical scholarly (or semi-scholarly) article.

The articles appear in the Summer 2013 issue of the OU's magazine Jewish Action. (Only two of the articles are online.)

But Steven I. Weiss of the Jewish Channel scanned the article on Elyashiv's medical halakha and posted it online. He also transcribed the section on MBP:

Metzitzah B’Peh
Recently, the practice of metzitzah b’peh, oral suction, has been making headlines. The question at the heart of the debate surrounding this issue is whether the practice can possibly infect the baby with the disease of herpes. In the past, many different objections to the performance of oral suction have been asserted. Among halachic authorities there is a consensus that suction must be performed, but they disagree as to wehther the suction can be performed via a tube (thereby avoiding direct contact with the mouth) or via oral contact. Rav Elyashiv ruled that it is obligatory to continue the tradition of oral suction, for there is no conclusive scientific proof that a herpes infection would result from this procedure, unless the mohel had some sore or bruise in his mouth. In such a case, it would be forbidden for him to perform oral suction and another person should be assigned to perform it in his stead.

Weiss notes that "there is in fact no study suggesting that the ritual is any more or less likely to result in a herpes infection when the mohel has or is lacking a sore or bruise in his mouth; in fact, investigators for the New York City DOHMH have not been able to examine evidence approaching that level of detail, as they have been consistently denied in their requests to obtain even the identities of mohelim whose circumcisions have led to infection. The article provides no citation of medical and rabbinic authorities who disagree with Elyashiv’s position…"

Worse that that, since Elyashiv made that idiotic ruling, more cases of infant deaths and maiming from MBP-transmitted herpes have been documented in New York, New Jersey and in Israel, and a shocking israeli study found that almost 1/3 of Israeli cases of neonatal herpes came from MBP. Israeli doctors also documented a case of delayed reaction MBP-transmitted herpes, which if substantiated could explain what some see as increased cases of learning disabled children in haredi communities.

Elyashiv was an evil man on many levels. He spent 40 years trying to destroy the chief rabbinate and corrupt the state's rabbinic court system, and was hurtful, hateful man who even when he was relatively young did not even know many of his own children by sight or name, and who did not know the vast majority of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren at all, even though most lived with a couple miles of his home.

He was a vile individual by any objective measurement.

But ArtScroll and Yated Ne'eman will never tell you that.

Neither will the OU.

Index of Metzitzah B'Peh Posts.

Index of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv Posts.

Circumcision: The History of Metzitzah BʼPeh Disease Transmission.

Circumcision: A Graphic History Of Metzitzah B'Peh.

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Comments

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

It looks like the OU will do pretty much anything to earn its "frum" bonafides.

[anuran]

Looks like all those toyreh prohibitions against lying don't mean much to the OU

[Yochanan Lavie]

Modern Orthodoxy is destroying itself by always looking over its right shoulder for approval (which will never come). MO say "elu v'elu divrei elohim," while ultra-Orthodox scream: minim! at them.

[RWisler]

I love how those two articles about Eliashev on that OU website are written in that "stilted, mystic" grammar which tries to make something holy and mystic out of something that's really nothing but bullshit. The translators of MM Schneersohn's "sichos" were masters at this technique. The gullible English speaking Orthodox Jewish public continues to be deceived by this "literary technique".

Eliashev was, in reality, a miserable man mentally-ill miscreant who cared nothing for anything or anyone but his learning of his made-up "religion". The Orthodox Jews can idolatrously worship this anti-social creature all they want, but that doesn't change the reality of what Eliashev really was.

[Sarek]

I conclude that the State of Israel no longer has any need for physicians. And, it can save tens of millions by no longer sponsoring medical research. All a sick person need do is to consult the nearest rabbi, who will tell them all they need to know to be cured.

[jancsibacsi]

RWisler-You summned up eliashev perfectly in a few words-- " who cared nothing for anything or anyone but his learning of his made-up "religion" you are brilliant thats how i feel about him.

[deeply saddened]

i know I shouldn't be reading this blog - it has been a guilty pleasure. however, when I saw this article and the shameful bezoyoin of one the gedolei hador of our generation, which shaming him is the equivalent of fighting moshe rabeinu in his generation, I had to comment. I know that 99% of people reading this won't care about my "macho" but I had to do it for myself.
are we really putting ourselves so firmly into korachs camp?

[ah-pee-chorus]

deeply saddened-

i'm deeply saddened that there are people out there whose minds have been so indoctrinated with dogma that they cant face facts.
he was an unhappy misanthrope.
i'll issue you the same challenge ive issued before regarding elyashiv, which i'm sure will be met with silence.

tell me what good he accomplished for humanity.

[deeply saddened]

ah pee chorus - your comments are remarkably reminiscent of the comments that doson and avirom made about moshe rabeinu......
and I suspect, like with them explaining the gadlus of moshe rabeinu was an absolute waste of time, so too will the explaining of the gadlus of r' elyashiv tz"l be to you!

[Jeff]

"Modern Orthodoxy is destroying itself by always looking over its right shoulder for approval (which will never come). MO say "elu v'elu divrei elohim," while ultra-Orthodox scream: minim! at them."

Yep.

[Jeff]

"ah pee chorus - your comments are remarkably reminiscent of the comments that doson and avirom made about moshe rabeinu......
and I suspect, like with them explaining the gadlus of moshe rabeinu was an absolute waste of time, so too will the explaining of the gadlus of r' elyashiv tz"l be to you!"

In other words, you have no substantial repsonse.

The thing you should be "deeply saddened" about is the fact that your upbringing has kept you at the developmental level of a child.

[Dave Marshall]

Yochanan, I have started attending a Partnership Minyan. I think it is the future of Orthodoxy.

[ah-pee-chorus]

+++In other words, you have no substantial repsonse.

Posted by: Jeff | +++

thanks for saving me the trouble.

and not a single elyashiv fan has ever answered the question.

[Moshe]

Rav Elyashiv was a brilliant gaon and a great sage, as anyone can see from his seforim. All those that posted disrespectful comments about this great man demonstrated their ignorance and evil character. including Shemarya and the other fools and amei-haaretz that follow him.

[dh]

Yeah, yeah, we get all that Moshe. But what's the answer?

[(The other) Eli]

tell me what good he accomplished for humanity. Posted by: ah-pee-chorus  | June 17, 2013 at 06:59 PM

He taught us how to be a learned, kind, caring, and productive individual.....by doing the complete opposite of all he stood for

[Mcommenter]

"Rav Elyashiv ruled that it is obligatory to continue the tradition of oral suction, for there is no conclusive scientific proof that a herpes infection would result from this procedure, unless the mohel had some sore or bruise in his mouth. In such a case, it would be forbidden for him to perform oral suction"

So... I would figure that even according to Elyashiv it should be assumed that the level of "conclusive scientific proof" is no higher than needed to allow one to violate the sabbath etc. If a doctor tells you someone's life is in danger you're REQUIRED to violate shabbat if necessary to get the person medical care.
Well now doctors agree (incl Rabbi/doctor Tendler) that MBP puts lives in danger.
So... according to Elyashiv "In such a case, it would be forbidden for him to perform oral suction".

The haredi world has so drifted away from judaism that they are violating halacha to continue their cultist rituals.
And as YL said, sadly M.O. continues to get on its knees and suck up to those who dress blacker than them.

[Yochanan Lavie]

What about Rabbi Tendler, a sage who actually has medical knowledge? Why is the OU throwing him under the bus, who spoke out forcefully against MBP?

[Hal]

I was at YU this Sunday, at a RIETS gathering, and saw a room full of black hats, black suits, and nervous, overly intense chatter about Gemara learning. YU RIETS has gone charedi.

[Hal]

Yet, strangely, the charedi world didn't list Rav Elyashiv as a gaon and a gadol when he was on the Chief Rabbi's beis din. Same person, different treatment. It was only when he left and joined their world that he suddenly became so smart.

[deeply saddened]

jeff you write "In other words, you have no substantial response."

no that is not "in other words" to what I have written. in fact, I do have a substantial response, just as klal yisroel has a substantial response to doson and aviram, only the fact is that this response was wasted on them and is wasted on people like you. the reason why ah pee chorus has never had his question answered is not because there is no valid answer, rather its because he will never accept the true answer an so will always claim there is none.

btw, if you're going to try and insult someone - at least get it right. developmental level of a child is in fact very high! (higher than adults anyway). no doubt you wanted to say developed level; but don't worry, I understood the intent.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Where in the torah (or toyreh, if you prefer) are we enjoined to worship human beings and endow them with godlike qualities such as infallibility, sinlessness, omniscient "dass toyreh" on all matters (even ones to which they possess no expertise), and why must we always make excuses for them? Who gets to select who is worthy of such deification? When do we recognize their apotheosis? I really wanna know...

[jancsibacsi]

deeply saddened --You heilige toireh is a fabrication moshe rebeinu never existed you live in a fantasy world and the unbeleivable part is that you havent a clue,jeff is right on when he writes, that your upbringing has kept you at the developmental level of a child, how true .

[ah-pee-chorus]

+++in fact, I do have a substantial response+++ Posted by: deeply saddened

sure you do. just like all the others.

+++ the reason why ah pee chorus has never had his question answered is not because there is no valid answer, rather its because he will never accept the true answer an so will always claim there is none.+++

wrongo!! people can disagree as to the relative weightings of a persons actions and accomplishments. for example, the lubav rebbe had many real accomplishments which can arguably be viewed as having directly benefited jews. those have to be considered against his (and his followers) many faults.
but with elyashiv, theres nothing that even rises to the level of consideration in terms of making him worthy of being called 'great'.
the real reason there is rarely a response
to my question is that the potential respondents are too embarrassed to even try. they know the only thing they can offer is that he liked reading old books and did so many hours a day. he avoided people, and as i wrote in an older post exhibited many signs of one suffering from aspergers syndrome. that doesnt make him bad, but SHOULD in his case have eliminated him from being called a gadol. i know some wonderful people with aspergers. elyashiv was an ass.

[(The other) Eli]

no that is not "in other words" to what I have written. in fact, I do have a substantial response, just as klal yisroel has a substantial response to doson and aviram, only the fact is that this response was wasted on them and is wasted on people like you. the reason why ah pee chorus has never had his question answered is not because there is no valid answer, rather its because he will never accept the true answer an so will always claim there is none. btw, if you're going to try and insult someone - at least get it right. developmental level of a child is in fact very high! (higher than adults anyway). no doubt you wanted to say developed level; but don't worry, I understood the intent. Posted by: deeply saddened  | June 18, 2013 at 07:51 AM

So, uh, you write a whole paragraph on how a substantiated claim would be lost on us, using a mythological story as your proof? You don't think that response would also be lost on us? Instead of typing up a bunch of fallacies, why don't you explain why that sack of shit who's rotting in hell was actually not a worthless human being.

Lol'd so hard at the irony of your second paragraph

[ah-pee-chorus]

++btw, if you're going to try and insult someone - at least get it right.... +++
Posted by: deeply saddened

and if youre going to correct someones grammar or usage, YOU should know that the proper and preferred phrase is "try TO insult" and not "try AND insult" .

[ah-pee-chorus]

+++. the reason why ah pee chorus has never had his question answered is not because there is no valid answer, rather its because he will never accept the true answer an so will always claim there is none.
+++
Posted by: deeply saddened

no, its because the answer in elyashivs case would be embarrassing. my feelings regarding the lubav rebbe might be tilted negative, but there are certainly many accomplishments he had which could be seen objectively as having helped jews. so reasonable people can disagree on the relative weightings and come to their own conclusion. but all elyashiv did was make one evil, selfish, and ridiculous ruling after another. he holed himself in a room reading old books. and objectively, that helps no one.
it isnt that ive had to reject mindless apologetics regarding his life, its that nobody has offered any here. thats quite telling despite your assertions to the contrary.

[Jeff]

"btw, if you're going to try and insult someone - at least get it right. developmental level of a child is in fact very high! (higher than adults anyway). no doubt you wanted to say developed level; but don't worry, I understood the intent."

Even that is incorrect.

[dh]

deeply saddened, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. I regret to inform you it is time to return yours to the formaldehyde jar. Please try again next week.

[Martial]

Good gosh. When practices are shown to be unhealthy, they are usually abandoned in Judaism. The passage of herpes can occur without sores being present, as is well known. Also, it's simply disgusting.

Let's ban this practice right now. It's the only way to preserve circumcision.