Tzedek-Tzedek

A “Pashkevil” is a printed notice , particularly used in Orthodox Jewish communities, which is glued on walls and notice boards in public areas. Announcements can be that someone has died, or that a certain rabbi will be speaking, or, more controversially, derogatory announcements against this or that behaviour or particular individual. Usually these notices are anonymous, or are apparently signed by rabbinical leaders, but whose signatures are often not authentic. Here in Ramat Bet Shemesh, pashkevilim recently went up around town, denouncing the establishment of a yeshiva here which, alongside torah studies, also teaches secular studies. I recently wrote about Rav Soloveichik's sermon, in which he criticised another Pashkevil, which was rare or unique, in that the distasteful Pashkevil was apparently published by National Religious activists.   As a response to the phenomenon of pashkevilim, Rabbi Yaakov Haber, together with members of his Kehilat Shivtei Yeshurun community...

In his weekly Shabbat morning sermon (Parshat Bemidbar), Rav Hayim Soloveichik spoke out forcefully against a recent “pashkevil” which was distributed in specific locations last week in Bet Shemesh. Rav Soloveichik told his congregants that a “pashkevil” (a public written announcement, see previous article ) had been published and distributed last week, presumably by individual residents of Bet Shemesh, which was unacceptable in both its content and its anonymity. Rav Soloveichik noted that this week’s Torah portion starts with the counting of the Children of Israel – and this reflects the fact that every member of Israel is “chashuv” – important and valuable. What makes us “chashuv” is that we keep Hashem’s Torah (halacha) and we keep to Ruach Hatorah (hashkafa).  Rav Soloveichik said that the recent struggle to retain the local makvaot (ritual baths) under the control of the Municipal Rabbinical Council, is a correct and honorable cause, and the campaign was carefully plann...

A pashkevil is a flyer or poster which is distributed or pasted up in Chareidi communities, making announcements to the public. They are often used as a means of putting pressure on individuals or institutions regarding policy or behaviour. They are sometimes signed by the author, but are usually anonymous, or are signed by a fictitious committee, which usually consists of solely the author. Some claim to be written in the name of famous rabbis, but the authenticity of those rabbis support for the message of the pashkeville is dubious, at best. For example, I have seen two pashkevilim recently in Ramat Bet Shemesh. One was poster sized, glued onto almost every non-moving object in the neighborhood, denouncing in the strongest terms, a new yeshiva high school (accused of teaching some secular studies, rather than 100% torah studies); this pashkevil was apparently signed by a dozen or so leading Ashkenazi chareidi rabbis, who decreed eternal hell-fire (or local equivalent) for a...