Top Rabbi Condemns 'Fake Zealotry' Against Colleague

Rabbi Meir Hirshen, a leading figure in the Lithuanian Haredi world, has penned a letter of support for Rabbi Aharon Meir Pfeiffer, denouncing what he termed "violent persecution under the guise of fake zealotry." The letter, reportedly written after considerable deliberation, came in response to an earlier letter from Rabbi Pfeiffer.

Rabbi Hirshen's missive strongly condemns a specific extremist group for allegedly harassing and disrespecting Rabbi Pfeiffer, whom Hirshen referred to as "the genius of thought of our generation." He urged Rabbi Pfeiffer to continue disseminating Torah and knowledge to his students and drawing them closer to God.

In his original letter, Rabbi Pfeiffer addressed Rabbi Hirshen regarding quotes allegedly taken out of context from one of his lectures. Pfeiffer explained that the lecture, which discussed the relationship between the Written and Oral Torah, was delivered to individuals undergoing a process of religious return (baalei teshuva) to strengthen their faith. He stated that he had since removed these lectures from circulation, as his current students, who were raised in religious homes, do not require such material.

Rabbi Hirshen responded with sorrow, acknowledging the "violent persecution" against Rabbi Pfeiffer, which he believes is not in the spirit of Torah study and leads to desecration of God's name. He expressed hope that Rabbi Pfeiffer could continue his scholarly work in peace and tranquility.

This support comes shortly after Rabbi Pfeiffer sat shiva for his daughter, who passed away suddenly. Rabbi Hirshen had previously sent his son, Rabbi Asher Hirshen, to offer condolences, and also spoke with Rabbi Pfeiffer by phone.