Top Rabbis Condemn Violence Against Rabbi Feivelzon

Prominent rabbis and yeshiva deans have issued letters of support for Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Feivelzon, dean of the P'tachei Olam yeshiva, condemning recent acts of violence and desecration of Torah against him. The letters follow an earlier message of support from Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, dean of the Ponevezh Yeshiva.

Rabbi Yehuda Silman, the Av Beis Din (head of the rabbinical court), joined the protest, denouncing attempts to attribute the actions to religious zealotry, stating, "I join the protest against the rampage and violence that stem from supposed zealotry but are nothing but a lie and desecration." He praised Rabbi Feivelzon's educational approach for drawing students closer to Torah and God, noting that his students have indeed become closer to the Almighty.

Rabbi Joshua Eichenstein, dean of the Yad Aharon Yeshiva, emphasized the importance of various educational paths leading to God, asserting that the true test is whether a path brings students closer to the Creator. He testified that Rabbi Feivelzon's students have proven to draw nearer to Torah and God.

Rabbi Chaim Peretz Berman, a dean at the Ponevezh Yeshiva, shared a personal account of his long-standing acquaintance with Rabbi Feivelzon, describing him as a wise, righteous, and God-fearing individual. He expressed sorrow over the violence, which he termed "violence, insolence, and desecration of the Torah," but praised Rabbi Feivelzon's restraint in the face of these attacks, linking it to rabbinic teachings about those who are insulted but do not insult back.

Rabbi David Miller, also a dean at the Ponevezh Yeshiva, lamented the use of force over reasoned discourse in resolving disputes within Halakha (Jewish law), Aggadah (homiletics), and public leadership. He criticized a recent trend where, in the absence of convincing arguments, "one must convince with the fist of wickedness and the hand of Esau," silencing the "voice of Jacob."

These letters were prompted by Rabbi Hirsch's earlier message, which condemned the "violent pursuits and disturbances" against Rabbi Feivelzon under the guise of "false zealotry," calling such actions a desecration of God's name. Rabbi Hirsch's intervention reportedly followed a conversation with Rabbi Feivelzon's wife during the mourning period for their daughter, where she requested his help against those slandering and persecuting her husband.