Rabbi Zilberstein Paskens: "It's Ossur to Visit Mount Hermon"
Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein rules ski resort visit prohibited due to Shabbos desecration, even without using its facilities; seminary cancels planned trip.
A dramatic halachic ruling published this week in the weekly publication "Divrei Chemed," featuring Torah teachings from leading halachic authority Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein, has caused a prominent seminary to cancel one of its planned attractions for an upcoming trip.
The 100th expanded edition of the publication revealed that the principal of one of the country's haredi seminaries approached Rabbi Zilberstein on behalf of the teaching staff with a question. As they were planning a two-day trip to northern Israel, an idea arose to surprise and delight the students by visiting and touring the Mount Hermon site, a location spectacular in its beauty, particularly during this season when the Hermon is covered in snow.
The seminary administrators asked: since the site is open every day of the week and desecrates Shabbos, perhaps it would be better not to go there. However, on the other hand, since the site itself is a public place and the site management has essentially "taken control" of it, perhaps they have no right to prohibit entry to the Mount Hermon site itself, without using the attractions the site offers visitors.
Rabbi Zilberstein elaborated in his response. At the outset of his words, he wrote that since without the organized site there would be no convenient access or ability to reach there, as they are the ones who paved the roads and worked extensively to level the ground so that it would be possible to reach the site and enjoy it, therefore, even visiting the Mount Hermon site without using the cable car and snow slides is forbidden, since they desecrate the Shabbos.
Rabbi Zilberstein added that this is besides the obligation we have to protest against Shabbos desecration, and there is no greater desecration of God's name than when Torah and mitzvah observers are seen arriving at such a site.
Particularly, he noted, if it were clear to them that the haredi community would not come as long as they are open on Sabbath, then due to financial losses they might close on Shabbos, and it turns out that anyone who travels there is helping ensure they do not close the site on Shabbos.
Rabbi Zilberstein concluded his words with an exclamation: "It pains the heart that educators ask such questions. After all, it is clear that if there were a sign at the entrance to the site stating 'Entry to Jews and dogs forbidden' [as existed in Nazi Germany], they would not think at all of coming to such a place that disgraces Judaism. And here, where there is a giant sign that offends our Father in Heaven, that the site is open on the Shabbos, how can one dare to even come and ask if it is permitted to go there?!"
Rabbi Zilberstein's words, coming from the heart, entered the heart. Indeed, the seminary, which heeds the voice of the sages, canceled its plan, and the students will tour other places in our land.
The rabbi's words join the holy campaign and strict stance against public Shabbos desecration that he has led for decades in general, and during the recent war in particular, as he constantly raises awareness about strengthening how we keep Shabbos.