[Avodah] chu'l duchening

[Isaac Balbin via Avodah]

On 7 Dec 2015, at 6:43 AM, Micha Berger <micha at aishdas.org> wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 12, 2015 at 07:02:01AM +1100, Isaac Balbin via Avodah wrote:
>: I read a Teshuva from R Hershel Schachter where he wrote that TODAY
>: a Mechalel Shabbos Befarhesya who happens to be a Cohen has a CHIYUV to
>: Duchen....

> I think RHS's point is that today, there is no "befarhesia" in the sense
> needed to qualify someone as a MSbF.

That was not his point. His point was in respect to Farhesya Aveyros
Bdavka in Dinei Kehuna no longer have the 'icky I can't stand that guy
benching me' factor that it used to have and STILL has in some areas. He
was speaking re a modern orthodox style hanhogo to one of these coming
into Shule

> That the point of MSbF is that it
> shows he is neither concerned about Shabbos or who knows about it. But
> with a non-observant majority ba'avoseihu harabbim, it is too socially
> acceptable to violate Shabbos for someone's violation to be all that
> "in your face" even when in public.

Yes, but it's a din in Behavo in Birkas Cohanim ... It isn't extendable
as a general klal

>: The suggestion of walking out could make me seem like a consistent Baal
>: Keri or Baal Moom and I felt very uncomfortable with a charade of sheker.
> ...

> But if someone is being excluded from duchening for being a MSbF
> wouldn't that be an honest statement of being a MSbF

In that case they are known Befarhesya already and feel the particular
chiyuv of duchening doesn't apply to them.

These were holocaust survivors who knew what the 'din' was back from
home. Many who came from strict homes felt incorrectly that their Kehuna
was pogum and would accept an Aliya!

> Why would he
> feel it's dishonestly claiming to be excluded for a different reason,
> or make implications about their yichus?

I took one Hungarian Gentleman aside and explained to him that even if
he ate trayf now, when he ate kosher he should make a brocho. My father
ע׳ה convinced him to stay at Shule on Yom Kippur and not disappear for
a nap and he got an Aliya (and gave an enormous nedava) as it was his
chance to show thanks.

He obviously came from a very frum Hungarian home and unlike some others
felt the shame himself of what he did. By the way in that Shule of
survivors 95% were of the same ilk but would drive to Shule on Shabbos
week in week out even at the age of 85+

Lots more I could write halachically how the Rabbi dealt with his deck of
cards. One thing he did was leave LAST on a Shabbos after a Kiddush. He
would wait in his office. If any Charedim would ask him (and he learned
in Telz in Europe) why do you allow an Aliya for such ovrei Aveyros he
said I see a Yid come into Shule I assume he has changed his ways ... I
don't see anyone driving