[Avodah] Who First Said it?

[Zev Sero]

Elazar M. Teitz wrote:
> <<The story about "cutting off  the roots of his soul" -- that the 
> Gra would have converted to Christianity if not for the Ba'al HaTanya is 
> scurrilous nonsense.  Where do you get this stuff?>>
> 
> <Start with Likutei Dibburim vol 2 p 516, Reshimas Hayomon p 177, >
> 
>      It would seem that if they lacked the power but thought they had 
> it, then it is tipshus.  If they did have it and would have used it, or 
> even contemplated using it, then it would be rishus of the highest 
> order.  To be dan l'chaf z'chus, I vote for the former.

They certainly had the power, and al pi din they had every right to do
it, since he had issued a false cherem against them.  But the AR indeed
opposed it because of the chilul hashem it would create, and refused to
participate even at the risk of serious harm to his children.  The story
with R Moshe was the result of the curse R Shlomo Karliner gave him.


-- 
Zev Sero                      The trouble with socialism is that you
zev at sero.name                 eventually run out of other people’s money
                                                     - Margaret Thatcher