Q&A: Satmar
Satmar
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Is it right to allow one of the two Satmar brothers, who is currently visiting the country, to set foot on our holy land? The man, one of the two brothers—and I didn’t even bother finding out which one—incites and agitates against Jews who are not members of his sect, actively cooperates with the worst enemies of the Jews, and lectures us morally about our ways. Wouldn’t it have been proper not to allow him and his groupies to enter the country?
Answer
I wasn’t aware of the visit of His Honor, may he live long. But in my opinion, one should not restrict someone’s movements unless it is necessary for our security. Not as a punishment.
Discussion on Answer
What I said here is true there as well.
Necessary for our security!!!! Maybe if his entry is banned, it will affect his statements and actions, and those of his groupies, which are dangerous to Israel’s security.
That’s just sophistry.
First of all, my claim is a matter of principle. If in your opinion preventing his entry would provide a security benefit, then fine. Second, as for your actual claim—those are just slogans. He won’t change anything, and he might even become more extreme in his statements. Beyond that, his statements in themselves are not a threat to our security, and they are protected under freedom of speech. You could say that any person on the left or right threatens our security and prevent his entry. When a person expresses an opinion, that is his right, and there is no justification for preventing it, nor for imposing sanctions on him.
Maybe the state really should relate differently, in terms of rights and such, to people with extreme speech even if it falls under freedom of speech, because of the consequences it causes. (After all, incitement is not freedom of speech—even when in the incitement it’s clear the writer’s view is not that those acts should be carried out, as long as he encouraged them. So even if it’s only an opinion, as long as it leads to that, maybe it’s in the state’s interest to change their rights.)
"Incites and agitates against Jews who are not members of his sect, actively cooperates with the worst enemies of the Jews, and lectures us morally about our ways. Wouldn’t it have been proper not to allow him and his groupies to enter the country?"
"Lectures us morally"—yes. "Actively cooperates with the worst enemies of the Jews"—an outright lie!
By the way, when he comes and brings with him hundreds and thousands of people, including dozens of millionaires who walk around the country for a week, that is definitely worthwhile.
His real weight is fairly low. Just some Hasidic functionary with an ancestral legacy—or in his case, an uncle’s legacy.
I’m not the one who wrote the question, but from the side I’d add that at the time, the entry of Noam Chomsky and his wife was prevented on the grounds of statements and the like.