Rav Amar On The Murder Of Rav Elazar Abuchatzeira

This morning I woke up, as we all did, to the shocking news of someone having murdered Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzeira, the Baba Elazar, of Beer Sheva. Baba Elazar was the 70 year old grandson of the Baba Sali.

I don't know profess to know why suddenly we have cold-blooded murders in the frum community, two in such close proximity, but it seems to me something is all fouled up.

Chief Rabbi of Israel Rav Shlomo Amar said at the funeral, "the murder should arouse the people to think about their relations with God and fellow human beings, noting the rise in violence among Jews... the nation's children should be taught manners, good character traits, to reduce hate and rage, to eliminate anger and strictness and to increase love and friendship and be easy-going, forgiving and good."

If anybody can exhort the people in such a manner, to improve their relations with fellow human beings, to be easy going, to be taught manners, etc. it is Rav Amar. Just last night I saw a report on Kikar about a bris ceremony in which Rav Amar was honored with being the sandak. The father of the baby was performing the circumcision, and Rav Amar realized that he was preparing to use a method (called "The Saloniki method". I never heard of it, but that is what the report says.) that is designed to minimize the amount of blood the baby would lose.

Rav Amar, himself an experienced mohel as well, considers this method to be more dangerous. Rav Amar calmly suggested that perhaps this method is too dangerous, and explained the problems with it. The father, the mohel, responded that this is the method he prefers to use. Rav Amar asked why, as it puts the baby into more danger.

The father screamed at him saying he knows what he is doing, and who are you to tell me how to circumcise..

Rav Amar is the paradigm of a person who stays calm, speaks to people pleasantly, does not respond to insult, and is well-mannered and forgiving. If anyone can say that what we need nowadays is to be taught manners, good character traits, to reduce hate and rage, to eliminate anger and strictness and to increase love and friendship and be easy-going, forgiving and good, it is Rav Amar.