Protesting the "Machoh" Protesters

Everyone's favorite illiterate yeshivishe blog (U'kshmo kain hu") recently ran a piece submitted by a lady who claims to live near the area of the recent Hafganos near Kikar Shabbos...

The Yeshiva World » Out Of The Mailbag: American Bochrim Wrecking Havoc At Hafganos » Frum Jewish News

What to say here? Unquestionably, she has a point. Bochurim do need hashgacha. For example, I am familiar with one wild hoodlum who maintains some sort of blog, chronicling his experiences in Israel...probably using that unfiltered Internet in his dira, late at night. Also, its true, rov guys do go to have fun. See the action. Perhaps heckle a mishtara or two. You get the point.

At the same time, there are many bochurim who attend these rallies because of a deep seated need to register their feelings of protest at the medina's treatment of our city. Personally, I'm familiar with at least two bochurim who are locked up, and no doubt; the feelings of pain for our holy Yerushalayim are there. And when these fine, upstanding young men suffer for what they believe in, who are we to deride them? Are they really so different than the many Yerushalayimer men who attend these protests?

She quotes, and I quote, "R’ Avraham Yehoshua of Brisk said this week when one of his bochrim were arrested, “vos tut a bochur bei a mechoa?” - what is a bochur doing by a protest? (Bold and italics mine).

As she may or may not know, our good Rosh Yeshiva is the inveterate politician. Always playing to the crowd. Seriously, take not a word he says publicly seriously.

Either way,the bochur who was arrested?
American.
And does he regret it?
Doubtful.
Why?
See the above paragraphs.

'Nuff said.

Oh. Almost forgot my cutesy little quote.
"V'shavu vanim l'gvulam". Amen.

(Photo by sonnglod)