Question:
What is the Rav’s opinion on מחללי שבת בפרהסיא as תינוקות שנשבו?
Should one refer to non observant Jews who don’t observe Shabbath and are מחלל שבת בפרהסיא today as תינוקות שנשבו or as רשעים?
I understand that there are different opinions on this matter and would like to know Machon Shilo’s stance on this.
Answer:
This requires an in-depth shiur. Bottom line: it is one thing to accept Rambam’s hidush that a Jew brought up in a non-Tora environment (which, it might be argued, includes the entire media-saturated world of today) is to be viewed as a Tinoq sheNishb’a. It is quite another thing to conclude on that basis that our hands are tied with regards to opposing the vocal, vehemently anti-Tora minority (at most 15% of the Jews in the country in my estimation, probably less) and their Establishment, which has succeeded in wresting almost complete control of our country, the State and its organs. It is increasingly plain that they will stop at nothing. The coup they brought off (removing N’thanyahu from office by illegal and dishonest means, by now plain for all to see), and their willingness to conclude a political pact with our enemies to remain in and increase their power, constitute sufficient proof of this perception.