The absolutism of מרן החזו"א when it came to other opinions

Photo Courtesy of Yeshiva Eitz Chaim


We bring you a shtikkel from the latest volume of גנזים ושו"ת חזון איש, courtesy of a devoted and kind reader הרוצה בעילום שמו, where a copy of a שער בלאט of a sefer by the late R. Yechiel Michel Tuktchinski (who married a granddaughter of Reb Shmuel Salant) on the issue of the International Dateline (קו התאריך) is shown. The Chaz"I wrote a small but very poignant inscription at the very top of the page, which some say was indicative of his opinion of those who disagreed with him; - such as Reb Chaim Noe - namely, that they were treif. The CI doesn't say exactly in his own script why he wrote that the sefer is "neged Chazal," but Reb Shmerel Greineman quotes him as saying that RYMT writes נגד חז"ל והראשונים and bases his opinions on the Maskil and Apikores Hayyim Zalman Slominski, who wrote a book/sefer on Astronomy and such. I don't know if RYMT admits to him being the source, or if the CI smelled it on his own. Was טוקצינסקי the only one who used astronomy books etc. to pasken regarding complicated matters of astronomy? Why, even the Pupa Rov used a געבילדעטע מענטש to create a luach for him!

What I would like to know is whether or not this applies to all of RYMT's seforim, or at least to all of his zmanim? He would publish the "לוח ארץ ישראל", which is published by his grandson עד היום. That luach is used by most Jews in Eretz Israel who don't follow shitas Rabbeinu Tam. Obviously the Chazon Ish'nikkes and Briskers have their own zmanim and shiurim, but all other Prushim use that, as do some Chassidim, especially regarding zmanim like end of fasts, etc. But we do see a clear example of the absolutism that we mentioned in the header - which mind you, he wasn't the only one who was an absolutist, but he was an absolutist when it came to his OWN shittos, which is unique - I think. They say that the Rebbe Rashab was learning a Kamarner sefer when he saw how he disagrees with the Alter Rebbe, so he closed the sefer and never leaned Kamarna again. But that was the Alter Rebbe, not his own shittos. This that people like the Steipler were להשמיד ולהרג against anybody who disagreed with their Rebbe the CI, is also to be understood. In a way. But I speak of the CI alone.

ווי איך פארשטיי שיקען די בריסקער קינדער זייערע קינדער קיין עץ חיים, מיסודו של הרי"מ טוקצינסקי, ווייל דארט לערנט מען אויף אידיש, און ס'איז א חדר אויפ'ן אלטען דרך - כאילו. א חזון איש'ניק שיקט אויך אהין? כנראה אז נישט. איז די שאלה צו דאס איז ווייל ס'איז טוקצינסקי'ס מוסד? אדער סתם אזוי.

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