Rav Ovadiah Yosef has joined the lengthening list of so-called gedolim who have come out against R Natan Slifkin's books. The idea that some of those on the list haven't actually read the books is not new, but R Ovadiah admits this explicitely -- and goes on to describe the books as "full of words of kefira and minus and falisfication of the writings of Chazal, and a desecration of the foundations of faith passed down from generation to generation," based on what "Several trustworthy, God-fearing, English-speaking, learned men testified before me."
Does a true 'godol' really think that the words of others -- in other words, mere gossip and hearsay, no matter how 'G-d fearing' the source -- is enough for such a condemnation? Shouldn't he be a little more careful with his words?
One wonders, too, what exactly he's doing on this list. After all, the majority of his followers will be never be exposed to R Slifkin's heresy -- why was he pressured to join?
(Via Krum, who provides a rough translation of the letter, which is found in the Hebrew original here)
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