I was at a wedding tonight and was sitting at a table where two people were speaking disparagingly about gedolei yisrael.
1] What is the benefit of such a conversation? What do they gain from it?
2] Even if there is a benefit, wouldn't they benefit more from speaking positively?
3] If they have a need to be negative and speak badly of people - isn't the world FILLED with evil people: Terrorists, murderers, thieves, rapists, wife beaters, child abusers etc. etc. Why not speak against them instead of speaking against people who are a million times greater than their critics.
4] If we don't trust our leaders then the entire Mesorah is undermined. It was transmitted via the very same talmidei chachomim that these ostensisbly religious people hold in disdain.
5] I have tried in the past to protest but it just brings more contempt upon the Tzadikim. So I remained silent.
6] One who says that we don't need talmidei chachomim has a din apikorus with all that implies. [See Sanhedrin 99]
7] רבי אליעזר אומר, יהי כבוד חברך חביב עליך כשלך, ואל תהי נוח לכעוס.
ושוב יום אחד לפני מיתתך.
והוי מתחמם כנגד אורן של חכמים, והוי זהיר בגחלתן שלא תכוה, שנשיכתן נשיכת שועל, ועקיצתן עקיצת עקרב, ולחישתן לחישת שרף, וכל דבריהם כגחלי אש
8] A great tzadik once vomited. He became ill because two talmidei chachomim [names known but not to be publicized] got into a public argument about a certain hot topic [ציונות. One was passionately in favor. The other as passionately opposed]. Negativity makes me ill.
9] The speakers should be zoche to do תשובה שלימה!
