HaRav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, the av beis din of Zichron
Meir of Bnei Brak, has issued a psak halocho stating
that groups of nonobservant tourists should not be brought to
Jerusalem on Shabbos kodesh to tour chareidi
neighborhoods because this causes Shabbos desecration.
For many months, residents of Geula and Mea Shearim have been
trying to prevent groups of tourists and Israelis wishing to
visit the Shabbos chareidi world as well as chassidic
tischen. Groups of visitors arrive every Shabbos night
in the chareidi neighborhoods, disturbing residents.
In his psak halocho, HaRav Wosner writes, "With
respect to the recent, widespread practice in which every
Shabbos kodesh groups of young people are brought to
Jerusalem while desecrating Shabbos in order to observe the
tischen of the Admorim: The purpose of those bringing
these groups to Jerusalem is to inspire them to do
teshuva and to lead Torah lives. I hereby say: Your
thoughts are commendable, but not your deeds, for it is
inconceivable to cause Shabbos desecration and desecration of
kodesh in order to draw others closer to Torah.
According to the din, this practice should be stopped
because we may not uproot the principles of Torah in order to
draw others closer."
A psak halocho issued a number of years ago by HaRav
Moshe Feinstein was also publicized. In his reply to the
question: Does the prohibition against placing a stumbling
block before the blind apply to inviting people to
daven in a synagogue on Shabbos when it is known that
they will drive there? He writes: "It is forbidden to invite
those distant from Torah in a manner bringing Shabbos
desecration. That is worse than placing a stumbling block
before the blind, since it is an offshoot of the prohibition
against inciting one to violate the mitzvos."
The BaDaTz of the Eida HaChareidis also issued a psak
halocho prohibiting such behavior. "There is no
heter to invite nor organize such groups and to bring
them into chareidi neighborhoods even for the noblest of
purposes. It is even worse to permit such groups to enter
synagogues in these sacred neighborhoods."
