One Mishpacha - or Two?

The Israeli Yated last week carried a proclamation that the weekly Jewish Magazines should not be brought into a Jewish home. This was accompanied by some prestigious signatures.

letter 1
letter 2

Some say that this ban has been rescinded, although I have not seen any concrete evidence of such.

This is a somewhat surprising development, considering that Rav Nissim Karelitz, one of the prime signatores, has been the subject of a recent cover story by Mishpacha.

In any event, what is mystifying, is that the primary target of these English speaking weeklies, the Jews of the diaspora, who in the U.S. look to the Agudah/Moetzes for direction, have not been issued any direction on this matter.

Yet there seems to be an underlying difference between the Rabbonim from Eretz Yisrael and those outside. Primarily, the leaders of EY follow Rav Shimon Bar Yochai, where total devotion to learning is praised and working is frowned upon. Whereas the Rabbonim in the diaspora follow Rav Yishmael:

Talmud Berachos 35B

ת"ר ואספת דגנך מה ת"ל לפי שנא' לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך יכול דברים ככתבן ת"ל ואספת דגנך הנהג בהן מנהג דרך ארץ דברי ר' ישמעאל ר"ש בן יוחי אומר אפשר אדם חורש בשעת חרישה וזורע בשעת זריעה וקוצר בשעת קצירה ודש בשעת דישה וזורה בשעת הרוח תורה מה תהא עליה אלא בזמן שישראל עושין רצונו של מקום מלאכתן נעשית ע"י אחרים שנא' ועמדו זרים ורעו צאנכם וגו' ובזמן שאין ישראל עושין רצונו של מקום מלאכתן נעשית ע"י עצמן שנא' ואספת דגנך ולא עוד אלא שמלאכת אחרים נעשית על ידן שנא' ועבדת את אויביך וגו' אמר אביי הרבה עשו כרבי ישמעאל ועלתה בידן כר' שמעון בן יוחי ולא עלתה בידן

While searching for reasons as to what is Hashkafically problematic with Mishpacha etc. all I was able to find is the claim that they promote Avreichim leaving Yeshiva and getting a job.

I once mentioned that Rav Gifter ZTL was chastised by Rabbonim from EY when they saw that his Yeshiva promoted ball playing. Yet Rav Gifter politely explained that America is different, what works in one part of the world might be detrimental in another. On the other hand, since the Petirah of Rav Moshe ZTL and Rav Yaakov ZTL, it seems that the Rabbonim outside EY have been looking to EY for guidance. כי מציון תצא תורה

So if this is true, then a ban is EY makes sense, contrary to the U.S. Yet if there are other Hashkafic discrepancies, we can then expect a ban also on our shores.

In event that the ban does reach our shores, I suppose some good that will come out of it may be the resurrection of the Jewish Observer.