Rabbis against gluttony "behavior of marginals"

The war in Bnei Brak following the opening of "Cofix" stores and the like in the city, which appeared like mushrooms after the rain, continues, and the city's rabbis issued a sharply worded letter against those stores.

Until now the war was conducted over bulletin boards which attacked the culture of binge that has spread throughout the city, as well as in seminaries and educational institutions, but on Friday official notices of famous rabbis against these stores were pasted around town.

In the letter, the rabbis wrote: "We found it our duty to warn and awaken the public about something which has spread recently in our city – the low culture of eating while walking the streets of the city. This cheap behavior was until a few years ago that of marginal people or light-minded people and the public treated them as such."

"Recently the plague has spread and feelings of delicacy were blunted until the margins widened and is dragging people from the commoners who do not even notice what has happened to them and extract themselves without noticing from among people who respect themselves and their families. The Sages saw it as cheap behavior to the point of saying "one who eats in the market is likened to a dog" and included them in those who are lowly and ruled out for testimony".

The letter concludes by the rabbis' warning that "Everyone should warn the members of his home that they should not deteriorate to his lowly and despised level, and those who listen will have pleasure and the blessing of good will come unto them."

The letter was signed by rabbis and Dayanim of the city of Bnei Brak, the Geonim Rabbi Yehuda Silman, Rabbi Sariel Rosenberg, Rabbi Moshe Shaul Klein, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Shafran Hacohen and Rabbi Massoud Ben Shimon.

As recalled, the opening of stores in Bnei Brak brought about a great competition and struggle for the consumer, centered round a price competition nearby the famous Itskovitch shtiblach. The veteran shop 'Shloimaleh' lowered prices and offers pastries and drinks at only 3 Shskels, while its counterpart Cofix opened nearby and sells a variety of products for 5 shekels.

The letter which was published on the streets of Bnei Brak:

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!