(1) Even if the excommunication of the Gra still has halachic validity still there are several points to consider. I suggest reading the actual book that contains the original wording of the excommunication and studying the laws of חרם in the Rambam Tur and Shulchan Aruch.
(2) The fact that the excommunication of the Gra is ignored is no proof. I have seen enough times that even real Torah scholars will back off any issue that involves internal politics inside the Jewsih world. They for some strange reason leave that to people that really have no idea of what the Torah is about.
Appendix:
Could the excommunication of the Gra still be valid?
This seems like ridiculous question. Can it be possible for anyone to think they know halachah better than the Gra? Or to imagine he would make ban that would not have halachic validity? It seems absurd on the face of it.
But as strange as it seems, there are still plenty of people that ignore it, and even think they know ha;acha better than the Gra.
We do see in Shulchan Aruch that a חרם may go on succeeding generations. [Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 207 ]. And it also does not need actual testimony in beit din.
[This is in answer to a Professor at Hebrew University who brought up the question about putting into חרם a whole group without actually summoning them to court. See the Shulchan Aruch itself which deals with this. And as for the fact of putting a whole group into חרם, this also is dealt with right there concerning the group of the Shatz. No one had any objections that.]
If so, this would explain a lot.
Among the laws about excommunication are that one is not allowed to learn or teach Torah.
So it would make sense that the first thing that happens is people lose the desire to learn Torah unless it is for some monetary or power motivation.
The questions arose in relation to the sect of the Shatz. There I don't know of there ever was a חרם. But the question was not if it would have validity. Rather if it would make people go away from Torah. That is, you have a person who is borderline, and you put him into חרם. He has no community or friends, so what do you expect him to do? This argument is not used in relation to an actual sect or cult. There we are not afraid of what the person may do. We put on the חרם anyway. It is only towards a person that has done something that would normally require a חרם, but we are extra careful because of this consideration.
But what makes one a part of a cult that is under the excommunication? I think it has to be conscious identification.
(2) The fact that the excommunication of the Gra is ignored is no proof. I have seen enough times that even real Torah scholars will back off any issue that involves internal politics inside the Jewsih world. They for some strange reason leave that to people that really have no idea of what the Torah is about.
Appendix:
Could the excommunication of the Gra still be valid?
This seems like ridiculous question. Can it be possible for anyone to think they know halachah better than the Gra? Or to imagine he would make ban that would not have halachic validity? It seems absurd on the face of it.
But as strange as it seems, there are still plenty of people that ignore it, and even think they know ha;acha better than the Gra.
We do see in Shulchan Aruch that a חרם may go on succeeding generations. [Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 207 ]. And it also does not need actual testimony in beit din.
[This is in answer to a Professor at Hebrew University who brought up the question about putting into חרם a whole group without actually summoning them to court. See the Shulchan Aruch itself which deals with this. And as for the fact of putting a whole group into חרם, this also is dealt with right there concerning the group of the Shatz. No one had any objections that.]
If so, this would explain a lot.
Among the laws about excommunication are that one is not allowed to learn or teach Torah.
So it would make sense that the first thing that happens is people lose the desire to learn Torah unless it is for some monetary or power motivation.
The questions arose in relation to the sect of the Shatz. There I don't know of there ever was a חרם. But the question was not if it would have validity. Rather if it would make people go away from Torah. That is, you have a person who is borderline, and you put him into חרם. He has no community or friends, so what do you expect him to do? This argument is not used in relation to an actual sect or cult. There we are not afraid of what the person may do. We put on the חרם anyway. It is only towards a person that has done something that would normally require a חרם, but we are extra careful because of this consideration.
But what makes one a part of a cult that is under the excommunication? I think it has to be conscious identification.
