Rabbi Saul J. Kassin is a leader of the Sephardic community in Deal. He is also one of those arrested in a major FBI operation sting operation involving Orthodox members of his community 5 of them Rabbis – including Rabbi Kassin.
I do not know Rabbi Kassin at all. From everything I hear about him he seems like a role model of compassion and caring - a beloved leader of his community. His defenders are literally coming out of the woodwork. They are crying out for community support- urging letters be written on his behalf to people (judges, prosecutors etc.) involved in his case.
They argue that character references will make a difference in the outcome of his case. That may well be. And I have no problem with that – for the most part. The last thing I want to see is an elderly rabbi who served his community tirelessly for years – go to jail. I want to be clear - I support this effort. We must act with compassion for this elderly rabbi and help him out in any way we can.
But please let us not excuse Rabbi Kassin of his actions in this case if the allegations prove to be true. To the best of my knowledge the allegations are as follows.
Rabbi Kassin and the others were apparently badgered by a government witness posing undercover as a needy member of their community. He peppered these rabbis with cries about his long term inability to support his family and pleaded with them to help launder some ill gotten gains. Appealing to their sense of compassion – he finally wore Rabbi Kessin and the others down and they agreed to help.
I’m sorry. Compassion does not permit one to participate in a crime against the government – unless one’s life is at stake - a matter of Pikuach Nefesh. That was clearly not the case here.
Last week in the Jewish Star Rabbi David Bibi of the Sephardic Congregation of Long Beach wrote the following:
Three Sephardic rabbis are accused of succumbing to compassion. Was there personal gain for any of them? I highly doubt it.
Did they succumb to a young man who was ostracized by others? Did they succumb to a young man who came to them again and again pleading that his children had no food on the table? Did they succumb to the suffering son of a trusted scholar? They did. They fulfilled the verse, Ve’ahavta LeReacha Kamocha, even though they were duped, and my sense of judging favorably tells me that Hashem is with them.
Was it wrong to be complicit in a potential federal felony? Undoubtedly it was. Does it mean we need to examine ways of helping? Certainly, and we need to reexamine much in the way we live.
The shocking news is the traitor among us. One begs to imagine the FBI threatened and cajoled, but to set up the 87 year old chief rabbi, to set up a relative, to set up the holy man who shared the dais with his own father for 30 years is unconscionable.
Blame the FBI. Blame the informant. Aything but blame the rabbi.I'm sorry I do not buy the writer's argument for a minute! One does not fulfill the Mitzva of Ve’ahavta LeReacha Kamocha by breaking the law.
Is this writer saying that there was nothing else they could have done to help this man? This is a very wealthy community. That Rabbi Kassin is the most respected Rav in the community should be completely obvious by now. And he is a leader of it.
Can anyone think that a plea from Rabbi Kassin to save this man’s family via a community charity effort would fall on deaf ears? They wouldn't listen to their Rav's pleas?! Even if they didn't like the man? I find that hard to believe considering the accolades Rabbi Kassin is currently getting.
To OK money laundering because of a hard luck story is wrong. If one is an elderly sage one should know better.
If I were to give Rabbi Kassin the benefit of the doubt, I might say that he had no clue that the operation was illegal. But that doesn't say much about his wisdom as a sage. Does this writer realize what he is saying?
This isn't about a man whose compassion got the better of him. It is about compassion gone wrong. It is about his willingness to resort to a criminal enterprise in order to help him out.
It is shameful! And that this Rav had such impeccable credentials makes it even more shameful! And a bigger Chilul HaShem! He of all people should have known better than to use an illegal operation to help someone. He was an 87 year old Zaken no less!
That said - I do not excuse the government infromant who went to such great lengths to entrap Rabbi Kassin. But that doesn't excuse this Rav for allowing himself to be worn down. Can anyone imagine Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky, or Rav Ahron Soloveichik allowing a criminal act because he felt bad for the family of someone in financial trouble?
Does anyone think any of these men would have succumbed to pleas for help by getting involved in a money laundering operation? The very idea is absurd!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Taking Back Control from Bullies
There is a news story in Yeshiva World News that is noteworthy. Not so much because Askanim were denied a request for a Kol Korei. But by the reaction of Rav Aharon Leib Steinman, a man Charedim consider one of the Gedolei Hador.
Apparently some prominent Charedi community activists - known more commonly by their Hebrew name ‘Askanim’ approached Rabbi Steinman with a document ready for his signature. They felt that organized group vacations should be banned especially those that are not in Charedi areas. After getting Rabbi Steinman’s signature - they would make copies and post them on billboards all across Israel in Charedi neighborhoods. This is known as a Kol Korei.
These are the same type of Askanim that brought down Rabbi Nosson Kaminetsky and Rabbi Natan Slifkin. These are the same type of Askanim who have gotten open air concerts banned. These are Askanim who believe that the more one is sheltred from the world the better.
Rav Steinman not only refused but reportedly had the following reaction:
Rav Shteinman jumped up, the weekly BaKehilla reports, with the Gadol HaDor stating that any bachor taking vacation now, even a day or two, enhances his abilities and performance following vacation.
The Rav explained that the result of the vacation is indeed visible the entire month of Elul and after that as well, question “even this you wish to take away from them?”
In my view this last statement is more important than the fact that he refused to sign the Kol Korei. If one analyzes what he said, it is almost as though he regretted ever signing any ban.
Now - I’m not sure that he ever actually signed one. But my guess is that his name has been used in the past in this kind of context and that he may have gone along with it. But based on his reaction here it seems that if he did - he did so reluctantly.
This is both good news and bad news. It is good that he seems to finally be putting a stop to this kind of thing. But it is bad that he ever allowed himself to be manipulated to sing any ban. It seems like he has some regrets about it.
This is not to say that he didn’t agree with the sentiments of those Askanim with respect to sheltering negative influences in the community. He probably does. But I think he realizes that you simply cannot ban everything that has even the slightest risk to it. I’m sure that those Askainm are correct about non Charedi influences being present in non Charedi areas. But Rav Steinman was nevertheless clearly upset by the request to ban them.
He has finally stood up to these bullies. It took a a Zaken – an elderly Talmid Chacham – a Charedi one – to do it. I hope this is the beginning of more of the same. But there is perhaps a significance to this that should not be overlooked.
Perhaps he feels as I do that over sheltering is counter-productive to the ultimate goals of Judaism. I doubt that he takes this idea to the same level I do. Nonetheless he obviously felt that the risk of exposure to the secular world via a group vacation in non Charedi areas is worth the benefit - which he stated explicitly: Vacations enhance one’s ability to perform on the job- in this case learning in Yeshivos. It’s called R & R – rest and rehabilitation.
Sounds almost Modern Orthodox to me.
If a certain amount of risk is suitable in this instance, then perhaps it is suitable in other areas of life as well – if there is a similar payoff in areas of learning, Mitzvah obervance, or in Shalom Bayis. One can for example allay fears about not being able to support a family by learning a profession or trade earlier in life - this too can surely enhance the over-all level of learning - among other things.
Apparently some prominent Charedi community activists - known more commonly by their Hebrew name ‘Askanim’ approached Rabbi Steinman with a document ready for his signature. They felt that organized group vacations should be banned especially those that are not in Charedi areas. After getting Rabbi Steinman’s signature - they would make copies and post them on billboards all across Israel in Charedi neighborhoods. This is known as a Kol Korei.
These are the same type of Askanim that brought down Rabbi Nosson Kaminetsky and Rabbi Natan Slifkin. These are the same type of Askanim who have gotten open air concerts banned. These are Askanim who believe that the more one is sheltred from the world the better.
Rav Steinman not only refused but reportedly had the following reaction:
Rav Shteinman jumped up, the weekly BaKehilla reports, with the Gadol HaDor stating that any bachor taking vacation now, even a day or two, enhances his abilities and performance following vacation.
The Rav explained that the result of the vacation is indeed visible the entire month of Elul and after that as well, question “even this you wish to take away from them?”
In my view this last statement is more important than the fact that he refused to sign the Kol Korei. If one analyzes what he said, it is almost as though he regretted ever signing any ban.
Now - I’m not sure that he ever actually signed one. But my guess is that his name has been used in the past in this kind of context and that he may have gone along with it. But based on his reaction here it seems that if he did - he did so reluctantly.
This is both good news and bad news. It is good that he seems to finally be putting a stop to this kind of thing. But it is bad that he ever allowed himself to be manipulated to sing any ban. It seems like he has some regrets about it.
This is not to say that he didn’t agree with the sentiments of those Askanim with respect to sheltering negative influences in the community. He probably does. But I think he realizes that you simply cannot ban everything that has even the slightest risk to it. I’m sure that those Askainm are correct about non Charedi influences being present in non Charedi areas. But Rav Steinman was nevertheless clearly upset by the request to ban them.
He has finally stood up to these bullies. It took a a Zaken – an elderly Talmid Chacham – a Charedi one – to do it. I hope this is the beginning of more of the same. But there is perhaps a significance to this that should not be overlooked.
Perhaps he feels as I do that over sheltering is counter-productive to the ultimate goals of Judaism. I doubt that he takes this idea to the same level I do. Nonetheless he obviously felt that the risk of exposure to the secular world via a group vacation in non Charedi areas is worth the benefit - which he stated explicitly: Vacations enhance one’s ability to perform on the job- in this case learning in Yeshivos. It’s called R & R – rest and rehabilitation.
Sounds almost Modern Orthodox to me.
If a certain amount of risk is suitable in this instance, then perhaps it is suitable in other areas of life as well – if there is a similar payoff in areas of learning, Mitzvah obervance, or in Shalom Bayis. One can for example allay fears about not being able to support a family by learning a profession or trade earlier in life - this too can surely enhance the over-all level of learning - among other things.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Another Kind of Public Demonstration
Imagine the following tragic incident. Two young Yeshiva students from Meah Shearim were sitting in their favorite fast food restaurant in Jerusalem discussing the content of the Gemarah they had been learning that morning. A masked gunman wearing some old IDF fatigues rushes into the scene shoots them dead and flees.
Shouts of anti Charedi hatred being responsible for this are heard all over Jerusalem in the religious neighborhoods. The parents of the slain are devastated - their cries of sudden grief are heard around the world. A rally is planned for Motzoei Shabbos at 'Shabbat Square' in Jerusalem and leaders from the Torah world are invited to address the crowd.
They speak about the anti Charedi bias in the world which festers in the secular world and most certainly contributed to these tragic and outrageous murders. After about 2 hours of emotional, gut wrenching speeches the rally is over the crowd disperses and everyone goes home.
Does anyone buy this scenario? Of course not. We know how this community reacts to even a suspected false accusation of one of their own, let alone a blatant murder where Charedi hate is strongly suspected as a motive. They burn down the town!
Contrast that with what happened last night Motzoei Shabbos. Substitute the word ‘gay’ for the word ‘yeshiva’ and the word ‘poetry’ for the word ‘Gemarah’ and you pretty much have the scenario that happened last week in Tel Aviv.
The above description above is a close representation of the way 15-20 thousand mostly secular Jews who showed up at a Tel Aviv rally last night responded to the murder of two homosexuals last week.
If recent events are prologue the Meah Shearim response would have been to tear the town apart - damaging everything in sight.
This is the difference between a civilized people and a savage one. Those who promote rallies or protests for the causes of Meah Shearim are not moved in the slightest by the almost certain violence that results. They may disapprove of it – but their bottom line is getting the desired result. So violence or not - they will continue to protest Chilul Shabbos until they get their way, devil be damned!
I have no problem with public protests and rallies for causes that are important to large groups of people. Certainly the desire to keep Jerusalem holy by minimizing Chilul Shabbos is a worthy cause. But not at the price of the almost certain collateral damage of Chilul HaShem it causes – not to mention the reckless disregard for the safety of their own Charedi neighbors.
It is ironic that we have to be shown how to protest by Jews who for the most part are not observant of Torah. To the casual observer viewing the two events - both of which were reported around the world - it is those showing solidarity with the homosexual community that are the role models for civilized behavior. Those who claim to represent the will of God act like primitive savages who care little about human dignity.
There ought to be a lesson learned here. But there won't be.
Shouts of anti Charedi hatred being responsible for this are heard all over Jerusalem in the religious neighborhoods. The parents of the slain are devastated - their cries of sudden grief are heard around the world. A rally is planned for Motzoei Shabbos at 'Shabbat Square' in Jerusalem and leaders from the Torah world are invited to address the crowd.
They speak about the anti Charedi bias in the world which festers in the secular world and most certainly contributed to these tragic and outrageous murders. After about 2 hours of emotional, gut wrenching speeches the rally is over the crowd disperses and everyone goes home.
Does anyone buy this scenario? Of course not. We know how this community reacts to even a suspected false accusation of one of their own, let alone a blatant murder where Charedi hate is strongly suspected as a motive. They burn down the town!
Contrast that with what happened last night Motzoei Shabbos. Substitute the word ‘gay’ for the word ‘yeshiva’ and the word ‘poetry’ for the word ‘Gemarah’ and you pretty much have the scenario that happened last week in Tel Aviv.
The above description above is a close representation of the way 15-20 thousand mostly secular Jews who showed up at a Tel Aviv rally last night responded to the murder of two homosexuals last week.
If recent events are prologue the Meah Shearim response would have been to tear the town apart - damaging everything in sight.
This is the difference between a civilized people and a savage one. Those who promote rallies or protests for the causes of Meah Shearim are not moved in the slightest by the almost certain violence that results. They may disapprove of it – but their bottom line is getting the desired result. So violence or not - they will continue to protest Chilul Shabbos until they get their way, devil be damned!
I have no problem with public protests and rallies for causes that are important to large groups of people. Certainly the desire to keep Jerusalem holy by minimizing Chilul Shabbos is a worthy cause. But not at the price of the almost certain collateral damage of Chilul HaShem it causes – not to mention the reckless disregard for the safety of their own Charedi neighbors.
It is ironic that we have to be shown how to protest by Jews who for the most part are not observant of Torah. To the casual observer viewing the two events - both of which were reported around the world - it is those showing solidarity with the homosexual community that are the role models for civilized behavior. Those who claim to represent the will of God act like primitive savages who care little about human dignity.
There ought to be a lesson learned here. But there won't be.
Friday, August 07, 2009
Rabbinic Leadership – Then and Now
The janitor in an Orthodox-owned factory recently asked his boss, "If you really are the Chosen People, why are you all so corrupt?"
"Don't judge Judaism by the Jews." But the Torah is judged, for better or worse, by the behavior of Torah Jews.
A non-religious Jew once asked him, "Rabbi, how do you explain all these religious Jews who lie, steal, and cheat on their income taxes."
Reb Mottel replied, "I have the same question about all those religious Jews who eat on Yom Kippur, drive on Shabbos, and don't keep kosher." The man looked perplexed. "Those aren't religious," he said. "Well, neither are those you mentioned," Reb Mottel replied.
An Orthodox prison chaplain relates how he once brought a prisoner a set of the Four Species for Sukkos. The prisoner, however, rejected the esrog, telling the chaplain, "I'm makpid (strict) on a pitom." The chaplain could not resist asking, "About a pitom you are strict, and about defrauding widows you are lenient?"
How many would feel comfortable having Rabbi Shimon Schwab, zt"l, examine our books, if he were still alive? A rabbi once called Rabbi Schwab and began his question, "A frum Jew who runs a cash business . . ." He had gotten no further when Rabbi Schwab shouted, "WHAT!"
Thinking that Rabbi Schwab was hard of hearing, the rabbi began again, "A frum Jew who runs a cash business . . ." Again, Rabbi Schwab shouted, "WHAT!" After the third try, Rabbi Schwab explained that running a cash business – i.e.., evading taxes – cannot be reconciled with being a frum Jew.
I did not write these words. They are excerpts from an article written by Jonathan Rosenblum. My hat is off to him. He has written a column I could have written – I wish I had written. His views on this subject are identical to mine. I have in fact expressed these views in my own way. But Jonathan is a far better writer than I am. More importantly he is Charedi – writing on a website that I believe is associated with Agudah.
Not only is this proof positive that mainstream Charedim are not only upset at what is going on in the world but are writing about it. And they are quoting Gedolim of an earlier generation to back them up.
There was no: ‘It’s Mutar to cheat on your taxes if you don’t get caught’ or similar statements as there is today. Unfortunately there is more than one Posek being quoted as saying these kinds of things. One - I personally witnessed!
Can anyone imagine what Rav Motel would say about such ‘Poskim’?! There is only condemnation - even angry condemnation - of these kinds of activities and the people who do them. I have never heard any Gadol or Posek of that generation say or do anything that is not a Kiddush HaShem. That does not mean that they didn’t err. They were human. But they were as close to walking, talking, living, breathing Sifrei Torah as is humanly possible. And they had the character to match!
Oy Meh Hayah Lanu!
"Don't judge Judaism by the Jews." But the Torah is judged, for better or worse, by the behavior of Torah Jews.
A non-religious Jew once asked him, "Rabbi, how do you explain all these religious Jews who lie, steal, and cheat on their income taxes."
Reb Mottel replied, "I have the same question about all those religious Jews who eat on Yom Kippur, drive on Shabbos, and don't keep kosher." The man looked perplexed. "Those aren't religious," he said. "Well, neither are those you mentioned," Reb Mottel replied.
An Orthodox prison chaplain relates how he once brought a prisoner a set of the Four Species for Sukkos. The prisoner, however, rejected the esrog, telling the chaplain, "I'm makpid (strict) on a pitom." The chaplain could not resist asking, "About a pitom you are strict, and about defrauding widows you are lenient?"
How many would feel comfortable having Rabbi Shimon Schwab, zt"l, examine our books, if he were still alive? A rabbi once called Rabbi Schwab and began his question, "A frum Jew who runs a cash business . . ." He had gotten no further when Rabbi Schwab shouted, "WHAT!"
Thinking that Rabbi Schwab was hard of hearing, the rabbi began again, "A frum Jew who runs a cash business . . ." Again, Rabbi Schwab shouted, "WHAT!" After the third try, Rabbi Schwab explained that running a cash business – i.e.., evading taxes – cannot be reconciled with being a frum Jew.
I did not write these words. They are excerpts from an article written by Jonathan Rosenblum. My hat is off to him. He has written a column I could have written – I wish I had written. His views on this subject are identical to mine. I have in fact expressed these views in my own way. But Jonathan is a far better writer than I am. More importantly he is Charedi – writing on a website that I believe is associated with Agudah.
Not only is this proof positive that mainstream Charedim are not only upset at what is going on in the world but are writing about it. And they are quoting Gedolim of an earlier generation to back them up.
There was no: ‘It’s Mutar to cheat on your taxes if you don’t get caught’ or similar statements as there is today. Unfortunately there is more than one Posek being quoted as saying these kinds of things. One - I personally witnessed!
Can anyone imagine what Rav Motel would say about such ‘Poskim’?! There is only condemnation - even angry condemnation - of these kinds of activities and the people who do them. I have never heard any Gadol or Posek of that generation say or do anything that is not a Kiddush HaShem. That does not mean that they didn’t err. They were human. But they were as close to walking, talking, living, breathing Sifrei Torah as is humanly possible. And they had the character to match!
Oy Meh Hayah Lanu!
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Defending the Frum and Blaming the Non Frum
One of the things that upsets me about the defenders of the Meah Shearim mother that allegedly starved her child is their approach to the problem. Their sense of guilt or innocence rarely if ever relies on evidence of a case. It is usually determined by whether the accused is Frum -religious - or not.
I think this is apparent not only here but in any case where the secular authorities accuse or arrest a religious individual for a crime. There are many religious Jews who immediately assume that an innocent party was accused and arrested by authorities with an anti religious agenda. The accused is almost always seen as an innocent victim falsely accused. The authorities are immediately vilified as Charedi bashers whose agenda is to single out Charedim for unfair prosecution and persecution.
There is no clearer example of this than the defenders of the Meah Shearim woman. As soon as she was arrested -the Meah Shearim crowd went to town and practically burned down the city of Jerusalem – or at least the Meah Shearim/Geula section. They immediately assumed that this was a government conspiracy to try and bring down an innocent Charedi woman.
This was followed up by some ‘fact finding’ which came up with scenarios that twisted the evidence into a conspiracy theory. The woman was always seen as completely blameless. Everyone else was a conspirator. The hospital staff, the Frum deputy head of the hospital, the police, the media - all conspired to blame an innocent woman for a crime and then punish her and her family for it – all because she was religious!
What is also true is that in the public debate there are many mainstream Charedim who tend to side with the protesters version of events – even while opposing their violent protests. Among the scenarios painted are:
The doctors were negligent. They did medical experiments on the child. There was a misdiagnosis whose treatment made the child sick - and a cover up when they realized it - throwing blame to the mother.
They considered every alternative scenario except the most obvious one, that the mother for some reason deliberately nearly starved her child to death. When the medical staff finally realized what was happening they called the authorities immediately. She was arrested and charged with a crime. Once the mother was out of the picture, they immediately started feeding the child whose health has since quickly been restored - taken from a state of starvation to a state of health.
Based on everything I’ve read this is the closest scenario to the truth. All the questions raised by her defenders do not persuade me that there was any foul play at all on the part of the medical staff. What it does persuade me of is the lengths they will go to twist the truth in favor of a Frum person and the lengths they go to villainize everyone else who is not Frum - in the process.
This is taking idea that being Dan L’Kaf Zechus – judging people favorably - to an absurd level. To always assume an accused Frum person is innocent and the non Frum accusers are always guilty of having an anti religious agenda - is not the idea behind being Dan L’Kaf Zechus. The idea is to give someone the benefit of the doubt when all things are equal. But when evidence points in the direction of guilt. Being Dan L’Kaf Zechus does not apply. What should apply is the search for Emes at that point.
This is exactly what happened in the Valis case. It is uncannily similar to this one. For those who do not recall, Valis was a young Charedi parent with an impeccable reputation who was accused and later convicted of killing his sickly infant in a moment of extreme frustration via a violent act.
Before his conviction the Charedi world was up in arms about this case. This young man was a highly valued member of his Charedi community. They believed he could not have possibly done what he was being accused of. And even though he confessed to the crime – his community was all over the police - claiming that the confession was coerced. This was obviously (to them) a case of Charedi bashing. They believed that this young man was not going to be given due process because he was Charedi.
He was eventually convicted of the crime and given a relatively light sentence of a few years in prison.
This was still not good enough for his defenders. The anti religious secular court obviously had an agenda with him too (all part of the government conspiracy against religious Jews) and convicted him on the flimsiest of circumstantial evidence – all because he was Charedi.
To some - Frum means innocent under virtually all circumstances.
The problem is that Emes trumps Frumkeit. Being Dan L’Kaf Zechus does not mean we ignore the truth. Unfortunately in certain circles they see only one truth. Their own.
But lately we haven’t much protest about the supposed injustice to Mr. Valis. Why? I’m not sure but I have just been told by a reliable very Charedi source that Rav Moshe Sternbuch has quietly supported the verdict. I don’t know if he has. But if so, I think people ought to be paying attention. He is not one to favor the Israeli police or court system. And he knows what being Dan L’Kf Zechus means.
So why wouldn’t he see what so many other saw in the Valis case… that the whole thing is a blood libel by an anti Frum government against a Frum Jew? Because he saw the truth and that trumped all the spinning in the name of being Dan L’Kaf Zechus.
When this woman has her day in court the facts are sure to come out - just as they did with Mr. Valis. The prosecution has already lined up 125 witnesses from Hadassah Hospital’s medical staff. And then there is that mysterious video that is supposedly very damning. I’m sure the court will look at that very carefully. And I am equally sure that the mother’s family and her entire community will see to it that she has the best legal counsel than money can buy.
Until then it would be most productive to not automatically assume her innocence as though it was a certainty just because she is Frum and has an impeccable reputation. And those people who tend to see only the Frum side of the issue as Emes– think instead about trying to wait and see what the actual Emes is.
I think this is apparent not only here but in any case where the secular authorities accuse or arrest a religious individual for a crime. There are many religious Jews who immediately assume that an innocent party was accused and arrested by authorities with an anti religious agenda. The accused is almost always seen as an innocent victim falsely accused. The authorities are immediately vilified as Charedi bashers whose agenda is to single out Charedim for unfair prosecution and persecution.
There is no clearer example of this than the defenders of the Meah Shearim woman. As soon as she was arrested -the Meah Shearim crowd went to town and practically burned down the city of Jerusalem – or at least the Meah Shearim/Geula section. They immediately assumed that this was a government conspiracy to try and bring down an innocent Charedi woman.
This was followed up by some ‘fact finding’ which came up with scenarios that twisted the evidence into a conspiracy theory. The woman was always seen as completely blameless. Everyone else was a conspirator. The hospital staff, the Frum deputy head of the hospital, the police, the media - all conspired to blame an innocent woman for a crime and then punish her and her family for it – all because she was religious!
What is also true is that in the public debate there are many mainstream Charedim who tend to side with the protesters version of events – even while opposing their violent protests. Among the scenarios painted are:
The doctors were negligent. They did medical experiments on the child. There was a misdiagnosis whose treatment made the child sick - and a cover up when they realized it - throwing blame to the mother.
They considered every alternative scenario except the most obvious one, that the mother for some reason deliberately nearly starved her child to death. When the medical staff finally realized what was happening they called the authorities immediately. She was arrested and charged with a crime. Once the mother was out of the picture, they immediately started feeding the child whose health has since quickly been restored - taken from a state of starvation to a state of health.
Based on everything I’ve read this is the closest scenario to the truth. All the questions raised by her defenders do not persuade me that there was any foul play at all on the part of the medical staff. What it does persuade me of is the lengths they will go to twist the truth in favor of a Frum person and the lengths they go to villainize everyone else who is not Frum - in the process.
This is taking idea that being Dan L’Kaf Zechus – judging people favorably - to an absurd level. To always assume an accused Frum person is innocent and the non Frum accusers are always guilty of having an anti religious agenda - is not the idea behind being Dan L’Kaf Zechus. The idea is to give someone the benefit of the doubt when all things are equal. But when evidence points in the direction of guilt. Being Dan L’Kaf Zechus does not apply. What should apply is the search for Emes at that point.
This is exactly what happened in the Valis case. It is uncannily similar to this one. For those who do not recall, Valis was a young Charedi parent with an impeccable reputation who was accused and later convicted of killing his sickly infant in a moment of extreme frustration via a violent act.
Before his conviction the Charedi world was up in arms about this case. This young man was a highly valued member of his Charedi community. They believed he could not have possibly done what he was being accused of. And even though he confessed to the crime – his community was all over the police - claiming that the confession was coerced. This was obviously (to them) a case of Charedi bashing. They believed that this young man was not going to be given due process because he was Charedi.
He was eventually convicted of the crime and given a relatively light sentence of a few years in prison.
This was still not good enough for his defenders. The anti religious secular court obviously had an agenda with him too (all part of the government conspiracy against religious Jews) and convicted him on the flimsiest of circumstantial evidence – all because he was Charedi.
To some - Frum means innocent under virtually all circumstances.
The problem is that Emes trumps Frumkeit. Being Dan L’Kaf Zechus does not mean we ignore the truth. Unfortunately in certain circles they see only one truth. Their own.
But lately we haven’t much protest about the supposed injustice to Mr. Valis. Why? I’m not sure but I have just been told by a reliable very Charedi source that Rav Moshe Sternbuch has quietly supported the verdict. I don’t know if he has. But if so, I think people ought to be paying attention. He is not one to favor the Israeli police or court system. And he knows what being Dan L’Kf Zechus means.
So why wouldn’t he see what so many other saw in the Valis case… that the whole thing is a blood libel by an anti Frum government against a Frum Jew? Because he saw the truth and that trumped all the spinning in the name of being Dan L’Kaf Zechus.
When this woman has her day in court the facts are sure to come out - just as they did with Mr. Valis. The prosecution has already lined up 125 witnesses from Hadassah Hospital’s medical staff. And then there is that mysterious video that is supposedly very damning. I’m sure the court will look at that very carefully. And I am equally sure that the mother’s family and her entire community will see to it that she has the best legal counsel than money can buy.
Until then it would be most productive to not automatically assume her innocence as though it was a certainty just because she is Frum and has an impeccable reputation. And those people who tend to see only the Frum side of the issue as Emes– think instead about trying to wait and see what the actual Emes is.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Who is Righteous?
What makes someone a righteous Gentile? Does saving even one Jewish life even if it was not done with any risk qualify? What if it was a great Jewish leader? Does that matter?
This plus the facts surrounding one such individual is in part the core of a dispute between Holocaust expert Dr. Ephraim Zuroff- director of the Wiesenthal Center in Israel - and Chabad about a Nazi Naval officer who saved the life of Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Schneersohn -the Lubavitcher Rebbe of that era.
His name is Wilhelm Franz Canaris. He was an admiral in charge of intelligence operations for Hitler’s Third Reich - who was later involved in a failed coup attempt against Hitler and executed. Admiral Canaris saved one Jew - the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
There is some dispute about how this happened. Chabad believes he risked his life to do so and in any event saving the Rebbe alone merits him righteous gentile status. They cite a book written by Mr.Danny Orbach a doctoral student at Harvard who is researching German opposition to the Nazi regime.
According to a Jerusalem Post article:
Dr. Ephraim Zuroff, director of the Wiesenthal Center in Israel called Chabad's request "problematic."
"It smacks of a certain particularism," said Zuroff in a telephone interview. "It is not fair to judge Canaris by a specific good deed when at the same he was in the upper hierarchy of the Third Reich."
According to Dr. Zuroff it seems that one had to have risked his life in order to be considered a righteous gentile.
In a commentary attached to this article - Failed Messiah writes of a version of the rescue that contradicts the claim by Mr. Orbach and Chabad:
US Military Intelligence asked its German counterpart to save the rebbe. The US did so because a lobbyist Chabad hired – but never paid – worked nonstop for weeks on end to make the arrangements.
… what Canaris did to save the rebbe was done before US entry in WW2 and before Germany had shifted from mass killings of Jews to full fledged extermination. What he did to save the rebbe was not especially risky for him or for the men he sent to do the job.
This version is based on another book that Failed Messiah claims is more authoritative.
I am certainly not in a position to judge whether this particular individual risked his life or not. But the question remains. Does saving a Jewish life without endangering oneself merit being called righteous? I don’t know. But I do know that there are many such righteous gentiles who were not pure of heart or free of prejudice. And yet they saved Jewish lives during the holocaust at their own personal risk.
I remember seeing an interview of one such fellow who believe the Jews were collectively being now punished via the holocaust because of their ancestral ‘guilt’ in the crucifixion of their god. When Jews were being marched to the death camps down his town’s main street, he would put on his Sunday finery to observe this ‘divine retribution’. He felt it was his religious duty to do that.
And yet he saved many Jews during the holocaust hiding them in his home under penalty of death if he was discovered. Why did he do it? Because as a religious Roman Catholic he believed that saving human life was an imperative – no exceptions.
This man’s name is permanently ensconced in Yad VaShem as a righteous gentile. Is this correct?
What about those non Jews who saved Jews for money? Should they be in there? If one was a Nazi officer who swore loyalty to Hitler and his goals of genocide and yet saved even one Jew – even if it was easy – should he be denied? What about someone who was willing to risk his own life but not that of his family? Hiding Jews was a capital offense.
What if they hid Jews for only part of the war - and then fear took over and they expelled their Jewish ‘guests’? Should they be considered righteous even if they only risked their lives for a short while? My mother was hidden in the home of one such family during the early years of the war and then asked to leave. Were they righteous gentiles?
How pure must one’s motives be when saving a life? And how far must one go to do it - in order to qualify as a righteous gentile? I’m not sure I can answer the question.
This plus the facts surrounding one such individual is in part the core of a dispute between Holocaust expert Dr. Ephraim Zuroff- director of the Wiesenthal Center in Israel - and Chabad about a Nazi Naval officer who saved the life of Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Schneersohn -the Lubavitcher Rebbe of that era.
His name is Wilhelm Franz Canaris. He was an admiral in charge of intelligence operations for Hitler’s Third Reich - who was later involved in a failed coup attempt against Hitler and executed. Admiral Canaris saved one Jew - the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
There is some dispute about how this happened. Chabad believes he risked his life to do so and in any event saving the Rebbe alone merits him righteous gentile status. They cite a book written by Mr.Danny Orbach a doctoral student at Harvard who is researching German opposition to the Nazi regime.
According to a Jerusalem Post article:
Dr. Ephraim Zuroff, director of the Wiesenthal Center in Israel called Chabad's request "problematic."
"It smacks of a certain particularism," said Zuroff in a telephone interview. "It is not fair to judge Canaris by a specific good deed when at the same he was in the upper hierarchy of the Third Reich."
According to Dr. Zuroff it seems that one had to have risked his life in order to be considered a righteous gentile.
In a commentary attached to this article - Failed Messiah writes of a version of the rescue that contradicts the claim by Mr. Orbach and Chabad:
US Military Intelligence asked its German counterpart to save the rebbe. The US did so because a lobbyist Chabad hired – but never paid – worked nonstop for weeks on end to make the arrangements.
… what Canaris did to save the rebbe was done before US entry in WW2 and before Germany had shifted from mass killings of Jews to full fledged extermination. What he did to save the rebbe was not especially risky for him or for the men he sent to do the job.
This version is based on another book that Failed Messiah claims is more authoritative.
I am certainly not in a position to judge whether this particular individual risked his life or not. But the question remains. Does saving a Jewish life without endangering oneself merit being called righteous? I don’t know. But I do know that there are many such righteous gentiles who were not pure of heart or free of prejudice. And yet they saved Jewish lives during the holocaust at their own personal risk.
I remember seeing an interview of one such fellow who believe the Jews were collectively being now punished via the holocaust because of their ancestral ‘guilt’ in the crucifixion of their god. When Jews were being marched to the death camps down his town’s main street, he would put on his Sunday finery to observe this ‘divine retribution’. He felt it was his religious duty to do that.
And yet he saved many Jews during the holocaust hiding them in his home under penalty of death if he was discovered. Why did he do it? Because as a religious Roman Catholic he believed that saving human life was an imperative – no exceptions.
This man’s name is permanently ensconced in Yad VaShem as a righteous gentile. Is this correct?
What about those non Jews who saved Jews for money? Should they be in there? If one was a Nazi officer who swore loyalty to Hitler and his goals of genocide and yet saved even one Jew – even if it was easy – should he be denied? What about someone who was willing to risk his own life but not that of his family? Hiding Jews was a capital offense.
What if they hid Jews for only part of the war - and then fear took over and they expelled their Jewish ‘guests’? Should they be considered righteous even if they only risked their lives for a short while? My mother was hidden in the home of one such family during the early years of the war and then asked to leave. Were they righteous gentiles?
How pure must one’s motives be when saving a life? And how far must one go to do it - in order to qualify as a righteous gentile? I’m not sure I can answer the question.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Men Sitting Next to Women on a Bus
Is it permissible to sit behind a woman on a bus? What about next to a woman? If you are seated and she sits next to you, may you continue sitting there? What if there is an empty seat next to a woman. May one sit down next to her?
I am pleased to report that according to one Posek at least - the answer to all these questions is yes, provided one takes care to avoid Negiah - physical contact. This gives rise to questions about the very concept of Mehadrin buses – buses that are divided by sex. In Israel this means – men in the front and woman in the back. People who agitate for Mehadrin buses do so to avoid any possible intermingling of the sexes.
But are Mehadrin buses really necessary? Are they worth fighting for? Are they worth going to war for? Are they worth beating people up for? The answer to all of these questions is no.
In light of the above Psak it would seem that the desire for Mehadrin buses is not at all based in Halacha but primarily in the Hashkafic desire of Chasidim. Chasidim go to great lengths to avoid any interaction between the sexes. Way beyond what Halacha requires. And way beyond what most non Chasidic Charedim even require – let alone modern Orthodox Jews. Only Chasidim require it - and apparently not for Halachic reasons. That is probably why the Mehadrin buses from Monsey to Manhattan are nicknamed Chas-buses -‘Chas’ being the first syllable of the word Chasid. It was established by the Chasidim of Monsey who were the first Orthodox Jews to widely populate that area.
Mehadrin buses are not Halachic buses. Even Chasidim must realize that this is not a Halachic requirement. It is only to fulfill a Chasidic ‘Hidur’. Hence the name Mehadrin.
The word Mehadrin is rooted in the word Hidur, which means beautification. The concept of Hidur is based on the Pasuk: ‘Zeh Keli V’Anvehu’ – ‘This is my God and I will glorify Him’ (Shemos 15:2).
It is usually applied to various Mitzvos Eseh - positive commandments like - Tzitzis and Sukkah; Lulav and Esrog. The most famous example of Hidur Mitzvah is the way we light the Chanukah Menorah. Our custom is one of maximum Hidur (Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin) which is based on the Gemarah in Shabbos (21b). The primary requirement of this Mitzvah is to light only a single candle in every household every night of Chanukah.
The debate is over whether it is worth having Mehadrin buses in order to to avoid any possible contact whatsoever even though we are not required by Halacha to go to such lengths. One may ask, Why not? What’s to be lost if we go the ‘extra mile’ and separate the sexes on a bus?
The answer is very simple. It is a Bein Adam l’Chavero issue – man’s interaction with his fellow man. By supporting Mehadrin buses we are inconveniencing many people.
First there is the ‘back of the bus problem’. Why should woman sit at the back of the bus? The supposed answer to this is based on a Gemarah that forbids walking behind a woman. But that does not apply to a bus. The Gemarah says walking. Not sitting.
Even though some women have said they prefer the quiet and privacy of the back of the bus, far too many women consider it to be a second class area reserved for second class people. That is in fact how the back of the bus is looked at around the world. And I know from personal experience that the back of the bus is where the diesel fumes from the bus motors are the strongest. And the rumbling vibrations from the motor are felt the most. It makes me nauseous just thinking about it.
And then there is the problem of separating families on a crowded bus.
Imagine a family of tourists on a crowded Mehadrin bus in Israel. They do not know their way around and get on a crowded bus. The women are forced to go to the back and the men are in front out of sight from each other. Imagine one of them missing their stop. The men get off and the women don’t.
What about the elderly couple that need each other for support. A elderly man in ill health being helped by his wife. These are serious inconveniences that in my view do not justify a Hidur which is not required by Halacha at all.
And then there are all the Meah Shearim types who resort to violence at will. We all know about the infamous attack by them against Mrs. Miriam Shear who dared to sit in an unofficially designated men’s section of a virtually empty non Mehadrin bus. And there have been plenty more of those attacks since on other innocent people - as was the case with an older couple in Ramat Bet Shemesh.
It is for these reasons that all Mehadrin buses should be opposed. The Hidur involved for one segment does not outweigh the clear imperatives of Mentchlichkeit - the common decency one should have towards their fellow man. Especially when they are violated in the extreme by people with the Meah Shearim mentality. It would be one thing if this only affected their own people. But these buses are public and in areas where there are lots of tourists. It therefore affects all segments of Jewry not just residents of Meah Shearim.
One might ask, what about the fact that Negiah cannot be avoided because of the extremely crowded conditions on buses in places like Meah Shearim where public transportation is the primary means of travel? The answer to that is to add more buses – enough so that they will no longer be so crowded. That will more than satisfy the Halacha - even L’chatchila. Any crowded bus - separate or mixed - is uncomfortable. Even unhealthy!
One more thing. In case anyone is wondering which modern Orthodox Posek Paskined that one may sit next to a woman L’chatichila on a bus - it was Rav Chaim Kanievsky in a Sefer called Nezer HaChaim (Shaila 213 ; 214).
I am pleased to report that according to one Posek at least - the answer to all these questions is yes, provided one takes care to avoid Negiah - physical contact. This gives rise to questions about the very concept of Mehadrin buses – buses that are divided by sex. In Israel this means – men in the front and woman in the back. People who agitate for Mehadrin buses do so to avoid any possible intermingling of the sexes.
But are Mehadrin buses really necessary? Are they worth fighting for? Are they worth going to war for? Are they worth beating people up for? The answer to all of these questions is no.
In light of the above Psak it would seem that the desire for Mehadrin buses is not at all based in Halacha but primarily in the Hashkafic desire of Chasidim. Chasidim go to great lengths to avoid any interaction between the sexes. Way beyond what Halacha requires. And way beyond what most non Chasidic Charedim even require – let alone modern Orthodox Jews. Only Chasidim require it - and apparently not for Halachic reasons. That is probably why the Mehadrin buses from Monsey to Manhattan are nicknamed Chas-buses -‘Chas’ being the first syllable of the word Chasid. It was established by the Chasidim of Monsey who were the first Orthodox Jews to widely populate that area.
Mehadrin buses are not Halachic buses. Even Chasidim must realize that this is not a Halachic requirement. It is only to fulfill a Chasidic ‘Hidur’. Hence the name Mehadrin.
The word Mehadrin is rooted in the word Hidur, which means beautification. The concept of Hidur is based on the Pasuk: ‘Zeh Keli V’Anvehu’ – ‘This is my God and I will glorify Him’ (Shemos 15:2).
It is usually applied to various Mitzvos Eseh - positive commandments like - Tzitzis and Sukkah; Lulav and Esrog. The most famous example of Hidur Mitzvah is the way we light the Chanukah Menorah. Our custom is one of maximum Hidur (Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin) which is based on the Gemarah in Shabbos (21b). The primary requirement of this Mitzvah is to light only a single candle in every household every night of Chanukah.
The debate is over whether it is worth having Mehadrin buses in order to to avoid any possible contact whatsoever even though we are not required by Halacha to go to such lengths. One may ask, Why not? What’s to be lost if we go the ‘extra mile’ and separate the sexes on a bus?
The answer is very simple. It is a Bein Adam l’Chavero issue – man’s interaction with his fellow man. By supporting Mehadrin buses we are inconveniencing many people.
First there is the ‘back of the bus problem’. Why should woman sit at the back of the bus? The supposed answer to this is based on a Gemarah that forbids walking behind a woman. But that does not apply to a bus. The Gemarah says walking. Not sitting.
Even though some women have said they prefer the quiet and privacy of the back of the bus, far too many women consider it to be a second class area reserved for second class people. That is in fact how the back of the bus is looked at around the world. And I know from personal experience that the back of the bus is where the diesel fumes from the bus motors are the strongest. And the rumbling vibrations from the motor are felt the most. It makes me nauseous just thinking about it.
And then there is the problem of separating families on a crowded bus.
Imagine a family of tourists on a crowded Mehadrin bus in Israel. They do not know their way around and get on a crowded bus. The women are forced to go to the back and the men are in front out of sight from each other. Imagine one of them missing their stop. The men get off and the women don’t.
What about the elderly couple that need each other for support. A elderly man in ill health being helped by his wife. These are serious inconveniences that in my view do not justify a Hidur which is not required by Halacha at all.
And then there are all the Meah Shearim types who resort to violence at will. We all know about the infamous attack by them against Mrs. Miriam Shear who dared to sit in an unofficially designated men’s section of a virtually empty non Mehadrin bus. And there have been plenty more of those attacks since on other innocent people - as was the case with an older couple in Ramat Bet Shemesh.
It is for these reasons that all Mehadrin buses should be opposed. The Hidur involved for one segment does not outweigh the clear imperatives of Mentchlichkeit - the common decency one should have towards their fellow man. Especially when they are violated in the extreme by people with the Meah Shearim mentality. It would be one thing if this only affected their own people. But these buses are public and in areas where there are lots of tourists. It therefore affects all segments of Jewry not just residents of Meah Shearim.
One might ask, what about the fact that Negiah cannot be avoided because of the extremely crowded conditions on buses in places like Meah Shearim where public transportation is the primary means of travel? The answer to that is to add more buses – enough so that they will no longer be so crowded. That will more than satisfy the Halacha - even L’chatchila. Any crowded bus - separate or mixed - is uncomfortable. Even unhealthy!
One more thing. In case anyone is wondering which modern Orthodox Posek Paskined that one may sit next to a woman L’chatichila on a bus - it was Rav Chaim Kanievsky in a Sefer called Nezer HaChaim (Shaila 213 ; 214).
Monday, August 03, 2009
Was it a Hate Crime?
Last Saturday night - Motzoei Shabbos - a homosexual establishment in Tel Aviv was attacked by a gunman. Two people were murdered and 15 wounded. He then fled the scene. Police are currently on a manhunt for him.
No one yet knows who he is or where he came from. Nor is there any indication of motive. But that hasn’t stopped the speculation from flying. And much of the speculation runs toward this being a hate crime.
There is however no way of knowing that. This could have been the result of any number of reasons none of which had anything to do with hate.
But when it comes to hate crimes like this, the immediate thought goes to the religious community. They are seen as the natural enemy of the homosexual. They are seen as the ones with the motive for carrying out this kind of crime. And when I say religious, I don’t just mean Charedi. I mean religious people of all stripes including non Jews.
This is an understandable if incorrect assumption. Most mainstream religions see the homosexual act as not only a sin but an abomination. The Torah clearly says so: ‘a man shall not lie (with another man) as he lies with a woman - it is an abomination’ (Leviticus 18:22).
Unfortunately this has led to some really nasty attitudes about homosexuals. None of which is justified. As I have written many times, it is the behavior that is to be condemned not the individual who is predisposed to it.
It is also very clear to even the most rabid homophobe who is religious that murder is not an option. Murder is murder by any standard. Especially the Torah standard. So speculation that this was some sort of hate crime by any religious Jew is premature. Even if gunman is captured and found to be an otherwise religious Jew, it would make him a very sick religious Jew. And as I said - it is far from certain that the murderer is in any way religious.
The Charedi media therefore takes rightful umbrage at those who might be insinuating that the gunman must be from their ranks. This is apparently the discussion going on in the Charedi blogosphere. The chat there is that the homosexual community unfairly blames the murder on Charedi incitement. And indeed they do. From the Jerusalem Post:
Sources in the gay community have placed some of the blame for the attack on Shas, the Sephardi haredi party, whose members have made disparaging remarks about homosexuals in the past. Shas Chairman Eli Yishai and Shas MK Nissim Ze'ev, who have made headlines in recent years for their verbal attacks on homosexuals, were singled out for special criticism.
So it is understandable that some of their anger is directed toward the religious Shas members.
One can understand the repugnance many heterosexuals feel toward homosexual behavior. But it is unfair to judge homosexuals from that perspective. One must first walk a mile in another’s shoes before judging them.
Whether it is a genetic component that predisposes ones sexual orientation or an environmental one - one thing seems certain. That orientation is usually established long before one is even aware of it. To the person who is attracted to the same sex it is far from repugnant.
We should not therefore condemn the Taavah of same sex attraction. We ought to try instead to be compassionate and understanding. This does not mean we should permit acting on it of course. The Torah does consider it a serious sin. But one should look at the sin and not the sinner. One must have compassion, understanding, and respect for other human beings regardless of their sexual orientation. For who among us has not been tempted to sin in one way or another - and even succumbed? It is in the resistance to temptation that we are tested and rewarded.
I have no easy answers for homosexuals. I can’t approve of a lifestyle that the Torah disapproves of. But what I can do is respect their human dignity and realize that we have no right to hate them or incite violence toward them. And when they are attacked by haters - we must stand in solidarity with their essential humanity as victims of hate no less than any other victim of hate.
So even if the gunman who murdered these two Jews is not found to stem from among the religious – it does not excuse the kind of rhetoric that comes out of some religious circles. That helps no one. It just creates bad feelings and contributes to a climate of hate that may have contributed to this murder.
To that end I must say that the attitude of Hamodia as quoted in the Jerusalem Post is disappointing if not surprising. This would have been a golden opportunity to address the issue in a positive and compassionate way. Instead they chose to ignore the incident because they don’t want their children asking questions. This is understandable but in the end – unhelpful. In my view it contributes to the homophobic and hateful attitude in communities like these. Wouldn’t it have been better to use this opportunity to teach tolerance – not of the sin but of the sinner - rather than allow fear, disgust, and hatred to prevail?
No one yet knows who he is or where he came from. Nor is there any indication of motive. But that hasn’t stopped the speculation from flying. And much of the speculation runs toward this being a hate crime.
There is however no way of knowing that. This could have been the result of any number of reasons none of which had anything to do with hate.
But when it comes to hate crimes like this, the immediate thought goes to the religious community. They are seen as the natural enemy of the homosexual. They are seen as the ones with the motive for carrying out this kind of crime. And when I say religious, I don’t just mean Charedi. I mean religious people of all stripes including non Jews.
This is an understandable if incorrect assumption. Most mainstream religions see the homosexual act as not only a sin but an abomination. The Torah clearly says so: ‘a man shall not lie (with another man) as he lies with a woman - it is an abomination’ (Leviticus 18:22).
Unfortunately this has led to some really nasty attitudes about homosexuals. None of which is justified. As I have written many times, it is the behavior that is to be condemned not the individual who is predisposed to it.
It is also very clear to even the most rabid homophobe who is religious that murder is not an option. Murder is murder by any standard. Especially the Torah standard. So speculation that this was some sort of hate crime by any religious Jew is premature. Even if gunman is captured and found to be an otherwise religious Jew, it would make him a very sick religious Jew. And as I said - it is far from certain that the murderer is in any way religious.
The Charedi media therefore takes rightful umbrage at those who might be insinuating that the gunman must be from their ranks. This is apparently the discussion going on in the Charedi blogosphere. The chat there is that the homosexual community unfairly blames the murder on Charedi incitement. And indeed they do. From the Jerusalem Post:
Sources in the gay community have placed some of the blame for the attack on Shas, the Sephardi haredi party, whose members have made disparaging remarks about homosexuals in the past. Shas Chairman Eli Yishai and Shas MK Nissim Ze'ev, who have made headlines in recent years for their verbal attacks on homosexuals, were singled out for special criticism.
So it is understandable that some of their anger is directed toward the religious Shas members.
One can understand the repugnance many heterosexuals feel toward homosexual behavior. But it is unfair to judge homosexuals from that perspective. One must first walk a mile in another’s shoes before judging them.
Whether it is a genetic component that predisposes ones sexual orientation or an environmental one - one thing seems certain. That orientation is usually established long before one is even aware of it. To the person who is attracted to the same sex it is far from repugnant.
We should not therefore condemn the Taavah of same sex attraction. We ought to try instead to be compassionate and understanding. This does not mean we should permit acting on it of course. The Torah does consider it a serious sin. But one should look at the sin and not the sinner. One must have compassion, understanding, and respect for other human beings regardless of their sexual orientation. For who among us has not been tempted to sin in one way or another - and even succumbed? It is in the resistance to temptation that we are tested and rewarded.
I have no easy answers for homosexuals. I can’t approve of a lifestyle that the Torah disapproves of. But what I can do is respect their human dignity and realize that we have no right to hate them or incite violence toward them. And when they are attacked by haters - we must stand in solidarity with their essential humanity as victims of hate no less than any other victim of hate.
So even if the gunman who murdered these two Jews is not found to stem from among the religious – it does not excuse the kind of rhetoric that comes out of some religious circles. That helps no one. It just creates bad feelings and contributes to a climate of hate that may have contributed to this murder.
To that end I must say that the attitude of Hamodia as quoted in the Jerusalem Post is disappointing if not surprising. This would have been a golden opportunity to address the issue in a positive and compassionate way. Instead they chose to ignore the incident because they don’t want their children asking questions. This is understandable but in the end – unhelpful. In my view it contributes to the homophobic and hateful attitude in communities like these. Wouldn’t it have been better to use this opportunity to teach tolerance – not of the sin but of the sinner - rather than allow fear, disgust, and hatred to prevail?
The Bad News is…
I have really had it with all this negative news lately. It almost feels like Tisha B’Av isn’t over yet. I spent the better part of the morning trying mightily to find some positive or inspiring news in the Orthodox world to comment upon.
I could not find a single story.
I know that such stories exist. I have written about them in the past. But we have unfortunately been so plagued with one negative story after another that there hasn’t been any room for positive stories anywhere.
And the bad news doesn’t stop. Yet another Orthodox Jew involved in a money laundering scam and other illegal financial activities - hit much of the news media this morning! When I read about it - I just wanted to scream. How much can one say about such things before sounding like a broken record?
So I purposely stayed away from it. My views on this subject are well known by even the occasional reader of my blog.
I mention all this now because I want to everyone to know that I at least tried. And I am still trying. On that note - if anyone does know of an inspirational story of recent vintage I will be happy to post it as a guest post. Please e-mail me at: hmaryles@yahoo.com.
I could not find a single story.
I know that such stories exist. I have written about them in the past. But we have unfortunately been so plagued with one negative story after another that there hasn’t been any room for positive stories anywhere.
And the bad news doesn’t stop. Yet another Orthodox Jew involved in a money laundering scam and other illegal financial activities - hit much of the news media this morning! When I read about it - I just wanted to scream. How much can one say about such things before sounding like a broken record?
So I purposely stayed away from it. My views on this subject are well known by even the occasional reader of my blog.
I mention all this now because I want to everyone to know that I at least tried. And I am still trying. On that note - if anyone does know of an inspirational story of recent vintage I will be happy to post it as a guest post. Please e-mail me at: hmaryles@yahoo.com.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Of Blood Libels, Protestors, and Leadership
Once again the Charedi magazine – Mishpacha - has weighed in on the troubling issues of the day. One of those issues is the case of the Meah Shearim mother who allegedly starved her child.
They got a hold of the hospital medical records and say those records raise more questions than they provide answers. This gives no victory to either side of the argument. Indeed as they go through what happened to this child it shows a very complex series of events that led to the current crisis.
It’s true that the medical records are complex. But it is also clear that the suspicions by the medical staff were well founded and not sourced at all in any Charedi bias. I therefore disagree with the idea that it raises more questions than it answers. That’s because of the highlighted Mishpacha interview of Dr. Yair Birnbaum. Dr. Birnbaum is the Frum deputy director of Hadassah Ein Kerem, where the child was hospitalized at the time of his mother’s arrest.
Suspicions that the hospital participated in some sort of conspiracy to starve the child and then blame the mother in order to cover up a misdiagnosis - should be completely laid to rest. It is fairly obvious that the hospital staff consistently acted entirely in the child’s best interests.
They reported the mother to the authorities when they concluded that harm to the child was very likely caused by her own hand. Much of the misdiagnosis and failed treatment was based on the mother’s own word. That resulted in inserting a feeding tube which had proved useless in treating the ‘mystery’ disorder – as the child continued to fail to thrive.
Dr. Birnbaum stated that the instruction to insert a feeding tube was given after the mother reported vomiting and stomachaches as soon as he even began to eat. He is now certain that she lied.
That certainty probably came when they caught her removing feeding tubes via a hidden camera. They removed the mother completely from the child’s care - removed the feeding tube and started feeding him by mouth. He started recovering almost immediately and gained enough weight to be released from the hospital this weekend.
The evidence seems to show that the mother is indeed guilty of starving her child. Whether she is suffering from the rare psychological disease of Munchhausen's by Proxy - or is some diabolical psychopath is for the courts to determine and immaterial as far as I am concerned. I believe that she is a danger to the child either way. That said - I think she ought to have her day in court. Let her hire the best attorneys available. Let all the facts come out there.
Unfortunately the wild animals of Meah Shearim do not want to be confused with facts, they have been distributing pamphlets that accuse the hospital of a blood libel against a loving mother. So far protesters in Meah Sheraim have turned Jerusalem into a battle field. Its streets look like the ruins of war.
Jerusalem was ablaze with burning dumpsters during the nine days. And who was responsible for this? Not the ancient Babylonians. Not the ancient Romans. But people wearing Kaoptes and black felt hats; Shtreimals and Gartels; Men with long beards and long Peyos. People who are extremely careful with all the minutia of ritual law.
It is well past time to recognize that these people are not just some group of young renegades – hoodlums with time on their hands. To be sure it included them. But it was not only them. This is an organized bunch of people who are supported at least quietly by their leaders.
I say this knowing full well that those leaders have said they oppose the violence. I don’t believe them. At least I don't believe they oppose it enough to make them stop. Not when one of the protest leaders, Shmuel Pappenheim, says things like ‘we are sending in our own army’ – when speaking of his protesters.
And it isn’t only about this Meah Shearim mother that they are protesting. Let us not forget the violent protests against that municipal parking lot opening up on Shabbos.
How violent? Violent enough on have 15 protesters arrested in the latest one. Violent enough to have a police officer bitten by a protester. 6 weeks in a row of protests like this. The Edah keeps calling for peaceful protests. But there is nothing peaceful about them. The Edah doesn’t care as they continue calling fore these protests week after week.
Add all this up and I cannot understand why other more mainstream Charedi leaders do not completely condemn them. Not just their acts. Not just the protesters. But their sympathizers and their leaders.
I’ve called for a boycott of the Edah Hechsher. I now call upon the masses of Charedim who I know sympathize with my views here to petition their Gedolim – both here and in Israel - to somehow let them know how devastated they are by what these Meah Shearim people are doing to Yiddsihkeit. They must publicly ostracize them – all of them. Mainstream Charedi leaders must let them know that they will no longer be considered a part of Klal Yisroel – any more than Neturei Karta members who embrace Ahmadinejad are.
They will very likely ignore it. But it is high time they paid a price for it.
They got a hold of the hospital medical records and say those records raise more questions than they provide answers. This gives no victory to either side of the argument. Indeed as they go through what happened to this child it shows a very complex series of events that led to the current crisis.
It’s true that the medical records are complex. But it is also clear that the suspicions by the medical staff were well founded and not sourced at all in any Charedi bias. I therefore disagree with the idea that it raises more questions than it answers. That’s because of the highlighted Mishpacha interview of Dr. Yair Birnbaum. Dr. Birnbaum is the Frum deputy director of Hadassah Ein Kerem, where the child was hospitalized at the time of his mother’s arrest.
Suspicions that the hospital participated in some sort of conspiracy to starve the child and then blame the mother in order to cover up a misdiagnosis - should be completely laid to rest. It is fairly obvious that the hospital staff consistently acted entirely in the child’s best interests.
They reported the mother to the authorities when they concluded that harm to the child was very likely caused by her own hand. Much of the misdiagnosis and failed treatment was based on the mother’s own word. That resulted in inserting a feeding tube which had proved useless in treating the ‘mystery’ disorder – as the child continued to fail to thrive.
Dr. Birnbaum stated that the instruction to insert a feeding tube was given after the mother reported vomiting and stomachaches as soon as he even began to eat. He is now certain that she lied.
That certainty probably came when they caught her removing feeding tubes via a hidden camera. They removed the mother completely from the child’s care - removed the feeding tube and started feeding him by mouth. He started recovering almost immediately and gained enough weight to be released from the hospital this weekend.
The evidence seems to show that the mother is indeed guilty of starving her child. Whether she is suffering from the rare psychological disease of Munchhausen's by Proxy - or is some diabolical psychopath is for the courts to determine and immaterial as far as I am concerned. I believe that she is a danger to the child either way. That said - I think she ought to have her day in court. Let her hire the best attorneys available. Let all the facts come out there.
Unfortunately the wild animals of Meah Shearim do not want to be confused with facts, they have been distributing pamphlets that accuse the hospital of a blood libel against a loving mother. So far protesters in Meah Sheraim have turned Jerusalem into a battle field. Its streets look like the ruins of war.
Jerusalem was ablaze with burning dumpsters during the nine days. And who was responsible for this? Not the ancient Babylonians. Not the ancient Romans. But people wearing Kaoptes and black felt hats; Shtreimals and Gartels; Men with long beards and long Peyos. People who are extremely careful with all the minutia of ritual law.
It is well past time to recognize that these people are not just some group of young renegades – hoodlums with time on their hands. To be sure it included them. But it was not only them. This is an organized bunch of people who are supported at least quietly by their leaders.
I say this knowing full well that those leaders have said they oppose the violence. I don’t believe them. At least I don't believe they oppose it enough to make them stop. Not when one of the protest leaders, Shmuel Pappenheim, says things like ‘we are sending in our own army’ – when speaking of his protesters.
And it isn’t only about this Meah Shearim mother that they are protesting. Let us not forget the violent protests against that municipal parking lot opening up on Shabbos.
How violent? Violent enough on have 15 protesters arrested in the latest one. Violent enough to have a police officer bitten by a protester. 6 weeks in a row of protests like this. The Edah keeps calling for peaceful protests. But there is nothing peaceful about them. The Edah doesn’t care as they continue calling fore these protests week after week.
Add all this up and I cannot understand why other more mainstream Charedi leaders do not completely condemn them. Not just their acts. Not just the protesters. But their sympathizers and their leaders.
I’ve called for a boycott of the Edah Hechsher. I now call upon the masses of Charedim who I know sympathize with my views here to petition their Gedolim – both here and in Israel - to somehow let them know how devastated they are by what these Meah Shearim people are doing to Yiddsihkeit. They must publicly ostracize them – all of them. Mainstream Charedi leaders must let them know that they will no longer be considered a part of Klal Yisroel – any more than Neturei Karta members who embrace Ahmadinejad are.
They will very likely ignore it. But it is high time they paid a price for it.
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