30 Nissan, 5786, Tazria/ Metzorah
(version 8B)
"What's Wrong w/ the Szmerla Book"* - "for Dummies"
* Alternative (sic) Medicine (sic) In Halacha" (sic), by a "Rabbi" Rephoel Szmerla (currently operating out of Lakewood, originally from France).
כשיש עבודה זרה בעולם, יש חרון אף בעולם.
Here a some useful "one-liners," for those without the ability, time, or patience to delve into more than that. Page citations are from the first edition (2017CE), and may differ slightly in the second variant (2020CE).
The main purpose of this presentation is to:
1. encapsulate some (not all) of the primary objections to the book - and its author(s);
2. provide short "talking-points" to those who need or want that type of encapsulation, either because
(a) they need a synopsis of an objection that they can understand on their own, without reliance on additional info, or delving more into the issues, or because
(b) they simply seek to identify the basic motivations of opponents of the book/ author(s), even if they themselves don't personally seek to understand the details enough to formulate a view on the matter.
It should be emphasized here that many - if not all - of the objections enumerated below apply even if one takes the (erroneous) position that some or all of the practices/ techniques the book purports to permit could somehow be performed in a manner avoiding transgression.
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Rephoel Szmerla also goes by an alternative spelling: Raphael Szmarla (all A's,) online, as he does here, on Psychedelics in Halacha, something revealingly close to his heart:
(Link Forwarded: Apr 13, 2026)
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1). His writings have been banned by prominent Rabbis.
The book - and all subsequent writings of the author - were banned -- by over a dozen prominent Rabbonim soon after publication in 2017 -- due to its heretical content.
The ban against New-Age advocate Rephoel Szmerla, author of "Alternative Medicine In Halacha", כי אני ד' רופאך, is posted here:
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2). Szmerla & Co. are evangelizing for foreign religions - including both Avoda-Zorah and Kefirah - among Orthodox Jews.
More specifically, the book "Alternative Medicine In Halacha" ("AMIH",) openly promotes Taoist and New-Age doctrine. Taoism (aka "Daoism") is one of the main religions of China. "New-Age" describes a western- marketed cesspool of Eastern religions, Occultism (systems of sorcery combined with Avoda Zorah), and other forms of Avoda Zorah, both ancient and modern.
For one prominent example, the foreign doctrine that he promotes includes the foundational notion of Q-i/ Ch-i, which is a heretical (and Avoda-Zorah) term, as we demonstrated in our 5768 Kuntrus "Mishmeres HaKodesh;" see the beginning of part 3.
Specifically, on page 39, Szmerla dramatically fails to refute this primary objection to his attempt to incorporate Ch-i into Judaism. This fundamental objection undermines his entire New-Age theology, and much of his book along with it.
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3). The book is a fraud.
AMIH consistently misrepresents the facts, by regularly quoting New-Age sources as if they are authorities on matters of science/ metziyus, e.g. New-Age missionary guru Richard Gerber, y.s., from his book Vibrational Medicine. Thus, the primary quality which the writer of the Forward (starting p. xxxv) extolled - paskening after an accurate determination of facts - is precisely the area in which the book is most derelict, and in a most grandstanding, hypocritical manner.
Also see objection 6.
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4). The book is simply unhinged.
AMIH is full of ludicrous statements and ridiculous arguments. See objection 5 for two telling examples, of many. See also objection 18.
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Magical Thinking:
5a). Szmerla promotes even long-distance energy-healing/ energy-work as natural, beneficial, and permitted in Jewish Law (p. 40-43).
5b). He similarly whitewashes NewAge long- distance diagnostic techniques, called Remote Testing (p. 86-88).*
(* There he seems to be referring specifically to muscle testing on one person to determine information about another person far away. However, there are other NewAge techniques of long distance testing/ "diagnosis.")
Such long-distance methods clearly do not work naturally (על פי דרכו של עולם). Thus, they are at best unreliable nonsense -- and, alternatively, Avoda Zorah/ heretically-attributed Kishuf/ Kosaim techniques.
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Hide-and-Run Heteirim:
6). Szmerla fails to even describe the actual techniques involved in energy-healing, one of the primary New-Age practices he purports to permit (p. 25-26).
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7). Ju-Budu: He whitewashes Buddhism (p. 46, par. 1).
8). Rooted in Antiquity... "Back to tradition..."
מתחילה עובדי ע"ז היו אבותינו...
Szmerla downplays the severity of Hinduism (p. 135).
10). With similar recklessness, he whitewashes Yoga (p. 132-136).
11). He whitewashes Reik-i (p. 43-47).
"...רק הוא - מכם."
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12). Szmerla infiltrates both (a) anti-Torah missionaries and (b) their heretical missionary propaganda into the Orthodox Jewish community, and, by extension, throughout the Jewish world.
The book AMIH serves as a water-carrier for some of the most virulently anti-Torah New-Age missionaries, e.g. Theosophy-devotee Richard Gerber, y.s. (e.g. p. 2, 11, 39).
Gerber, in the Acknowledgements to his Vibrational Medicine, identified a "Who's Who" list of Theosophy devotees who had tremendous influence on his approach. The Theosophical Society was cofounded in 1875CE in NYC, by Russian occultist Madame Helena Petrovina Blavatsky y.s. (and Col. Olcott). She's considered the Grandmother of the "New Age" movement. Blavatsky was virulently anti-Torah, as was one of her leading followers, Alice A. Bailey, y.s., founder of Lucifer Trust (now Lucis Trust) in NYC.
Bailey openly denied the divinity of HaShem (Esoteric Healing, p. 393). She also identified (in Externalization of the Hierarchy, p. 544, 551) one of their major goals as "the gradual dissolution ... of the Orthodox Jewish faith..."
It's G-d-haters such as these that Richard Gerber is an apostle of.
To allow any Theosophy devotee any entrance into the Jewish community is an abomination. How much more so one as suave as Gerber.
And Szmerla & Co. perpetrates all of this - and in the name of Torah as well.
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13). The Szmerla book literally endangers lives.
Despite the perfunctory disclaimer at the outset, the entire warp and woof of the book is an ongoing performance, perpetrating a deceptive rejection of sound medical theory and practice, under the guise of Halacha. By misrepresenting the realia, metziyus, according to far-Eastern/ NewAge missionary doctrine, the naïve readers are led to imagine that actually medical science has it all wrong - is totally missing the boat. Ideas, both true and false, have consequences.
The readers well understand the implications of the heretical, anti-scientific ideology presented, as well as they understand the legal need for a perfunctory disclaimer. Thus, the latter does not render the former less than lethal.
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14). Szmerla deceptively misrepresents/ dismisses objections of Rav Yisroel Belsky ZT"L, among other opponents of his, e.g. p. 29, note 8; p. 75-76, note 76).
Rav Belsky, who had communicated with Szmerla & Co., has choice words for more than one of those parties involved in the book. For them to seek revenge posthumously is what you'd expect from those who struggle to make a straight argument.
And we are to believe that they honestly accept the authority of Torah sages...
15). Szmerla deceptively dismisses the objection of the Steipler Gaon, who identified what appears to be a common form of hands-on energy-healing as Kishuf (Orchos Rabbeinu 1, p. 290).
16). Ziyuf HaTorah:
The author(s) commit(s) these distortions in the name of Torah. They even drag in holy sources of Kabbalah to "sanction" these distortions.
Their unbridled temerity knows no bounds.
Rav Aharon Kotler, ZT"L, identified distortion of the Torah - Ziyuf HaTorah - as the gravest threat to Judaism (Mishnas Reb Aharon, 1:2:3:6).
17). The authors built their campaign on deception of Rabbis, including Rabbis who don't read English, or can't research the facts to evaluate if they're being taken in.
Their well-masked disrespect for authentic Torah authority also manifests itself in seeking to deceive prominent Rabbis with their suave tactics, including those tactics identified in 3 and 6 above. For details on how, see notes to 3.
18). Laitzonus and Kallus:
One observer noted the astounding level of kallus, absolute laxity, with which the authors relate to the Cardinal-Sins of Avoda Zorah and kefirah, as well as the serious sins of Kishuf, sorcery, at stake here. This in part is demonstrated by the ludicrousness of the statements and arguments made throughout the book, as note above (4).
19). Their pronounced inability to distinguish between truth and falsehood.
There were those in Jewish History who possessed the ability to separate the good from the bad in extraction of elements of truth from otherwise heretical sources. In general, we've lacked such authorities since at least the time of the Schach, one of the premier commentators on Shulchan Aruch, who lived at the time of the Chimilnetzki pogroms in Ukraine (1648-49CE).
The recklessness of the authors of AMIH demonstrates that even if such people do exist nowadays, the authors certainly do not qualify by any stretch.
20). The book's author requires investigation into any association with dope-dealers trafficking in a dangerous, proliferating hallucinogenic drug called Ayahuasca, a controlled-substance. In light of the above, these multiple accusations must be looked into very seriously: see Sefer Chofetz Chaim, Lashon Harah, 8:5, and BM"C 9, citing ibid. 7:5.
In addition to many more objections.
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Notes:
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3) Callers to our hotline should be aware that, in general, whatever materials we send out to illustrate objections to various NewAge techniques may prove necessary, but - on their own - are not *sufficient* to properly present the Shailah in full. To do so generally requires our direct interaction with the Rov/ Moreh Hora'ah being approached.
This is because those with a desire to permit the multitude of New-Age practices have more than enough experience in providing excuses and diversionary arguments, whose flaws may be overlooked by Rabbonim not "Ligging" (being sufficiently versed) in these arcane matters.
Thus, what seems to the average uninformed Rov as a reasonable "natural explanation" usually, on examination by those in the know, is exposed to be false, and, worse, yet another sample of NewAge techniques based on NewAge ideology. Thus, such heteirim are as worthless as the myths on which they're based.
This is a pervasive example of an "explanation" potentially being even more objectionable than the technique they purport to permit, as per the Rambam in Hilchos Avoda Zorah 2:2-3. Most of the so called "heterim" for these NewAge practices fall into this category.
One of the Torah sages of the previous generation exhorted:
It's Assur to be a Tipish!"
(It's prohibited to be a fool.)
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Please call/text 771.215.8892 if you would be agreeably to sharing in this work. Neshamos are being lost to heretical theology masquerading as Torah daily because otherwise good people continue to do nothing.
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"מאריך אפיה - וגביה דיליה."
נתן שמואל לייטער
Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter,
Executive Director,
Tomim Tih'yeh - countering New-Age influences for over 25 years
845.642.1679
Direct: 771.215.8892
Israeli Helpline: 03.721.3337 עזרה בארץ ישראל
Presentations on New-Age dangers: 605-313-6831 ext. 2 לשיעורים
Tomim Tih'yeh: tomim1679@gmail.com
Heard weekly on New Jersey's WSNR Radio 620AM, on the renowned LevinAt11 program, every Thursday evening, 11pm to midnight (Eastern Time).
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