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Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Table of contents for Daas Torah Selected Blog posts

 Introduction 18

Dedication 19

The impact of the Daas Torah Blog 20

A person should always strive to be like others - Me'urav im habrios? 21

Abuse: If your child reports being abused - What would you do? 22

Abuse:Children are valid witnesses I 23

Abuse:Does a victim have to forgive abuser if he asks three times? 24

Abuse:Emotional abuse - Embarrassing with strong praise? 26

Abuse:Emotional abuse in Jewish sources: Reish Lakish 27

Abuse:Emotional abuse produces overly fragile children? 28

Abuse:Frum halachic concerns about abuse 29

Abuse:Verbal abuse is prohibited only if the person is helpless 30

Abuse:Verbal abusers mistakenly feel superior to Jewish victim - Alshech 32

Agada & Kabbala - learning things beyond comprehension 34

Agada must be accepted as true? 35

Age of the Universe 37

Aguna - What happens to celebrity media star liars when the truth comes out? 38

Altering Torah laws when they become a problem 39

Angels: Belief in Angels is required 40

Angels:Conscious beings with free will 41

Angels:Fallen 42

Angels:Free will and punishment 43

Angels:judge and kill 44

Angels:Natural forces 45

Angels:Not always intermediaries 46

Angels:Rav Tzadok 47

Angels:Worshipping angels is prohibited 48

Angels:Praying to Angels? 49

Ascertaining Ratzon HaShem: How do we know what G-d wants us to do? 50

Assisted martyrdom:Desirable or is it murder? 51

Astrology: Stars are intelligent beings 52

Astrology:Effort is worthless against mazel ! 53

Astrology:Jews - Meiri 54

Astrology:Jews not absolutely determined by Mazel 55

Astrology:Mazel is changed by G-d 56

Astrology:Stars are conscious beings? 57

Authority:Accepting G-d's authority is difficult for Jews 58

Authority:An Amora had the potential right to disagree with a Tanna 59

Authority:Chazal because of their superior knowledge of truth. 60

Authority:Gedolim  Because they are accepted - not because of their knowledge 61

Authority:Making up sources 62

Authority:Midgets standing on giants 63

Authority:Obeying Rabbinic authority even when they are wrong? 64

Authority:Obligation  to accept everything said by the tzadik of the generation 65

Authority:Psak is different for post-Talmudic authorites who lack ruach hakodesh 66

Authority:Rabbinic authority today? 67

Authority:Scientific statements of our Sages 68

Authority:Shmuel in his generation is like Yiftach in his generation 69

Authority:Shulchan Aruch is the default view only when Achronim are deadlocked 71

Authority:Words of our Sages are from G-d 72

Avraham and his descendants were punished 73

Avraham as source of magic 74

Banning a posek who errs and tells a married woman she can marry another man - Does it matter if the facts presented to the posek are not true? 75

Bar Kochbar - most doubted that he was Messiah 76

Bein adam l'chavero sins - only if done to hurt & vanquish the other 77

Belief that a Rebbe is like an angel and Emunas Chochomim 78

Believability 79

Beracha "Didn't make me a woman" - Magen Avraham 80

Best not to study Hashkofah but to have simple faith 81

Between a rock and a hard place 82

Bitachon 83

Blessing of Tzadikim 84

Brain Death - Rav Shabtsai Rappaport reports his discussion with his grandfather Rav Moshe Feinstein 85

Breslover Joke from Rav Yaakov Meir Schechter 86

Brothers and Sisters in Silver Spring - Wake up! It is deal time for Tamar and you are messing it up big time 87

Calling police for Jewish owned house of prostitution 88

Capital punishment:Rav Moshe Feinstein & Maharam Shick 89

Challenges are good or to be avoided? 91

Chanifa:Acting differently than what you feel is viewed by Chazal as a serious sin - So why do they require being me'urav im habrios (acting like everyone else) even while your true thoughts and feelings are never revealed? 92

Chanifa:Why flattering the rich is not only permitted but required 93

Chareidim and the reality of propaganda 94

Charity given with wife's assistance - still considered giving secretly/ Heter of Chazon Ish to speak lashon harah to wife 95

Chasam Sofer:Ruach Hakodesh of poslkim - is not binding authority 96

Chasam Sofer:Seek truth - don't be concerned to please others and win their approval 97

Chasam Sofer: Women superior to men? 98

Chasam Sofer:Explanations need to agree with scientific reality 99

Chazal believed in existence of demons and evil eye 100

Chazal have disputes only on correct viewpoint - all they say is true 101

Chazon Ish: Ruach Hakodesh is intellect joined with the Divine 102

Chazon Ish: True moderation can only be achieved as failure to achieve perfection 103

Child abuse:Bringing out the crazies 104

Child's education vs honoring father? 105

Chofetz Chaim:Chazon Ish & Rav Kook 106

Chofetz Chaim:Disagrees with Rabbeinu Yona about lashon harah said in public 107

Chofetz Chaim:Disapproved of the Netziv's criticism of the delegitimzing of religious maskilim and religious Zionists 108

Chofetz Chaim:Speaking lashon harah when angry at assailant? 109

Christianity:Avoiding 111

Commonsense is subordinate to Tradition 112

Commonsense morality and empathy can be corrupted by religion and theology 113

Consequences of religious anti-intellectualism 115

Contradiction between new 9th vol of Igros Moshe & older volumes regarding Magen Avraham & Shema 116

Conversion - Why Minor Mitzvos dissuade conversion 117

Conversion can be declared invalid 118

Conversion of intermarried couples is very problematic 120

Corporal Punishment & Gedolim 121

Corporality: Rambam's inconsistent views 122

Daas Torah A layman  can never ever criticize a Rabbi. Even it causes some to sin 124

Daas Torah first failure 125

Daas Torah means not only total obedience but an inability to judge gedolim 126

Daas Torah: Divrei Chaim claimed heretic mislead gedolim to write that they agreed with him 127

Daas Torah:Ramchal - knowledge obtained through ruach hakodesh is infallible 128

Daas Torah:Wife disagreed with Daas Torah 129

Dan l'chaf zechus - What is the obligation to judge favorably? 130

Dangerous times - G-d's anger 132

Dangers of losing grasp of G-d's personality is worse than dangers of corporality 133

Dating:Don't play house: Rav Moshe's advice for shidduchim 134

Dating:Social Dating 135

Daughters inheriting: Forcing the involvement of secular courts instead of beis din 136

Dedication Hebrew Yad Yisroel 137

Dedication of Child Abuse Book to Mrs. Judy Young A”H 138

Demons 139

Demons:Abaye banished demons 140

Demons:Beis Mamikdash and demons 141

Demons:Going out alone at night is prohibited today because of demons? 143

Demons:Kotzer Rambam's psak eliminated demons 144

Demons:Nonsense 145

Demons:Rav Tzadok 146

Demons:Three weeks are period of danger from demons 147

Destroying Television to Stop Sin? 148

Disagreements are bad in Torah study? 149

Divine Providence 150

Divorce Tragedies - Letter to Jewish Press 151

Divorce:Who gets custody of Kids? 152

Divorcee covering head 153

Doctors:Are only a minhag 154

Doctors:Obligation to use 155

Does effort in observing tznius guarantee parnasa? 156

Does sending girls to collect charity violate "the honor of the princess is to stay inside" 157

Don't ask a rebbe for secular advise 159

Drinking water at night? 160

Dybuk is mental illness 161

Education interferes with faith 162

Education not to be a fool - "A fool is one who believes everything" Mishlei 14:15) 163

Eilu v' Eilu: No disputes in the Talmud, Agada or Kabbala - 166

Eliyahu - who was he? 167

Empathy deficit and Torah 168

Eve was the mother of life because she brought death into the world 169

Evil Eye 170

Evil Eye - concern? 171

Evil Eye endangers Windfalls 172

Evil Eye: Rabbis can damage with evil eye 173

Evil has power -Ramchal 174

Exile from Spain;Abarbanel caused exile from Spain? 175

Expert's evaluation is like a beis din & witnesses 176

Failed Messiah blinded by his hatred for Chareidim - becomes incoherent when contradicted by facts 177

Failure of rabbinical leadership to see the consequences of their actions 178

Faith and philosophy 179

Falsely claiming to have ruach hakodesh is capital offence of being a false prophet 180

Father's sins atoned by son's suffering? 181

For the times they are a-changin' 182

Forced to sin? 183

Forgiveness of sins against G-d depend on being forgiven for sins against man? 184

Free Will- even against Providence 185

Free Will:G-d's knowledge and free-will 186

Frum or Normal:Which is better? 187

Frum:Jews died in plague of Darkness because they were being frum 188

Gam zu ltova - comforting mourners 189

Gam zu l'tova? 190

G-d color of hair? 193

Gedolim:A British madrich asks: What are gedolim? 194

Gedolim:A gadol explains what a secret psak is and why it isn't taken seriously 195

Gedolim:Are fallible but woe to the person who points out teir errors 196

Gedolim:Are not infallible - and this should be obvious but unfortunately is not 198

Gedolim:Blemished Gedolim 199

Gedolim:Can a godol be evil? 200

Gedolim:Disagreeing with Gedolim 201

Gedolim:Even gedolim are required to keep the Torah 202

Gedolim:Mesorah versus gadol --- the authority of Chazon ish 203

Gedolim:Produce gedolim even if most students are destroyed. 204

Gedolim:Rabbi Akiva Eiger - like all gedolim - needed to make a mistake to show he was human 205

Gedolim:The sins of Gedolim - have their roots in Korach and his associates 206

Gedolim:When a Gadol is afraid to correct his mistaken Psak 207

Gedolim:Yiftach who was the godol hador - was an am haaretz 208

Geirim - Shidduchim Issues - Relationship with parents 209

Genetic disease: Checking for genetic disease 210

Get  Forced: An apparent contradiction between Igros Moshe and Tendler's Mesoras Moshe 211

Get Forcing divorce on a mentally ill wife 213

Get: Forced Get –is it kosher bedieved? 214

Get:If a husband doesn't give a Get does he transgress Lifnei Ivair if his wife commits adultery? 215

Get:The sick reality of gittin today 216

Get:Withholding a Get is unjewish and evil "?! 217

Golden Calf reason for having children 223

Golden calf was an assistant G-d?! 224

Golden calf:There were 12 Golden Calves not one 225

Good Chanifa (chanufa) - the basis of personal mental health and a healthy society 226

Gra & Chassidus:Reason for dispute 228

Gra criticized Rambam regarding the supernatural 229

Gra: Scientific reality sometimes is used to decide between halachic views 230

Greater the person the greater his lust 231

Greatest Principle of the Torah - What is it? 234

Guma Aguiar lawyer's warning letter 235

Halacha: What is the halachic basis of EJF? 236

Halacha:Authority requires being committed to the Torah system 237

Halacha:By committee - Mishna Berura 238

Halacha:Innovation in halacha 239

Halacha:Majority rule in halacha 240

Halacha:Majority rule of halacha is not relevant in most cases 242

Halacha:Majority rules even if view is not factually true 243

Halacha:Problems are inherent when using mussar or agada as halacha 244

Halacha:Supercedes ethical principles /Chazon Ish 245

Halacha:The importance of accurately reporting the halacha 246

Halacha:Understanding Eliezer's process of identifying Yitzhok's wife 247

Harchakas of Rabbeinu Tam don’t make get me’usa 248

Harm of Talking a lot with one's Wife 252

Heretic:Denies the Mishna Berura and other major seforim were written with ruach hakodesh 253

Heretics:Answering heretics 254

Heretics:Learning from a heretic is prohibited - even though R' Meir did it 256

Heretics:Rambam - how could he learn from heretics? 257

His'orrus (stimulation) vs. Transformation - Kelm Mussar 258

Hitting kids is wrong because it causes emotional damage?! 259

Holiness is not asceticism 260

Halacha that a woman should stay in house? 261

Holy people transcend and can change Nature 262

Homosexuality - view of Rav Moshe Feinstein 263

Homosexuality:Caring for the Sinner 264

Honoring parents when a parent acts like a child 265

How Debbie Gross "saved" me from being abused physically and emotionally at her Convention dealing with abuse and violence in the religious community 266

How to have enemies suffer Divine punishment instead of you. 268

Idolatry: Principal purpose of Torah is destruction of idolatry 269

Idolatry: Support for Rambam's view of sacrifices? 270

Idolatry: The Temple and its mitvos mirrored idolatry 271

Idolatry:An attempt to concretise abstact religious belief 272

Idolatry:Changing 273

Idolatry:Mitzvos deal with people as they are to erase idolatry 274

Idolatry:Sacrifices were commanded to wean the Jews from idolatry 276

Idolatry:Shituf 278

Ignorance of pious people about sexual issues is problematic Rav Yitzchok Scher 279

Secular knowledge:Ignorance  is Chillul haShem 280

Image of elokim - creation of man Chizkuni 281

Importance of having a Rebbe 282

Incest: Yichud of brothers & sisters 283

Independent opinion in the matter of Kabbalah is folly and the cause of great harm. 284

Informing on tax cheats 285

Internet Filtering: The false sense of security 286

Internet:Fighting the Internet - no holds barred & any twisting of truth is permitted! 287

Introduction to my new book on the Jewish understanding of marriage and gender issues 288

Is a person tested with a task beyond his ability? Two opposing views 289

Issues that people have a lust for leniences such as birth control are not to be presented to the masses 291

Jew: Can a Jew lose his status as Jew? 293

Jewish Calculus of Suffering:Stop sin or suffering? 294

Jews Were a primitive and uncultured people 295

Jews:In Egypt did not keep Torah & Mitzvos 296

Jews:Less likely to change from moral chastisement than goyim 297

Jews:Protected from assimilation by being despised and uncivilized 298

Kabbala is not for everyone    - Rivash 299

Kabbala can increase sexual lust even amongst talmidei chochomim - Rav Tzadok 300

Kanoi a path in Avodas HaShem 301

Key to learning Torah is challenging Sages who are presumed to be correct 302

Kiddush HaShem:Mesiras nefesh which ignores consequences? 303

Kiruv for non-Jews with Jewish Identity II 304

Kiruv - Lying to make someone religious?! 305

Kollel:Leaving Kollel is dangerous 306

Kosher equivalents - why? 307

Kuzari principle and commonsense 308

Lashon harah: Not speaking lashon harah might be sinful 309

Lashon harah:About yourself? 310

Lashon harah:Chofetz Chaim permits for to'eles only when not motivated by hatred. 311

Lashon harah:Circumstantial evidence & lashon harah 312

Lashon harah:Defining Rechilus - Rambam vs Chofetz Chaim 313

Lashon harah:Informing his students or children of bad deeds of others 314

Lashon harah:Only prohibited when there is no benefit or to'eles 315

Lashon harah:Public knowledge is not lashon harah 317

Lashon harah:Sin of not saying lashon harah /Rav Ovadiah Yosef 318

Lashon harah:The nature of the prohibition of not accepting lashon harah 319

Leaders:Avoid justifying views with logical proofs or reasons 320

Leaders:Problematic leaders 321

Learning from a teacher who is not fit 322

Lesson of Pinchas: Leaders must protest evil! 323

Love neighbor as yourself 324

Loving another - only means their welfare 325

Lust and the nature of children 326

Magic is real - Ramban 327

Magic:Jews used to have magic beds 329

Malbim disappointed Rav Yisroel Salanter by neglecting halacha for Tanach in order to fight Haskala 330

Mamzer 331

Marriage:A man is more of a slave to his wife than she to him 332

Marriage:A man should love his wife just as he does his tefilin 333

Marriage:A woman's do it yourself guide to annulling marriage. 334

Marriage:Avoid Marriage if it results in Adultery 335

Marriage:Bad wife is desirable 336

Marriage:Chasan steps on Kallah's foot to be boss? 337

Marriage:Divorce 338

Marriage:Eishes chayil - the ideal wife? 340

Marriage:Every wife is to be ruled by her husband - Ben Yehoyada (Men 43b) 342

Marriage:Free will Rambam 343

Marriage:Good wife views her husband as her master - Menoras HaMe'or 344

Marriage:How Rav Aharon picked his son-in-law Rav Dov 345

Marriage:Incompatible with greatness 346

Marriage:Jealousy can only be removed by G-d 347

Marriage:Kiruv can be dangerous to marriage 348

Marriage:Love for wife is qualitatively no different than that of  fellow man 349

Marriage:Maharal - BM (84a) discussing marital relations 350

Marriage:Man takes - Wife doesn't give herself 351

Marriage:Midos are the most important factor in choosing a wife? 352

Marriage:Misconceptions about marriage - a wife is not a shtender 354

Marriage:Misconceptions about marriage - asceticism is prime value 355

Marriage:Moshe why did he married Yisro daughter? 357

Marriage:Must husband be informed of wife's adultery  Rav O. Yosef 358

Marriage:Must husband be informed of wife's adultery  Tosfos Yom Tov 359

Marriage:Nullifying marriage with homosexual husband 360

Marriage:Pele Yo'etz 361

Marriage:Predestined? 363

Marriage:Rav Wolbe's advice to chasanim 364

Marriage:Rav Yaakov Kaminetsy's haskoma to R Travis's marriage manual 365

Marriage:Ropshitzer:Explaining shelo asani isha - to his wife 366

Marriage:Shalom bayis - wife's first obligation is respect of her husband - not her parents or children 367

Marriage:Subservience of wife was a punishment 368

Marriage:Taking care of senile ex- wife? 369

Marriage:Telling husband it is a mitzva to give Get/Sin not to 370

Marriage:Understanding Marriage through Divorce 371

Marriage:What is pritzus for wife - Different views 373

Marriage:What qualities to look for in a wife?" 374

Marriage:Wife is subordinate to her husband to the degree he is subordinate to G-d - Netziv 375

Marriage:Yibam (levirate marriage): A wife is considered as one of her husband's limbs like Eve was of Adam 376

Mazikim Erev Shabbos 377

Mechitza 378

Mechitza  for how many women? 379

Meir Pogrow (founder of Master Torah program) has been determined to be a rasha by beis din and that it is prohibited for women to have any contact with him 380

Meir Pogrow: Learning Torah from morally disgusting individuals: The gag reflex 381

Meir Pogrow: Rav Chaim Malinowitz' response to the question of whether Pogrow's Torah shiurim should be removed 382

Meir Pogrow: Why wasn't he stopped by people who clearly knew he was a danger years ago? 383

Mendel Epstein - Gittin by torture trial: An urgent request for as many people as possible to attend the trial 384

Moderation is normally required but extremism is required in times of spiritual danger BK (60b) 385

Mordechai Tendler's "Mesores Moshe" - What is it? 386

Mother is main disciplinarian & should not show mercy when hitting kids 387

Mussar Movement as frum Haskalah 388

Mussar Movement did it fight Haskala by being a frum Haskala or by focusing on developing greater yiras shamayaim and character perfection? 389

Mussar Movement was haskala - a man-based vision to revive religion 390

Natural Childbirth 391

Need to apologize to maskilim who fought against hypocrisy 392

Netziv:Why Rikva couldn't communicate with Yitzchok 393

Not speaking to women 394

Obligation of loving gerim and not tormenting them 395

Occupation you like - only? 396

One who says This teaching is pleasant but this is not pleasant loses the fortune of Torah. 397

Order of protection in divorce cases 398

Original sin was to think woman equal to man - Chasam Sofer 399

Philosophy originated with the Jews - not the Greeks 401

Piety is primarily in motivation - not unique deeds 402

Pikuach Nefesh & mental health II 403

Pilpul without understanding text - stupifies 404

Pinchas was an angel 405

Powers of gemstones 406

Prayer -serving G-d 407

Proof of G-d's existence 408

Prophet can misunderstand his prophetic vision 409

Proselytizing is problematic - Aruch HaShulchan 410

Psychological Abuse - Identity & expectations/ Maharal 411

Psychologist's role in religious change - is there one? 412

Psychology:A Jewish therapist or a therapist who is Jewish 413

Psychology:Has it created an oversensitivity to torment or discovered it? 414

Psychology:How to explain Torah & Psychology to kiruv rabbis? 415

Psychology:Saving a suicidal gay man - by reconcilling him with his estranged lover? 416

Psychology:Torah Psychotherapy is learned from Torah or doesn't violate Torah? 417

Public challenge to any of Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky's supporters to defend his actions in a guest post! 419

Punishment of family is mida keneged mida 420

Purim and the Kaminetsky-Greenblatt Heter 421

R' Herzfeld's "heter" to publicly embarrass Aaron Friedman 422

Rabbeinu Tam's Shunning: Tzitz Eliezar & Rav Yosef 423

Rabbi Shmuel Goldin - president of the RCA -  clarifies the RCA-Rav Belsky joint statement on child abuse. 424

Rabbinic divorce decisions need greater involvement of mental health professionals 425

Rabbinic infallibility: Examples of  Rabbis apologizing for harmful mistakes 426

Rabbi's prime responsiblity is protecting people from harm 428

Rachel showed modesty by betraying Yaakov? 429

Raising children - curse or joy? 430

Rambam - does he agree with Ramban about sexual lust? 431

Rambam rejects Chazal because he was a rationalist 433

Ramban disagreeing with Chazal because of Zohar 434

Ramban's view of nature? 435

Rape - does G-d want someone to be raped? 437

Rashi indicates one's children are punished for not fighting molesters 438

Rationalstic and philosophical rabbis more negative to women than kabbalists or mystics 439

Rav Chaim Malinowitz: Rav Feldman is mistakenly transforming this outrage against the Torah into a mere dispute of poskim 440

Rav Chaim Malinowitz: Understanding suffering and revenge 441

Rav Dessler: Free-will & creation of Adam 442

Rav Dessler: Yeshiva should deny self-esteem to those not fully involved in Torah study 443

Rav Dessler:Failure of parents and teachers to hit children is producing Nazis and brazen people 444

Rav Eliashiv:Ma'os Alei - Get not required (1 174) 445

Rav Elya Ber Wachtfogel, shlita 446

Rav Ephraim Greenblatt:Interview from 1990 447

Rav Gestetner's letter regarding Tamar Epstein's heter to remarry without a Get 449

Rav Menashe Klein: How does calling an abuser a rodef - permit calling the police? 450

Rav Moshe Feinstein :A man is more of a slave to his wife than she to him 451

Rav Moshe Feinstein:Approches to psak 452

Rav Moshe Feinstein:Blessing the sun - and a child 453

Rav Moshe Feinstein:Honoring Conservative & Reform "Rabbis" with an aliyah? 454

Rav Moshe Feinstein:Medical screening and Bitachon 455

Rav Moshe Feinstein:The Obligation to Speak and to Act 457

Rav Moshe Feinstein:The statement found in Rashi (Menachos 43b) that a wife is a slave to her husband is nonsense 459

Rav Moshe Feinstein:Untrue story being circulated 460

Rav Moshe Feinstein:Validating conversion for non-observant gerim 461

Rav Moshe Shapiro: Meeting with Rav Moshe Shapiro 463

Rav Moshe Shapiro’s approach to kiruv and the month of Shevat by Rav Chaim Malinowitz 466

Rav Moshe Sternbuch - Authorized Translation 467

Rav Sternbuch's parsha sheet 468

Rav Moshe Sternbuch: Concerning the dreadful draft decree 469

Rav Moshe Tendler 470

Rav Noach Weinberg’s advice about my sefer Daas Torah 471

Rav Nosson Kaminetsky: Those who questioned the validity of the Chofetz Chaim's dibbuq 472

Rav Nota Greenblatt denounces those who claim they have secret poskim with secret reasoning 473

Rav Ovadiya Yosef: Forcing husband to divorce moredes 474

Rav S. R. Hirsch & his contemporary incarnation - Rabbi Slifkin 475

Rav S. R.Hirsch - we can't emulate great men who are portrayed as flawless 476

Rav Schachter joining with Rav Kaminetsky in disregarding the Baltimore Beis din and saying that Aharon should be forced to give a Get 477

Rav Shimon Shkop stayed at YU in order to emulate Rav Yisroel Salanter 478

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach:Your spiritual (& physical life) comes before that of others 479

Rav Sternbuch: Get for civil & Reform marriages? 481

Rav Sternbuch: Tradition is not to teach Tanach - why? 482

Rav Sternbuch:Forcing Husband to divorce Wife 483

Rav Sternbuch:Husband should not be spiteful and should give a Get if there is no chance of reconcilliation and all issues are resolved 484

Rav Sternbuch's protest against heter for Tamar Epstein to remarry without a Get 486

Rav Triebetz: Does Rav Yisroel Salanter have a legacy? 487

Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky: Bean counting - Non-Jewish woman vs niddah? 489

Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky: Why he erred in thinking the Maharsham was senile 490

Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky:Zealotry is necessary - but only if guided by a clear understanding of Torah 491

Rav Yisroel Reisman: It is redifus to publish information about this particular sex offender - he is not a danger to the community 492

Rav Yisroel Salanter poskened: "It is prohibited to desecrate Shabbos to save my life." 493

Rav Yisroel Salanter tried being a chassid 494

Rav Ovadiah  Yosef (3:20) - Forcing only sometimes 495

Reality Check: A frum Jew is supposed to be a nice person 497

Redemption from Egypt by G-d or angel? 499

Religion has replaced sex as taboo 500

Religious Bullying - "You are a shaigetz, I am a tzadik" 501

Religious criticism:Responding  - Maharal in Be'er HaGolah 502

Remarrying after only secular divorce 503

Removing Mention of Michael Hersh/Hirsch 504

Righteous people can also change 505

Rivkah was afraid of Yitzchok and felt inferior to him - Netziv 506

Ruach hakodesh & Ruach hakodesh of the intellect are not the same 507

Ruach hakodesh is reason Biblical verses are omnisignificant - Netziv 508

Ruach rah - does it exist today? 509

Sanhedrin is not protected against error 510

Satanic  abuse rings:Is there a ring of such pedophiles operating in Sanhedria Murchevet? 511

Satanic abuse hysteria: Dr. Joy Silberg - what is her role? 512

Satanic abuse rings A disturbing postscript 513

Satanic abuse rings: Dr Joy Silberg a believer in Satanic cults (and repressed memories) and Rabbi Yitzchok Berkowitz 514

Satanic abuse rings:Therapists say go back to America or switch to Mizrachi schools! 516

Satanic abuse rings:The problematic paranoid thinking needed to accept the allegations of Satanic Abuse Rings 517

Satmar Rav says Six Day War victory was natural - without Divine Providence 518

Satmar Rebbe:Criticism of his views 520

Scheslinger Twins:A personal Elul message for Dr. Schlesinger - "Have you no shame?" 521

Schlesinger Twins: Rebbitzen Rosenberg comes to Vienna community to help Beth and her children 522

Schlesinger Twins: Why does the court prefer a Filipino stranger as primary caretaker? 524

Schlesinger Twins:A day in the life of the custodial parent - Dr. Michael Schlesinger 525

Science vs.Torah 526

Scientific facts are not final even for Chazal 527

Science:Use of DNA to free an Aguna 528

Science:Validity of views R’ Sherira Gaon & Rambam’s son 529

Scientific statements of Chazal might only be according to the science of their day 530

Secular education and Rav Shach 531

Secular knowledge is from ruach hakodesh 532

Secular knowledge:The importance of secular studies 533

Seminary Scandal: "They call him Tatte" - How should male teachers relate to female students? 534

Seridei Aish:Need to apologize to maskilim who fought against hypocrisy 535

Sex and kiruv: Problem of the charismatic rabbi 536

Sex as a metaphor for love of Torah & G-d 537

Sex change by surgery - halachically valid? 538

Sexual relations: Prohibition of thinking of another person 539

Sexuality 541

Sexuality:Reading medical texts regarding sex 542

Sexuality:Importance of sexual satisfaction - and not just focusing on doing a mitzva 543

Sheitel and maris aiyen 544

Should I avoid presenting the Torah viewpoint because of threats of violence? 545

Shulem Deen: Truthseeker who had too many unanswered questions or an apikorus skillful in deceptively leaving out most of the important details needed to understand who he is 546

Simonim 547

Sitting next to women on buses 548

Slander for the sake of Peace 549

Snakes as servants 550

Social pressure to sin? 551

Sorcery 552

Sotah an explanation 553

Source of the berachos of a tzadik - heard from the Bostoner Rebbe 554

Spilling soup on someone to stop bitul Torah: Rav Zilberstein 555

Stealing in order to help others - is it permitted? 556

Stefan Colmer - convicted molester has moved to Passaic - Rav Eisenman requested that this be publicized 557

Steipler: There is no rebbe muvhak today since we learn from seforim - and not orally 558

Stereotypic thinking:Intelligent opening-minded chareidim is not an oxymoron 559

Strange tale concerning a man of simple but flawed belief & the Arizal 560

Suicide & Teshuva 561

SUMMARY HALOCHOT ON MO'US OLAY AND SHAMING A HUSBAND BY RABBI GESTETNER" 564

Superiority of Israel 568

Supernatural:Magic Demons and Astrology real? 569

Supernatural:Nature vs supernatural 570

Talmid chachom needs an attractive wife 571

Talmid chachom/tzadik is beyond criticism because he is presumed that he doesn't sin or because he certainly repented immediately? 572

Talmid chachom: A real talmid chachom needs to be insensitive to his family? 574

Talmid chachom:A seeker of truth must be rude (“navel") 576

Talmid chachom:A talmid chachom needs to be insensitive to his family? 577

Talmid chachom:Do talmidei chachomim really insult and belittle each other? 579

Talmid chachom:Is a worker superior to a talmid chochom? 580

Talmid chachom:Should be a nice person? 581

Talmid chochom is not necessarily kind and merciful 582

Talmud vs esoteric wisdom 583

Tamar Epstein Heter: R' Greenblatt said he simply accepted whatever R Shalom Kaminetsky told him 584

Tamar Epstein: Protest by Rav Shlomo Miller, R E B Wachtfogel, R Moshe Green and R Yechiel Tauber 585

Tamar Epstein: Protest from Rav Pinchus Rabinowitz' Beis Din 586

Tamar Epstein: Rav Sariel Rosenberg protests against heter 587

Tamar Epstein: What role did Rav Shmuel and Rav Sholom Kaminetsky play in the giving of the heter to remarry without a Get? 588

Tamar Epstein:A well known frum psychologist's two cents 589

Tamar Epstein:Rav Aharon Feldman's letter regarding Tamar Epstein's heter 590

Tamar Epstein:Therapists that saw Tamar and Aharon deny discussing Aharon with anyone 592

Tamuz letter of Baltimore Beis Din - removed at the request of the Baltimore Beis Din 593

Teacher beats student from anger at his inattention - must he pay damages? 594

Teaching child a trade 595

Telescope invented in his time to validate G-d's supervision 596

Text and verbal teachings are not the Mesorah 597

The dangers of being on a high spiritual level 598

The dangers of universal education and access of the masses to clear texts 599

The Emperor has no clothes - Eternal Jewish Family & Daas Torah 600

The honor of a Jewish women is staying in the house - moral value or halacha? 601

The insensitive condescension of the secular towards the Orthodox community 603

The necessity for Adam to sin - Netziv (Bereishis 2:4) 604

The need for WOW!! as an indication of the deterioriation of the system 605

The only defense  for the Kaminetsky-Greenblatt heter is to attack me personally 607

The problem of a convicted sex offender using threats of lawsuits to prevent publicizing his activities 608

The relationship between G-d and the Jews is like a husband to his wife 609

The severe sin of going to a non-Jewish court 612

The Sin of Adam - inaccurate self-assessment 613

The Tiger Woods of the Chareidi world 614

Thoughts of sin are worse than the sin itself 615

Three Belzers & a Blogger trying to understand Daas Torah 616

Torah is medicine for soul not body 617

Torah is the word of G-d - no need to apologize 618

Torah law is used as long as society functions properly/Igros Moshe 619

Torah laws must be observed even if observance causes degradation or shame 620

Translation of seforim including Igros Moshe & making halacha seforim with psakim without sources & reasons 621

Torah Study & Working: Payment for Torah - Rav Moshe Feinstein 622

Torah Study & Working: Shulchan Aruch (156) vs Mishneh Berura 623

Tropper - Smear Campaign 624

Tropper doesn't know when to give up 625

Tropper says he is not taking me to court 626

Tropper scandal Is this what Lakewood is producing? 627

Tropper:Advice & appeal for Tropper and his opponent 628

Tropper:Former defender has regrets 629

Tuma is it real?Rambam vs Ramban 630

Two attitudes towards mitzvos 633

Tzadik described as being G-d 634

Tzadik is born because of a clothes line - and other false stories 636

Tzadik overruling G-d 638

Unity of G-d vs belief in His physicality - Rav Tzadok 639

Use of deception to get mitzvos & spiritual perfection 641

Varieties of hashgocha protis 642

Views which grate on modern sensibilities:Sexual abuse is less serious than using an inaccurate commerical scale 643

Vilna Gaon's Letter to his wife: Mussar, beatings & sensitivity 644

Walking with G-d 645

Weiss Dodelson: Divorce settlement required the Weiss's to ask me to take down blog posts 646

Weiss Dodelson: Rav Shlomo Miller's letter to Rav Malkiel Kotler retracting his support for Dodelson 647

What is a tzadik? 648

What was Adam's sin? Decision whether to live as man or angel 649

Why didn't Ezra convert intermarried couples? 651

Why Moshiach is descended from the convert Ruth 652

Why is EJF refusing to have open for-the-record dialogue? 653

Why does G-d repent? 654

Why is Earth spherical? 655

Why were religious Jews attracted to Haskala? 656

Wife & mother-in-law fight - who has to leave? 657

Wife refuses Get /Husband remarry without heter 100 Rabbis? 658

Women:Death 659

Women:Inherently materialistic 660

Women:Mature intellectually earlier than men because they don't study Torah 661

Women:Men are equally holy 662

Women:Misbehaving woman is ugly-Beauty only to serve G-d 663

Women:Prohibition of looking at women 664

Women:Reach perfection only through men 665

Women:Should not drive because of modesty and temperament which results in many accidents 666

Women:Walking behind a woman - prohibited today? 668

Women:Weak minded but have greater Binah (understanding) 669

Women:What do women want sexually? sources in Torah literature 670

Women:Why exempt from mitzva of Torah study Rav Feinstein 671

Women:Witchcraft 672

Women:Woman lacks the image of G-d and intellect 673

Yakov called g-d 674

Yakov was he referring to G-d or an angel? 675

Yakov was punished for calling himsel Israel (Dinah was raped) 676

Yashar (upright) vs Tzadik (righteous) 677

Yeshiva as hospital - women aren't sick 678

Yeshiva is an artificial institution - Rav Hutner 679

Yetzer 681

Yoel Weiss and Rivky Stein: Update 682

You should know that Rav Dovid Feinstein and Rav Nota Greenblatt are good friends" 683

Your disgusting blog 684

Zohar was not originally in the form we have today 685


Wednesday, June 7, 2023

EJF fights to stay alive or 3 Belzers & a Blogger trying to understand Daas Torah


I just found out today that some of my most devoted readers are Belzers - even though the vast majority don't understand English. I received a call today from a person claiming to be a employee of Hidabroot  - the Belzer kiruv organization. He mentioned  that he just discovered my blog Daas Torah - even though his wife had to translate it for him since his English is poor. He was interested in my halachic knowledge concerning geirus and kiruv. He noted that his organization is closely associated with EJF. The conversation was strange - a Belzer is calling me up concerning my halachic views on geirus and kiruv because of my blog?! I asked him if knew about Tropper and he said he had heard of Tropper but  was not directly involved with him but was aware that my Blog is very concerned with him. This was really strange. I asked him do you know the scandal with Tropper and he said that he didn't. When I told him he expressed shock but said that really didn't interest him. He wanted to understand my objections to EJF and the halachic reasons. I said are you aware that the Bedatz strongly condemned EJF and he said no. He said we would never do anything that he knew directly went against the Bedatz. I asked him about the ad that Hidabroot runs every year that asks for all mixed couples who are bothered by their situations or those who know them to get in contact with them. I said the Bedatz is concerned about prosyletization and this ad is the classic example. His response is that there was no such ad. I said why don't you come over to my house and I'll show it to you along with the Bedatz's letter and you can hear Rav Reuven criticizing the position of EJf. He said fine and asked if he  could bring a distinguished talmid chachom along who was an expert on geirus.

Two hours later three Belzer's knocked on my door. Really friendly fellows. I played Rav Reuven' recording. "That is exactly our policy at Hidabroot. We never go after goyim or intermarried couples. They are always referred to us by Rabbis after they have come one their own accord." I said well what about your ads and I displayed it on my computer. It clearly is proselytizing and mentions nothing about rabbis or kiruv organization providing recommendations. Their answer was that this was an old ad that had long ago been changed. I said but this has run for the last two years. "On no that is an old ad - we don't proselytize. In fact there has never been any  seminar  that we are associated with here in Israel that tries to attract goyim or had attendees that have not been associated with a kiruv program for 1 or 2 years.

In short we had a great session where we all agreed that proselytization was wrong and that only when dealing with a tinok shebisha who didn't know intermarriage was bad would they allow  him to participate - after he came willingly. (Of interest they brought a laptop which they asked to connect to my WiFi which I did).

Then out of left field they asked me why a blog named Daas Torah was full of shmutz and Tropper's sexual scandal. I explained that it was important that people know what had happened and that this would motivate people to take it seriously and do something about it.  "But how can you have a blog called Daas Torah" - they said in Hebrew since they didn't know English. We have people who are seriously involved in Torah and they go to your blog to see Daas Torah and they get shmutz.  They said they have received a lot of complaints about my blog from Belzer chasidim. This was really surprising. Non English speakers being corrupted by my blog because they thoroughly read through every posting and all the comments and they discover to their horror that it wasn't Hamodiah. After I tried  explaining several times I said lets go ask Rav Sternbuch - whom they had never met. I called his home and was told he was leaving for the 2 minute walk to shul for mincha. We piled into their car and found Rav Sternbuch climbing the stairs  leading from his apartment to the street. I introduced them and told them to ask their question - which they did. Rav Sternbuch explained that of course there was no need to discuss shmutz in regards to Tropper.They looked at me with smug grins and said we told you so. I tried explained to Rav Sternbuch what and why  I was doing because he had never expressed such concerns before - but he just said , "Why mention disgusting things "and went in for Mincha. They talked for few mintues with Rav Sternbuch's gabbai and they left with a condscending, "Don't forget to take off all that shmutz - it is Daas Torah right after mincha because you follow Daas Torah." I went in to daven confused.

After Mincha, I went to ask Rav Sternbuch for clarification. He said, "I thought they were asking whether they needed to read about the shmutz. I didn't realize they were talking about the articles that you are mefarsem. You can use your own judgment about what you write. Just don't be explicit about the nature of the disgusting activities. But there is no problem to say that Tropper is a menuval or a sheigitz (Megila 25) and in fact it should be publicized that he is a menuval."

So now we have a situation where they will claim that I don't listen to Daas Torah when they go to read my blog and see all the postings about Tropper are still there - which was clearly the actual reason they came to see me. In fact, however, Rav Sternbuch thought he was answering a question about what they should do - not what I should be doing.  He felt it was irrelevant and bitul Torah for these chasidim to be reading about the depravity of Tropper when it was enough they knew  about it. On the other hand he felt that there was a to'eles for me to be mefarsum the  nature of the scandal. The lesson is clear - don't ask a posek an important question when he is rushing to daven mincha - unless you can ask him to clarify it afterwards.

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Tropper's continued smear campaign

I recently reported a blatant lie about me that appeared on R' Tropper's Blog here
"According to a trusted source, Rav Sternbuch, shlit”a was asked if he approves of the blog which is critical of EJF. His response was negative."
The original comment was found here. I protested this outright lie here Even Roni - Tropper's defender on this Blog - called up Rav Sternbuch and was told that the statement was not true. The comment has since mysteriously disappeared from Tropper's blog - but there was no acknowledgment that it was a lie or an apology for the slander. Tropper obviously can't claim that no one knew he was referring to me - because everyone knows that I am the only one who has a close association with Rav Sternbuch who opposes EJF and has a blog dealing with EJF. The reason that I am bringing up this issue again is because Tropper and his associates have continued to spread this lie. In fact a well known figure in kiruv recently criticized me for going against Rav Sternbuch's wishes by attacking Tropper. I am well aware that this slander will backfire against Tropper because people will eventually find out that it is not true. However there is an elementary requirement of derech eretz that even if Tropper genuinely thought what he wrote was true - he is required to publicly apologize once he found it was not true. He has not apologized for this or for the absurd claim that I am motivated to criticize him entirely because I am the chief supporter of R' Slifkin.
Berachos (31b): R. Eleazar said: From this we learn that one who is suspected wrongfully must clear himself. Count not thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial; a man who says the Tefillah when drunk is like one who serves idols. It is written here, Count not thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial, and it is written elsewhere, Certain sons of Belial have gone forth from the midst of thee. Just as there the term is used in connection with idolatry, so here. Then Eli answered and said, Go in Peace. R. Eleazar said: From this we learn that one who suspects his neighbour of a fault which he has not committed must beg his pardon; nay more, he must bless him, as it says, And the God of Israel grant thy petition

Eternal Jewish Family - R' Tropper's blog

Below is evidence that R' Tropper's has totally lost contact with reality. He falsely asserts that HaRav Moshe Sternbuch and the Bedatz did not criticize him on halachic grounds. He falsely asserts that their motivation is solely to support R' Nosson Slifkin . This despite the fact that Rav Sternbuch has published his opinion that the views of R' Slikin are heresy - even though he acknowledges that R' Slikin not a heretic. Anybody with even a minimal contact of reality know R' Tropper's statements are not innocent errors but are lies and slander. The attempt to divert attention from R' Tropper's very questionable halachic position by claiming that it is all a conspiracy to defend R' Slifkin - is a sad commentary on the state of this man. Furthermore if he is claiming that I am a secret defender of R' Slifkin and have succeeded in convincing the Bedatz to attack R' Tropper - that is even more bizarre than the first. I am not a supporter of R' Slifkin's views and I have absolutely no control over the views of the Bedatz . I do agree with the Bedatz that R' Tropper's halachic grounds are very questionable. This is RaP's summary of sources from the Bedatz
RaP: Can you point to the alleged "irrationality" you IMAGINE? Is the owner of this blog Rabbi Dr. Eidensohn "irrational", who posted I, II and and many other posts like this and who posts his and others' comments after serious review of each comment and who opposes the EJF effort and Rabbi Tropper's methods? Is Rav Moshe Shternbuch "irrational" for opposing efforts, see "Rav Moshe Sternbuch - Authorized Translation" and "Rav Moshe Sternbuch - Kiruv for non-Jews and "Bedatz Letter regarding EJF signed by Gaavad" like those of Rabbi Tropper and the EJF? Is the entire BADATZ of the powerful Eidah HaChareidis "irrational" (are Horav Meir Brandsorfer, Horav Moshe Sternbuch, Horav Naftoli Frenkal, Horav Avrohom Yitzchok Ulman, Horav Yakov Mendel Yorovitch, Horav Yehoushua Rosenberg ALL "irrational" too for signing it?) see "Bedatz letter regarding conversion" and of taking the extreme measure of openly, see "Bedatz letter regarding conversion" and rebuking and warning dayanim and batei din all over the world who were Recipients of its official warning letters and giving Publicicty to it, authorising its dissemination online through this very blog by Rabbi Dr. Eidensohn. It has been Rabbi Dr. Eidensohn who has asked for written Halachik clarifications from Rabbi Tropper and EJF and none has been forthcoming, so take it up with him if you think he and others being "irrational" for asking for a written reason al pi din and for his efforts EJF tried to smear him, see "EJF smear campaign"
=========================================== Rabbi Tropper's Blog [previous response to a blog criticism] Questions and Answers About Eternal Jewish Family With Rabbi Leib Tropper Question: What is the focus of Eternal Jewish Family’s Work?
Answer: We wish to protect those who want to Have an authentic conversion which will never be questioned, by informing them of the proper Batei Din that Can Facilitate that kind of conversion.
Question: There are some Blogs that have all kinds of claims against Eternal Jewish Family, particularly one blog that is controlled by a Religious man. Have you any response to those claims? Answer:
We do not Look at blogs hence no reason to Respond. There is one Particular Rabbi who we never met but heard that he has a blog that Speaks against EJF. I know of the Rabbi and communicated with him about 2-3 times.
It became apparrent to us that the Rabbi’s attacks had little to do with the laws of Yoreh Deah siman 248-9 which discuss the laws of conversion. It has to do with a group of people that are furious over my voiced opposition to R’ Nosson Slifkin ’s book which was banned by the Gedolei Torah.
This we discovered through many sources despite the camouflage. These people are Devout Followers of Rabbi Slifkin who have made it their campaign to attack those who opposed R’ Nosson Slifkin’s views. There is much more to say about this topic. For now, be sure that the Rabbi’s hatred for Eternal Jewish Family is rooted in the above… NOTHING to do with the Laws of Geirus.
This Rabbi, who authored a book as well, IS and WAS a STRONG supporter of R’ Nosson Slifkin despite the declaration of opposition From Gedolei Yisroel and despite the signed opposition of his own Rav, shlita. Considering all the above it becomes Clear why his manufactured claims are irrelevant. I Travel the world and Gedolei Yisroel all over are supportive of the objectives of EJF. People from all walks of life have sent us letters of encouragement and applauded Mr. Kaplan’s strength in taking on this challenge. Mr. Kaplan is not a Major supporter of Kol Yaakov. His Focus is on Eternal Jewish Family. In contrast to what was reported, Horizons is a kiruv organization only. In Israel, it is known as Ofakym. As far the report that I heard regarding Rabbi Nochum Eisenstein removing himself from Eternal Jewish Family, that is false. He comes to all Eternal Jewish Family rabbinic events and we speak with him numerous times during a week. I am sure that this Rabbi will never stop his attacks on Eternal Jewish Family. He made it his life’s mission.

Friday, February 12, 2016

The Real Failure of Failed Messiah by RaP


RaP this is an interesting analysis - but it is utlimately a whitewashing of a very odios subject. I would replace the word "anger" with the world "hate". Scotty was primarily a hater - not a seeker of truth. The truth was used when it was helpful in expressing hate and contempt.

For example when he objected to my post  which I wrote soon after it was established that Rivky Stein had fabricated horrific lies against her husband which the media had lapped up with relish as proof that Orthodox Judaism and in particular a male Orthodox Jew is evil. I requested that these blogs and news media apologize and acknowledge that Yoel was innocent and Rivky Stein was less then honest.

He acknowledged that it was possible that the truth was like I said but said that it didn't matter because Yoel Weiss deserved the attacks because Rivky Stein could only get justice in the Orthodox Jewish system by this type of attack. In short he refused to even consider apologizing for attacking Yoel. This is not anger - it is pure hate.

With hate, you can't be happy until the object of your hate is destroyed. Anger disappears with the issues are ameliorated.

In short he was not concerned with truth and fairness - but looked for any news item that would provide an excuse for trashing and stomping on Orthodox Jews and Judaism. Truth was only a tool in his hatred - it was not a goal.

Kiruv failed - not because it didn't seriously try but because his hatred could only be satisfied by the destruction of Yiddishkeit. Not something that makes sense even for the sake of Kiruv.

========================================================================Guest Post by RaP

I have not come to praise Failed Messiah (FM) but to bury him, to quote the famous words in Shakespeare about the ignoble demise of Julius Caesar after his assassination by his own former friends. The entire Jewish blogosphere and beyond is grappling with the sudden end of the Failed Messiah blog. People who tracked FM had a love-hate relationship with it. For some it was almost pure hate and zero love, for others it was a mixed bag. FM was not a lovable person and made sure to let you know it.

But what was the force behind the FM blog that made it the center of so much attention and controversy? Even if one did not agree with a word it said, it was still a place to get a measure of things in the Frum world. Many on this blog have quoted things that were researched well on FM. In many instances FM had parallel interests with all the other pro-active Jewish blogs, fighting child sex abuse, the various scandals like the Tropper and Hersh cases that this blog and others dealt with in depth. Pulling the facade away that "all is well" in Chabad. Hence the name "failed moshiach" as someone put it, and exposing corruption in various Charedi, Israeli, Modern Orthodox and Chasidic circles who were fighting over money, power, fame and fortune.

But behind it all was a very angry man, who by the time he allowed his FM to be shut down and taken over was a depleted ex Baal Teshuva in his late 50s who had reportedly never married, had no children, no known family and no one who can be called his friends, not getting enough money to keep going even from his readers, living in a far off city in a cramped room, where he worked as a one man news operation that often appeared like a news conglomerate but it was just coming from one driven ex Baal Teshuva who had had it with the Frum world.

The failure of FM is a failure in Kiruv!

It is a failure to close the circle by those who Mekareved him because for Kiruv to be successful it must succeed "from womb to tomb" and not just of the one who is Mekareved, but the spouse of the BT often also a BT, and their children, at the end of the day, must all be raised and remain Frum for it to be a Kiruv success story, and this did not happen with FM, because he broke down along the way of being a loyal Chabad BT to becoming its deadly foe. How so?

Classical BTs are by nature truth seekers and questioners, if they would not be then they would never be drawn to Yiddishkeit and become Frum in the first place, something FFBs do not grasp or understand because FFBs are born into the world of being Frum they do not understand or relate to the unique mental and emotional and intellectual and psychic and spiritual processes of questioning and deep grappling with issues and always demanding the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help them God.

To make this dichotomy between BTs and FFBs clearer one need not look further than the difference between Avraham Avinu and Yitzchak Avinu. They are both the Avos, but what a difference. According to the RAMBAM Avram as he was first called at a very young age started to question everything in a world from which the God of Creation had been banished, and he questioned and questioned and challenged and challenged and defied and defied everyone, until he was satisfied that he found God! Not so his son Yitzchok, the "ershter geboirener" who was born as the first FFB, he did not question because he was born into the faith. Even at the Akeidah he did not question, it was not his Test, it was Avraham's test because as a questioner he did not question God on that, and that is why Avraham passes the litmus test of belief while FM fails, or at least has failed thus far.

Someone wise recently posted a comment about him that is so true on another blog that is worth repeating:

""...We loved the muckraking. The sordid truth. The raw emotion. We loved his struggle. We were a part of something. That cannot be rehabilitated or started anew..."

That quote is what got me thinking about writing this post. What FM was, was a work in process or rather the public unraveling of a work in progress. FM was once a staunch Chabad BT he worked for them, but then he became embittered with them over reasons that anyone who has spent even a little time in Kiruv Rechokim working with formerly secular Jews knows happens all the time. An issue important to them from their past lives comes to them anew as a life's challenge, it is their challenge and Test from Above, like the Akeidah came to Avraham Avinu from Above as an unexpected challenge directly from God and what did he do? He accepted the bitter Divine Decree that went beyond his reasoning and turned his world upside down, while Avraham Avinu passed his test, FM failed his big test. It could have been about the Jewish status of Falashas or it could have been about any one of hundreds of different issues, but for FM it was a catalyst to keep his passions and fires burning now in out of control fashion, questioning, thinking, a rebellious streak running now evidently with great anger that boiled over just at the time when the Internet was exploding and FM like tens of millions of others could then "share" his anger and questions, angst, inner turmoils, and deeper thoughts with the world on his blog.

And people came by the millions to read him, not out of a hate or love for this or that and not out of hate or love for anything really, but because FM was now putting his own struggle on display as symbol of his peers who have these struggles, he did not invent the issues as some allege, he struggled with them in ways that FFBs cannot fathom but that is the typical way of BTs who are conscious of the struggles and will not cover things up just because some people don't like it, expressing himself on a huge cyber-canvas like a frustrated artist for the world to judge.

The FFBs that have bought out and shut down FM have gained a phyric hollow victory, they have bought a shell and FM is having the last laugh, he has done his thing and now he is gone, in typical controversial iconoclastic fashion with disregard for the world even for his supposed "followers" he has spit in their face, because he is an angry man to the core, something FFBs do not do and now they are holding a shadow, like when you try to catch a lizard and you think you caught it but all you are holding is its detached tail while the lizard scampers off to its hiding hole, because they can never shut down the raw questioning and anger and frustration that so many people feel. For a questioning secular Jew becoming Frum, staying Frum, marrying Frum, and raising Frum family and that all of them will remain Frum to their last day on Earth is a huge Nisoyon that FFBs cannot even begin to appreciate.

So FM was a case in point of a failure in Kiruv, it is a reminder of how the Frum world has many lessons to learn before it can win over all the hearts and minds of secular Jews becoming Frum and keep them Frum. We are still in the middle of that bitter struggle and we cannot wish away nor can anyone buy it out and shut down, because life is not that simple.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

RaP discusses Shavei Israel search for 'Hidden Jews" in Poland

Guest post by RaP:

Shavei Israel looks for 'Hidden Jews' in Poland and All Over!

"The Jewish Press
Friday, January 20, 2012
Page 18

(Display advertisement:)          

HELP  US  UNCOVER  THESE  HIDDEN  TREASURES

After decades of oppression, Poland’s ‘Hidden Jews’ are finally emerging from the shadows, seeking to reclaim their Jewish identity. The downfall of the Iron Curtain has opened up new worlds, and allowed previously-buried family secrets to come to the fore.

Across Poland, countless young people are suddenly discovering the Jewish roots that their parents or grandparents sought to hide because of fear or persecution, and an increasing number are seeking to learn more about Judaism.

Shavei Israel is leading the way, reaching out to Poland’s ‘Hidden Jews’ with a helping hand and a welcoming heart.

Please join us in assisting these brave young men and women to reconnect with the Jewish people.

[Photos six young people surrounding Shavei Israel logo]

Please send your US tax-deductible contributions to:
American Friends of Shavei Israel
25 West 45th Street, Suite 1405. New York, NY 10036. Tel: (212) 840 – 1166

The Jewish Press is unique among the English language Orthodox weekly newspapers and magazines in that for many years, someone or other in its ownership/editorial department has consistently pushed and allowed and even promoted articles and ads from organizations and individuals such as the defunct EJF, Shavei Israel and a variety of events.

The American Yated is the most conservative in this regard. It has basically never allowed any information on its pages that in way seem to be promoting proselytization of gentiles by any sort of rabbis or organizations. Perhaps in the early history of the EJF when many roshei yeshiva were induced to attend its earliest meetings, there was something, otherwise nothing. The American Hamodia at one time had regular articles and ads about EJF's work, but it stopped that when the Tropper scandal came into the open. the American Mishpacha once used to have more articles about finding lost Jews and promoted the work of the Shavei Israel  organization headed by Michael Freund. But without missing a beat, The Jewish Press has never given up on the theme of publishing articles, ads and promoting outright proselytization to gentile by Jewish organizations and rabbis. This seems to have come about in the period after the passing of its founder Rabbi Sholom Klass (d. 2000), but since then there has been a constant blizzard and drumbeat for this cause. The Jewish Press was among the leadership of the EJF from its inception in various ways and even wrote editorials and op-eds to support EJF. The Jewish Press has been the greatest supporter of Shavei Israel and it hosts a regular column by Michael Freund who has made it his life's mission to go searching for all manner of "lost Jews" that's part of a greater Zionist vision as he is also a Zionist activist. (The New York Jewish Week is not considered an Orthodox paper as it's funded by the secular UJA).

This past week was no exception, and space was given not to events to help "Anusim" but raise money for finding lost Jews in Poland.
----------------------

The following is a closer look at the latest Shavei Israel infomercial:

"HELP  US  UNCOVER  THESE  HIDDEN  TREASURES"

RaP:  The word "uncover" here is ambiguous, it easily means "proselytize"!

"...Poland’s ‘Hidden Jews’ are finally emerging from the shadows, seeking to reclaim their Jewish identity."

RaP: Almost all of them are not Halachic Jews and would require proper conversions. The wording jumps the gun, it tells the reader that they are already "Jews" albeit "Hidden" -- meaning they are "real" Jews just "hidden" away somewhere, when the facts are far from that. They are mostly gentiles with very tenuous links and claims to Jewish ancestry, and to repeat, almost every single one of them would require a proper geirus. So this is really a masquerade to cover up another mass proselytization effort.

"The downfall of the Iron Curtain has opened up new worlds, and allowed previously-buried family secrets to come to the fore."

RaP: Many of these claims are useless in a court of law, let alone a Bais Din because they almost all lack the proper kind of documentation that their parents or grandparents or great-grandparents were truly verifiable Halachic Jews.

"Across Poland, countless young people are suddenly discovering the Jewish roots that their parents or grandparents sought to hide because of fear or persecution, and an increasing number are seeking to learn more about Judaism."

RaP: This is true EVERYWHERE, not just in Poland, but that does not mean that they should be ENCOURAGED to do so for obvious reasons that no one knows who these people are really descended from. This is certainly not classical "kiruv rechokim" by any stretch of the imagination, its going way beyond the normal parameters of what an Orthodox-run organization should be doing. There should be many lessons learned from the recent mass Aliya from the former USSR that dredged up all sorts of people with very unreliable and false and even no claims to being Jewish and they amount to at least a third of the million who came from the USSR who are not Halachic Jews. The Jewish state of Israel does not need more problems because it is already choking Halachically on this bone of contention of nebulous "hidden Jews"!

"Shavei Israel is leading the way, reaching out to Poland’s ‘Hidden Jews’ with a helping hand and a welcoming heart."

RaP: There are plenty of priorities to work on and help bring back to authentic Judaism the millions of secular or marginal Jews who have a closer connection to provable Jewish ancestry.

"Please join us in assisting these brave young men and women to reconnect with the Jewish people."

RaP: They may be brave but Shavei Israel, and The Jewish Press that's promoting this are clearly pushing the envelope of and clearly crossing the line from kosher kiruv to painful proselytization. 

"Please send your US tax-deductible contributions to:
American Friends of Shavei Israel

RaP: There can surely be more important things to support in the Jewish world today. A further look at the web link opens the wide window into Shavei Israel's growing network, that unlike EJF has not been stopped or derailed. Michael Freund is NOT Leib Tropper even though they are merchants in the same bazaar of bartering for "lost Jews" and having no qualms in trying to have them converted, no matter how many there are, they're still the same type of very dangerous undertakings from the point of view of Jewish identity according to Jewish law.

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