Arutz Full text of the letter
JPost More than 100 prominent haredi rabbis and educators from across the US have signed a public declaration stating that it is an obligation of Jewish law on all Jews to immediately notify law enforcement officials when a reasonable suspicion of child abuse exists.
We, the undersigned, affirm that any individual with firsthand knowledge or reasonable basis to suspect child abuse has a religious obligation to promptly notify the secular law enforcement of that information. These individuals have the experience, expertise and training to thoroughly and responsibly investigate the matter. Furthermore, those deemed “mandated reporters” under secular law must obey their State’s reporting requirements.
Lives can be ruined or ended by unreported child abuse, as we are too often tragically reminded. The Torah’s statement in Leviticus 19:16, “Do not stand by while your neighbor’s blood is shed,” obligates every member of the community to do all in one’s power to prevent harm to others. In conclusion, every individual with firsthand knowledge or reasonable cause for suspicion of child abuse has a Torah obligation to promptly notify the proper civil authorities.
JPost More than 100 prominent haredi rabbis and educators from across the US have signed a public declaration stating that it is an obligation of Jewish law on all Jews to immediately notify law enforcement officials when a reasonable suspicion of child abuse exists.
The declaration was described as “an historic watershed” for its broad-based support from a large number of haredi rabbis from major Jewish communities in the US.
The letter addresses the need to prevent and eradicate the epidemic of child abuse adversely affecting the Jewish community.
“We, the undersigned, affirm that any individual with firsthand knowledge or reasonable basis to suspect child abuse has a religious obligation to promptly notify the secular law enforcement of that information,” the declaration reads.
“These individuals have the experience, expertise and training to thoroughly and responsibly investigate the matter. Furthermore, those deemed ‘mandated reporters’ under secular law must obey their state’s reporting requirements.”
The rabbis said in their declaration that “lives can be ruined or ended by unreported child abuse, as we are too often tragically reminded” and cited the biblical injunction “Do not stand by while your neighbor’s blood is shed,” as the basis for reporting suspected cases of abuse.
Among the signatories are Rabbi Nota Greenblatt, the head of the rabbinical court in Mephis, Tennessee, Rabbi Dov Aharon Brisman, head of the rabbinical court in Philadelphia, Rabbi Peretz Steinberg, co-chairman of the rabbinical court of the Agudath Yisrael organization, and Rabbi Yechiel Perr, dean of the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway/Derech Ayson Rabbinical Seminary. [...]
To me, even more than the importance of this letter with regard to the particular issue is what it has to say about the "da'as Torah" society at large. Here we have a group of prominent, though not "top-level," rabbonim from the American chareidi community who are signing a kol koreh that runs counter to the position of the Moetzes gedolei HaTorah that only a Rav can decide whether a suspicion meets the standard of raglayim ladavar. The idea that all of these rabbonim are so fed up with the position of the "gedolim" that they are taking the shocking step of releasing their own opinion can have far-reaching applications well beyond the issue of reporting suspected abusers.
ReplyDeleteWhile these are impressive names, they have a limited following.
ReplyDelete(?rabbinical court of agudat Israel organization? Another self appointed position. Try igud harrabanim.)
WADR, the first tier rabbonim didn't sign this.
ReplyDeleteWhile the actual circle of influence of each individual signatory might be limited to each rabbi's shul or school, the collective impact of all these individuals taking on the Moetzes can potentially be huge.
ReplyDeleteThat is because they don't agree with it. The issue is whether we are perhaps witnessing a shift back to the model where local rabbanim set policy for their communities, without adhering to directives issued from a group of gedolim.
ReplyDeleteA large percentage of these "Chareidi" Rabbis are YU graduates.
ReplyDeleteThen the others should be promoted.
ReplyDeleteThey have some very solid names there. And lots of filler, but that's to be expected.
ReplyDeleteThis new document appears to represent Rav Elyashiv ZT'L's actual, undistorted position.
ReplyDeleteMitsva ktanah yesh, v'Rosh Yeshiva Lakewood milfonim shmah. It would be a good start to fix that, then we shall know you mean business.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know they don't agree with it? I know big-name rabbonim who agree with the principle, but whose names do not appear.
ReplyDeleteAnother point, even if these are not "top level" chareidi names, their combined weight surely creates a "yesh omrim" which will enable anyone to say "kim lee"
ReplyDeleteMostly filler.
ReplyDeleteWhen it is mostly filler, and the prominent names are not placed at the top, you get the feeling that protecting children is only the secondary consideration of the organizers of this letter.
"Yehoshua" is making a clear point. The primary objective of this letter, to the organizers, is not protecting children. That is secondary. What is primary, is instilling influence to the "local rabbi" - be he a YU grad, or otherwise. And if it gives power to YCT grads, then, well, it was a "worthwhile sacrifice." Much like the 50% rate...
ReplyDeleteRabbis Bechhofer and Gershon Tannenbaum, Jewish Press columnist, are "prominent... Hareidi Rabbis"?
ReplyDeleteis that a partial quote of a chazal, with different names/details??
ReplyDeleteWhat was the "distorted" position? Rav Elyashev clearly ruled that "raglayim l'davar" is necessary in order to be able to report.
ReplyDeleteIf there is no raglayim l'davar a mandatory reporter following Rav Elyashev wouldn't be able to report even if the non-Jewish law requires her to.
If there is no raglayim l'davar, a mandatory reporter following Rav Elyashev wouldn't be able to report even if the non-Jewish law requires her to, in contradiction with this notice.
ReplyDeleteA bunch of the signatories are Young Israel and Modern Orthodox rabbis.
ReplyDeleteThere are some very choshuv talmidei chachomim signed onto this proclamation such as Rabbi Hopfer, Rabbi Yitzhok Perr, Rabbi Kalman Epstein, and Rabbi Faskowitz among others.
ReplyDeletewhich will enable anyone to say "kim lee"
ReplyDeleteOnly those who have made up their mind, due to whatever personal slant they have. However, those who are sincerely seeking to do what G-d would actually like them to do, will seek out the guidance and rulings of legitimate, wold-class poskim.
It be worthwhile for you to see Rav Elchanan Wasserman's comparison of certain types of Rabbis and Rabbi-shopping, with the false prophets which enabled all the evils that befell us to have befallen us.
Rav Nota Greenblatt, Rav Shmuel Fuerst and Rav Motti Yoffen say hi.
ReplyDeleteThat may be your point, but it is not my point.
ReplyDeleteRav Nota Greenblatt is a world-class posek, for those in the know. Rav Aharon Lopiansly is an esteemed Rosh Yeshiva with as much seichel as anyone on the Mo'etzes, for those who know. Rabbi Dov Brisman is a major talmid chacham who is not well known as he is a small-town Rabbi. All of these rabbanim, who presumably have as much real-world experience dealing with these matters as those on the top, have arrived at the understanding that this is the correct way to proceed in terms of מה ה' אלוקיך שואל מעמך. The Mo'etzes Rabbonim have not arrived at that conclusion.
The larger issue is whether the masses will have the confidence to follow the Rabbanim they know despite the Mo'etzes disapproval. I, for one, certainly hope so.
Yes it is, mitsva kala yesh vesukah shma. The trails lead to Chicago if I am not mistaken, and the smoke is all over the place. Hein inyonei Gittin veKidushin, vehein bemilei dealma vechulhu... is all smoke and mirrors. They all are do as I tell you, and don't do as I do. The keyword is, raglayim ledovor and they reserve the right to themselves how and when to interpret. If 'you' think otherwise, you are dead meat.
ReplyDeleteAnd when asked how and by whom is that established, he replied, it is in the eyes of the beholder.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest problem is, that so many of these notorious perpetrators have close up relatives/connections that are mechapeh.
ReplyDeleteAs you ought to know, there are some major misconceptions about what raglayim l'davar is. These are exploited by abusers and their protectors.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see agreement on major principles across "party" lines.
ReplyDeleteWith All Due Respect to you, Curly, one of the so called second tier rabbonim is one of few confirmed musmochim of Rav Aharon Kotler tzk"l.
ReplyDeleteI love when stooges like you take stupid cheap shots at anyone who dares disagree with the pinhole world view of the Eidenson boys.
Misconceptions about raglayim l'davar. In that case you would need a posek to rule as raglayim l'davar is a halachic concept.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think raglayim l'davar means? Is it such a simple answer than anyone can decide for themselves whether a particular situation constitutes raglayim l'davar...
In any event, what does that have to do with the earlier comment. Mandated reporting is not determined by raglayim l'davar. So if raglayim l'davar does not exist in a particular situation, Rav Elyashev's psak would mean a mandated reporter cannot report a situation that lacks raglayim l'davar even if it is mandated by State law. As Rav Elyashev requires raglayim l'davar in order to be able to report.
Those who construe Rav Elyashiv's psak differently have whom to rely on, including Rav Elyashiv.
ReplyDeleteWho are these "Those" that construe it differently? And how do they construe it differently?
ReplyDeleteRelevance?
ReplyDeleteRav Aharon Lopiansly is an esteemed Rosh Yeshiva with as much seichel as anyone on the Mo'etzes
ReplyDeleteLol
This and the rest of your post makes my point clear: it's not about protecting children. It is about creating "equal ground" for certain types of rabbis.
1: Have you ever interacted with any of the three rabbonim I mentioned?
ReplyDelete2: What do you mean by "certain types of rabbis"?
Gadlus is not measured by which spot on the dais one is given at the Aguda convention.