The Hijacking of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com

Someone once said that we are in desperate need of a “Jewish Snopes” right now.  That person may be spot on.  Here is why.

There is a story that is circulating the social media about Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l.  A popular Rebbe friend of mine tells me that it was forwarded to him by a number of Yeshiva Rebbeim and other people as well.  These were people from all different walks of life.  This author has spoken to Rav Moshe zatzal’s Talmidim, Gabbaim, and family members.

Conclusion? The story never happened, and is completely false – from A to Z.

LOADED QUESTION

But before we get to the actual story, there is an important piece of information that is described by Douglas Walton, in his 1989 book entitled, “Informal logic: a handbook for critical argumentation (Cambridge University Press).”  Walton describes the idea of a loaded question asked in a “yes or no” form.  The purpose of it is to serve the writer’s agenda.  It is both manipulative and Machiavellian – placing the person on the other side of the question – in a no-win situation.  All to serve and promote the agenda of the person asking the question.

An example is, as follows:

“Answer, yes or no!  Have you stopped beating your wife??”

One cannot answer, “yes” or “no to such a question – because either way, one is stuck. If one answers yes – the indication is that he used to beat his wife. If he answers no – then the indication is that he has not stopped and continues to beat his wife.  The optics are bad.

It seems, to this author, that there are three components of a loaded question:

1. It serves and promotes the author’s agenda.
2. It is difficult to work around the charismatic questioner’s demand.
3. The optics are bad.

KORACH

Those familiar with Midrashim and Rashi are also well aware that Korach also posed questions to Moshe Rabbeinu that were, in fact, loaded questions.  Does a garment made of fabric entirely died blue tcheiles require Tzitzis?  Does a room filled with Torah scrolls require a Mezuzah?

These questions, as well, served the agenda of Korach – to place the leadership of Moshe Rabbeinu under question – so that he, “Korach – the man of the people” could take over.   All this, of course, is brought by the Midrash to understand the use of the term “Vayikach Korach – and Korach took.”

The meaning of the term is just as it is in contemporary usage.  “I got taken recently.”  The Midrash is telling us about the manipulative methods of Korach.

It is devious. Manipulative. Scheming. And, oh yes, wholly unscrupulous.

• Did Korach’s question and presentation serve to promote his agenda? Most certainly.
• Was it difficult to work around Korach’s demanding questions? It would seem so.
• Were the optics bad? Yes, they were.

WHAT ABOUT A LOADED STORY?

We now have two questions.  Is there also such a thing as a “loaded story?”  And what would such a story be?

A loaded story is one that shares the qualities of a loaded question in that it serves the author’s agenda.  The optics are bad.  And it takes great effort to disprove.

Let’s look at each element.  Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l is the Gadol haDor.  His view in halacha is that one may not even shake hands with a member of the opposite gender. He considers it dvarim shel chiba – halachically forbidden. But his world view is that dedication to Halacha – is the fulfillment of the Ratzon Hashem.  Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l was the living example that we can and do develop a dveikus to Hashem by fulfilling halacha – the ratzon Hashem.

THOSE WHO THINK DIFFERENTLY

There are others, of course, who think differently.  They think that it is okay to kiss women and to kind of let halachic devotion play second fiddle to social niceties.  It is all okay, as long as the heart is in the right place.

Now, the question is, how can the portrait of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l be hijacked?  And how can it be hijacked in a manner that places anyone who questions the integrity of the story in a bad light? In short, how can the high-flying life, replete with hugging and kissing celebrities and others, be justified?

How can Machiavellian, Korachellian techniques be employed to further this agenda?

So let’s create a story involving holocaust survivors – with some element of truth to it, because all lies employ some sort of truth, wherein Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l allows for the dropping of halachic norms – because, of course, his heart is in the right place.  Anyone who questions the story – is in for some pretty bad optics.  “How dare you question this!?  Of course – it is true! And how would you know anyway? You weren’t with Rav Moshe all of the time!”

Since we are fast approaching Pesach, perhaps a good way to start is by asking four questions:

1. Did family members or those who drove and or accompanied Rav Moshe zt”l know or hear of the story?
2. Are the logistics really plausible? Does the time frame work?
3. Are the behaviors of the people involved in the alleged story within the norms?
4. What is the provenance of the story – does the origin involve someone with a track record for integrity or for manipulations?

The story involves a 13 or 14 year old boy allegedly witnessing his non-frum aunt kissing Rav Moshe Feinstein at a doctors office, and Rav Moshe telling the young man right afterward that it is okay because she is a holocaust survivor.

So let’s go one by one.

1. No, they didn’t know it or hear about it, until it was published in 2009. At that time, all family members that were asked about it said that it just didn’t happen.
2. The logistics are somewhat plausible. But the dates do not really work out. Before 1971, Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l did not go to Camp Staten Island in Kahungston, but he did go to a place called Masten Lake. The age of the psychologist does not really work out, however, to place it during this time.  Later, when Camp Staten Island originally rented their current facility near Elenville and (then purchased it outright from the owner) the family members who took care of him would have known the story.   When Rav Moshe’s health was compromised later on – doctors came to the camp with all they needed.
3. No one would have kissed Rav Moshe on the cheek, no matter how irreverent they might be. Also the other details are just not plausible.
4. Unfortunately, this psychologist is well known now as a master manipulator – bilking his patients out of millions of dollars and is the subject matter of a horrific documentary type series entitled “The Shrink Next Door” as to how he manipulated a patient – taking over his patient’s Hampton home, manipulating him into not talking to his relatives, and making things appear as if the true owner of the home was the gardener – and he was the owner.

BUT WHY NOW?

The story was originally printed some 12 years ago.  Why is it being rehashed now?  One possibility is that it is in reaction to investigations currently being conducted as a consequence of allegations brought forth by a victim of the celebrity – psychologist.  If the story of his “connection” and “insight” into Rav Moshe and how he grew up among holocaust survivors comes up again – well, this might help his current predicament.

CHOMETZ REPRESENTS THE YETZER HARAH

This doctor allegedly nicknamed the victim “an Easy Mark.”  Let’s make sure that we aren’t easy marks as well. The Nesivos Shalom explains that just as we must clean our homes from any vestige of Chametz – we must also clean ourselves from any vestige of the yetzer harah.  The yetzer harah tries to take us away from becoming close to Hashem. When it comes to attempts to undermine our halachic norms, we must all be super vigilant.

The author can be reached at [email protected]