JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Hakohen Aviner, a leading Religious Zionist rabbi and rosh yeshiva and the author of more than 200 books on Jewish religious practice, has issued a statement regarding the matter of Chaim Walder’s books. Rabbi Aviner enumerates 10 relevant points:
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- Whatever is written further about Chaim Walder is based on the current level of knowledge we have. If there will be new revelations, we will have to reopen the issue.
- Every person is presumed innocent until otherwise proven. This is known in secular law as the presumption of innocence. He is not a rasha who needs to prove that he has not sinned. Nothing is yet proven.
- Proof must take place not in the media or social media but in Beis Din which investigates and probes, meaning that the investigation is adversarial and takes place in the presence of both sides as the Torah says “Hear disputes between your brothers” (Devarim 1:16)
- Up to this point the complaints from women were not investigated in this adversarial manner.
- The only woman who actually appeared before Beis Din said that she had adulterous relations with him and because her husband believed her, he is required by halacha to divorce her. However it was not proven in Beis Din that this indeed occurred.
- Regarding all the rumors spread about him, according to halacha there is a category of rumors but not every rumor is considered reliable. Moreover is a person has enemies the rumors are not valid, and he did indeed have many opposers for various reasons.
- The Beis Din in Bnei Brak which dealt with the issue said that if the things which were publicized about him are true, his books should not be read but it added that “the author has not been investigated and the claims not investigated according to Din Torah.”
- Even if a person has sinned and committed crimes, this is not a reason for a public lynching and widespread defamation which obviously also harms his family. All the more so when the matter has not been proved according to halacha.
- As for his suicide, the Poskim rule that person should not be judged for suicide as we assume that due to his distress he lost his mind.
- Therefore his books may be read
Hashem Yerachem!
A sane voice in a sea of conjectures.
R’ Eliyahu should be subpoenead to turn over his ” evidence ” to an impartial group of investigators asap. .
This article ends with the words “Hashem Yirachem” without clarifying on whom is meant to apply. The books themselves have not been found to have any controversial material. At this point why ban them and derive the deceased’s innocent family of this source of livelihood?
So typical. Rachmanus for his family. Yes of course but the victims,the victims,what about them. 22,yes 22! How can anyone feel it’s ok to read anything this monster wrote?
A level mind speaking clearly. Thank you Rabbi and ViN for printing this.
If the allegations are actually true, the victims are/have been suffering. Revenge on his family will not help them. Time and therapy, with proper therapists, of course, may help them heal. He, himself, has has gone on to Oilam Haemes, where he will get True Justice, whatever that may be. It is not up to all these speculators and muckrakers to resolve this sad situation. Rav Edelstein and Rav Aviner both spoke wisely, from different perspectives, possibly, but both spoke truth. Let it be. You people will not resolve anything by constantly picking at this terrible abscess.
What a slap in the face to all the victims!
To all those in the comments section claiming the beis din conducted in tzfat wasn’t valid because of a rabbi’s religious Zionist ideology-
How is this different?
Can the victims bring their cases to bais din or court posthumously? Perhaps to sue his estate?
If an accused is summoned to beis din and he doesn’t show up, is one permitted to hear testimonies and issue a pask din in abstentia?
I have two questions (not challenges, just questions):
1) I get that a victim would go to a beis din to ask for justice. How did the other 21 victims know to go to that same beis din too? Why all now? Were they a group and how did they become one? Was there a public invitation to come forward?
2) do we know as a fact that the rabbi of the beis din spoke to 22 victims? Did anyone besides for the rabbi himself see them or hear them?
Let’s see over the next 12 months how the upstairs court treats this. The Rabbi was summoned and the outcome will be telling.
So far Walder ‘s name was beaten up and nobody here has seen any evidence or testimony from the accusers. Time to openly present charges to end this .Otherwise , it’s all lashan hara & rechilos .
So if some of you or family are accused of a crime and no court adjudicated it , you won’t have a problem if the public wants to hang you after reading it in media . Correct ?
Thank you Rabbi Aviner. This was real chizuk. in the maelstrom of rumor mongering, a breath of fresh air! Sane, logical and non-judgmental.
Just like the anti-vaxxers, this Rabbi is only getting a finessed version of the truth. 22 woman have gone to a Bais Din. There are probably hundreds. What more does this Rabbi want?
He can come pick up my books – I defecated all over them.
Are all those for who are in favor of public lynching of Walder, somehow also in favor of Masks, Vaccince mandates, shutdowns etc etc. (in other words a liberals’ mindsets)
So I did the right thing by myself bing his books into my front breakfront. I read he has six kids. You don’t hurt his family. And that should called rabbi who is a Mizrachi white knitted kippah hiding under a blue g black hat can not go in the media to say that chaim Walder is not going to Heaven. Well a real gadol rabbi Gershon Edelstein rosh Yeshiva of ponevitch largest Yeshiva in Israel stated that the rabbi who drove him to suicide is a murderer and has no share in the world to come.