JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In a long letter published after his meeting with Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Rabbi Tzvi Tau, head of the Har Hamor yeshiva and the most prominent student of Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook, presented his opinion about the Walder affair.
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Rabbi Tau wrote privately to a person questioning him:
In response to your question about what I said in the last few days regarding the purity of the camp. Purity of the camp is a dual entity: Purity from foreign viewpoints taking control and sentencing a person in absentia, transgressing “You shall judge your friend favorably” and purity of the camp from severe acts which harm the sanctity of the covenant and cause damage to boys, girls, men and women.
In the last few years it has become a matter of routine that whenever there are claims and counterclaims against a certain person, especially in matters of modesty and warped morals, the right to discussion is removed, the law of ‘judging your friend with justice’ disappears, the obligation delineated by Chazal to “judge every person favorably’ is forgotten and all the rules of Loshon Hora are left behind. A new mitzvah is proclaimed, to publicize the matter and uproot evil from our midst and to publicize and continue to publicize until everyone is persuaded that so-and-so definitely sinned and harmed and the newspapers already publicized what he should sentence himself to or what the public should sentence him to.
The source of this approach is unholy and stems from a foreign influence which has been absorbed by us and which creates new “articles of faith.”
Nobody disputes the fact that when there is a possibility of harm to a man or women we need to take courage and fulfill the command not to fear any person, in order to eradicate the evil acts. This includes immediate reporting to police who will investigate and clarify the matter at depth. Contacting the police is not designed just to punish the sinner but to prevent him from harming others. This is what I have always counseled and this is how we should act at present.
Almost imperceptibly we have become a society involved in mob justice towards any person accused of intimate crimes. The mob justice is led by the media, corridor discussion, messages and every other technological medium available in our time and the accused is hung in the center of town with a great roar of approval.
Chazal says that one who publicly shames his friend is worse than a murderer and we see that this is the case, since a person on whom accusations are levelled whether they are true or not becomes a pariah wherever he goes, to the point that none of his near and dear ones are prepared to support him, and what can be done about this. Additionally, we must consider the great responsibility we have to maintain the purity of our children, purity which has been sullied by exposing children to the public discussion of the matter with no discretion.
It is clear that our restraint as a society from publicizing and unnecessarily humiliating people without the authorization of the greatest dayanim in Israel does not in any way reflect our acceptance of any kind of crime or misdemeanor and does not reflect any contempt for female or male victims who may have been harmed.
The claim that those who do not denounce the accused, who was not yet convicted in court and was apparently not even under police investigation but had been subjected to mob justice – the claim that those who do not denounce this person are harming the victims is the “mother of all sins.” It does not allow anyone to investigate the truth and does not allow people to claim their innocence by intimidating all those who might wish to speak favorably about them.
Just as we must be concerned about the suspicions being properly investigated with no preconceptions and without harming those who feel they were already harmed, we have an equal obligation not to allow a person to be judged and convicted without completing the investigations and examinations. Just as a person who has committed grave acts must spend many years behind bars, a person who has not committed grave acts must be treated by professionals and allowed to return to his community.
The judicial, social and media situation we live in, where every person is in fear of being exposed as an abuser despite his innocence, is due to the epicenters of power being held by the extreme left-wing, from the courts to the prosecution. These people have no compunction in framing people and we have seen in the past how low this can make us stoop. We must stop cooperating in silence with this shaming method, a method which can turn every honest and law-abiding person into a pariah.
All treatment of these issues should be in the hands of rabbinical courts led by responsible dayanim. In order to warn a person there is no need for clear evidence and the court can decide that “we must be wary” and publicize the matter. It can also rule halachically based on evidence and in the presence of both parties.
After a person has died there is no need to warn against him and if the Beis Din wishes to adjudicate it must do so based on the Torah’s laws. Let us purify our camp from all defilement of the covenant, that of the tongue and that of all foreign influences harming the purity of our camp and turning everything upside down.
By minimizing the gravity of the churban of sexual abuse in our community, Rabbi Tau has not joined with the forces of purity.
His false equivalence, as if we are facing a catastrophe of false claims of sexual abuse, only seeks to divert attention from the true catastrophe – the ignored pleas for help from sexual abuse victims.
In this case, the “mob justice” was actually the exact opposite. A court of three experienced dayanim heard and investigated evidence (CW refused to participate), issued a psak, yet CW was eulogized as a tzaddik and righteous person and his sins and suicide were whitewashed in the right wing media.
Above all, the truth should matter.
Do we need to wait for more victims to end their life or is the spilled blood of Shifra Horowitz going to waken us to focus on rooting out this tuma’a?
“All treatment of these issues should be in the hands of rabbinical courts led by responsible dayanim.”
Excuse me but that is where it was for the last 60 years and we all already know where it leads, coverups. more abuse, then huge sandal on the crime and the coverups. hundreds of victim instead of just 1 or 2.
insanity means doing again and again what we have done already and expecting different results
And not a word about the victims, especially the one that committed suicide.
SMH.
He totally ignores Rav Shmuel Eliyahu’s Beth din that heard 22 different testimonies from victims.
When there is ‘raglayim ladavar’ that a person is suspicious of this type of behavior, the Chofetz Haim mandated that the Isur of ‘Lo Taamod Al Dam Re’echa’ supersedes Lashon Harah.
Since when is testimony by so many victims, and his refusal to come to beis din and his own confession on the recording considered mob justice??? Why does rabbi tau need to defend such people???
This is so disgusting — a beis din met and ruled that Walder was guilty beyond doubt a month ago but because he’s offended that no one asked him permission first he’s willing to burn everything down, never mind the victims.
Mob justice? That’s not what this is. This is collective disgust for this monster and outrage for the victims. The days of sweeping all this filth under the rug are over and that makes some of us squeamish.
I would suppose mob justice is more common when there is no other, more official form of justice. If we protect criminals we cannot be surprised at the actions of the community.
Excuse me, no “mob” put a gun to Mr Walders head, No “mob” chased him to his sons burial site and no “mob” forced him to write that note. Just as no “mob” made him “counsel” children and women in private against derech HaTorah. Perhaps we need the Rabbanim to come out with guidelines how to seek and provide therapy and counseling in a safe and proper manner. So this doesnt happen again. None of it. There is evil in our community and THIS is whats bothering us??
In many cases, there actually was a bais din and/or rabbanim who condemned the abuser, however our insistence on maintaining our children’s innocence allowed these abusers to evade any retribution. I believe the Yated was informed by R Doviltzky Shlita a while back that Jeffery Walder was having affairs with married clients and that his column should be dropped. But they did nothing. If we called him a rapist sooner, the Yated wouldn’t write an obituary.
In sum, we can have a greater sensitivity toward public mention of sexual crimes, continue to tiptoe around the issue, and continue to have greater numbers of rape victims. Or, we can talk about this problem publicly, and sacrifice some of our tznius sensitivity, for greater sensitivity toward victims of rape. You choose.
Shame on u, Rabbi? Taub, are u for real? let me see what u would said when he abused and destroy the life of your son
What a disgrace
It may be Mob Justice, but the alternative has been No Justice, you choose.
Fear of mob justice is the only thing that will uproot this evil
So… Chaim Walder did horrible deeds- more than 20 victims with testimonies, a recording of his telling someone not to tell anyone about this. He refused to go to beis din. So he can’t be considered guilty?
So if Hitler, Yemach Shemo refused to come to beis din, he wouldn’t be able to be presumed guilty?????? obviously this is relative (Not trying to say Chaim Walder is as bad as this Hitler, Yemach Shemo, chas vesholam)
I don’t understand.
The had 25 years to figure out how to “deal with it privately, and not humiliate him”. Nothing was done, nothing changed, and kids continued to be hurt. All those who are screaming about the way this was handled, what did they do to end this? Absolutely nothing. Or whatever they did do clearly didnt work. Now they come as Monday morning quarterbacks with what should have been done.
“Intimate Crimes“
I am using this as a jumping off point.
I don’t think it is helpful to be prudish here. Call evil by its proper name- sexual abuse. How can we protect ourselves unless are aware and also we call evil and sins by their proper names (VIN is one outlet that is good about this. I am talking about in general.) – They have names: abortion, pornography, premarital sex, adultery, sexual abuse.
When my boys reach a mature age, I think is is appropriate to tell them that there is an evil called pornography that is part of the yetzer hara’s toolkit and it is dangerous for your soul and yahdus. Your neshama is something special and it needs to be protected from the yetzer hara’s tricks – yiush, depression, etc plus the actual aveia of looking at unclean images. Call evil, evil so we can protect ourselves from it and go on offense (at least in America where these are an issue, even for frum jews.) The gemora in some places does not hold back on the details and some times when it is not talking about aveiros but it is talking about intimate topics that are not sins, then it is careful to avoid unnecessary and less than clean language.
Sexual abuse, not intimate crimes and definitely not silence because you are to prudish to say the words.
Btw, my wife was sexually abused multiple times as a child (by someone that was not a relative) so I am deeply affected by this evil but that is not even a fraction of what she suffered through.
We will educate our children to report if they are touched inappropriately and also daven that this evil does not happen to them.
enough of these fake dayanim
spewing their useless garbage…
lets hear from the victims of this terrible ongoing tragedy in our midst
I’m sure its very painful but I’d like to see more victims come forward because I’m sure over 25 yrs there are hundreds more! Victims
who knows how many others committed suicide without anyone knowing why?
Who will cry for them?????
For those who don’t now much about Rav Tau, here a few things to know. Rav Tau leads a very insular and obscurantist sect in the national religious camp. He represents no more than 10% of this group. He espouses home schooling, forbids secular education beyond the bare minimum and demands Pope-like obedience. He refuses to debate or defend his views, and his students claim that anyone who questions him clearly cannot fathom his intellectual and religious depth and anyhow wouldn’t understand any explanation. In essence he is a cult leader. This helps put his comments in perspective. It’s best to ignore him.
Rav Tau, interesting that you only talk at certain times and regarding certain issues. Where are you on other matters concerning Klal Yisrael, the people affected by sick people like this. Al Ta’amod Al dam Re’echa When you see those suffering, not the perpetrators.
Time for you to get a life, get direction and choose where to do Tzedek.
From Arutz Sheva
During the meeting [Rabbi Tau and Rav Shmuel Eliyahu], Rabbi Rafi Feuerstein, co-chairman of the Tzohar organization, excoriated Rabbi Tau, according to a report by Galei Tzahal.
Rabbi Feuerstein reportedly announced that following Rabbi Tau’s comments on the Walder case, Rabbi Feuerstein had thrown out all books written by Rabbi Tau which he owned.
“I don’t want them in my house, so I took the books and left them out in the rain. I call on Rabbi Tau to walk back his comments, to support the victims who complained against Chaim Walder, and to give them legitimacy. The time has come to draw a red line.”
First, it says this was a private letter so presumably, it never should have been published . No indication what question or who he was responding to, so there’s no context. Which risks misinterpretation. Is he commenting on the Walder case specifically? Or is he only using it to reiterate some general principles? And if you actually read it, it’s pretty pareve and balanced : “Nobody disputes the fact that when there is a possibility of harm to a man or women we need to take courage and fulfill the command not to fear any person, in order to eradicate the evil acts. This includes immediate reporting to police who will investigate and clarify the matter at depth. Contacting the police is not designed just to punish the sinner but to prevent him from harming others. This is what I have always counseled and this is how we should act at present.” He’s right that aspects of “mob justice” and lack of discretion (as seen in some responses here) too often creep in. Insisting that people restrain themselves from denouncing an accused in public media until the facts are examined and the accused has an opportunity to contest them, does not mean that those who DID have personal knowledge or strong suspicions of incriminating facts were excused from reporting them promptly, nor that once overwhelming facts were known (such as 22+ independent witness testimonies), or were known to a particular individual first-hand, or if the accused waived the right to contest the facts (by not appearing before a beit din), others were not justified in independently acting upon them (such as by removing books from stores, or warning the public in the Walder case).
To all the people who are using disrespectful language towards the Rav please be more careful. Regardless of what you think of his statements keep in mind he is a Talmid Chochom who has devoted his life to the study and teaching of Torah. Using disrespectful language towards a Talmid Chochom is a big Aveirah
It seems pretty clear at this point that different rabbanim have taken different approaches to this whole CW saga. Let’s have everyone (including magazines & websites) ask their own rabbi and follow their guidance, if the rabbi says it’s lashon hara don’t speak of it & if the rabbi says it’s not then speak, and stop pushing their guidelines onto everyone else.
I agree with this rabbi 120%
Tons of lies and fake news in the media. This is my complaint. The need for extreme privacy among victims (police is not the address) but yet the need of recourse. And prevention of innocent victims if not reported.. but to whom to turn. ? We need to establish A torah based network with dedicated and trained staff -where people can turn to find help and not feel afraid to speak openly with utmost discretion and trust. This is the call of the hour.
Mob justice started the blood libels against Jews . Accusing them of slaughtering christian children and mixing their blood in matzohs .. after a member of the jewish commnity in Germany was ostricized for violating their rules. And was turned into a pariah .. he opted then to contact the local bishop .
Tau is obsessed with “purity.” How many times does he repeat it here? A sure sign that all is not quite right upstairs.
Oh, and forming a political party whose entire raison d’être is Tau’s obsession with homosexuality.
Freud would have a field day.
This man has the blood of the victim Shifra Hurivitz on his hands. Yes b”h CW is no longer alive so he can’t hurt the many victims any more. But now idiots like Tau are hurting these poor victims!
Shameful!
Mob justice is fine as long as the mob drags the accused to court instead of just lynching them.
It’s very confusing when different Robbonim say polar opposites.
This question is not going to be resolved at this time
because
there are no shomer halacha police upon whom we can rely.
This Shabbos Rav Horowitz said in a speech that ‘Rabbi’ Tau should probably be put into cherem for speaking disgusting Loshon Hora against 22 inoccent victims who Tau claims these victims fabricated the abuse that Walder did to them.
He said this is besides protecting molesters and causing enormous future potential danger to the inoccent.
The Rabbi said kol Hakovod to Rabbi Rafi for getting rid of books written by Tau.
There must be a reason why Rabbi Tau is so narcissistically defending abusers while claiming that he is for reporting and dealing with abuse through authorities. Time to discover the reason behind it!!!
Also, can anyone vouch for him that he is a person that ever took abuse seriously?
Did he ever refer a case to the authorities?
Did he ever instructed anyone to a specific Beit Din that can deal with such cases?
We say put up or shut up!!!
At last some real straight thinking
Finally someone speaks from a torah standpoint and is not afraid to say the unpopular but true torah values
It seems most people commenting on this report are of the same mindset – myself included. My question is for all of you: What do we do now?? Let’s face it (as hard as it is to face): The Am is more in touch with the emes and ratzon Hashem than the leaders. Perhaps this is a symptom of the “birth-pangs of Moshiach”, but regardless, what are we to do? The system is so broken. The mainstream leadership is leading the nation off a moral cliff. And, as a G-d-fearing, frum person, I am lost and confused as to where we go from here. I feel like we’re forced to enter into the “wild west” of interpreting the (application of) the Torah/halacha on our own, because we cannot trust what is being taught to the rabim. Does this make sense? Does anyone out there feel the same way? What should we do?? Please reply!
Even Rabbonim and Rebbes can be stupid. Trouble is they are being stupid with other people’s lives. Idiots, with all due respect.
This is so disgraceful and disturbing. A huge disgrace. How can we trust any “Rabbis”??
Yawn. Go back to sleep Tau. I keep wondering about you and your ilk – who are you protecting? What evil lurks in your shadows? Because there is literally no issue of lashon hara here. That attitude got Gedaliah killed. It was the final hammer blow of churban bayit rishon. That same attitude prevented the tannaim from bringing a korban from the Roman emperor, ending with churban bayit shayni. Lovers of people side with the people, to protect them, and care for them. But Tau and his ilk just have some ideal they hang on to, bereft of heart and soul. So I am just suspicious of them. I wouldn’t trust his hechsher on a bottle of water.
Sad that Klal Yisrael needs to deal with such uneducated Rabbonim. It is difficult to appreciate the huge damage and pain that these victims struggle with every day. The self appointed and self anointed head of the Vaad of Queens Bais Din has a long track record of protecting some of the worst pedophiles, using one as a Shliach of his Bais Din. Probably uneducated ignorance tempered with Rishus. Given the outcry of some Rabbonim in this case, despite the Bais Din of the chief Rabbi of Tsfas having ruled, it seems that future sex crime complaints must be directed to the secular authorities. Sad that this is our leadership.
amazing
only this holy man has the guts to stand up and say it
mob justice would have been if they hung this garbage on a tall lamppost in middle of bnei berak and let his flesh rot for all to see
with fake rabbits like this
we can be sure its the end of the Jewish race as we know it
and I do mean rabbits
this rabbit is not worthy of that title
because he forgot the real victims
Thank you , Rabbi Tau !
Finally someone with his head screwed on straight
Finally.