JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Rabbi Moshe Meiselman, the esteemed Rosh Yeshiva of Toras Moshe in Yerushalayim, spoke at length about the Chaim Walder case. His comments were nothing short of explosive.
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The Rosh Yeshiva said that Walder was a “rasha merusha, absolutely without question.” He added that in addition to his years of abusing people, the fact that he took his own life renders him a murderer.
He said that over fifteen years ago, Rav Moshe Mordechai Shulzinger of Bnei Brak said that Walder was chashud of transgressing all aveiros in the Torah, including the three severe sins of murder, inappropriate relations, and idolatry.
He said that when Walder once requested a meeting with Rav Shmuel Auerbach zt”l, he was not allowed in, because the Rav felt that Walder was a rasha who would twist his words around. Some said it was well-known in Bnei Brak circles that Walder was guilty of the now infamous allegations.
The Rosh Yeshiva spoke sharply against the claim that Bais Din did not have the right to embarrass Walder in public, or that they were guilty of lashon hara.
He said that a respected Bais Din heard testimony from 22 people, and the Rambam says that if there are continuous rumors that someone is evil, first you need to confirm there is a basis for the claims, and then you can embarrass and humiliate him. You can say to his mother, “Look at this disgusting person you gave birth to.”
The Rosh Yeshiva said, “What about his mother’s feelings? Too bad. This person is dangerous.”
He added that the Rambam clearly does not require two witnesses in such a scenario, contrary to the rhetoric of some skeptics in the aftermath of this story.
He also observed that when some people suggested Walder’s suicide was justifiable, that led one victim who was trauamatzed by Walder’s defenders to tragically take her own life, because it was implied by some that the suicide was justifiable.
The Rosh Yeshiva said that If someone is falsely accused of something, the normal response would be to defend himself, not commit suicide.
Rav Meiselman said, “A certain Rosh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak repeated some of the stupidity, and a group of bochurim responded, ‘What about the victims? You don’t know the facts.’”
Rav Meiselman continued with harsh words: “So shut up if you don’t know [the facts].”
He said that his son did not allow Walder’s books into his house for years, because he felt they were not the proper hashkafa. For example, in 15 children’s books, he does not mention the Ribbono Shel Olam once, which is highly suspicious.
Rav Meiselman added that he knows a therapist who never took a female patient, because he would need to develop an emotional connection which is inappropriate. In addition, the therapist-patient relationship gives the therapist too much power over the patient.
He said that Walder did not learn in yeshiva very long and was not successful there, plus he went to the army, which elite bochurim don’t do. Yet he was a genius at manipulating public opinion as well as creating a false image of himself. He did not have a therapy license, and took advantage of naive people. To protect himself, Walder became the head of the organization in Bnei Brak in charge of evaluating abuse threats.
Addressing the question of whether one should read Walder’s books, the Rosh Yeshiva said, “To use an extreme example, if Adolf Hitler had written good children’s books, you would be disgusted.”
He closed his remarks by saying that this behavior comes from rampant exposure to pritzus. We are so exposed to pritzus everywhere, it keeps inching us closer to aveiros and gets worse and worse. When we have devices, you have to be the tzaddik hador not to be nichshal, and even the tzaddik hador needs to have syugim to protect himself.
Wait,in the third paragraph doesn’t Rabbi Maiselman say a Rav said 15 years ago……
Does this mean Rabbi Maiselman heard about it 15 years ago? That it was basically common knowledge? WHAT TOOK SO LONG!!!! THIS IS HORRIFIC!!!!
“over fifteen years ago, Rav Moshe Mordechai Shulzinger”. Why didn’t he or others do anything?
Fantastic! Thank you Rabbi Maiselman!
Thank you Rabbi Meiselman for saying it as is!
Thank you VIN for posting it.
Hopefully this will will stop the stupidity and false holiness in their path.
The article states: “Some said it was well-known in Bnei Brak circles that Walder was guilty of the now infamous allegations.”
Not accurate – Rav Meiselman only said that it was well-known in certain circles in Bnei Brak that he was not quite what people thought him to be. That is a far cry from saying the abuse was known! This inaccuracy is causing readers who have not heard the recording carefully – or at all – to accuse people of ignoring abuse. Please correct this!
I was curious about Rabbi Moshe Meiselman’s comment that “For example, in 15 children’s books, he does not mention the Ribbono Shel Olam once, which is highly suspicious.” So thought I’d check it out. I’m not privy to testimony that the beis din in Sefas claims to have heard. But I can test the veracity of this alarming claim. I opened up a random book “Kids Speak 6,” which happens to be on my shelf. And right there on the second page (which is numbered p. 14 as the numbering includes the introduction) is “It turns out that the Creator of the world doesn’t give a person an ability for no reason.” How about that. And then on the fifth page (numbered 18) “I raise my eyes to the mountains and pray, ‘From where will my help come?'” Then on the sixth page “Shema Yisroel.” (p. 19) Interesting. And what else? “Someone who trusts in Hashem buys one ticket as a reasonable effort on his part. That’s called ‘hishtadlus.’ He doesn’t try to ‘convince’ Hashem.” (p. 86) “Thank G-d I managed to get here on time.” (p. 96) “It says in Taana D’Vei Eliyahu, ‘HaKodesh Baruch Hu said to Yisrael: My children, what do I ask of you? Only that you should love each other and honor each other.'” ( p. 99) “I went to daven Ma’ariv in the hospital’s shul. When I came to ‘Refa’einu,” I burst out crying. I cried out to the Creator of the world to see my mother’s suffering and the suffering of our whole family. All the hurt and pain within me came out in my tears. ‘Hashem,’ I pleaded, ‘why doesn’t anyone remember that I have a bar mitzvah?’ (p. 160) “She handed me the invitation. On the top it said, ‘With praise and gratitude to Hashem…” (p. 163) That’s eight references in this book alone. I would image that there are more because I didn’t read the book cover to cover. I plucked out these references to the Ribono Shel Olam in ten minutes of flipping through it.
Thank you Rabbi. A breath of fresh air. Honesty, integrity and yashres! I was struggling with how some “gedoilem” can be so misguided to have knowingly covered up on this story. You gave me hope back that there are many more gedoilem that do understand the severity of what happened and have the courage to say it how it is.
Can anybody explain the Rambam he quotes? I understand that we can’t be concerned with the consequences of shaming a Baal aveira, and the how it will effect the persons mother, but why on earth should it be ok to tell the mother “look at what a disgusting..”?
what does he mean about the rosh yeshiva from bnei brak
“For example, in 15 children’s books, he does not mention the Ribbono Shel Olam once”
Incorrect.
Offhand, the story of Shlomo Carlbach doing Tshuva is an example where he is mentioned.
Carlbach is quited as saying about hashem
הנותן יד לקבל פושעים
Well said, he brings a set of rational facts, and balances the overwhelming evidence against the wicked suicide note. The suicide note was just his last piece of fiction, like his books, and his persona. Walder was sheker through and through.
Some people take his suicide note as daas Torah, Chas vshalom. That is completely absurd, and heresy.
So no bet din can treat him fairly, not even rav nissim karelitz BD in bnei brak? Someone mentioned halacha , and he reached for his Uzi!
B”h we have Gedolim like Rav Meiselman who can teach us what the holy Torah expects of us in order to protect potential victims.
The few who call themselves ‘Rabbi’ who are trying to protect monsters so they can continue molesting our kids and women should have title Rabbi removed from their names. ‘Rabbi’ Tau would be a good start.
I think there is enough dirt splashed on the community already. There was no need to come up with more dirt, especially non-factual. I try to respect Rabbanim, but dislike the attempts to divert attention from the horrible things that actually happened to real victims by saying how the perpetrator was also this and that because of things he did or didn’t do in the past.
Just like you can’t cook the overcooked, let’s not make the dirty dirtier. Our attention & support need to go to victims and to creating better systems that will prevent such crimes from occurring and lingering for as long as they did.
contrary to what the Rav said ( probably was told) Chaim Walter/ Rasha was a talmid chacham and one of the top bechorim at ponowich . As much as I agree w majority of everything he says in
his speech , he also doesn’t have all the facts .
I have respect for all the rabanim in all spectrum, but the Rav s speech has a lot of elements referring to the long time disagreements between the gedolim of beni brak and Rav Aurbauch.
if any Rabbis knew about this Rasha for 15 years and didn’t publicize it , or attemp to stop him or have him arrested they are as guilty as any other rabbi/ Gadol the Rav is referring to in his speech, without mentioning names.
If you say that they should shut up ,well you were the first ones who kept quite for fifteen years and didn’t expose this guy.
it’s because of this kind of Speeches and enticements leads to Sinat khinam in our community. Nine years ago after a speech like this some yeshiva Bokhor from Yerushalaim went and climb up rav steinman s window and tried to kill him And last month another idiot went and spray painted graffiti on rav steinman s kever . this speech could have been done without attacking other Gedolim or rabbis whom millions of Jews depend on look up to and hold by. May Hashem make all out gedolim be in shalom together and we follow course .
I don’t understand why we need to continue talking about the particulars of the case now. There’s nebech a wife and children. What about them? Why can we not learn and establish criteria moving forward without causing pain – undue pain – to the oomshuldiger family? What did they do wrong? There’s got to be a better way.
Amazing how many are now coming out with their wisdom Where where these fine and upstanding gentlemen till now or are they all looking to bury ( forgive the pun) this man
I hear. Does Rabbi Hoffman hear?
Does the official Rav of the Queens Jewish Link hear? (Rabbi Schoenfeld)
he was a bad person
“For example, in 15 children’s books, he does not mention the Ribbono Shel Olam once, which is highly suspicious.”
Really? That’s strange.
——————
Kids Speak 8:
——————
Page 80, “Baruch Hashem”
Page 165, “Hashem chose….”
Page 201, “G-d Willing…”
——————
Kids Speak 9:
——————
Page 109, “I thank Hashem for giving me…” Two more references on the next page, page 110, like “Yes, Hashem really did save us.”
Page 160, “..Hashem spreads his Sukkah of peace…”
Page 202, “You’re only going to make Hashem mad. Don’t you get it? The gadol hador said so…”
(As an additional point, the books are full of stated and implicit concepts like “gam zu liTova”, quotes from Chazal, and the like.)
So, how does he claim that there was no mention of the Creator even once in 15 books when I just found a bunch of references to Hashem in just two of those books that happened to be nearby?
It’s extremely gratifying to hear a giant of a man say what he said. I admit, it’s even more gratifying when it’s my Rosh Yeshivah.
I can’t add anything to this summation:
“Walder did not learn in yeshiva very long and was not successful there, plus he went to the army, which elite bochurim don’t do. Yet he was a genius at manipulating public opinion as well as creating a false image of himself. He did not have a therapy license, and took advantage of naive people.”
Thank you for being a leader for the Jewish people.I think that Hashem was so happy that you publicly spoke the truth and gave the proper guidance to Am Yisrael. May Hashem reward you to see Melech Hamashiach today.
Re 37:30 – 37:53 in the clip.
It is true that not every Rav should pasken or speak out on the issues of molestation (especially when they might err in what they say). I wish this Rav would express it in a finer, more dignified way, with less anger towards the other Rav.
Known for years about the abuse and never went to the police???
Elite bochurim don’t go to the army?
Elite roshei yeshivot don’t do doctorates in math.
So basically, every single rav who knew about this over the last 15 years is guilty over all the abuses done by walder, and the suicide of the victim. Kol hakavod.
I am “happy” some rabbanim are becoming more transparent about the situation, but at the same time, my faith in what is supposed to be the Torah leadership is almost nothing at this point.
Why is it relevant that he learned in 3 different Yeshivas? Can you only be a good person if you went to Tomo? How does he know he was not a good learner. Does he mean that if you are not successful in learning will become a rapist?
Kol HaKavod. Now let the rest of the reshaim being kind to the Rasha come and pour out of their wishing cw raped their kids heads come against the Rav