Comments on: Police Complaint Addressing Smicha Fraud

By: emunah613

emunah613 — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 07:05:19 +0000

I wish these news stories would not be publicized. There is already so much chiloni hatred towards charedim, why fuel the flames? As for these charedim-they are NOT worthy to be given that name! In order to be frum, you have to be yosher-these guys are anything but!

By: 147

147 — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 03:46:06 +0000

The tragic reality is, that this is just the tip of a probably already deeply embedded iceberg which had been going on for quite a while, and it may become necessary to unturn numerous Piskei Halochos which were rendered by people whom it shall turn out, were not the actual exam takers.

Having been to Beth Din a few times, and each time having such awful ineptness, that it became necessary to move the case to secular court; This story is opening up an entire new dimension as to why most Botei Din are totally incapable of renderring & following through with cases.

By: apushatayid

apushatayid — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:22:18 +0000

“The rabbinate smicha test, is not a regular smicha test.”

Is that supposed to be an excuse for lying and cheating?

By: chaimboruch

chaimboruch — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:13:41 +0000

The rabbinate smicha test, is not a regular smicha test.
the test, tests the persons knowledge of rishonim on the sugya, not the psak halacha.

By: voseppes

voseppes — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:48:35 +0000

As a teacher of an Issur v’Heter smicha program, I know firsthand the difficulty of the subject matter, in which a minor nafka mina can render kosher treif, or be an avenue to save an entire banquet. Mashgichim have to be halachic experts as well as consummate professionals. Just as a doctor’s skill can mean the difference between physical life and death, a mashgiach’s skill corresponds to the spiritual realms. HaRav Nachman Bulman zt”l told me that one reason for so many Yidden leaving the derech in America was the dishonesty of many in the kosher meat industry, who sold treif as kosher and so were metamten the hearts of their innocent customers and families.
I hope that these charges will turn to be unfounded. However, they must be investigated, and if fraud is proven, the perpetrators must be dealt with, as well as investigated for any previous violations. Klal Yisroel cannot tolerate such a fraud.

By: fwiw

fwiw — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:37:23 +0000

I am absolutely flabbergasted!

You report that “It appears they did it to simply assist the others in earning the right to give piskei halacha in isur v’heter.”

You also report that “the people they took the exam for simply were not knowledgeable enough to pass.”

If true, that means these individuals thought they were doing a good deed by enabling unqualified individuals to gain the right to pasken, even though they are not worthy of paskening! What a tremendous michshol that would create for the public and for individuals, who would potentially rely on unqualified people for psak in issure v’heter!

How in the world can that be beneficial for anyone? What were they thinking? And we’re talking about people who have learned enough to be able to pass the smicha exam!

Unbelievable!!!

By: AinOhdMilvado

AinOhdMilvado — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:21:20 +0000

“Chareidim” are going to enable people who are “simply not knowledgeable enough to pass” this exam to get a bogus ‘smicha’ which will allow them to pasken for others?!?!
If these “chareidim” ARE knowledgeable enough to pass the exam, why are they such mushchasim and too foolish to realize the ramifications of what they are doing?!?!?

Horrible!