Reply To: Lessons Learned from the False Arrest of the Innocent Tzadik in Flatbush

ubiq: “Again “if …could”” Again, the ONLY reason the completely innocent Tzadik is likely not in Rikers Island today, and rotting away there for the next year while awaiting (now dropped) felony kidnapping attempt charges is because there exists a VIDEO of the actual alleged incident. In the vast majority of criminal charges, a video of the actrual indicident never exists. So an innocent accused of kidnapping attempt would likely roast in jail pending trial. And at trial, with no video, it would be his (the Tzadik) word against her (the mother) word, where she was accused him to the police as having attempted to take run with him out of the building to kidnap him. In such a he said/she said trial there’s a strong preponderance of false conviction.

The point, again, being if there was no video (like 95% of cases), this tragedy would have been much worse. Which demonstrates not to believe police/prosecutor charges against people.

“And if he did abuse the kid and the mother delayed and asked a shailah and the Rav didnt care then he could abuse others.”

Huh? The child was already safe and sound with the mother before she called Shomrim and the police. And what’s this business about you deciding not to ask a Rov since “the Rav didnt care”? You do things, in general, without asking since you don’t trust Rabbonim?

besalel: If you prefer to walk between women, that’s your call. But this halacha or hanhaga is well known and widely adhered to, whether you do so or not you have no standing to dictate to others not to follow well followed halachos/hanhagos. And if your (or anyone’s) wife has a problem with following a halacha or hanhaga, she needs to reeducated; it certainly is no basis to stop following it because she objects to its halachic basis or reasoning.

And, again, about an “abduction”? The video so clearly, openly and undoubtedly disproves any kidnapping attempt or even an idiotic misconception of that. Please watch the video. The boy stops halfway through the crowded hallway, as soon as the women were passed, the Tzadik continued on his own for the rest of the hallway.

Do you believe the Halacha of Mesira is “outdated”, “repealed” and “no longer applicable” when you are in the Goldene Medina of America in the new 21st Century? What other Halachos should we rip out?

Leyzer: “Could you imagine a genuine Godol Hador like R Moshe or R Yaakov doing this?” Absolutely. Most if not all did. In fact, at the Agudah Convention, when the Novominsker Rebbe needed to get through a crowd of women he would grab a bochor and say to him let’s walk together across the room.

lakewhut: “Holding a minors hand during simchas Torah of at a wedding is a different context than a situation where it isn’t really warranted.” Really? How is holding a child’s hand in a crowded hallway different than holding his hand in a crowded wedding, shul (S”T), an old lady holding a teen’s hand to help cross the street or an adult holding a child’s hand who needs to cross the street? (P.S. In this case here, the Tzadik DIDN’T hold the child’s hand, in any event.)

simcha613: You are neglecting the prohibition of Mesira. Which a case such as this one is EXACTLY what Hilchos Mesira was designed for.

Bottom Line: There is absolutely, positively, nothing inappropriate with the Tzadik walking six seconds half-way through a crowded hallway side by side with this kid. Indeed, there is everything right, correct and appropriate about it. It couldn’t, and shouldn’t, even have been mistaken by someone as anything nefarious. And it certainly should not have involved reporting to the authorities, resulting in a false arrest and charges based on an accusation of kidnapping.