Israeli author Chaim Walder on Thursday was summoned to the Beis Din of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu, the Rav of Tzfas.
In recent weeks, the special Beis Din of HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu, HaRav Reuven Nakar, and HaRav Aharon Yarchi (which specializes in assault cases) heard numerous testimonies and examined multiple pieces of evidence about suspected severe offenses committed by Walder.
Walder has not yet responded to the summons.
HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu said last week that Walder is a danger to society. “Such a severe conclusion couldn’t be reached on the basis of a news article,” Rav Eliyahu said in an interview with Galei Yisrael. “We received very severe testimonies from men and women who were victimized by him.”
“We also saw piskei Beis Din that discussed the appalling damage Chaim Walder caused to families. I’ll say it clearly – some families were torn apart because he committed forbidden acts with the wives and destroyed the family. In the piskei din, it’s written that the wives are forbidden to their husbands and to the adulterer Chaim Walder. These are matters that were brought before the Beis Din and clarified.”
“This man has an outer appearance of a good man, a Yirei Shamayim, involved in chinuch, etc. but it’s only the chitzonis. Inside, this man is dangerous to society, mamash dangerous, similar to Sheinberg, Berland, and Meshi-Zahav – people who wreak damage.”
“Therefore I think that it’s assur to be close to anything related to him,” HaRav Eliyahu continued. “We need to expel people like these from society and it’s impossible to do so if you read his books. When you read his books it’s like you’re saying that ‘he’s legitimate.’ He’s not legitimate. We cannot lend legitimacy to people who harm women, teenaged girls and children – especially since he’s lying and denying the claims rather than seeking a path to teshuvah.
“The matters are very clear,” the Rav continued. “It’s based on numerous testimonies, documents, text, Beis Din protocols, photos, and recordings. Unequivocal evidence.”
“The very fact that we’re expelling him from society fulfills ‘את רוח הטומאה אעביר מהארץ.’ The fact that we’re expelling people like these and removing them from their positions of power and warning people about him – through this we’re partners in the Geulah that says רוח הטומאה אעביר מהארץ,” HaRav Eliyahu concluded.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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34 Responses
I’m confused
Is Rav Eliyahu saying he for sure did it? If so why does he have to go to בית דין and if not why call him a danger to society that pretends to be a יראי שמים like berland
Walder has not yet responded to the summons. Rav Chaim Walder שליט”א has no obligation whatsoever to appear before the Beis Din of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu, the Rav of Tzfas, and has every right & privilege to request any Beth Din of his liking to answer [on his behalf] the Beis Din of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu, that he wishes to have the case heard at the Beth Din of his liking, and there is nothing that the Beis Din of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu can do about this fact.
Even if 1 of the abused woman bringing this case wants HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu on this case, the most she can then obtain is HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Eliyahu as part of a Zabla, if Rav Chaim Walder שליט”א decides to have his own Dayan also run the show.
Where are all these allegations suddenly coming from?? How is it possible that so many people were assaulted over the years, this didn’t happen overnight , why was it kept quiet for so long ? It feels like a cover up, if he lives in Bnei Brak why is the Beis Din in Tzefas summoning him ..
Why do we need to read this lashon hara? Because you feel it’s true?? It’s still assur! Please stop posting these articles.
They should NOT be publicizing the specific allegations before he has a chance to defend himself. And adding Meshi Zahav’s name to the article is pure Motzi Shem Ra as he was never convicted. Allegations were never proven. He was tried in the public media. Do we want such a society that doesnt give a person a chance to defend himself properly?? If he is truly guilty THEN publicize. If you want to warn people to be careful, that can be done in a proper way as well. This isnt it.
‘את רוח הטומאה אעביר מהארץ’ is a very strange choice of a pasuk.
First of all, the pasuk reads “מן הארץ” not “מהארץ”.
More importantly, “uViarta haRa miKirbecha” would have been much more direct to their alleged point.
As well, “רוח הטומאה” would more likely mean the yetzer haRa. That’s not what this is about, of course.
The answer is, presumably, that it’s more important to the “Religious Zionists” to include this in idolatrous Mizrachi messianism, as in “מן הארץ” rather than to accurately quote from Nach.
Chas veshalom to question the methods of a beis din… I’m not questioning them, but something just seems fishy here, so I wonder if anyone can shed light. I don’t understand. A member dayan of a beis din that has not yet concluded its investigations and has not yet written or published any official psak or recommendation… is choosing to irreparably lower someone’s reputation via MEDIA INTERVIEWS…? Isn’t that just both really unprofessional and completely not in line with darchei hapsak and general hanhagas batei din? I wonder if anyone can shed light; I’m very confused… maybe it’s because I really feel I gained a lot from the accused’s books… but I’m just really confused…
I do not think it a good idea to give much credence to a Rav who works in the Rabbanut. The plaintiffs ought to approach one of our own Batei Din.
Rav Eliyahu seems to be convinced that Walder is guilty. How then can he be an impartial Dayan in a Beis Din that will judge Walder???!!! If a Rav states openly and publicly that a person is guilty, can he be a Dayan in a Beis Din that judges that person?
Walder has a right to choose Zabla or another Beis Din rather than this one.
A person who already formed an opinion on the issue and made public comments about the allegations is disqualified from serving as a Dayan on a Beis Din adjudicating the allegations.
I’m missing something I thought a beis din isn’t allowed to hear testimony if the nitva isn’t present?
Lashon hara why publicize
a few points
no rav would publicly condemm if their wasnt some serious stories & proof to back it up , on the other hand why would walder go to a beis din that has found him guilty & publicly announced it before a hearing.
the beis din really has only one question to ask , who else did you…. ,
question for the audience , imagine you are on the beis din & 10 out of 20 stories seem credible & walder looks at you and says i will give a written apology to my victims… SO WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW ? whats your answer? and then his wife walks in & asks and what am i supposed to do now ?
and then walks in some of the victims and ask the same question , what should i do now?
lets hear the maivinim , I DONT KNOW
This article is a little unclear.
Although it says he has not yet responded to the Beis Din, ( and other reports say that he is working to clear his name, so I assume that he will respond, just not immediately.) the article also states certain allegations definitively.
So which is it?
Did the Beis Din come to a conclusion before hearing the evidence?
Could the Beis Din have actually examined any evidence yet?
The Halacha is clear that a Dayan who listens to one side without the other side being present may not issue a ruling or judgment.
To be clear, I am not defending him or the actions he is accused of, but this article is all over the place and does not seem to have clarity in what the procedure is.
why is this not lashon hara?!?!?!
Ywn doesnt stop with its loshon hara
These allegations are cut copy paste out of a secular court. Has no taste of Rabinical authority. Some Zionist “Bea din” that is qcting as the judge and jury. Sounds highly inappropriate.
How can he get a fair hearing if all charges are publicized all over. Walder would be nuts to comply w this so called Bes din.
It sounds like there is a psak even before the Bais Din convened. This happens quite often in the frum world.
Regarding a dayan announcing someone’s guilt before a din Torah: See Shach on SA CM 17 s’k 9 & SA CM 18 s’k 1.
Regarding some tzadik disseminating hotza-as shem ra about person x before an anticipated din Torah, I remember a case in which the tzadikim did exactly that. The eventual bais din made them apologize publicly.
HaMalbin pnei chaveiro b’rabbim, ain lo cheilek l’olam haba.
If Rav Eliyahu believes that Walder is a predator who has irreparably hurt multiple people then there is no issue of loshon horah to make this known to the public. Aderabah, it’s a mitzva to warn people to stay far away from him & any of his ideas. This is called toeles.
I don’t understand why some other commenters think there’s any issue of loshon horah.
In my neighborhood, we have a predator & my Rov has publicly warned us to watch over our children from him. Is that also loshon horah? Ridiculous!
This heter to warn the public is even if he hasn’t been convicted yet in Bais Din.
As long as there was enough evidence collected to assume he engaged in these behaviors it would be a mitzva to warn the public to stay away from him.
I’m not taking any sides here, just addressing the claim of loshon horah by some of the commenters.
i think we can now understand what r epraim wachsman said at the agudah convention (hameivin yavin) – even if the claims turn out to be unfounded walders life will be permanently scarred if not ruined. i really hope yeshiva world asked daas torah before reporting this.
147, You are incorrect. Civil disagreements. Any BD can send summons. If summons is ignored he can be put in cherem by that BD. How it affects him depends on his community. Will they obey the BD’s cherem.
He may have written his last kids book.
Haimy.
There is a difference between warning and convicting. Conclusions based on hearing one side is not something I would want thrown on me. The halachas we need to stress here are Yichud and Negee’ah. If those were kept strictly, this wouldnt be a story.
RT, 147 is correct that he can choose another Beis Din. He simply responds to this summons stating that he’s chosen another Beis Din to adjudicate the case. At that point the original summoning Beis Din is out of the picture.
Is YWN going to tell its readership if it asked a Rav before posting this article which is potentially the biggest Lashon harah in the jewish world in the last few years? And this comes on the heels of the article about “Semi-Mixed dancing” at the concert of a frum singer who was named on YWN’s website.
It would almost seem as if YWN is turning into a gossiping tabloid, rather then a Frum news site. I really hope YWN stops doing this to Frum yidden.
None of this interview makes sense. Rav Eliyahu called him to Beis Din, but from what we read, he has already paskened and made it public. It seems part of this interview is missing. Like all of us, we don’t know FOR A FACT that these claims are true. It’s horrible to read about.
The Rav references Berland…he was convicted yet he’s out of jail again. Why is this piece of filth still given credibility while Walder has been tried & found guilty in the Court of Public Opinion. Have the police conducted any investigation?
The allegations are appalling & in today’s sick world, it’s getting harder and harder to believe they are lies. But we just don’t know. Rav Eliyahu needs to explain what’s going on.
Ywns daas Torah is the guy who drives the hatzolah bus.
147 is the Rav of the forums. I ask him all my sheilos.
Everyone has a chiyuv to be Dan L’kaf Zchus.
Is it true he committed suicide??????? I checked YWN right away to see if all the rumors can be validated but dont see anything here, anybody know?
If true, It is in part because of YWN and other so called news sites
You guys @YWN have no problem with loshon hora and motze shem ra
Shame on you!
He did commit suicide.
Check Jerusalem Post for more details.
Why all of a sudden all of the frum news sites have clammed up on the subject I don’t understand.
Or maybe it’s because he did horrible things to many women and now his life is ruined because people found out. He refused to go to beis din. There is countless evidence against him. There is even a recording of him telling a woman to be quiet about all this! It is important for the news stations to spread this to stop others from doing the same thing! We need to show that the frum community takes this kind of matter seriously. Instead of covering it up like we usually do. This time, at least Chaim Walder was taken seriously and other girls and women might feel brave to accuse the one who ruined their life.