Saturday, January 26, 2013

Roshei yeshiva-protest desecration of torah-advise people to cancel pledges for guaranteed shidduch

letter on shidduchim from RY
The major leading Roshei yeshiva in the US issued a sharply worded letter  about recent advertisements in the frum newspapers and magazines promising to deliver for a fee, the salvation, a shidduch for many singles through the powers of kabbalah. They called on all those who were misled into giving money to this segulah are in no way bound by such commitments. They may cancel the pledge and are entitled to a full refund.
 It is signed by Harav Dovid Shustal, Lakewood, Harav Shmuel Kamenetzky, Philladelphia, Harav Aaron Feldman, Baltimore, Harav Elya ber Wachtfogel, South Fallsburg, Harav Avrohom Chaim Levin, Chicago, Harav malkiel Kotler, Lakewood, Harav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, Telz-lakewood, Harav Moshe Green, Monsey.
Here is the English version of the letter:
The anguish of many of our brothers and sisters who are anxiously awaiting their zivug is well known. We are therefore greatly disturbed by the recent pronouncements advertised in many Jewish media outlets promising to deliver, for a fee the salvation they so anxiously seek through the supposed "powers" of kabbala. The advertisers falsely claim that they can see the heavenly obstacles preventing a person from getting married, and unlock the gates of their fortune, through the power of "Kabalistic rituals" and "secret formulas" , all of which is foreign to our holy Torah and perfect faith. Even worse, they brazenly guarantee that anyone who pays a fixed sum ($648) and receives their "zivug set" will marry within a short time, a statement which bellies any facade of legitimacy.
We hereby announce the truth: anyone claiming to know the heavenly workings, and is guaranteeing to manipulate them, is not to be believed. Marketing this power as a commercial enterprise crosses the border into deception and exploitation of the public. Contrary to what the advertisements would lead one to believe, true tzadikim have never claimed such powers much less brazenly marketed them to people in need.
we strongly protest the desecration of torah and the transparent opportunism that is taking place. There is no doubt that those who were innocently misled into giving money in exchange for such guarantees are in no way bound by such commitments. We hereby advise that they cancel their pledge and request a full refund of all moneys already committed.
Dear brothers and sisters! The gates of heaven are open to all who approach in sincerity, and in the merit of following the Torah commandment of "Tomim tihiyeh in Hashe Elokecha" by relying on Hashem and turning to him with complete faith, may we all experience the divine providence granted to those who serve Him and trust only in Him.

20 comments:

  1. That tzedakah organization does do truly great and noble work. They do have a lot of Rabbinical support for their tzedakah efforts.

    Their pamphlets and American advertising is outsourced to an American PR company. This PR has been quite questionable for a long time. I stopped reading their pamphlets several years ago (so I don't know if it had improved in the interim). I glanced at the latest thing after someone commented about it. It is upsetting.

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  2. We shared a bitter chuckle when we saw the latest (kaballah) advertisement. As yet again we see the desperate for a yeshuah single public being manipulated by flashy colorful promising adds. Now its kaballah yesterday it was 40 days here with 40 talmidei chachomim, the day before it was somewhere else with a minyan. Marketing and targeting the broken hearted among us is disgusting and disgraceful. Its nice to see some roshei yeshiva step in. I wonder if they would still say something if it didn't mention kaballah.

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    1. "I wonder if they would still say something if it didn't mention kaballah."

      You bet. There is a big difference between committing to pray on a persons behalf, which is very legitimate, to stealing $648.00 with a "guarantee".

      They had committed to a name being mentioned in prayer for a donation of even 1 dollar. There was no minimum.

      Is there anything wrong with praying to Hashem to help another person? I hope you pray for others in need.

      Here they're extorting 648 dollars, per person, in exchange for a guarantee. That's the problem, there is no guarantee.

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  3. See, this is why I'm not crazy about Kabbalah. It's a terrible abuse of what should be a very sacred subject.

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    1. As long as we remember, that when the Mishna Berura, or other well-recognized Poskim, quote kabalistic teachings, then we do follow. Otherwise, it's just not our way.

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    2. NO. The mishna berura was a Adam gadol who knew what aspects of Kabbalah to adapt for our daily lives. We are not on that level.

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  4. Where is this letter published?

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  5. Can someone please scan this letter? This really needs to be further publicized, similar to the previous post. It is time to put an end to this kind of fraud.

    Thanks to the Flatbush Jewish Journal, the Rabbonim and the bloggers who are exposing this.

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  6. I don't c"v jest the idea of davening for others. Which is one of the most powerful ways of a yeshuah, and a far cry better than the kabbalah add. Rather I don't feel the adds are done tasteful and in a toned down fashion. On the same note I think it markets the gedolim in an not so kavodige way. Maybe its just me, and I'm sure the gedolim are nonetheless willing, as long as it helps yidden by collecting tzedaka.

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  7. If you buy 2 zivug kits, you get a rich girl too.

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  8. Thanks for the post! Reassuring that sanity occasionally rears its head.

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  9. Here is the main difference and i would like to hear the feedback from other readers. The issue with this past ad campaign is the fact that there were "promises" that guaranteed to work. Organizations like Kupat Hair have been doing the pray for you thing and gedolei hador such as Rav Chaim , Rav Steinman agree with it. However, all they promise to do is daven, no guarantees. This Yeshuos B'Amuka was an aggressive , disgusting marketing ploy that somehow made it seem that you WILL get married if you buy this set. PS i know rav yechiel abuchatzeira personally and he was scammed as well. He never does things al pi kabbalah or writes kameiyos etc. He certainly does not promise anything - he was duped and they messed up his name as well

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    Replies
    1. If so he should publicize the scam and issue a return of all the monies that were given by innocent victims.

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  10. 3 kits and they'll also daven for special yichus

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  11. is there anyone for whom this worked?

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