tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post5644091084070904121..comments2024-03-27T15:07:31.495-04:00Comments on <b><center>Unorthodox-Jew </center></b> <br><small>A Critical View of Orthodox Judaism</small>: When Words Utterly Fail!Paul Mendlowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05887774341136059873noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-16145369516762202652011-05-05T23:42:02.226-04:002011-05-05T23:42:02.226-04:00When people create a system in which a person is g...When people create a system in which a person is gulty till proven innocent. They create an evil system. <br />Your approach to converts is evil because you make them guilty by default. Since it is impossible to prove person's intentions beyond any doubt, every convert is guilty till proven innocent (which can never happen to 100% level) in your system. Such system you'd never apply to yourself. This makes me to conlude that you are either unaware of tremendous harm you cause to converts and their progeny, or that you are evil abusive man.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-79583015763123553692011-05-05T14:17:33.365-04:002011-05-05T14:17:33.365-04:00@Anonymous 5/5/2011:
Can't determine what you...@Anonymous 5/5/2011:<br /><br />Can't determine what your complaint is about. A sham is a sham regardless of it's intentions. Would it be any less of a sham if we were talking about a cure for cancer instead of conversions? A convert is one of the highest forms of ahavas Hashem you can find. Besmirching it by buying into Yiddishkeit or worse, being the suit without the corpus, is an anathema. You can't compare a convert who doesn't observe halacha to one who is Jewish by birth and non-observant of halacha. What did they convert to, then? You may think it evil to expose this type of sham, in reality, it's just another nuance of UOJ's mission. Kol HaKovod to him.Boruchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-87193694153434671612011-05-05T12:45:48.479-04:002011-05-05T12:45:48.479-04:00UOJ, sadly you are no different from the people yo...UOJ, sadly you are no different from the people you are criticizing on your blog. You are censoring comments removing ones that are not fitting your narrative. You are making impossible demands to converts, just like the people who are abusing them in Aguda. <br />It looks like you are not a compassionate forward looking seeker of truth, but a fundamentalist purity seeker of Ibn Qutb and Bin Laden kind.<br /><br />I know that this message will not be published, but suggest you examine your thoughts. Regardless of your retoric, I have to conclude that your are an evil person UOJ.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-53661081147572481352011-05-04T23:17:06.967-04:002011-05-04T23:17:06.967-04:00These modern rabbis claim that such candidates ass...These modern rabbis claim that such candidates assume that the precepts are merely ceremonial and not obligatory, and therefore place them in the category of those who have accepted Judaism on the basis of a very meager knowledge.<br /><br /> However, this argument is faulty for two reasons. Firstly, the Talmud is speaking of one who would observe the Sabbath, if informed of its laws. Generally, people who convert only to facilitate marriage, have no interest in leading Torah lives, and as such, cannot be equated with the above mentioned Talmudic archetype. <br /><br />In addition (as taught by the Chazon Ish: Rabbi Karelitz), the conversion of one who does not believe that the Divine origin of the Torah is the binding force of all the precepts, is invalid. As a rule, most people who convert for the purpose of marriage, lack this basic inner belief. <br /><br /> The acceptance of the yoke of the commandments must be sincere at the time of the conversion and must be meant to include all the precepts. The conversion of a person who agrees to observe all the commandments, except one Rabbinic precept, is not valid. <br /><br /> According to the Chazon Ish, the willingness to observe the commandments, is not the only factor that validates an acceptance declaration. He says: “The acceptance of the commandments, must be backed by both firm inner belief in the Divine origin of the commandments and by the understanding that conversion is included in this principle. A declaration not based on this belief is null and void.” <br /><br /> Sometimes, so called Orthodox rabbis perform conversions that are invalid, according to Jewish Law. Such conversions are generally referred to as “wholesale” or “quickie” conversions, because of the non thorough manner in which they are conducted. What invalidates these conversions, is the fact that the candidate does not sincerely intend to observe the commandments after his conversion, even though he has orally stated that he will do so at the time of his conversion. A conversion may not be performed until the court is completely certain and convinced, that the candidate will observe the commandments. <br /><br />But how does a judge know what is occurring in the mind of a candidate? Can he always discern an applicant’s inner sentiments?<br /><br />Nearly all the candidates who desire to convert in order to facilitate marriage to a Jew, are not acceptable, because their future marriage partners generally lack Jewish awareness and commitment. (Were this not so, they would not have interdated.) Because it is highly unlikely that such a couple will build a Torah observant home, the conversion cannot be sanctioned.<br /><br />Rav Moshe Feinstein speaks out against conversions performed to facilitate marriage, especially when the future convert has no intention to observe the precepts.<br /><br /> In Iggros Moshe, Letters of Moshe (Yoreh De’ah, no. 157), he writes that “According to the Law, it is certain that one who converts for the sake of marriage, yet does not intend to keep the commandments, is not a proselyte at all.”Paul Mendlowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05887774341136059873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-74487633357769824122011-05-04T23:16:32.966-04:002011-05-04T23:16:32.966-04:00Various arguments are forwarded to justify the val...Various arguments are forwarded to justify the validity of conversions performed for the sake of marriage. It is worthwhile to review these arguments and to point out their flaws. <br /><br />The first argument is based on the principle that “devarim she’balev, einam devarim,” which literally means that “tacit thoughts are inconsequential.” Some people use this principle to prove that the insincere convert’s mental negations of the precepts, cannot nullify his positive oral acceptance of them.<br /><br /> However, nearly all of our rabbinic authorities, assert that this claim is invalid. In Teshuvos Achiezer (111, no.26), HaRav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski maintains that one who mentally negates the precepts, while orally accepting them, is not a true convert. He bases his argument on the rationale that because conversion is in itself a “davar she’balev” “a matter of the heart,” it is the candidate’s inner conviction which determines the validity of his conversion. Other authorities invalidate the claim of “tacit thoughts are inconsequential” as it pertains to conversions, on the grounds that this principle applies only to matters of transaction, and not to ritual acts. <br /><br />Rabbi Moshe Feinstein views the problem from a different vantagepoint. He accepts the argument that tacit thoughts cannot invalidate ritual acts.<br /><br /> However, he points out that it is inapplicable in the case of such conversions, because the very marriage of a gentile woman to a non observant Jew, is equivalent to an open declaration that she will not observe the precepts. As we have already explained, this is so, because it is highly unlikely that the gentile member of such a union, will be more committed to Judaism than her remiss Jewish husband. Unlike mental or tacit negations, explains Rav Feinstein, open declarations do invalidate conversions. When such cases appear before a rabbinical court, its members actually become witnesses to an acceptance declaration that is not sincere.<br /><br /> Therefore, it is no longer a tacit insincerity, but rather an obvious one. As such, they are forbidden to sanction the conversion. <br /><br />There are rabbis who permit such conversions, even when it is highly unlikely that the converting partner will observe the precepts. They base themselves on the principle advanced in the Talmud Shabbos 34, that “one who converted amidst gentiles, is still a convert.” This principle is referring to one who converted, even though he knew very little about the precepts, particularly the Sabbath.Paul Mendlowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05887774341136059873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-2404367594860989852011-05-01T23:10:42.227-04:002011-05-01T23:10:42.227-04:00WASHINGTON (AP) Osama bin Laden is dead and US has...WASHINGTON (AP) Osama bin Laden is dead and US has body, says person familiar with developments.UOJ gets resultsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-82699462736499544332011-05-01T21:39:21.047-04:002011-05-01T21:39:21.047-04:00"I have been told by a local rabbi that there..."I have been told by a local rabbi that there are exactly 626 days separating the "suicides" of Moshe Kanovsky and Zvi Zahler: the value of זבחי יד משה הלוי אייזעמאן (Slaughtered by Moshe Halevi Eisemann). What a fearsome "coincidence"!"<br /><br />I knew both Moshes mentioned; could you elaborate a little on what you seem to be implying and how you know this. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-90673516758151282012011-05-01T12:13:31.731-04:002011-05-01T12:13:31.731-04:00IM:
Just One Jew agreed to have Unorthodox Jew pr...IM:<br /><br />Just One Jew agreed to have Unorthodox Jew proof read his next book:-)Paul Mendlowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05887774341136059873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-21936422877107030542011-05-01T09:45:50.904-04:002011-05-01T09:45:50.904-04:00Speaking of the menuval, I just finished reading &...Speaking of the menuval, I just finished reading "Just One Jew". So how does the one Jew known as UOJ break the news to his bro that several of these guys (including Tropper) on whom he lavishes great praise in his book are not worthy of such praise.itchiemayernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-62336228142646004392011-05-01T01:38:08.334-04:002011-05-01T01:38:08.334-04:00http://www.thenation.com/article/160242/shame-john...http://www.thenation.com/article/160242/shame-john-paul-ii-how-sex-abuse-scandal-stained-his-papacy<br /><br />Thanks EJ; indeed an important read!Paul Mendlowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05887774341136059873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-63742389250365850422011-05-01T00:08:13.520-04:002011-05-01T00:08:13.520-04:00It was the holy UOJ who first went after the menuv...It was the holy UOJ who first went after the menuval way back in 2007<br /><br /><br />http://theunorthodoxjew.blogspot.com/2007/11/leib-tropper-and-his-ejf-eternal-jewish.html<br /><br />I'll come after you as an exterminator goes after poisonous rats! I'm on to you and your pathetic scam! You're going down - BIG! <br /><br />Is is unbeliveable how most of teh haredi rabbis and many of the modern orthodox (yes, it is you Hershel Schachter) went after Tropper giving him (EDIT) and eating from his handsDaniel Znoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-19822751820284497622011-04-30T22:46:49.161-04:002011-04-30T22:46:49.161-04:00Inspiring story. Thank you UOJ.
I want to bring t...Inspiring story. Thank you UOJ.<br /><br />I want to bring to your readers attention an eye opening story in this weeks The Nation. Perhaps this is common knowledge, but for someone like myself who does not pay much attention to the politics of Catholicism it was an eye-opener.<br /><br />http://www.thenation.com/signup/160242?destination=article/160242/shame-john-paul-ii-how-sex-abuse-scandal-stained-his-papacyevanstonjewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12339214545349794973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-21080357841272117342011-04-29T17:50:12.451-04:002011-04-29T17:50:12.451-04:00Friday, April 29, 2011, 2:19 PM
INDIANAPOLIS (A...Friday, April 29, 2011, 2:19 PM <br /><br /> INDIANAPOLIS (AP) GOP Ind. Gov. Daniels says he'll sign tough abortion bill that cuts Planned Parenthood funding.UOJ Gets Resultsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-81614677281568958382011-04-29T17:19:51.769-04:002011-04-29T17:19:51.769-04:00For them, this day (25 of Nissan) will forever rem...For <i>them</i>, this day (25 of Nissan) will forever remain as the day of the <i>royal wedding</i>. For <i>us</i>, it will forever remain as the day of <a href="http://theunorthodoxjew.blogspot.com/2011/04/victims-of-domestic-violence-sex.html#comments" rel="nofollow">Moshe Kanovsky's</a> <i>untimely death</i>.<br /><br /><b>I have been told by a local rabbi that there are exactly 626 days separating the "suicides" of Moshe Kanovsky and Zvi Zahler: the value of זבחי יד משה הלוי אייזעמאן (<i>Slaughtered by Moshe Halevi Eisemann</i>). What a fearsome "coincidence"!</b>Baruchhttp://www.iheartnotyou.com/2007/11/moshe-kanovskys/Rabbi-Moshe-Kanovsky-Esq-782779.jpgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-67349926926359549862011-04-28T14:12:38.317-04:002011-04-28T14:12:38.317-04:00Mishne Torah - Hilchos Deos - in response to above...Mishne Torah - Hilchos Deos - in response to above commenter, kollelniks and Agudah Fressers.<br /><br /><br />ה,ב כיצד--תלמיד חכמים לא יהיה גרגרן, אלא אוכל מאכל הראוי להברות גופו, ולא יאכל ממנו אכילה גסה. ולא יהא רודף למלאות בטנו, כאלו שמתמלאין ממאכל ומשקה עד שתפוח כרסן; ועליהם מפורש בקבלה, "וזיריתי פרש על פניכם, פרש חגיכם" (מלאכי ב,ג)--אמרו חכמים, אלו בני אדם שאוכלין ושותין ועושין כל ימיהם כחגים.<br /><br />ה,ג והם האומרים "אכול ושתה, כי מחר נמות" (ישעיהו כב,יג). וזה הוא מאכל הרשעים; ושולחנות אלו, הם שגינה הכתוב ואמר "כי כל שולחנות, מלאו קיא צואה, בלי, מקום" (ישעיהו כח,ח). אבל החכם אינו אוכל אלא תבשיל אחד או שניים, ואוכל ממנו כדי חייו ודייו; הוא שאמר שלמה, "צדיק--אוכל, לשובע נפשו" (משלי יג,כה).<br /><br />ה,ד [ב] כשהחכם אוכל מעט זה הראוי לו, לא יאכלנו אלא בביתו על שולחנו. לא יאכל בחנות ולא בשוק אלא לפי צורך גדול, כדי ה,כג [יא] דרך בעלי דעה, שיקבע לו אדם מלאכה המפרנסת אותו תחילה, ואחר כך יקנה בית דירה, ואחר כך יישא אישה--שנאמר "מי האיש אשר נטע כרם, ולא חיללו . . . אשר בנה בית חדש . . . אשר אירש אישה" (ראה דברים כ,ה-ז).<br /><br />ה,כד אבל הטיפשים, מתחילין לישא אישה, ואחר כך אם תמצא ידו יקנה בית, ואחר כך בסוף ימיו יחזור לבקש אומנות או יתפרנס מן הצדקה; וכן הוא אומר בקללות, "אישה תארש . . . בית תבנה . . . כרם תיטע" (דברים כח,ל)--כלומר יהיו מעשיך הפוכין, כדי שלא תצליח דרכיך. ובברכה מה הוא אומר, "ויהי דויד לכל דרכיו, משכיל; וה', עימו" (שמואל א יח,יד).Paul Mendlowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05887774341136059873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-64240474296354310222011-04-28T01:07:25.127-04:002011-04-28T01:07:25.127-04:00High Rabbinic Court: Annul conversions
By JPOST.C...High Rabbinic Court: Annul conversions<br /><br />By JPOST.COM STAFF <br /><br />In an unprecedented decision, the High Rabbinical Court of Israel has called to invalidate all conversions performed since 1999 by Rabbi Haim Drukman, the head of the Conversion Authority. <br /><br />The decision was made after the court rejected an appeal of a ruling by Ashdod's Regional Rabbinical Court rendering a woman's conversion invalid. <br /><br />In a 50-page decision, a panel of three high court judges ruled that all conversions conducted since 1999 by Rabbi Drukman - who heads the Conversion Authority - and another rabbi, must be declared invalid. <br /><br />They also ruled that it was permitted to retroactively cancel the conversion of someone who does not observe the Sabbath. <br /><br />Finally, the high court ruled the Jewish status of the woman questionable and ordered that she and her children must be added to the list of me'ukvei nissu'in (people who cannot marry under Jewish law). Out of extra caution, her husband was also added to the list of illegal marriages despite his being a Jew by birth. <br /><br />The story began in the course of divorce proceedings between the woman, who was converted by Rabbi Drukman's court 15 years ago, and her Jewish-born husband. After issuing her a get (Jewish divorce document), one of the judges at the Ashdod Regional Rabbinical Court inquired about her conversion and her Jewish observance. <br /><br />On the basis of the ensuing discussion, the judge ruled the woman's conversion invalid, and in consequence, that her children, who were born after her conversion, are not Jewish.<br /><br />As the decision was made after the court had already granted the woman a get in accordance with Jewish law, the court proceeded to write a document stating that the get was unnecessary, since the woman's marriage was also invalid under Jewish law. <br /><br />The verdict put in question the Jewish status of thousands of converts, and could require them to convert a second time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-12182982151494224362011-04-27T23:26:11.897-04:002011-04-27T23:26:11.897-04:00It just brings to mind of when Henious Heinnemenn ...It just brings to mind of when Henious Heinnemenn in Baltimore put the publication and journalist that exposed multiple molestors in Cherem. Nothing about the crimes that actually happened, NOTHING about the hundreds of victims of Shapiros and Eismann, just a sign in his shul saying that these publications should be banned.<br /><br />While back in Israel, we have Elior Chen doing a lot of time for his hundreds of counts of child rape and molestation, sodimization, limb burning, and more, but ha had the Haskama of all the Gedolim.<br /><br />Judaism is so beutiful; from history, Patriarchs, Exodus, Shabbos, YT, etc, etc.... but look who is at the helm today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-44551356093651010492011-04-27T22:12:01.909-04:002011-04-27T22:12:01.909-04:00a incredible and well written article
and yet we...a incredible and well written article <br /><br />and yet we allow the mondorowitza, and the kolkos wiengarten and others like the former rosh kolel in north miami beach to go and be hired again and again now hes of to montreal and hurt our children again and again when we will we learnAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-24621966715636813022011-04-27T18:21:47.879-04:002011-04-27T18:21:47.879-04:00One of your best. Thank youOne of your best. Thank youAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-61153090563730207822011-04-27T15:34:41.092-04:002011-04-27T15:34:41.092-04:00Dear UOJ
What an incredible story.
I personally ...Dear UOJ<br /><br />What an incredible story. <br />I personally never understood how my late mother kept the faith after having witnessed the murder of her parents and most of her siblings at Auschwitz and passing the selection process of Mengele YM"S. <br />She had a tremendous respect for rabbonim without any of the cynicism that even young people today display.<br />Why is that?<br />Is it that the rabbonim were different or that your typical frum person was different?<br />Probably a bit of both.<br />We live in a very morally corrosive society where the spiritual nisyanos we face on a daily basis probably never had to be dealt with by our parents and grandparents and we are not doing a very good job.<br />You have accomplished much in the last number of years but much still has to be done to try and keep Am Yisroel on the straight and narrow.<br />Do not underestimate the critical value of your work. I truly envy your Gan Eden after 120.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-57921626672726935642011-04-27T14:17:26.526-04:002011-04-27T14:17:26.526-04:00Me too. I also became irreligious because of your ...Me too. I also became irreligious because of your blog.<br /><br />THANK YOU!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-65256510625869688162011-04-27T13:17:48.459-04:002011-04-27T13:17:48.459-04:00I used to be religious till I started reading your...I used to be religious till I started reading your blog. I trusted rabbis, and had a simple meaningful life. However, when I started reading your revelations, I could no longer stand idly by. I gradually gave up doing mitzvos. Why bother? I am now an atheist and I treat Pesach and Yom Kippur like any other day.<br /><br />Thank you UOJ!!!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21519732.post-4691276831559356122011-04-27T11:42:00.563-04:002011-04-27T11:42:00.563-04:00Your story is amazing, though b'etzem, you don...Your story is amazing, though b'etzem, you don't seem to subscribe to the concept of the zaidy supporting his grandson sitting and learning forever. Set that aside because the grandson is undoubtedly one of the meyuchodim who should be properly supported, and the fact that he represents the zaidy's revenge on the world's evil and hakaras hatov to Hashem's ultimate goodness, whether we understand it or not.<br /><br />It is not just that the crazies are running the asylum. You have listed and alluded to a number of our community who have perpetrated (alleged or not) truly heinous acts for which we should react with revulsion. The fact is that in our "tolerent" society, we have come to have tolerence for all sorts of lowlives who live among us. We hear of a marriage breakup because the husband was cheating on the wife for years with many different women, both married and not, and we shrug and give him maftir. He is oveir on a yehareg v'al ya'avor and we pat him on the back in shul and raise a l'chaim of single malt. We have lost all sense of kedusha in our lives. In fact, the only people we don't have tolerence for are those who protest, in loneliness, against this g'vir or chevra-man who utilizes the tact of the chazir to prove how kosher he is.<br /><br />It is truly a terrifying time to be raising our children.<br /><br />Teach your kids to use their own brain. Let them learn, but question everything. And pray that just as "Mr. Klein" found his answers, we should also get the s'yata dishmaya to raise our kids with an understanding that there is a right and a wrong. They should stay away from those that are metamei our community.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com