JERUSALEM — Following the announcement that several well-known Rabbonim in Eretz Yisroel took a public stance against Chaim Walder at this time, despite the investigation not yet having been concluded, many were left surprised.
Many asked why Rabbonim, such as Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, would pass the impression of guilt onto a man who at this point seems to only be facing allegations that surfaced in the Haaretz newspaper, one that is famously and viciously anti-Chareidi.
*[According to Rabbi Yair Hoffman who checked with one of the Gabbaim of Rav Edelstein: Rav Edelstein has not passed the impression of guilt onto him and related that the issur of malbim pnei chaveiro berabbim is a very serious aveirah. As a precautionary step one organization was advised to take one measure]*
But now Rabbi Eliyahu told Rabbi Avi Berman on Galei Yisrael radio that their decision was not based on the Haaretz article, and rather based on “unequivocal things” that they themselves have seen, such as court documents and even photos and recordings.
“Based on an article in the Haaretz newspaper or another newspaper, such a serious conclusion is not drawn,” Rabbi Eliyahu said. “We did not draw a conclusion solely on the basis of what was written in the newspaper. We received very serious testimonies from the men and women who were harmed.”
He said, “We also saw court rulings that referred to Chaim Walder’s very terrible involvement in families. Let’s put it bluntly – some families broke up because he did forbidden things with the woman and destroyed the family. These are things that came before a court and were clarified.”
“Things are very clear,” he said. “It’s not based on an article in the Haaretz newspaper. It’s based on a lot of testimonies, documents, transcripts, court records. Pictures, recordings. Unequivocal things.”
“This person has the outward appearance of a God-fearing and good man and an educator but it is only an external shell,” Rabbi Eliyahu added. “Inside this person is dangerous to society, really dangerous, woven from the same thread as Scheinberg and Berland. People who do damage.”
“That’s why I think we should not be close to anything of his,” he noted. “Such people should be condemned from society and it is impossible to condemn a man when you study his book. When you read this book it is as if you are saying ‘he is legitimate’. He is illegitimate. Instead of admitting to his acts and striving for redemption [doing Teshuva] he denies and lies. ”
“These are the ones we must condemn, These are the ones for which it is written ‘I will remove the spirit of impurity from the earth’. In that we condemn such people and remove them from their positions of power, they say beware of this person. In this we ourselves share in the redemption that says the spirit of impurity I will transfer from the earth. In this the spirit of impurity is removed, ” says Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu.
The full statement can be heard below.
הרב שמואל אליהו באמירות חריפות מאוד על חיים ולדר:
“קיבלנו עדויות חמורות מאנשים שנפגעו ממנו. פגע בנשים, נערות ילדים”
“הוא נראה ירא שמיים אבל הוא מסוכן לחברה, מהסוג של ברלנד, משי זהב”
“הוא גם הרס משפחות. יש מסמכים, תמלילים, פרוטוקולים של בתי הדין. תמונות, הקלטות. דברים חד משמעיים” pic.twitter.com/gS8xT77pbv— דנה בצלאל (@danabetzalel) November 21, 2021
As reported by Vos Iz Neias