הגאון אדר"ת זצ"ל מדבר על מסירה לשלטונות בשנת תרנ"ו

The responsa we bring you here is telling in at least two ways. The first way tells us that hanky panky was going in a shtetl in the Old Country way back in 1896. It isn't necessarily "news," but it's disheartening, it's not something you want to hear. And then there's the question of "mesirah," which I'm sure will rile some of you up. For some reason when it comes to the issue of abuse we've decided that the first thing we need to do is go to the police. I'm not sure when it happened; but it seems like the inaction on the part of mosdos, etc. is what caused our people to lose all trust in Rabbonim and Botei Din. They also do not believe that even if said Rabbonim and Botei Din do something that it would be sufficient. After all, Beis Din can't sentence you to life in prison...But having said that, the Aderes was a Litvak, the shver of Rav Kook, not some Williamsburg Hasid. But do we throw out all tshuves pertaining to issues like these and just use the secular courts? Do we just say נשתנו העתים because this isn't Czarist Russia 1896? Please tell me based on what we've decided to do this. Is Rikers Island or some State Penitentiary any better when we're talking about violent crimes? I don't know. YOU learn the tshuveh and decide. Also maybe read up on what happens to people like NW who are convicted of violent crimes against minors, what happens to them in jail these days... And realize, this crime in the tshuveh was alot worse than abuse, but for some reason the Aderes saw Chilul Hashem as overriding. The second half of the tshuveh is about whether or not her BF needs to marry her or not, so it's not relevant to our discussion, but feel free to read/learn it, it'll give you a glimpse into what Rabbonim dealt with...

בכלל the witch hunt that's going concerning skeptics (not to mention defenders of Nechemya) is a little alarming. I would not be surprised if I was next in line, since I'm perceived as not "strong enough" on this issue. They're talking about boycotting any and all Satmar-owned businesses (!) since they ultimately support Satmar and "Satmar" is defending NW, sent "problematic" kids to him all these years, and still harbors abusers. Ami magazine is the subject of a boycott because he's a skeptic - or a defender, as they see him - and interviewed NW's lawyer; and G-d knows who's next. I may be next for daring to publish this tshuveh. But realize that I too have kids, b"h, that I love and cherish and care about no less than a total stranger who say he's looking out for them. I've been getting all kinds of looks and messages from good friends for what they perceive as me defending NW... It looks like people stop practicing reading comprehension when it comes to this case.

Was the Aderes a mean old man for not allowing the מאנסים to be thrown into a Czarist Russian jail? I don't think many of you would say that, no matter how far you've strayed from the path, or how much of a victim's advocate you are. Most of you would say that the times have changed and we cannot pasken like that anymore, but that the course of punishment was befitting 1896. I don't know what made you decide that, but I'll accept that argument. I'm sure you'd agree that Aderes was having her best interest in mind by taking care of her physically as well as monetarily by having her marry her suitor and having the villains pay a huge sum. All that may be lacking here - in the Mir case -  is the punishment that many so desire. The "sharing a cell with some murderer who will have his way with them," That's what seems to be missing here. I guess Aderes didn't deem that suitable punishment, otherwise chilul hashem be da--ed, throw him to the dogs! So try and wrap your brains around the concept that the fact that some people either don't believe that he did it or don't want to see him thrown into jail may not be because they're monsters; it's not a "you're either with us or against" situation. People can have different ideas than the self-proclaimed advocates and still want abuse to stop! Enough with the witch hunt!

(Wikipedia Photo)