Rabbi Harry Maryles' Double Standard

As I noted last night, Rabbi Harry Maryles published an homage to his friend Rabbi Morris Esformes. Esformes owns nursing homes and health care facilities, some of which were dangerously substandard, resulting in deaths of elderly non-Jewish residents. Rabbi Esformes and his partners also paid a fine of $15 million dollars as a penalty for health care fraud.

Harry is nothing if not shameless.

First, he closed comments (which he anyway moderates) to that post because readers had the audacity to point out Rabbi Esformes's moral failings. (Please see the update on this post.)

At the same time, Harry continues to rail against the Spinka Rebbe, who at this date has paid no $15 million fine and has not been convicted of any crime. While there is much evidence against the rebbe, to be sure, that evidence is at this point weaker than the evidence against Rabbi Morris Esformes.

Harry misses this completely.

Today, rather than posting on the parsha or on some matter of Israeli politics, Harry posted again about the Spinka Rebbe, raking him (deservedly, to be sure) over the coals. But no word about his dear friend, Rabbi Morris Esformes, whose nursing homes killed at least four elderly, defenseless residents and whose health care facilities defrauded the government out of millions of dollars.

Double standard?

Of course it is. The only real question left is whether Rabbi Harry Maryles is honest enough to admit it.

Rabbi Harry Maryles's latest post in PDF, for archival purposes:

Download emes_veemunah__cheating_the_government.pdf

Comments

[Ariel Sokolovsky]

B"H
If Spinka Rebbe would have been Harrys old friend like Esformes who did many good things for institutions R. Maryles likes I'm sure he would give him greater benefit of the doubt like he does to Esformes.
What are you complaining about that Harry Maryles is human? That he is biased in favor of his friend and is willing to give him great benifit of the doubt and doesn't give the same to Spinka Rebbe?
We are all like that you , me the readers here . Big hidush.

[Jake Goldberg]

>If Spinka Rebbe would have been Harrys old friend like Esformes who did many good things for institutions R. Maryles likes I'm sure he would give him greater benefit of the doubt like he does to Esformes.

Thus when Maryles complains about how the Haredim sweep their problems under the carpets, Maryles is just as guilty, correct?

>What are you complaining about that Harry Maryles is human?

No, that he places himself as a superior human. He assumes the mantle of a perfect human and therefore can criticize everyone who is below perfect. He'll pick up any online piece of crap without the slightest verification whatsoever and use that to publicly smear any Jew who isn't a centrist. But when we show him the equalivant credible source which shows how his hero is a fraud, he shuts the comment thread.

His blog is titled "Emes Ve-emuna", but apparently, its anything but truth.

> That he is biased in favor of his friend and is willing to give him great benifit of the doubt and doesn't give the same to Spinka Rebbe?

That's all fine, but labeling his blog as "Truth" makes him a fraud. His opinions are biased, not "Emes".

>We are all like that you , me the readers here . Big hidush.

Except that this blog is called "FAILED Messiah", not "TRUE Messiah".

[Archie Bunker]

Sigh.

Ariel Sokolovsky leads off the comments here with 90 words of sillyness. This is what the Wall St Journal editorial page calls "News about nothing".

Syog lechochmo shesika.

[Archie Bunker]

Who is Harry Maryles anyway? I never heard of him until UOJ poked fun at him in the last year.

I must say that his blog also makes for a very uninteresting read. I stopped following the links to him because I find he has nothing important to add.

[Archie Bunker]

Shmarya is still sleeping. Robert Kasirer who is cooperating against Spinka has been involved in several huge frauds and was the subject of a Forbes write up. One ponzi scheme with $131 million in bonds was being run out of Shamrya's backyard in Minnesota.

Check out UOJ.

[Sephardiman]

It's not enough that Shmarya has defamed Rav Esformes. He must now go after my former neighbour Harry Maryles. Shmarya, i can only fathom what awaits you in the after life!

[Jake Goldberg]

Hey, Sephardiman, how would you feel if Harry put up a post writing that in his opinion (for whatever reason) R Ovadia Yosef is no longer a Gadol, would you still maintain your respect for him?

[Archie Bunker]

http://www.nj.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news-12/1198388151225530.xml&coll=1

Cory Booker & Lubavitch.

[Ariel Sokolovsky]

B"H

{...}Thus when Maryles complains about how the Haredim sweep their problems under the carpets, Maryles is just as guilty, correct?
{...}
Posted by: Jake Goldberg | December 24, 2007 at 10:09 AM

Yeah.

My point is though there are a number of people I know of that this blog refuses to discuss negatively ignoring all the evidence in one case and in another setting a much higher standard of evidence than usually because Shmaryah likes them.
Thus the fact that he seems to be so shocked at Harry's similar actions and adopts this silly moralizing tone (not reporting on Harry doing this but just the tone of this post) seems funny to me.

[Shmarya]

Not true, Ariel.

I don't cover non-Orthodoxy. You send me stories about non-Orthodox Jews doing something bad, and expect me to publish them.

When a non-Orthodox rabbi steals, he's fired. In almost every case, his rabbinical association refuses to recommend him for another job and removes him fom the rabbinical organization membership.

In the haredi world, when a rabbi steals or molests, he remains an active rabbi without censure.

You have never been able to understand ethical or moral questions.

[Ariel Sokolovsky]

B"H
When I wrote the above comment I had at the top of my mind two cases of historical figures one a Chassidic Rebbe you feel deep attachment to that someone pointed out here in comments ruled that a rabbi doesn't have to be removed from his post after groping boys privates at a Purim party a footnote was provided to you that you could have easily looked up online and I assume you did , yet instead of trying to "trash" him like you have done with many other Rebbes and Rabbis living or dead that you don't like in this case you decided to avoid touching the subject even after the person brought this up several times in comments.
(Now I personally wouldn't publish this story either since I don't think it serves any constructive purpose to do so yet you have published similar type of things in the past about others thus the only thing I can conclude is that similar to R. Harry you want to avoid this case as you have deep emotional connection to the issue.)

I another case the "culprit" was a historic Zionist leader who had a 13 year old mistress and you decided to ignore the story arguing that since it was published over a year ago in just one important Israeli newspaper and since that time others haven't touched it this must be evidence that it is probably phony (kind of reverse of the logic you'd use when it would come to abuse allegations against some Chareidi rabbi.
You'd probably say that powerful Chareidi figures have threatened whoever and buried the story from spreading further)
(Now in this case I'd also not publish the story myself as the case addressed happened in a very different time and place that probably shouldn't be judged by modern standards , but since you in general don't always make such distinctions and gave me a different reason for avoiding the story I have to conclude that you decided not to publish it in order not to tarnish the image of this Zionist leader whom you and many other Jews still admire and love.)
...

[Shmarya]

The first issue was with the Tzemach Tzedek. There was NO citation – only a link to another blog which mentioned the teshuva (albeit mentioned by a highly responsible person) but NOT an exact source citation.

I wrote that I would not comment until I could see the entire teshuva and asked for that citation. It was not forthcoming.

The Tzemach Tzedek has many volumes of responsa and I do not have the time to go through them all to find it. I do not own the sefarim and do not have access to them, either.

The second case I think was years ago and the source, I don't think, was a "reputable Israeli paper." Also the source did not report clearly on what happened. Could have been Arutz Sheva "reporting" on someone from Meretz.

[Ariel Sokolovsky]

B"H
1)The quotation is legit and can be easily looked up as I have done here is the direct link to the original in Tzemah Tzedek's responsa on , Yoreh Deah, #237
http://www.chabadlibrary.org/books/default.aspx?furl=/zz/shut/2/249/1 .
Mark Shapiro's translation bellow is correct even though it omits part of the reason given by the Tzemach Tzedek and the Rishonim and Yerushalmi quoted by him explaining his ruling see the original in the link above.

"[33] Part of the problem in responding to the current scandal of sexual abuse is that halakhah, as it has been understood in the past, often stands in the way. For example, R. Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (the third Lubavitcher Rebbe) in Tzemah Tzedek, Yoreh Deah, #237, was asked the following question: A rabbi was playing with a young man on Purim and stuck his hands into the pants of the youth. The rabbi claimed that he did so because he was unable to perform sexually. He thought that this was due to his small testicles and he wanted to see if he was unusual in this regard. In other words, the rabbi was conducting a medical examination on the boy. The Tzemah Tzedek decided that the rabbi should not be removed from his position, as he provided a good explanation for his behavior. One can only wonder how many other boys were subjected to this rabbi’s medical examinations. Regarding another problematic decision, this time by the Aderet, see here."
http://seforim.blogspot.com/2007/11/marc-b-shapiro-responses-to-comments.html

The man posted comment 2nd time on your blog if I remember correctly posting the whole quotation from the original you still didn't publish it as a post with translation.
If this wouldn't be Tzemach Tzedek whom you feel attachment to since your ancestor was his student and a secretary but someone you already don't like like the Rebbe for example I'm sure you'd look it up yourself and publish it ASAP with some nasty comments.

2)In the case with Theodore Herzl's 13 year old mistress again if this story would have been let's say about some Chareidi godol I'm sure you'd have republished it without waiting for a better source (and it wasn't Meretz or A7 btw).
Anyone who has read this blog for awhile would probably agree with me on this...

[Shmarya]

1. I told Steve to get the entire teshuva so I could see the context. He was unable to do that. I couldn't find it by Googling.

2. Theodore herzl did NOT have a 13 year old mistress, Ariel. Not every crackpot allegation made is true. If I used your standard of 'proof', I could fill a thousand blogs just like this one with dirt about many rabbis, including Chabad rabbis, including the man you worship.

[Yochanan Lavie]

It's amazing how Jews continue to trash a man who is in essence our George Washington. (Both from the secular left and religious right). You don't see many Italians trashing Guiseppe Garibaldi, for example.

[Yochanan Lavie]

While we rearrange deck chairs on the Titanic (with Glatt kosher catering, of course):

Russia Selling Iran Sophisticated New Air Defense System
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
TEHRAN, Iran — Russia is selling Iran a new and sophisticated air defense system that experts say is capable of dealing a serious blow against would-be attackers.

The new S-300 air defense system signals growing miitary cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Wednesday.

"The S-300 air defense system will be delivered to Iran on the basis of a contract signed with Russia in the past," state television quoted Najjar as saying.

Najjar didn't say when or how many of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile defense systems would be shipped to Iran.

Earlier this year, Russia delivered 29 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems to Iran under a $700 million contract signed in December 2005.

Russian officials wouldn't comment on the Iranian statement, but the Interfax news agency quoted an unidentified source in the Russian military-industrial complex as saying that a contract for the missiles delivery had been signed several years ago and envisaged the delivery of several dozen S-300 missile systems.

The S-300 is much more powerful and versatile weapon than the Tor-M1 missile systems supplied earlier, which were capable of hitting airborne targets flying at up to 20,000 feet.

The S-300 is capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads at ranges of up to 95 miles and at altitudes of up to 90,000 feet. Russian military officials boast that it excels the U.S.-built Patriot missiles currently being deployed in Israel.

Rumors about the sale of S-300 missile systems to Iran have circulated for a long time, but Russian officials consistently denied it.

[Ariel Sokolovsky]

B"H
You do use low standard of proof in other cases.
If this would not have been Herzl but some Chareidi godol you don't like you'd probably have republished the article asking readers to dig up more info on the subject.
PS. I think the article was in Hebrew version of Haaretz credible enough source for you as far as other subjects go.

[Shmarya]

I use a much higher standard than that, Ariel, and you know it.

As for Herzl, again, I know of no credible allegations.

[William Dwek]

The Swine Flu is common in PIGS.

This is a clear indication that it is the Dayanim – ‘Judges’ - and ‘Rabbis’ of today who are the PIGS and swines.

They twist and use the Torah for their own power and commercial benefit.

They are corrupt. And they are interested in only one thing:

MONEY.

Not the Torah.

[William Dwek]

When ‘dayanim’ and ‘rabbis’ use the Torah for their own power and commercial profit, this is the behaviour of a swine i.e. a Pig.

No other ‘rabbi’ will ever act against another ‘rabbi’ - even when he knows his colleague is clearly desecrating the Torah. Each rabbi is only worried about losing his own position.

Therefore, the ‘rabbi’ and ‘dayan’ will never effect justice. And he will never truly stand for the Torah or the Honour of Hashem. His pocket will always prevail.

The Torah must never be used for commercial gain and profit. Am Yisrael can only be lead by those who have the necessary love and respect of Hashem and the Torah.

[William Dwek]

1. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may use lies. They turn the innocent into the guilty, and the guilty, become the innocent. They will not hesitate to tell lies in the Synagogue.

2. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may steal. They steal and siphon off money for themselves, from the community and individuals.

3. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may commit murder. They may shame a Jew in public, even repeatedly. This is one of the most vile acts of murder in Jewish law – and they know this.

4. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ will not hesitate to use Lashon Hara - the ‘Evil Tongue’ - to suit his own ends. Slander and gossip. This too, is one of the worst acts of murder in Jewish Law. Their slander is never challenged by the community, because they hold positions of power. And the slander may begin with the Rebbetzin herself.

5. The ‘dayanim’ and ‘rabbis’ worship idols and other gods. Their only god is Money. Especially the ‘Dayanim’ – the ‘Judges’ who sit on a Beit Din. They only care about their high incomes and retirement packages. They have little or no love for the Torah or Hashem.

In the case of Lubavitch/Chabad, all their rabbis are carrying out a form of Avodah Zarah – strange worship. They are using mediation and intercession. This is completely forbidden, and against the Torah. We are only allowed to pray to Hashem, directly ourselves.

6. When the NAME of Hashem has been taken in Vain – repeatedly - by reshaim, the ‘rabbi’ will turn a deaf ear and blind eye to the

CHILLUL HASHEM.

This is the abhorrent behaviour of a Pig.

This is an extremely severe and dangerous situation.

There is NO forgiveness for this evil sin and aveirah.

7. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may also offer large bribes, tell lies and bring False Witnesses – when he in fact has committed the crime. These are heinous acts of the most despicable kind. This is especially vile when the ‘dayan’ is sitting on a ‘Beit Din.’

8. The ‘rabbi’ may commit adultery. And when he gets divorced, he may spread slander about his own ex-wife, blackening her name – when in fact he was at fault.

9. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may also desecrate Shabbat – if it suits him. He will use physical violence to assault another Jew or Jewess at any time. This evil and venomous behaviour is 100% against the Torah.