Don't Publish Pictures Of Goyim Because They Are All Evil, Hasidic Letter Writer Says

"…Therefore, since your newspaper is read by thousands of Jews, you carry the immense responsibility not to cause them to look at the faces of evil people. It should be noted that in certain articles that are accompanied with pictures you do ensure that the faces of goyim are blurred out. We thank you for that, and we beg you that this should be your policy for the entire publication. We always have to remember that we are Jews and we have no relationship with the Goy, and we should not see his picture.…"

 

The following letter was published Friday in Satmar-hasid-owned Der Blatt Yiddish newspaper. Published in Brooklyn, Dr Blatt is considered to be the mouthpiece of the Aharon faction of Satmar, which is based in Kiryas Joel. The letter was published without comment from Der Blatt's editors:

Criticizes Pictures of Goyim and Non-Religious Jews

As a reader of your/our newspaper I’d like to ask that you should be careful with the pictures, regarding goyim and non-religious Jews.

It is well known the words of the Talmud (Megilah 28): “Rabbi Yochanan said, it is forbidden to look at a person who is evil.” It is self-understood that the above mentioned (i.e. goyim and non-religious Jews) are counted in this category.

How fearful are the words of the holy [book] “Degel Machane Efrayim”: “It is known that when one looks at a tzadik’s (righous person’s) face, it brings light to the soul of the one who looked, and the opposite applies when one looks at the face of an evil person, and therefore one should not look at the face of an evil person.”

Therefore, since your newspaper is read by thousands of Jews, you carry the immense responsibility not to cause them to look at the faces of evil people.

It should be noted that in certain articles that are accompanied with pictures you do ensure that the faces of goyim are blurred out. We thank you for that, and we beg you that this should be your policy for the entire publication.

We always have to remember that we are Jews and we have no relationship with the Goy, and we should not see his picture.

Although in certain cases we ought to flatter the goy, because ultimately we are in golus [exile], but is it enough for that moment only, and it’s enough to only report the news. But pictures are not necessary – they darken the pages of a Jewish publication, including the pictures of local Jewish liaisons photographing themselves with goyim, as if it is an honor.

So we beg you: clean up your newspaper from the filth of pictures of goyim and non-religious Jews.

[Signed…] הרוצה בעילום שמו [The Hebrew equivalent for "anonymous." It is widely believed that Der Blatt's staff writes many of the letters it publishes.]

[Hat Tip: C.O.]

Comments

[ruthie]

omg
this is insane

[jancsibacsi]

ruthie--tHEESE GUYS ARE PROJECTING THEMSELFS MEANING THE GOYIM HATE TO SEE THEM DRESSED IN RAGS WITH DISHELVED BEARDS LIKE HOMELESS BUMS.

[plus.google.com/105365650738687784925]

The danger to Satmar from goyim isn't because they're evil. Quite the opposite. The only way Satmar can continue to live in its "We're so righteous" fantasy is by blurring out good gentiles who make them look like menuvalim.

[Yochanan Lavie]

So Chinue Sugihara and Yitro are evil, but Rabbi Entitled Bum who only saved himself is good?

[Philadelinquency.com]

So I guess photos of Barack Obama are out.

[Bas Melech]

Philly-
They were out for a long time. His dark face is automatically blurred by the newsprint.

[Zevi]

Religion...the enemy of mankind.

[Bas Melech]

These Satmar never cease to amaze me with their craziness. No wonder that cult thrives in Canada. The Satmar must envy and support them.
The Satmar post pictures of molesters and other scoundrels. No wonder their children turn out confused and lead criminal lives.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Many misinformed gentiles think that most Jews dress and act like Satmar. There is no end to the chillul Hashem these characters commit.

[JekylJ]

אסור להסתכל בפני רשע
is not a Satmar phenomenon. Look it up.

[seymour]

mild compared to the post

[Kosher Ham]

@JekylJ:

So you mean this: Goyim = Rishoyim?
Whatever happened to "Dan l'chaf zchus"?
Surely you're not including B'nei Noach in this as well? They're goyim, you know...

JekylJ, I think you need to think this thing out with a little saichel, which you clearly lack. Are you really Mr. HydeJ in disguise?

[Boychikel]

If this were the editorial policy of the paper, or of a columnist who's paid by the paper, I'd have major issues with this newspaper.

But any shmuck can write a letter to the editor.

[ruthie]

yochanan,

thank you

[jancsibacsi]

JekylJ--You see in others what you yourelf are ,so if you see a roshe in a goy it is because you youreself are one.

[Jeff]

I have a question. If the people in the photo are Modern Orthodox, will they only partially blur out their faces?

[(The other) Eli]

The Teitelbaums are righteous
Weberman is righteous
Stark is righteous
But goyim, non-religious Jews, or Zionists?! Oh no, they're evil. Blot out their faces

Maybe there should be a coalition of goyim, non-religious Jews and Zionists protesting Der Sturmer, I mean Der Blatt. If it's wrong for the Post to be "racist," why is Der Blatt's blatant racism ok? Unless haredim are being hypocrites, but that never happens *cough*

[Bas Melech]

@JekylJ

You correctly state the issur and dangers of looking at the face of a rasha. However, the question is: Who is a rasha? Also, who decides?

[Yochanan Lavie]

Ruthie: you're welcome.

Jeff: LOL!

[ruthie]

this is a joke.
to all my frum hasidic fans here...who think i don't like them...i repeat this is a joke. even my father would laugh at this....and he loved hasidim...as i do as well....those that are in harmony with speech, thought and actions...

A man comes off an airplane wearing a fur hat. Homeland Security stops him and asks Taliban? He says no, Teitelbaum;

[Mefoar]

Der Blatt and all other frum newspapers is like Failedmessiah.This blog writes all derogatory toilet trash der sturmer style against frum Jews.Frum newspapers does the same against secular Jews and Goyim.
The difference, FM is more truthful than frum newspapers.This blog is created specific for this purpose.Frum newspapers tries to hide hoping Goyim wont know about their hate. So,don't be a hypocrite.

[ruthie]

pardon,

i meant to write: the following is a joke....
this subject matter we're commenting on here IS NOT A JOKE

[Bas Melech]

YL:
You are right. Many nonJews and seculars judge us like Satmar or charedim. Once I was at the airport and group of chasidim walked in. The woman next to me got scared. I calmed her down and told her they were a friendly kind.

Since I associate with all kinds of people, I am often confronted with stereotyping as a fanatic when they learn I'm religious.

[JekylJ]

Being dan lekaf zechus is reserved for Jews.
And yes, אסור להסתכל בפני רשע refers to Jews as well.

[Jeff]

"Being dan lekaf zechus is reserved for Jews.
And yes, אסור להסתכל בפני רשע refers to Jews as well."

Why are you here? Surely even conversing with reshaim such as ourselves could be detrimental to your neshomo - or are you trying to lift us out of our state of reshais through your holy words of wisdom?

[FR2014]

This post is very helpful to me. After arriving here originally after reading about Menachem Stark abduction in the NY post, and the comments about it that mentioned FM, I've been fascinated in learning about Stark and his death. At first, I could not understand how he was lauded at his funeral when he is obviously a dishonest businessman.

This blog, and this post has helped me see that to the Hasidic Jew, we non-jews, Goyim, are scum so just like the muslims are authorized by the koran to lie and deceive to further the ends of Islam, the Hasidic jew can lie, cheat and steal from us with impunity, so long as he meets his obligations to the Hasidic community. I am pretty amazed. I wonder if this information is well known among the Goyim?

[ruthie]

FR2014

welcome.
not all jewish people are like this.
the biggest love of my life was a non jew.
please, know you are welcome and not all jewish people agree with this way of thinking. ok?

[JekylJ]

Jeff
Has anyone ever mentioned to you that you're a putz?

[Allan]

Why don’t they disconnect from all services delivered by non-Jews – electric grid, water, telephone, mail, police, fire ? How can they drive cars built by non-Jews over roads and bridges built by non-Jews? Isn't it forbidden to derive any benefits from the labor of such “evil people”?

[Kosher Ham]

@ JekylJ

You wrote:

Being dan lekaf zechus is reserved for Jews.
And yes, אסור להסתכל בפני רשע refers to Jews as well.

Posted by: JekylJ | January 07, 2014 at 12:12 PM

Question #1: Where does it state that "Dan l'chaf z'chus" is reserved *ONLY* for Jews? What about the story in the Gemorah of the goy that wouldn't wake his sleeping father that had something that the Rabbanim wanted to purchase? Is he in the category of a "Rasha" just because he was a goy? What about those goyim who give up Xtianity or whatever they had been practicing to become either Yiddim or B'nai Noach? Are these r'shoyim too? And who are *YOU* to judge people? Don't you put yourself in the category of HaShem judging you the way *YOU* judge others, goyim included?

Question #2:
How would you judge the following people?
A) Both Rabbi Teitlebaums
B) Nechemya Weberman
C) Max Stark
Your choices are: Tzaddik(im), Bainonim, or Rishoyim.

[Jeff]

Jeff
Has anyone ever mentioned to you that you're a putz?

Posted by: JekylJ | January 07, 2014 at 12:47 PM
______________________________________________

Meanwhile, you can't answer the question, can you?

[Barry]

The superstition that one does look at the face of someone who is particularly evil appears in the talmud however the suggestion that this applies to all non-Jews and to photographs is pure Satmar. If there was a general prohibition against looking at non-Jews then the talmud would have expressly stated this.

[Bas Melech]

Barry-
Thanks.

[ruthie]

barry,
you're right.
i heard of a young 17 year old in auschwitz that never looked at mengeles face. she survived. i'm not saying that's why she survived i'm just sharing this because of what you wrote.

allan: good point doesn't matter though...they think of them as lowly servants...
i got slapped in the face by a satmar once for asking a question.
and she called me an apikores. it wasn't a rude question...just a question about tish a bav

[Bas Melech]

@ FR2014

The Satmar opinion of non-Jews is not held by the majority of Jews and many orthodox rabbis. Jews, even religious and some charedi, consider Satmar a cult. How many Jews not dressed like them do you see participating in their demonstrations against Israel?

If brought up to respect all people, one shows respect to everyone, Jew or gentile.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

So what about the blurring of pictures of women?

Blurred if you're good, and blurred if you're bad.

To hell with them.

Their mindset will never change, it will only get worse, as they circle their wagons against the real world. The only thing that may change by making this kind of thing public, is their PR. And that will only allow them to regress further without us knowing about it.

Just like the chamorim-bli-daas, who suppressed their yechi rants in public, and in chabad houses. It hasn't gone away, just gone underground.

Tikkun Olam must be promoted amongst Jews to counter these trends.

[ruthie]

If brought up to respect all people, one shows respect to everyone, Jew or gentile.

bas melech,
well said
brava

[FR2014]

Ruthie & Bas Melech,

I don't for a minute think all jews are bad or hold non-jews in contempt. One of my business associates and friends is a secular jew (non-observant, is that right?) whom I enjoy very much. In my business dealings I've run across a fair range of American Jewry, from my secular friend to a few orthodox jews, even one who would talk to me fairly openly after I told him I had read the Tanakh. But I have always been puzzled by some very orthodox jews who appear to unscrupulous in their dealings with non-jews and non-orthodox jews, jews like Menachem Stark I guess.

From what I learned here it looks like these unscrupulous jews are disproportionately Satmar Hasidic jews. Would that be a fair statement.?

[Mefoar]

FR2014,
The Satmar opinion of Goyim is to be respectful,humble and not to be arrogant to Goyim.
Satmar people although they are us citizen's still they feel and believe that we have to be thankful to America for letting in Jews after the Holocaust.Even though you will find many times Satmars behave differently you should apply the arrogance only to those.

Satmars believe a president of America must be respected not spitting into his face.Unlike a usual PM of Israel and now Benjamin Netanyahu who has the chutzpah to spit and disrespect a president of the USA.
So when you see any prime minister of Israel questioning America or disrespecting its president having the chutzpa saying that they speak in the name of Jews you should know that they don't speak in the name of any Satmar.

FR2014,Many non-Satmars from the Modern Orthodox community are right wing Zionists believe that all Arabs should be killed and Obama is a Muslim who hates Jews.
Satmars are different they believe that we are in exile and must thank every country for letting Jews practice the Jewish religion.

[Mefoar]

FR2014,one more thing, i use specific the term "Goyim" so you should know its not a derogatory term.Unlike here on this blog where they decided it is.

And while im at it here is another thing:while some people can get burned when dealing with a Satmar or any other Hasid in general they are not thieves they dont hurt the economy even with all their frauds.

The real people who are scary thieves are the Jamie Dimon's and the Bernie Maddofs of this world.
JP Morgan had to pay today over $2 billion dollar for investing stockholders founded money to secular Jew genav Madoff.
Dont worry much about the Starks who happened also to be a good guy struggling businessman.

[Bas Melech]

Mefoar-
Most Jews believe that we are in exile and must thank every country for letting Jews practice our religion.

Netanyahu is not a US citizen. He heads another country, not an official representative of the Jewish people. He is responsible for the security and welfare of his country.

Careful how you contend that Israeli Jews differ from you as a Jew. Arabs and other non-Jews do not recognize your distinction. HaShem doesn't either.

[Bas Melech]

Shmarya, when will you banish mefoar?

[Account Deleted]

CHamorim Beli Daat=Chabad;Thanks,Beentheredone that!You made my day!

[Gevezener Chusid]

If I hadn't read it in the original, I would not believe this. And they wonder why "goyim" dislike us.

I think I'm going to become a Catholic. At least the Pope seems like a cool guy.

[Bas Melech]

Ruthie,
We agree on a lot. We grew up knowing that a Jew is a Jew is a Jew and to respect all people, Jew and non-Jew.

[Mefoar]

Bas Melech, you cant take the heat,hu? what you think you gonna pour hate all day long on every post writing how despicable frum Jews and Satmar in particular are and no one will answer back?
Nashim Datan Kalot

[Philadelinquency.com]

I wonder if from the hasid's letter to the editor (I'm assuming this is what it is), whether his standards will make an exception for a goy who donates generously to a Satmar charity of the author's liking.

IOW, can I bribe you to at least say that I'm a human being worthy to exist, or is that too much to ask?

[SkepticalYid]

Posted by: Mefoar | January 07, 2014 at 02:31 PM
Wow, you sure do lie easily. All he has to do is look at some of the comments about Obama or Gentiles in general on VIN to see the vile racist things some Satmar say. All he has to do is look up English translations of the rantings of the various Teitelbums to learn how you all really feel about Gentiles and non-Satmar Jews.

[Bas Melech]

Mefoar-
What heat? Your the one who feels it, shown by your aggressiveness.

Why do you spend so much time on FM? It is bitul Torah and zeman. As I've told you before, if my sons, talmidei chochamim, spent so much time here, I'd be VERY disappointed.

[Mefoar]

"What heat?"
To banish me.

[ruthie]

bas melech,

let's be nice to mefoar.
i think he's suffering not mean.

mefoar,
say anything you want, i'm beginning to get the picture.
take it easy...treat yourself well, ok?

[Jeff]

Jeff
Has anyone ever mentioned to you that you're a putz?

Posted by: JekylJ | January 07, 2014 at 12:47 PM
_______________________________________________

Meanwhile, you can't answer the question, can you?

[bk]

"It is well known the words of the Talmud (Megilah 28): “Rabbi Yochanan said, it is forbidden to look at a person who is evil.” It is self-understood that the above mentioned (i.e. goyim and non-religious Jews) are counted in this category."

This is not self understood, and is the crux of where these so called chassidim go wrong.
1) Most non-religious Jews know very little about Judaism and are classified as Tinokos Shenishbu (children who have been kidnapped from religion).

2) I am not aware of any legitimate source which labels non-Jews as Reshaim. For example, I've been through Tanya over 10 times, and never found him using the word rasha when referring to non-Jews.

I believe this is a modern day invention by the chassidim to give themselves the excuse to behave improperly to non Jews.

Yashar Koach to FM for calling them on this.

[Bas Melech]

Mefoar-
I really care about you despite our differences. You spend too much time with laytzim and apikorisim on FM. Your method of criticism reveals your youth. Your energy would be better spent learning Torah. After learning more, return and explain your views. FM has had more eloquent and learned trolls who more capably express the Satmar/charedi opinions. They didn't resort to so much name calling when they got frustrated.

If you find a need to visit FM, please make only one or two comments and the return to learning.

I don't refer my more charedi friends to posts here, because it would upset their tranquil life.

If you are a true Satmar or Satmar type, you would have a block on this blog. Many commentors have lived in your community and/or have relatives there. They know what goes on and how it works.

[(The other) Eli]

Mefoar, your posts are more full of shit than a colostomy bag

[Barry]

Mefoar - I am up for the challenge.

Satmar's pretend 'exile' is a reason given to exploit and hate non-Jews, not to respect them. The Jews in medieval Europe were at the mercy of a powerful aristocracy and therefore truly in exile being forced by the aristocracy to exploit the serfs to survive. There is a well known truth that you tend to hate those you harm, and the medieval exile status forced Jews to exploit the serfs and therefore to hate them.

Nowadays, Jews in the West have the same rights as everyone else and are not beholden to others. They are therefore not truly in exile. Most Jews (and non Jews) are thankful for this and that the days of mutual hatred between Jews and non-Jews caused largely by 'exile' status forced on Jews are long gone and that everyone now has equal rights

To exercise those rights while claiming as Satmar does to be in exile is the height of hypocrisy especially when that pretend exile is used to justify sucking up to the powerful (Hareidi money laundering) and exploiting the weak (Hareidi slum landlord). Who forces Satmar slum landlords and usurers to exploit the poor? Who forces Satmar to help rich tax cheats launder money through their institution? Is there a king or duke in the five boroughs whom demands such behavior on threat of expulsion to New Jersey?

The whole idea of Hareidism is to reject modernity, equal rights and democracy. For Satmar that means a longing for and acceptance of feudalism. They base their society on a rebbe who inherits power and wealth on the backs of others like some 13th century European nobleman. They long for the sham exile which they pretend still exists and prevents them from having the same rights and obligations that every other American has and which in their eyes allows them to act as in medieval Romania to suck up to the powerful and exploit the poor.

Satmar have turned the meaning of exile upside down to justify exploitation and racism.

Contrary to what Mefoar claims, Satmar do not respect Goyim but hate them as this letter clearly indicates. They hate those they exploit. That is why they still cannot see anything wrong in Stark's treatment of New York's non-Jewish poor and are offended by suggestions to the contrary. The attack on Stark is not just personal, but ideological in that it challenges crazy Yoelish's sham exile ideology that justifies and forces Jews to act badly in order to survive.

Satmar truly are the worst of the Jews, and cause untold hatred towards the majority of Jews who are not like them and reject their stinking ways.

[Friar Yid]

Does this mean the end of gedolim cards?

[Mefoar]

Barry-I see i touched a few buttons with my comment about our Jew in exile mentality Golus yid
I cant go on to long here.
I will only respond to one point you made:slumlord, notorious slumlord and off course hasidic slumlord with numerous building violations etc.
Almost every landlord in Brooklyn,Bronx,queens who owns old houses and buildings can be called slumlords.
Try to evict tenants who sell drugs or prostitution its a process of years in housing court.
Leaky bathtubs,big deal.I was a tenant i had a leaky bathtub called my landlord he didn't respond i called a plumber paid $50-100 case over.
Tenant calls me the hallway was not cleaned for a week. I told her don't throw garbage in the hallways and tell your kids not to urinate in the elevator.
Ask any landlord what hell they go through with tenant and the same tenants complain about "slumlord".
There are terrible landlords but for the most part all these slumlords term being thrown around is plain stupid.
Just look whats going on in the projects its more of a dangers zone than rikers island i don't see anyone raising the roof about it.
But hey,a hasidic "slumlord"with a shtrieml and a smirk oh yes people like them,good riddance.
Ask anyone who knows anything about real estate they will tell you the city gives out violations like cotton candy.The dob gives violations much quicker than parking tickets.

See ya tomorrow.

[ruthie]

barry,

thank you

[Philadelinquency.com]

Barry that's quite some insight. As a goy I've been trying to understand this world and its context from my Christian-secular background.

This sounds an awful lot like the FLDS (fundamentalist Mormons) or the extreme Adventists (most people got a taste of that world with David Koresh and the Branch Dividians) and less-so the Amish which are comparables often drawn. The Amish are Mennonites (German variety of Protestants) and come in several orders with varying degrees of remoteness with modernity; but the largest of non-modern orders fluidly interacts with the modern world. Only when the children reach Rumspringa are they joined to the church but it's their decision whether to join the church or to go. To go however usually severs the child from the family; future contact is limited.

FLDS (followers of Jeffs in particular) seems closer to haredi it seems like. There's a lot of attachment to individual personalities as leaders (rebbe). If you're a spiritual wife in a polygamist FLDS family you're expected to subscribe to all the welfare programs you can get your hands on (by order of Jeffs) to help pool those resources into the congregation.

FLDS has a mystical theory of "bleeding the beast", which is to collect as much welfare as possible to feed the church and its expansion; that puts emphasis on womens' roles as breeding machines. Amish self-exempt themselves from lots of assistance [including Social Security] and they do business with non-Amish and other Mennonites in frightfully boring professions like reproduction shaker furniture, beer and cider, and quilts.

The more I read, the more I'm seeing parallels there.

I don't see Satmar behavior as casting a stain upon everything that defines a Jew [although that's a non-Jew opinion]. Much the same way that Mormon behaviors and values has anything to do with Anglican, Quaker, or Catholic. But that's a level-headed assessment.

If we're talking about stereotypes, then Stark's landlording skills certainly were not helpful. Kind of moronic to argue otherwise given what I could find about him PRIOR to his kidnapping. His public record is not the best. I have seen worse in my travels [plastering over sprinkler heads causing a building evacuation is a 6 on a scale of 1-10 in my book of Bad Landlording].

So... what is the Satmar community then saying about who killed Stark? Was it some secret goyim plot to launch an American intifada? I just don't get it. "The Russian mob did it"... OK, so why in the world was Stark cutting deals with mafiosos? Why would anyone logically presume that would be a good idea? That's like the Pope going "hey I'm thirsty, I need some water" and walks to the first place that has water available: a gay strip club. Good move on the Pontiff's part? That will probably be an expensive drink five ways to Sunday.

What if the NYPD discover it was another Satmar that did the crime? I'm guessing the haredi community might go radio silent and not talk about it anymore if that is the case. Something like that would not compute.

[Philadelinquency.com]

Mefoar:

Isn't it funny though how some landlords suddenly can drop everything and are ALL EARS once you dock the rent check?

You sure don't get that when you need to locate them to send the process server their direction. It's easier to find absolution with G-d than it is to find the landlord when he knows the proc server is looking for him.

[(The other) Eli]

Mefoar:
I actually do know how NYC works with violations. My parents were landlords and I know A LOT of landlords. The city typically gives violations when there are complaints. They don't randomly go around inspecting places. They theoretically could because the only buildings that are up to code are new developments or ones which were inspected and fined, but they don't because these illegal apartments (including the vast majority of house and basements apartments) are needed in such a large city. And yes, it is very difficult for landlords to keep track of all the problems, especially if they own multiple properties and are too cheap to hire a management firm.
However, they still have legal obligation to a tenant, regardless of whether the rent is 100 a month or 10,000. They have to provide heat during certain months and/or temps. They have to provide running water. They have to provide hot water. They have to provide working basic appliances. They have to fix gas/water leaks. They cannot rent hazardous units. I'm not sure how much they have to do regarding infestations.
If they can't stay on top of these things, then hire a competent management company to do it for them or stop renting properties. Or at the very least, don't raise a stink when tenants deduct the rent when they fix it themselves (which they are allowed to do; and many landlords cause a big stink over it). Simple as that.

[seymour]

Posted by: Mefoar | January 07, 2014 at 06:27 PM

having been in the re field many years ago I can say you are wrong.

there are good landlords and yes there are slumlords. sadly a few slumlords that are featured in the voice very year are frum.

The real issue is that in other communities there is shame to be on that list in the black hat community none what so ever

also since some stock brokers cheat according to your logic every stock brokers is a cheater

some who sell like me on amazon sell knockoffs on amazon therefore all can be called knockoff sellers

please there are good and bad landlords and yes even lower slumlords

[seymour]

Posted by: Mefoar | January 07, 2014 at 06:27 PM

and yes I worked for a frum guy who provided service and was not a slumlord in Harlem, east orange. Newark and so on interesting one building on the block could be beautiful one nice and then another a shit hole all dealing with the same clientele

[Bas Melech]

@Barry
Good post. I don't think that Mefoar understood it.

[SkepticalYid]

Mefoar understands quite well what's being posted. He ignores statements that can't be refuted and digresses into non-sequitur to distract from our refutations of his drivel.

[Boychikel]

Barry @5:45 PM 1/7:

Congratulations on an excellent analysis. You've hit the nail right on the head: Satmar, Bobov, and Lubivitchers are in galus, both in the USA and in Israel. The rest of us are at home.

I personally despise the term "Diaspora," which implies we who live in the United States of America, the greatest country on earth, are "auslanders" right here at home. The corollaries which follow from that woebegotten idea is that goyim and secular Jews are not to be trusted, and that it assur for "real" Jews to speak the vernacular, be it English, French, or Hebrew, and thus must communicate with each other in Yiddish.

I, who went to a Sholem Aleichem shule as a child, know a little Yiddish beyond the dirty words, so when some Hasidic store clerk speaks Yiddish to his fellow salesperson, I know when they're trying to cheat me, which almost invariably happens unless I call their bluff.

Hasids and Harediism are partly to blame for anti-Semitism, by endorsing and enforcing the insularity which has long been a part of Orthodox Judaism. Those feckless politicians, including the former mayor of New York City and probably the current one, who don't stand up against the Haredi parasites and gonovim are part of the problem, not the solution.

[Jeff]

@bk:

1) Most non-religious Jews know very little about Judaism and are classified as Tinokos Shenishbu (children who have been kidnapped from religion).

2) I am not aware of any legitimate source which labels non-Jews as Reshaim. For example, I've been through Tanya over 10 times, and never found him using the word rasha when referring to non-Jews.
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1. I don't believe most Hasidim consider us to be Tinokos Shenishbu. In fact, I think it may only be the Lubavitchers who view us that generously. In any case, I'm fairly certain Satmars consider us heretics. I've been told by a yound Satmar, a proud product of their system of "education", that I'm going to hell, probably for eternity, for not observing the mitzvot. (Of course, he also told me I'm not a Jew because I don't observe them, and when I asked him how I could then be held responsible, he didn't give me a straight answer. Another sterling "example" of the superior powers of mind cultivated by a yeshiva education.)

2. I believe the Tanya states that the souls of gentiles emanate from the "Sitra Achra", the realm of darkness. There is also the general belief among Haredim (and I think this is in the Tanya as well) that upon death, gentiles simply cease to exist, whereas Jews automatically have eternal life.

[bk]

Jeff,

1. Please don't pay attention to ignorant people like the young Satmar. Look up the Rambam in Mishna Torah, Shoftim, Hilchos Mamrim, Chapter 3, Halacha 3 (see below), and see for yourself. Afterwards, have pity on him and consider the young Satmar kid a tinok shenishba for being raised with such harmful viewpoints.

במה דברים אמורים באיש שכפר בתורה שבעל פה במחשבתו ובדברים שנראו לו. והלך אחר דעתו הקלה ואחר שרירות לבו וכופר בתורה שבעל פה תחילה כצדוק ובייתוס וכן כל התועים אחריו. אבל בני התועים האלה ובני בניהם שהדיחו אותם אבותם ונולדו בין הקראים וגדלו אותם על דעתם. הרי הוא כתינוק שנשבה ביניהם וגדלוהו ואינו זריז לאחוז בדרכי המצות שהרי הוא כאנוס ואע"פ ששמע אח"כ [שהוא יהודי וראה היהודים ודתם הרי הוא כאנוס שהרי גדלוהו על טעותם] כך אלו שאמרנו האוחזים בדרכי אבותם הקראים שטעו. לפיכך ראוי להחזירן בתשובה ולמשכם בדברי שלום עד שיחזרו לאיתן התורה

Let me know if you need an English translation of the above.

2. Yes, the Tanya states that gentile souls come from the sitra achra in Chapter 1 of Tanya. If you read the Alter Rebbe's words carefully, his point is that the gentiles are not altruistic for the sake of being altruistic. But nowhere does he state that this makes them wicked.

Further proof of this can be found in Pirkei Avos, 5:19. Notice the reference to 'Bilam Harasha'. If all non Jews fit this category, why did the mishna have to single out Bilam as being a Rasha?

Concerning the 'general belief that Gentiles cease to exist', this is not in Tanya anywhere. Whenever someone preaches this type of stuff to you, ask them for their source.

3. I wish to correct something I said above. The willingness to classify all Gentiles as Reshaim is probably a carryover from the Jewish experience in Poland prior to WW2 and during the war. Unfortunately, this mentality was imported after the war by some survivors, and is being reinforced and perpetuated within closed communities like the Chassidim who have little contact with Gentiles.