Man Who Claimed to Have Dybbuk Now Admits it Was All a Bluff

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rav-dovid-batzriThe fellow who claimed to have been possessed by a dybbuk and garnered the attention of the Jewish community worldwide last year has now come forth and admitted that it was all a hoax. The man, a resident of the Jewish community in Brazil, has apologized for his shenanigans and says that it was all one big show.

He has also expressed his regret that Rav Dovid Batzri, the noted mekubal, was asked to attempt to chase the dybbuk twice, including once via video conference.

As first reported here on Matzav.com, the story began when a man from Brazil claimed that a dybbuk had entered him. Apparently, some individuals approached Rav Chaim Kanievsky on the man’s behalf, asking his advice. Rav Chaim said that he is not an expert in these matters and that they should consult with Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman. Rav Shteinman allegedly recommended that the individuals go to Rav Dovid Batzri, the renowned mekubal who has expertise in this area. Since the fellow was located in Brazil, Rav Batzri’s assistants arranged for him to be able to be in video contact with the Brazilian man via Skype, an internet video tool, and in that way Rav Batzri could try to exorcise the dybbuk from the man. [The video of that attempt can be seen here.]

The effort was “not successful” and the man left for Israel for Rav Batzri to attempt, in person, to banish the dybbuk.

Prior to the Skype effort, Rav Chaim Kanievsky was reported as saying that trying to remove the dybbuk  – if it was indeed a dybbuk – via video conference would not work, as the person must be present physically for it to be effective.

The man was brought to Eretz Yisroel and paraded himself around, visiting the homes of various rabbonim and gedolim, including Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman, Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Rav Levi Rabinowitz (author of Madanei Hashulchan), Rav Yaakov Meir Schechter, Rav Zundel Kroizer and the Amshinover Rebbe. The visits to the gedolim were arranged at the recommendation of Rav Batzri, who said that prior to the attempt to banish the dybbuk, Weiss should visit gedolei Torah and get brachos from them.

Then, in the ezras noshim of Yeshivat Hashalom in Yerushalayim, Rav Batzri met the man to attempt to banish the dybbuk. Literally thousands of people gathered in and around the yeshiva to watch.

The “dybbuk wouldn’t leave the body of the Brazilian man, who was shaking like a leaf.

Thousands watched as Rav Batzri attempted for hours to chase away the dybbuk.

It is interesting to note that at that time, in January 2009, Rav Moshe Shternbuch, Rosh Av Bais Din of the Eidah Hachareidis, said that the man does not possess a dybbuk, but is inflicted by a mental illness of some sort. That statement by the Raavad was publicized by Rabbi Daniel Eidensohn on his blog, Daat Torah. Rav Shternbuch was shown the Matzav.com report claiming that the Eidah Hachareidis of Yerushalayim has placed the dybbuk in nidui, excommunication, and forbade it from causing any harm to Rav Batzri. The report stated that following Wednesday night’s efforts to exorcise the dybbuk in the ezras noshim of Yeshiva Hashalom in Yerushalayim, Rav Batzri feared that the dybbuk may try to cause him harm. The report continued that Rav Batzri turned to the bais din of the Eidah Hachareidis and Rav Shternbuch, Rosh Av Bais Din of the Eidah, released a p’sak from the bais din placing the dybbuk in a state of excommunication and formally forbidding it from causing any harm to Rav Batzri.

Rav Shternbuch categorically denied this and added that this is not a case of a dybbuk, but of mental illness. He expressed dismay that thousands of people believed that this was a dybbuk and were involved with Rav Batzri’s ceremony. Rav Shternbuch urged Rabbi Eidensohn to write an article regarding his denial and emphasized the urgency to publicize his denial of his involvement with the proclamation of the nidui and that he viewed this as a case of mental illness.

The man is now looking to ask forgiveness from Rav Batzri and all those who he fooled during his charade.

{Matzav.com Newscenter}


22 COMMENTS

  1. its easier to forgive him than it is to be him.
    How sad and pathetic. We all need a goal, something we are connected to, to help us pull through, and we need to pray that we have the help we need when it is needed. He needed help.
    Nothing embarassing about getting help if its needed to get on the track.

  2. While I must say that I did not fall for it in the first place, I beleive that it is important to stress the ehrlichkeit and sincerity of R’ David Batzri Shlita as anyone who knows anything about him will tell you. This is besides his being a great talmid chacham and mekubal.

  3. This man should get the living baloney beaten out of him for the mockery that he caused in yiddishkiet and the possible # of people he may have caused to lose Emunas Chachamim. This is a big Chillul Hashem.

  4. What was the point in it? Did he want attention? There are many ways one can draw attention to oneself….don’t have to go that
    far….how utterly sad…very sick.
    #8 you have questions about the emotional makeup of such an individual????? No one has to say it….it’s quite obvious…don’t you think???

  5. First of all. This man is a close friend of mine and I was with him during the whole story and nothing could be further from the truth. So, stop with the lashon harah. The man have suffered enough. I’m posting this only because the man himself asked me to.

    Some facts

    1 – There is much more to the story that I’m posting. MUCH more.

    2 – Before going to Israel, he was checked by neurologists and psychiatrics. The neurologists found nothing physical and the psychiatrics told that they did not know what was that. So, whoever claims that he is faking or is has a medical condition, show proofs of that or keep it to yourself. To say that someone has a medical condition, at least, you must be a qualified practitioner and examine the person. Or, maybe, Dr. House. He has documents and medical records that could testify that.

    3 – The son of R. Moshe Shternbuch was at the place one year ago. He was holding a paper that had a cherem signed by of his father. It was read outloud by R. Batzri. Whoever have the video recording (R. Batzri does) or the audio that was transmited can comprove that. R. Batzri himself asked this.

    4 – Lots of big rabbis told that Rav Batzri was the only one capable of doing this. A few low profile rabbis were against it.

    5 – Other rabbis helped him after the whole show that failed. They dont want publicity and I will not divulge their names. No, they are not connected to any famous rabbis out there or with any of the rabbis quoted in the news.

    6 – There is no one called Ezra Weiss that he even knows of. Certainly not a friend.

    7 – I spoke with his wife and with him some hours ago. He has resumed normal life and is getting better every day.

  6. Brazilian #18:

    3 – The son of R. Moshe Shternbuch was at the place one year ago. He was holding a paper that had a cherem signed by of his father. It was read outloud by R. Batzri. Whoever have the video recording (R. Batzri does) or the audio that was transmited can comprove that. R. Batzri himself asked this.

    That is sheker. See: http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2010/01/rav-sternbuch-dybuk-is-mental-illness.html

    Rav Shterbuch NEVER said or did that. Rav Shternbuch said this guy was mentally ill right from the beginning.

  7. It only created excitment because all those people who came to watch, had to much free time on their hands & were looking for some sort of entertainment.

  8. do you think its possible he really had a dibuk but he was instructed to admit it was hoax in order to protect the giluyim of dibukim bzman hazah.

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