Rav Elyashiv: Those Involved in Fraud Scheme Have Din of a Rodef

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rav-elyashiv2Following yesterday’s arrests in an investigation by Israeli police that uncovered over a thousand false IDs, among other items that were confiscated by Israeli police, a statement has been made by the  centenarian posek hador, Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, condemning those involved in defrauding the Israeli government.

As first reported on Matzav.com, Israeli police stormed a number of chareidi communities yesterday, including Yerushalayim, Beit Shemesh and Beitar Illit.

The investigation revealed that certain individuals had claimed to have several hundred members in their mosdos when they in fact had far fewer.  The claims led to increased government funding. An investigation into the alleged fraud continues while those fake-idswho were arrested are being questioned by Israeli investigators regarding monthly stipends given by the Ministry of Education for those who did not actually learn at these kollelim or yeshivos.

Rav Elyashiv, in a coversation with an Israeli avreich, stated, “If the story turns out to be true, those who stole have a din of a ‘rodef,'” he said.

Rav Elyashiv explained that these acts cause irreversible damage to the chareidi public, both  in Israel and abroad, and there is absolutely no heter (halachic allowance) to engage is such conduct.

Meanwhile, six of those who were involved are currently in prison and were expected to appear today in court. It is not clear how many other detainees were released on bail.

Many avreichim are expected to testify in the coming days, including tens of yungeleit in Beitar.

Heads of mosdos haTorah have remarked at the wide-ranging damage that this regrettable incident may cause to the greater chareidi public should it turn out to be true. Hatred for chareidim among the secular public is already rampant, they said, and this will just ignite it and exacerbate it. In addition, this incident will no doubt result in stricter criteria for the receival of governmental assitance, causing significant economic damage to many mosdos and families.

{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}


8 COMMENTS

  1. It’s very hard to believe that R Elyashiv SHLITA said this (at least saying it seriously)! When do we find a din of rides when it’s not an act that leads to direct death? In other words if it’s a grama lichorah it can’t have a din rodef!

  2. Given the kana’us of some members of our community, it is important to note that any heter to use extreme measures to stop a moser is only before the mesira. Afterward such a person should be ostracized by the tzibbur, but physical punishment must be left to the Ribbono Shel Olam.

  3. Boruch Hashem. Words of Emes unlike those of a so called “ben torah” who comments on this website. Note that Yakov did not steal a prutah from Lavan. Here you have individuals dressed up as Charedim who steal from a (very imperfect)medinah who gives them 100’s of millions of dollars a year.

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