UPDATED: Laskin Kehuna - A Year And A Half Later
Below are the two letters that have recently been published regarding the Laskin kehuna question. (The supporting letter, although dated a few months ago, was first authorized for release in response to the opposing proclamation. Either way, the content is what matters in this case.)
The question is how to square the two. While throughout history, we always find poskim arguing vehemently with each other, and we sometimes find some poskim speaking out strongly against a minor Rav; we do not find that many names (albeit some of them inconsequential, and only there add signatures,) should sign against a major Beis Din (which is mesader an average of 3 gittin a week,) with big poskim on the Beis Din and so many major poskim supporting the psak and the Beis Din. (See previous post on the topic with more signatories. https://fixinglakewood.blogspot.com/2025/02/a-collection-of-rabbanim-supporting.html) Especially about a case which already went to another Beis Din, and from there to additional poskim. So even without getting into an analysis of the details, (look out for a future post,) the question is how to understand what happened over here. There is clearly a lot of old politics over here, but that doesn't explain how such a letter can be written when the situation, as told by the poskim in the supporting letter, is very different then the one they are signing against.
But therein lies the answer. The two letters portray two very different situations. The supporting letter portrays a situation in which it would be unthinkable to write the opposing letter. The opposing letter portrays a situation which one can argue does justify the letter. But the question now remains: who is saying the truth? Is it possible that so many great Rabbanim - whether from the opposing letter or the supporting letter - are lying?
An analysis of the two letters reveals the answer. The supporting letter is written by those who were actually involved in the psak. The situation they portray is their firsthand experience. The opposing letter is written by those whose knowledge of the situation comes from others - experienced campaign managers with ulterior motives - as Rav Levine writes in his supporting letter. Nobody is lying. The situation in the opposing letter is the merely a mistaken impression based on a year and a half of being told by agenda-driven individuals what was taking place. They (and the social justice warriors, for that matter,) have no way of knowing firsthand what actually took place - who gave the psak based on what, what they agreed or did not agree to, etc., because this was one person’s private Sheila to his Rabbanim. The only way to know what happened is to read what the Rabbanim say happened. It is as simple as that.
Stay tuned as we keep you updated on the latest developments, information, and insights.
UPDATE: This letter was released. We have not yet verified it. If we do, we will write a separate post about it. Obviously, if authentic, it completely undermines and delegitimizes the opposing letter, rendering it destructive lies, and terribly disturbing Mitzi Shem Ra - but that will be for the next post.
UPDATE: We have authenticated it and are working on follow-up post. We believe that no matter one’s position vis a vis the Laskin family Kehuna status, we can all agree that a letter of this nature being put out based on such outright, disgusting lies, is vile and reprehensible and must be decried in every way possible.
Fixing Lakewood, where is the outrage? Why such a dry, neutral tone? There should be an outrage over this! That some קנאים should get away with such craziness of spreading lies for a tear and a half until they managed to get such a letter! Where is the sense of אחריות?! To write like this about a בית דין that does so many gittin? About a case where they have so much support from other poskim? Where the information against is coming from the family and the בית דין has repeatedly said it's lies! (What are they supposed to do? According to their claim that the family told them differently, are they supposed to ignore that in light of the new testimony? What is even being asked of them? It doesn't make sense on so many accounts?) When the main claims against them are from information that wasn't even around until a year after the psak?! When Bunim has poskim such as Rav Kohn and Rav Fuerst telling him that even if the graves would be correct, he doesn't have to get divorced! (They actually say it wouldn't make a difference לכתחילה, but that's besides the point, as he is already married.) When it is the opinion of Rav Levine and others that there are Halachic factors! This seems like loonytown to me.
ReplyDeleteI don't get it. Why is Rav Miller signing if he's senile and cognitively affected by the strong medication he has been taking by his serious case of Parkinson's that he's unfortunately been suffering from for a while now? It is well known, and I have heard firsthand that he doesn't pasken anymore. Smells very fishy to me... (Perhaps his son-in-law Yosef Kushner who is a Laskin himself is "feering" his shver?)
ReplyDeleteAnd then you have a post about this on the supposedly neutral CBN which is run by Bunim's uncle Chaim Neger who was convicted in בית דין מישרים on charges being מוסר Bunim's parents to the authorities, and he got Bunim kicked out of school. Funny that in the beginning of this, he called Rabbanim in Texas and elsewhere to inform them that the marriage is permitted because Bunim's mother was מזנה rendering him a חלל. (As it turns out, it may be the case that all the Laskin's are חללים.)
Erase the second half of this comment. It doesn't belong.
DeleteThere goes Fixing Lakewood again spouting nonsense. The true gedolim have spoken - not those fakers that are signed onto the various letters supporting the Bais Haslob. Rav Knopfler and his bais din have been warning about them for years. Unlike them, he has the full support of Maran Reb Elya Ber. I guess he'll take over the gittin and we can all breathe a sigh of relief.
ReplyDeleteVery serious letter bais havaad is in big trouble
ReplyDeleteCorrect me if I am wrong, but didn't Rabbeinu Tam make a cheirem against talking like that about Gittin?
ReplyDeleteWas he also one of the fake Gedolim?
Notice letter says gitten from this day forward. But you are correct, there might be issues with previous gitten too, r"l.
DeleteSo any unqualified or unauthorized bais din can issue defective gitten and nobody can stop them???
DeleteWhy not add more question marks???????
DeleteThe progression is alarming.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the Beis Havaad had to show their psak to other Rabbanim, and people complained that they were hiding their psak. (P.S. This wasn't true, but that was the complaint.)
Then, they had to sign a shtar birurin at another Beis Din. Nobody knows what this chiyuv was based on, and why and how the Bais Havaad became Baalei Din, but that was the demand. Some guy cries out 'independent investigation', as though the Beis Hava'ad's investigation was somehow 'dependent'.
And now, we have reached a new low. They must show their findings באופן המניח את דעתינו. They have appointed themselves as the sole arbitrators, and otherwise, Gittin are passul, mamzerim are created, and nobody needs to listen to Beis Din any more.
Where is the end? Where is the achrayus of these maaracha makers?
These letters reference the Chazon Ish in Choshen Mishpat Likuttim 2:1-2.
ReplyDeleteSee here https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14332&st=&pgnum=406&hilite= if you want to know what it says.
Basically, whatever problem exists in their minds with the Beis Havaad is equally and doubly true with the Badatz of Lakewood, the London Beis Din, and many other Batei Din that would prefer that this Chazon Ish stays hidden.
The fatwas are coming in groups now, yesterday we had one from the Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, and now this.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the bais havaad gitten factory will be closing down. Wonderful! They push for couples to get instead of a resolution, something that was never done by any competent bais din
ReplyDeletehttps://fixinglakewood.blogspot.com/2025/02/optics-over-substance-community-leaders.html
DeleteWhat’s the big deal? It’s just another case of Elya Ber publishing satmaresque letters against his opponents. There’s no Halachic validity to this pashkivill.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, assuming that the rumors in the street that the Laskin are chalalim or mamzerim l’chumra is true; what’s worse? Being matir them? Or being matir Bunim if it’s true that the Laskin are kohanim l’chumra?
Damn, I got a hazmana sent from bais havaad last week, now it's expensive toilet paper, can I get my money back?
ReplyDeleteNotice that there are no Lakewood Poskim on this? Your hazmana may still be effective after all…. This seems to be being written off as a strong political statement rather than a binding Halachic statement….
DeleteRabbi Bromberg is not a Lakewood poisek?
DeleteLast I checked he’s not Lakewood (moved there recently when he couldn’t get talmidim elsewhere), and he’s not a posek (never did shimush by anyone and has not been involved in Halacha other than sitting on a Beis Din once together with Rav Levine, R Wachtfogel (who doesn’t claim to be a posek in any sense), and some Lakewood yungerleit to be mikabel eidus under the guidance of Rav Levine and Rav Elyashiv).
DeleteBesides, he’s part of the other side (just as much as the Bais Havaad is part of this side. Even more, he’s on recording saying that he represents the family, whereas the Bais Havaad only represents the Torah and at one point was ready to forbid the marriage. (In fact, Rav Sholom and Rabbi Fund were actively involved in the issur prior to the formation of the Beis Din at the hands of Rabbi Forchheimer (also on recording). Bromberg is also on recording blatantly lying and exposing his corrupt, agenda driven behavior.
Hahaha bais havaad only represents to the Torah... right they are as pure as the wind driven snow.
DeleteEmpty rhetoric
DeleteI'm pretty confused about this whole issue. The Psak given to Laskin allowing him to get married was based on Rav Moshe, who was the undisputed Gadol Hador. On the one hand, we have Rav Fuerst, who heard PERSONALLY heard Rav Moshe pasken similarly, who along with other Rabbanim spoke directly to the Baal Din. On the other hand, you have a bunch of Rabbanim and Roshei Yeshivos, most of whom no one in our community turns to for ANY Halachic matters (besides for the fact most of them don't live in Lakewood), who are largely known as rabble-rousers (or to be fair, have a Chatzer full of rabble-rousers), and who most certainly never spoke to Rav Moshe about any Halachic Shailos, saying this marriage was forbidden. So why should we give any credence to such a Kol Korei? Why should the Bais Havaad give a hoot what they say?
ReplyDeleteConfused? Maybe take your meds
DeleteLike Honigwachs?
DeleteAnon 1:21 What an intelligent response! I'd like to see those signatories have a Halachic debate with Rav Fuerst, Rav Bess, and Rav Levin. Let's see how quickly the latter wipe the floors of the former...
DeleteI don’t get it. How could they put this out without going to a בית דין המרוצה לשני הצדדים?
ReplyDeleteCutiepie, bhv tried to screw a huge family without having both sides present, life's a two street. Not to mention bhv was begged to explain their psak and they found hundred excuse to avoid. Sad for them they self-sabotaged
DeleteThere you go, Shach, spreading your lies again. Did you read one word of what the Rabbanim wrote?
DeleteEvery single word you wrote is a lie.
Besides, isn’t it a mitzvah to be mifarsem chalalim and mamzerim? Does it say somewhere that you need their haskama?
At this point pretty much everybody knows that the Laskin are either chalalim or mamzerim.
Right now, the Bais Havaad has made clear that the family are still cohanim, and they encourage people to use them for pidyon haben.
DeleteEven if they are upset about the story, their fight will not clear the 'chashash' they claim the pesak purportedly hung over them.
So no. The BHV did not screw over a family, they did it to themselves, and are making things worse with this tumult.
Bais havaad hazmanos are worthless. Bais havaad heter arkaos is worthless.
ReplyDeleteEmpty words again…. And I’m assuming that Elya Ber who always sends to Arkansas without looking into it at all as long as it his guy is not worthless?
DeleteI personally would go with rav levine who is saying it very succinctly unfortantley koala yisroel has poerfesional marucha makers and as for motive is there are other bogie din in Lakewood some of them open gang I’m we know would love to bury the beis havaad
ReplyDeleteWow. I don't know if the gedolim lied or even k ow about this letter but rav yisroel resistance just called them liars for insinuating that the beis havaad didn't agree to go to a beis di
ReplyDeleteThat was supposed to be Rav Yisroel Reisman
DeleteThey never implied that learn how to read
ReplyDeleteHow should we read it? They are insinuating that the beis havaad never agreed to go to a different bd and that's they're passeling them. R Reisman says that they agreed to go in front of him....
DeleteWhat happened to Reb Boruch Hirschfeld, was he not supposed to be on this Beis Din?
ReplyDeleteYour all missing the point.
ReplyDeleteIt's unprecedented that bais din should seemingly violate the Shulchan Aruch
Without explaining themselves
That's what this is all about.
Some Rabbonim were matir something the Torah says you may not do.
They have to explain themselves
And they refuse!!!
(Fact).
There is massive evidence that he is a Cohen at least ten doros!!
They say trust us he is not?????.
No we don't!
we need a clear explanation. What is your bases for your psak.
If not retract.
Reb Moshe Feinstein's case was totally different than this case. So it's not a bases for this case
So all above comments are dumb because you are missing the big issue here.
It's not about who is bigger than who.
It's about a total violation of the Torah.
A terrible Pirtzah in Klall Yisroel.
And b"h there are still some Gedolim that are standing up for the Torah and demanding an accounting.
Same old lies.
DeleteThey didn't seemingly violate Shulchan Aruch when they are very clear that the psak is that he can rely on not having a chezkas kehuna.
There is no refusal about anything.
You are lying.
Not only that, but they were appointed as a second level of review on Rav Cohen.
Then there was another level of review with the next Beis Din comprised of Rav Bess, Rav Sherwinter, and Rabbi Forchheimer.
Then another level of review by Rav Fuerst.
Then Rav Levine.
Then Rav Senderovic.
They then agreed for multiple other Rabbanim to review it, including Bromberg and Saltz's choice of Rav Elya Chaim (who agreed to do it). The family kept undermining the process at every turn of the way.
The family then chose a Beis Din which the Beis Havaad even signed shtar birurin to go. The Beis Din backed out.
And yes, you are correct. Rav Moshe's cases, and the hundreds of time this psak is given across America, are very different than this one, because they don't have half as many reasons to be matir as this one. If those cases are the bases, this case is a home run (unless you meant basis).
So you are lying.
The letter from your gedolim is lying. (I'm assuming they were lied to by the likes of you, though they definitely shouldn't have listened to lies about something so sensitive and so easily verifiable.)
This entire saga has been a series of verifiable lies one after the other.
B"H Rav Reisman had the fortitude to write the letter calling you people out on your blatant lies. It's about time people see you for what you are.
This violation of Shulchan Aruch has precedent.
DeleteThere was a married woman in Krakow, and the Rema permitted her to marry someone else. He claimed she was divorced, and also told people that he had seen the divorce, but is there any proof?
So the Rema, the one who wrote half of the Shulchan Aruch, also 'went against' the Shulchan Aruch.
To quote:
It's not about who is bigger than who.
It's about a total violation of the Torah.
A terrible Pirtzah in Klall Yisroel.
And b"h there are still some Gedolim that are standing up for the Torah and demanding an accounting.
I am curious about those who claim to be tumulting because they care so much about the poor suffering mishpacha. Have they ever put themselves out for another yid when it doesn't entail making maarachos? Have they knocked on doors in the heat or the rain to collect for a poor man who can't do it himself? Do they wake up at night for a crying baby to allow their wives some sleep?
ReplyDeleteHow did they suddenly become such altruists, worried about a poor family?
I know people love peddling information they make up as fact, but where is the evidence that the Bais Havaad paskened the shaila?! You make things up in order to campaign against them!
ReplyDeleteI saw this comment on hefkervelt and liked it a lot:
1. The Beis Havaad were not the ones who issued the heter. Nobody can show me anything from them that is matir this story. They did the research, on which the Rabbonim based their heter.
2. The Beis Havaad have repeatedly shown a willingness to explain their research to anybody who really wishes to know the answer. But not to those who have already publicized their opinions against the Beis Havaad. For obvious reasons. Yet they are still attacked for 'not showing their reasoning.' One of those who signed against them was invited on the day he signed to come and see their reasoning, yet signed a letter that they are not showing anything.
3. The people behind this maaracha know all of the above, yet are pretending it didn't happen. Why? Why are people messing with your heads?
4. The people running this maaracha have had much practice in running maarachos. Most failed, but they are learning from their mistakes. They are pretending to piously demand halachic transparency, yet think they have hidden the pashkevilln they wrote, the blogposts they uploaded, and the claims they have made.
5. The end purpose here is to undermine the power of Beis Din. The Beis Havaad has settled countless disputes, in which both sides are satisfied. They have responsibly dealt with numerous Gittin, and with ease and smoothness that prevents the agunos issues that crop up on so many occasions. Losing sides of Dinei Torah are satisfied that their side was heard. Closing down the Beis Havaad, and especially Reb YY Semiatycki, means the entire town loses out. This is why no locals signed on to this maaracha, and this is why it will ultimately fail.
6. The question remains, during the WZO tumult, this wasn't a problem. Why not? What suddenly happened? The answer is clear. When the tumult makers have other occupations, this is a non-issue. Beware of people with too much extra time on their hands
As you are demanding proof for all claims where is your proof to all your argument
DeleteI guess you have not been following this story and reading the letters of the Rabbanim etc….
DeleteBesides, since when can you accuse someone of wrongdoing without evidence to that effect, with the טענה that they don’t have proof to their innocence?! That’s perverted. Besides, anyone who has actually spoken to them has seen ample evidence to that effect.
I would suggest you start by reading Rabbi Bess’ letter. If you happen to have extra time, perhaps you should obtain the clip that’s going around from the Zoom meeting between the second Beis Din (Rav Bess, Rav Sherwinter, and Rav Forchheimer,) and Rav Farbstein.
Can't wait to see the zoom video, please post it!
DeleteWhere can we see the clip from the zoom meeting?
ReplyDeleteWhere rabbi from patterson psak is. Meaning more fake news
DeleteYou can't.
DeleteWhy are people so dumb? And no, I'm not referring to your sentence bordering on the retarded. If the family backtracked from Rabbi Swerdloff paskening, how would there be a psak?! So no. That most definitely is not an indication of fake news. Though it is the type of overwhelming proofs that Englander is known to spout.
DeleteHow about you just post the clip if it exists?
DeleteHow do you post videos in the comments?
DeleteWe get it, fixinglakewood will never allow the video to be post, it's a red herring, it proves the opposite of what fixing and co. have been claiming all along.
DeleteI would post it, but I don’t know how to post video in the comments. I would send it to Fixing Lakewood to post, but I don’t want to give them my email.
DeleteYou who’s claiming it’s a red herring: If these clips do make their way to your inbox - hypothetically speaking - what would you say then? (I happened to have seen it too. He pretty much tells Rabbi Forchheimer that their behaving as kohanim does not make them kohanim. If Paul was irreligious, than the kehuna is no stronger than his belief, and their behaving as kohanim does not strengthen it. It is also very clear that it it is the Beis Din of Rav Bess, Rav Sherwinter, and Rabbi Forchheimer who were in charge of the case and were making the final decision.)
DeleteTill a video gets posted I'll go with Rav farbstein clearly written teshuva forbidding the marriage and calling him a full Cohen, rather than a rumored video which questionable if it even exists.sorry you have no argument.
DeleteIt's long been proven paul is not needed to establish the kehunah, that argument is dead. Goodbye.
DeleteHe wrote a tshuva about it, you can read his opinion, its not a secret. Strangely Rabbi Shorweinter claims to have never been mattir (see his letter posted on this blog,) and Rabbi Forcheimer in his letter clearly writes he does not have his own information about the case but i guess we will not be bothered by facts and instead believe an anynoumous commentator that "He saw the video"
DeleteNo problem. You can send it to us and we'll send it to Fixing Lakewood. Please send to: lakewoodbaishavaad@gmail.com
DeleteWhy is everything ironically always your way maybe both sides made mistakes over here? I think both sides should just get together like adults and stop the smear campaign on either side and just hash it out with each other and get to a bottom line. Can we just move in from this already everyone is sick and tired from this stupid case already. Btw no one gains from machlokes so let’s act like big boys cut the garbage and let’s move on. Just giving you my personal opinion which I believe is the view of most unbiased ppl.
ReplyDeleteAnd there you go again with your twisted Gorelick and Englander logic. You turn this into sides, when there are no two sides. Bunim simply asked a personal shaila from his Rabbanim and was told what their understanding of Halacha is in such a case. The whole purpose of the slanderous campaign is to delegitimize the Beis Din. This is accomplished in large part by portraying them as completely unreliable and not having the right to an opinion. By painting them to be a biased "side" in something they presided over. As if they are obligated to answer up to anyone who doesn't like them. Besides, Englander and Gorelick have made very clear in numerous ways that they will not go along peacefully. They started this fight, and they have kept it going. (Aside for one small statement from the Rabbanim in response to Gorelick, could you point to anything from the Beis Din? In fact, the only you even have any reason to think they were involved is the word of the family....) Also, the case already went to other parties multiple times. Not only that, but they even most recently agreed to yet another Beis Din! So yes, sometimes - and in the case of these types of controversies, most times - one side is clearly in the right. Unless your moral compass is pointing backward, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out who. So stop hiding behind polite, empty words while knowingly spouting the tumultmachers position in attempt to rope people in with your supposed "moderate" "fairminded" words.
Deletewhy is gorelick involved? is he family
DeleteThere is one person in this entire saga who is extremely impressive.He is probably the only person in the Jewish world who came out looking like royalty during this fiasco.His name is Reb Yoisef Laskin,the father of Bunim Laskin.He totally supported his son even though he personally didn't agree with the psak.Not only did he support his son but he encouraged his son to listen to his psak.His reasoning was that his son received a psak from choshuva rabbonim and he is obligated to listen to that psak.How do I know that he doesn't support that psak?I was with him in Orlando over succos and I saw him duchening so he obviously doesn't agree with the psak but he still totally supports and encouraged his son who did receive that psak.Such a beautiful person in this messed up world!Reb Yoisef,I don't know if you read this which you probably don't,but if you do,I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a special person
ReplyDelete