To the Frum guy from Chicago who left his heartfelt comment.

You appear to be sincere - yet a bit naive - so we will respond in kind - with sincerity. You wonder to what purpose this blog? Why do we do it? What about the chillul Hashem?

Yes - Machlokes is bad. It is abhorring! Yes the (second) Bais Hamikdash was destroyed because of sinas chinum! But clearly, struggling to protect & maintain ones genuine right, from a defensive posture does not fall into the category of sinas chinam!

Was the first Beis HaMikdash not destroyed because of the gimel chamuros, including Shfichas Domim? What is being perpetrated against Rabbi Zalman Gifter, his mother the Rosh Hayeshiva's Rebbitzen and their family is what the Torah classifies too as Sh'fichas domim!

Does the Torah require one who is threatened by a ba b'machteres to be passive and take no defensive action? Should he surrender his homestead because violence is an antipathy of Torah and Yiddishkeit? Does not the Torah clearly and dramatically advise he who is set upon by a theif to "Hashkeim v'hargo techilah"?!

The situation is sad! Does that mean that one should lay down and die because he is the victim of chamsanim who defy a psak din of gedolay Yisroel - with whatever na'arish teretz de jure they conjure up for the day and the deed?!

Let me understand your thinking here - please. Tell me honestly - What would YOU suggest to the following scenario?

Imagine if you please, that you have been running a corporation for many years, even yet from the days when your father was alive. Sadly he passes away, leaving you written instructions to carry on his work as you were doing for the years when he was ill, running his corporation.

You of course run your company as you see fit. You are a very strong minded CEO (some even consider you too tough & too aggressive). But, you know exactly what you want and how you want things done. Now, because of your strength of character (or perhaps in spite of it) and because of your intensified style of running things your corporation is doing very well. Your intake has grown over the years, your product is well received in the market place and your employees, while not always elated with your style of leadership, are never the less consistently paid and for the most part most of them are doing their jobs satisfactorily.

Unfortunately as is often the case, not all your employees are content. Some of them really don't appreciate your style, some downright resent it, some of them are a number of years older than you and perhaps believe experience makes them more capable than you. (Actually some of them are your former teachers from years gone by - you my friend are in the lamentable position of being a Navi b'iyro!). They are of the "old school." They remember the days of working for your father, who was a very respected Torah Scholar.

(Forgive me please, but to be painfully honest, the fact is that your father was an even stronger minded CEO, who ran the company single mindedly and made almost all decisions unilaterally. He did things exactly the way he wanted to, rarely if ever "asking" for another's opinion. Most often he would share with them how they should approach a given situation and what they ought to be thinking. And if they weren't yet thinking that way, they should start to right then and there! But there never were dissenting voices amongst his staff, because truthfully, as much as they respected him, they feared him even more!)

But back to you. Over the course of the years you hire some new employees to fill certain positions in your corporation. A number of the tenured employees believed these positions should rightfully have been theirs and had expected that one day they would have been. They don't like the fact that you brought in new fresh, young, talent whom they see potentially as a threat to their job security.

As a result, a few of them begin to grumble and strongly contend that you are not running the business optimally! They join together as a group of disgruntled employees and take upon themselves to declare a challenge to your capability, and worthiness as CEO. They even try making a case of your right of inheritance to oversee your father's concerns.

They demand a hearing of their grievances, in the only place a Jew may . . . before a Halachik Beis Din. They actually choose a Besi Din comprised of the most respected Talmidi Chachamim, Yirei Hashem, gedolay Torah of the day. They of course know for sure that these men will see things so clearly - as they themselves do! What they forget is that these men do not have their envy or personal negious!

The Beis Din convenes. The litigants air all their grievances, charges and complaints. They even bring against you other Jewish leaders from across the country - men of stature and respect - Heads of similar academies, students your father, to testify that with you at the helm, the Telshe Corp. will surely fail! People can't work with you, etc. The "old school" of tenured employees should head the Yeshiva with The Sagged Elder at its helm!

The Rabbis listen very carefully to all the testimony. They adjourn to their cities before rendering a psak.

On their way home the Dayanim are solicited . . . out of court - in the Cleveland Hopkins airport by two esteemed personalities - themselves heads of Yeshivas' - who flew in specially to endeavor to seduce the Dayanim to render their verdict in favor of those who are seeking your ouster!

But these great men hearken to the words of Hashem and "tremble not before men" they adhere to Torah law and render a psak in accordance with Shulchan Aruch and the spirit of our holy Torah!

You, they proclaim in a detailed written ruling, are the rightful CEO of Telshe, you are to be known as a Rosh Yeshiva and you are to maintain your position as CEO!

A plan is laid out where you will be joined by two other senior members of the Yeshiva (one has since passed away zt"l) who will "assist you" in decision making. Additionally (and this is clearly written as a suggestion and not a requirement) you are advised (but not obligated) to invite the Rosh Mechina to VaadHaPoel meetings in order to hear his input.

Upshot: Your contenders loose! The coup de ta against you is over - all others claims of right to ascension to the position of CEO, by any individual or group, is invalid.

Your enemies (and I only call them that now, because to maintain this machlokes after the psak beis din demonstrates now more than ever, their consuming Sinas Chinum for you - the cause for Churban Baiyis - as you point out in your letter! Your enemies) refuse to accept the psak din for what it is! To that end (believe it or not) they send a stream of Rabbinic emissaries, one after the other, to lobby the Dayanim and persuade them to recant their psak!!

Can you believe that? Roshei HaYeshiva, Rabbonim Chashuvim, reduce themselves to conduct unbefitting even of a commoner - attempting again to circumvent daas Torah and seduce the dayanim - men of great stature - through pressure and politics, to corrupt a Psak Din Torah!

But B"H once again - the dayanim being Gedolay Yisroel and strong in their convictions - do not cave in under the pressure. . . and the effort to corrupt them post Din HaTorah - fails miserably.

After the failed coup it is understood that those who rose up against you would fear for their job security. In fact when the Rosh Mechina (whom you have always felt was less than industrious in fulfilling his responsibilities) asked you if you will honor his contract and conditions of employment (that you personally gave him) you answer him with a sharp retort.

Emboldened by the psak din in your favor you respond to him in the affirmative but with stern words of reprimanded. Yes, you say, but you will have to do your job much better! No more frequent absences from the Mechina. Much more personal attendance in the Mechina is expected of you and much more being attendant to the needs of the bachurim is demanded!

Here now is where the real trouble began!

While your response was honest and directly to the heart of the matter, it was not diplomatic! But that has always been your challenge - you are way too blunt and forceful!

Now you have instilled fear into your employee. Frightened creatures react in desperate ways. The Rosh Mechina meets with the Rabbeim and says that he can no longer work together with you! (He of course didn't tell them about his conversation with you and his fear that he may be canned and not afforded the opportunity to continue to work for you once his contract expires!).
He tells them that he is quitting at the end of the year and not renewing his contract. Additionally he ads, if he leaves - no one will send any more talmidim to Telshe and the High School will surley fold! One Rebbe responds that if the Mechina closes we can always start another Yeshiva in the Heights! Emotional words at an emotional moment.

The Rosh Mechina however is now empowered through the art of half truths, misleading innuendos and straight out deception to begin a newly invigorated major campaign against you - because his job is now at stake!

He calls Rabbi A.C. Levin Shlit"a in Chicago and tells him "Telshe Yeshiva is doomed! The Rabbeim are ready to quit and start their own Yeshiva in the Heights! All because they cannot work with Reb Zalman Gifter! (Why he feel for it without investigation, especially knowing the Rosh Mechina for so many years from his Chicago days, he must have had an idea of who/what he is and how he operates! How could he have accepted the motzei shem ra about the Rabbeim not being able to work with Reb Zalman- when they don't even ever interact with him at all!

Who knows? Maybe it was "other" pressures from disgruntled family members who thought their brother in law would inherit their father's position. Who knows - there are rumors of RIVERs of DALES or tales as to who was the behind the scene pressure!

In any case - the "end run" to circumvent the Psak Beis Din began! Something you would expect from non-Torah-dikeh yidden, but not from men of professed stature!

And so my Frum Guy from Chicago, you being all alone against a group who decide they are going to oust you and take over your corporation - having already once lost in a din haTorah - they will now try to bully and deceive their way around the Psak din, and they have the neccessary money (in actuality they are taking your money to pay for their fight against you) they have the ear of some big guns - not as big as the Beis Din members - but big enough to turn public opinion against you - and all you have is . . . Tzedek is on your side.

And so my friend, what would you do? I really don't think you would just say - "oy vey, it would be such a chillul Hashem, if I defend my fathers legacy from being stolen away, so I will just walk away and let these chamsanim, ganvim, gonvei daas Hamakom v'habrios, steal the Yeshiva away!

No, I don't think so.

So yes "Frum Guy from Chicago" - the chillul Hashem is indeed great! But it is not Reb Zalman who brought about this terrible chillul Hashem!

Reb Zalman was not m'chalel shem shomayim by lobbying the members of the Beis Din outside of Beis Din to sway their opinion before their coming to a conclusion!

Reb Zalman did not send emissaries up to Camp Morris to Reb Ahron Shechter Shlit"a, after the din Torah was over and the Psak issued, asking him to rescind the Psak Din!

Reb Zalman did not blatantly try and end run to circumvent the Psak Beis Din under a ridiculous, false preposition, propagated to anyone who would listen, that he acceded his right to head the Yeshiva's Vaad HaPoel and rather agreed to reduce his position of authority to a "one man one vote" status! Say what you like - but he is not insane to give up his position! (Would you?)

Reb Zalman did not mass mail derogatory Motzei Shem Ra propaganda sheets, under the guise of being Telshe Alumni Updates (as if Telshe Yeshiva ever had such updates before?).

Reb Zalman didn't squander Maos Hekdish, tzadkkah money donated to Telshe Yeshiva for Torah support, on frivolous printing, packaging and postage of "Michtav Hasbara's" - which were nothing more than slander sheets, written by some Chicago pseudo Navi journalist who professes to somehow "know" the unknown (and untrue!) and brazenly accuse Reb Zalman without a shred of evidence of the lowest things a Yid can do (like mesira etc.).

Reb Zalman didn't profain the members of the Bais Din (who are chevrai Moetzes Gedolay HaTorah) by calling them "Low Lifes" - do you hear this Chicago Frum Guy? You're worried about chillul Hashem? Maybe you should ask your Chicago Y.U. Alumnus, who professes to be a Rosh Hayeshiva role model for bachurim, how he calls Gedolay Yisroel b'Torah, b'machshava, u'b'middos "Low Lifes"?!

Reb Zalmen was not minavel es piv - when the Lakewood Rosh HaYeshiva sent Reb Zalman's son in law to Chicago, on a mission to make shalom. Whereas your Chicago Telshe Alumni Rabbi's youth betrayed him, as he so eloquently, with Mada not Torah, said "we are going to pull your father in law pants down"! Wow! I can't seem to remember the last time I heard a Rosh Hayeshiva speak so (un)"Torah-dik"! (and RACL is concerned that the blogger used the word "damn"?! Tul kurah m'bain etc.)

No wonder RCDK gets "special" speaking slots at the Agudah convention! Maybe this year he will speak about bloggers who must resort to defend the downtrodden from a place of anonymity - because they have not the money, position, connections, nor power of the elite Kapatah Class! Wish I could be at the convention to hear it. Can't even get it on tape - because the Agudah never lets him speak except Shabbos when no one could possibly recorded his inevitable faux pas!

Reb Zalman did not lie to the banks and tell them "Rabbi Gifter acquiesced to removing his signature from Telshe Yeshiva's account" and when the bank officers heard otherwise from Reb Zalman, they lowered their heads in shame - seeing "Rabbis" the Priests of the Nation of Priests, carry on like common criminals, lying, cheating, deceiving with half truths and outright lies, kamandeving like gangsters to "get control of the money" like common thugs! So the bankers froze the accounts.

Reb Zalmen was not m'chalele shem shomayim in the eys of the postmaster general of Wickliffe by telling them to "not give Rabbi Gifter the mail". After 30 years of knowing Rabbi Gifter as the Head of Telshe they are now told that he is a common thief who is trying to get Telshe's mail for himself! Ribbono shel olam!

Reb Zalman did not take anyone to court - arkaos shel akum!!! Can you digest that Frum Guy from Chicago? Rabbonim - Roshei Yeshiva - mechanchim - taking a case that was and even if perhaps should again be in front of a bais din - taking it to arkaos shel akum?!! Gevald!

And Reb Zalmen was not m'chalele shem shomayim in the eys of the judge who was beside herself with the chutzpah of the felacious five who came to her b'mirmah to plead for an emergency relief to unfreeze the accounts so they could pay the gas bill and not let the yeshiva close down - and then when she granted their request - they pillaged all the accounts Telshe had for over $180,000!! Paying themselves supposed "loans" and issuing cashiers checks for almost $50,000 just to empty the Yeshiva's accounts! "What could you possibly have done with all that money" the judge demanded! You abused my emergency relief! I want a reckoning of every penney spent!" (Which btw, they are loath to come up with - becuase of shame and embarrasement!)

WHO IS MAKING A CHILUL HASHEM?!

Yes, we talmidim of Reb Motel Gifter who don't have the connections, money, prestige or voice of these gonvei daas Hamakom v'habrios, must resort to a blog so that the world will hear the voice of the nirdaf and know the truth!