Please note: Rodef Shalom 613 has done its best to accurately respond to Rabbi Firer’s statements. If you find any errors or believe we incorrectly portrayed Rabbi Firer’s statements, please contact us. Our objective is to provide accurate information.

Rodef Shalom 613 has an open offer to any rabbi including Rabbi Firer, Rabbi Weiss, Rabbi Kelemen, Rabbi Tatz, Rabbi Zilberstein, Rabbi Silman, Rabbi Edelstein, and Rabbi Hacohen. We can arrange for you to speak with other rabbis who have investigated both sides of the topic and are able to discuss the various factual and halachic implications of taking the Covid-19 vaccine.

Rodef Shalom 613 will publish Rabbi Firer’s response, should he submit one.

Rabbi Elimelech Firer, the founder of the organization Ezra LeMarpeh¹, which helps individuals navigate the medical system and provides doctor referrals, has gone on record as saying he provided Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, and Rabbi Shalom Hacohen with his conclusions about the Covid-19 vaccine following his research on the topic.that these three rabbis recommended that everyone take the vaccine, as he explains in his published letter.² In an article in the English language Ami Magazine and as picked up by the Hebrew language website B’Chadrei Charedim, Rabbi Firer explained how he came to his conclusions.

Rodef Shalom 613 has responded to Rabbi Firer’s statements, which are not borne out by the facts and are anathema to halacha, Jewish law. Rodef Shalom 613 believes that this is because of the extremely serious conflict of interest that Rabbi Firer has, and which appears to have destroyed his integrity. We discuss the conflict after our response to the Ami Magazine article.

Rabbi Firer’s Conclusion

(from his published letter. Rabbi Firer’s statements, as we’ve presented them, are a loose English translation.)

Rabbi Firer states:

Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, and Rabbi Shalom Hacohen, asked me to research and investigate the corona vaccine, and after I researched and investigated well, with the required responsibility, and presented my conclusions to the rabbis, I am informing you about their opinions and in their name:

Rodef Shalom 613’s response:

This is not a proper method by which a rabbi formulates and communicates a psak (a decision based on halacha (Jewish law)) and it is not proper for anyone to rely on a purported opinion as a psak.

Rabbanim are expected to make halachic decisions by personally delving into the topic quite intensely and are expected to understand all aspects of the issue. A rabbinic decision is generally put to writing and includes both the facts on which the rabbi based his decision and the appropriate halacha which led him to his determination.

According to halacha –

Choshen Mishpat, 10:1³

צריך הדיין להיות מתון בדין שלא יפסיקנו עד שיחמיצנו וישא ויתן בו ויהיה ברור לו כשמש

The Judge must be patient in the [administration of] justice1 [viz.,] that he should not give a decision before he protracts [his deliberations] and discussed it [the law] and it becomes clear to him as the sun[light].

The same would apply to a rabbi who’s making a halachic decision. That means that Rabbi Kanievsky, Rabbi Edelstein, and Rabbi Hacohen would each have been expected to do their own research into both sides of the issue and each rabbi should have communicated his considered decision.

Furthermore, each one of the rabbanim would have had to provide a different reason for his decision or they would be counted as one, as is stated in Mishneh Torah, The Sanhedrin and the penalties within their jurisdiction, Chapter 10:4:

שְׁנַיִם שֶׁאָמְרוּ טַעַם אֶחָד אֲפִלּוּ מִשְּׁנֵי מִקְרָאוֹת אֵין נִמְנִין אֶלָּא כְּאֶחָד

– two (members of Sanhedrin) who gave the same reason (for their decision) even if from two different sources, are counted as one.

In a matter of a capital case (capital punishment) – where a person’s life hangs in the balance – it is prohibited for one judge to rely on the reasoning of another judge; each one has to independently evaluate the evidence and come to his own conclusion.

While this may not be a case of capital punishment, from this we again learn that it is proper for each judge/rabbi to do his own research and arrive at his own conclusion based on his own assessment of the facts. In the case of capital punishment, one life is hanging in the balance; in the case of vaccines, millions of lives can be endangered.

Since Rabbi Firer claims that Rabbi Kanievsky, Rabbi Edelstein, and Rabbi Hacohen all asked him to do the research and merely accepted his conclusion, it must be understood that the rabbanim have not issued a psak or even an opinion (it’s Rabbi Firer’s and his alone), and that neither the message nor the messenger can be relied upon.

Rabbi Firer states:

1) Everyone who is able to get vaccinated – it is proper to do so. (From the trials that were conducted appropriately and with all the accepted parameters that are accepted and practiced in the medical world, it has been proven that there is no danger in getting the vaccine.)

Rodef Shalom 613’s response:

These vaccines have not been developed like any other vaccines. Proper animal testing was not done, the length of Phase 1 and 2 trials were shortened considerably,⁴ and phase 3 trials are still underway; Pfizer’s phase 3 trial won’t end till 2023 and Moderna’s not till 2022.⁵ In the meantime, the emergency use authorization given for the vaccine in December 2020, explicitly states that the vaccine is still under investigation, which means that everyone who takes it is essentially participating in the trials.⁶

Vaccine manufacturers are expecting that there will be serious adverse events from the vaccine, including long-term events, so they have demanded and received freedom from liability should anyone be harmed by their vaccine.⁷ The trials themselves revealed adverse events such as Bell’s Palsy and anaphylaxis and the FDA has a draft list of 22 adverse events that they are looking out for.⁸ As such, it is impossible to have established that there is no danger in getting the vaccine when there is every reason to believe that there is.⁹

According to halacha:

The Kaf HaChayim, Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah (116:60) allowed the smallpox vaccine because it was believed that the vaccine had never harmed anyone and vaccinated children never got the illness; by vaccinating they would not have to take their children and run from the city. Today, we know that vaccine injury and vaccine failure occur. Had the Kaf HaChayim known that, it is apparent that he would never have allowed the vaccine to be given.

In Igros Moshe, Rav Moshe Feinstein wrote that one may not unnecessarily undergo a medical procedure, even one that’s considered safe, since there may be unknown adverse effects (Igros Moshe, Orech Chayim, page 103, siman 90). He says that every medical injection runs the risk of injury, even if doctors are not aware of any risk.¹⁰

Sixty-nine years ago, the Lubavitcher Rebbe was asked a similar question about taking a novel treatment. From his response:

“According to what I was able to find out, this is not a tested or proven medicine. And in fact, it’s not [really] a medicine, but only eases the symptoms. There is also room for concern since these are potent injections which carry possible risk of injury, etc.

“Based on this, it is my opinion that it is not worthwhile to rely on the information we’re hearing and use measures which entail the aforementioned concerns.

“G-d will send healing through another medium, and you’ll soon be able to send me good tidings about this.”¹¹

Vaccines are not medicines either and there is certainly cause for concern that they carry the risk of injury.

Furthermore, we learn in the Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, Siman 155:1, that we may only use a non-Jewish doctor when his income is at risk.

וי”א דכל זה אינו אסור אלא כשהעובד כוכבים עושה בחנם אבל אם עושה בשכר בכל ענין מותר דחייש לפסידא דאגריה

 – All these prohibitions [of accepting medicine] are only prohibited when the [non-Jewish doctor] is doing it for free. However, if he is getting compensation then in all these cases it is permitted because [that doctor] is worried [that if his medicine will have a negative impact] he will have a loss of income.

Since neither the manufacturer nor anyone who administers Covid-19 vaccines is risking income or reputation should the product prove harmful, it appears that halacha actually prohibits anyone from taking the vaccine from the start.¹²

Rabbi Firer states:

2) Those who suffer from any sort of allergy should consult with their family doctor on how to get the vaccine under medical supervision; also women who are expecting should consult with a doctor.

Rodef Shalom 613’s response:

Aside from the above mentioned halachic precepts, it is not halachically permissible to advise someone to undergo a potentially fatal medical procedure (which anaphylaxis, the allergic reaction being referred to here, certainly is), or one that can harm an unborn child, to theoretically prevent an illness they don’t have and may not get and which has a recovery rate of over 99% for most people.¹³

Rabbi Firer explians his conclusion:

Ami Magazine published an article “Stopping the Plague//Gedolim promote vaccinations” about their interview with Rabbi Firer. Following are Rodef Shalom 613’s responses to the synopsis the magazine published online.¹⁴

Ami Magazine states:

“Around a week ago, Professor Nachman Ash, Israel’s coronavirus czar, and Professor Chezi Levi, director general of the Health Ministry, went to the Bnei Brak beis din [Jewish court of law] of Rav Yehudah Silman … the professors laid out the case for vaccination while also discussing the dangers and concerns. The Rav said that if anyone asked him privately he would likely tell him to vaccinate, but that he wanted to wait a couple of weeks before making a public proclamation.”

Rodef Shalom 613’s response:

Doctors, such as Ash and Levi, and functionaries who are in government employ, receive funding from the government or related agencies, follow government policy, and/or the medical policy of any company, are public policy implementers and, therefore, their opinions, according to halacha, cannot be considered when making medical decisions.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe explained (Lekkutey Sichos vol. 15 pp 489-490):

“The main point (or in a different style): The understanding of the doctor decides – according to halacha – when he is talking as a doctor (for reasons of healing and saving lives), but if he is giving his opinion as a statesman and politician (for political reasons), that his opinion they decide and nullify the medical reasoning – this is the opposite of the decision of the Shulchan Aruch.”

The information discussed at the meeting that the Health Ministry organized with Rabbi Silman and other rabbis falls under the category of public policy. Any rabbi or doctor who makes decisions based upon what was discussed at the meeting is implementing public policy, not providing halachic or medical guidance.

Ami Magazine states:

“He [Rabbi Silman] also mentioned several polls that were taken of Israeli doctors from which it emerged that about 25% of them wouldn’t get vaccinated so quickly … In the end he recommended waiting until more data were available.”

Rodef Shalom 613’s response:

According to halacha –

Shulchan Aruch (סע תריח’ ס ח“או) states that when you have 2 doctors who say that there’s a risk of death, even if 100 doctors say there’s no risk, we listen to the 2 doctors. The Mishna Berurah explains:

“ולא אזלינן בתר רב דעות בסכנת נפשות”

– and we don’t follow the majority opinion in matters of danger to life.

Here we are talking about (at least in Israel) a poll that showed 25% of the doctors were concerned about the vaccine and there are many more in the US and worldwide who have spoken out against taking the vaccine at all.¹⁵ Therefore, according to halacha, it appears that one may not take the vaccine.

Ami Magazine states:

“Although Rav Silman and the other Bnei Brak dayanim [judges] condemned the pashkvilin [posters] against vaccination the fact that the discussion ended without a call to vaccinate caused anti-vaxxers to claim that the rabbanim agreed with them.”

Rodef Shalom 613’s response:

This statement confirms that Rabbi Silman and the other dayanim are promoting public policy, not halacha. Halacha can only be determined once all facts are considered, such as those in the pashkvilin,¹⁶ and is not concerned with “anti-vaxxers”.¹⁷ Jewish law demands that all facts be examined without any pre-conceived notions about who is or isn’t correct (or what anyone may think about you because of your decision).

Ami Magazine states:

“… To combat this notion [that Rabbi Silman is an “anti-vaxxer”], noted medical askan [community activist] Rabbi Elimelech Firer visited Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Rav Gershon Edelstein and Rav Shalom Cohen, and after consulting with them, he announced in their names that there is no danger from receiving the vaccine.”

Rodef Shalom 613’s response:

This contradicts what Rabbi Firer wrote in his letter, that the three rabbanim asked him to look into the matter and, further, demonstrates that Rabbis Firer and Silman are implementing public policy. This has nothing to do with Torah or halacha or medicine.

From Chadrei Chareidim’s presentation of the Ami Magazine interview with Rabbi Firer:

Translated from the Hebrew “Rabbi Firer recounts: This is how I came to the conclusion about the vaccine”.¹⁸

Chadrei Chareidim states:

“The technology used by the companies Pfizer and Modern is not a new technology. Thirty years ago this technology was discovered, 18 years ago an experiment that was stopped in human being, not because of serious side effects, but mainly because the key companies did not have enough economics to invest the necessary capital.”

Rodef Shalom 613 responds:

Not a new technology –

While mRNA technology may have been discovered years ago, it’s still considered a new technology and has never before been approved for use in human beings¹⁹’²⁰

Not enough economics –

While it’s true that one scientist talked about his funding that dried up,²¹ the real reason we did not have a coronavirus vaccine was because of a serious side effect called ADE – antibody dependent enhancement.

“Researchers have been trying to develop a coronavirus vaccine since the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-1) outbreak in 2002. Thus, over a span of 18 years there have been numerous coronavirus vaccine animal studies conducted, which unfortunately demonstrated significant and serious side-effects. Either the animals were not completely protected, became severely ill with accelerated autoimmune conditions, or died.”

This continues to be a concern with the Covid-19 vaccine.²² In fact, Peter Hotez, the vaccinologist whose funding dried up, also warned about the dangers of a Covid-19 vaccine.²³

Chadrei Chareidim states:

He added that “in a Pfizer study, for example, a total of 43,448 people participated. Half received the vaccine and the other half received the placebo vaccine (placebo). The experiment showed that it is a vaccine with 95% efficacy (after receiving 2 doses of the vaccine) and no side effects. Rare. Common symptoms such as redness, local pain or even fever – can be present in any vaccine.

Rodef Shalom 613 responds:

Doctors, such as Ash and Levi, and functionaries who are in government employ, receive funding from the government or related agencies, follow government policy, and/or the medical policy of any company, are public policy implementers and, therefore, their opinions, according to halacha, cannot be considered when making medical decisions.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains (Lekkutey Sichos, vol. 15, pp 489-490):

“The main point (or in a different style): The understanding of the doctor decides – according to halacha – when he is talking as a doctor (for reasons of healing and saving lives), but if he is giving his opinion as a statesman and politician (for political reasons), that his opinion they decide and nullify the medical reasoning – this is the opposite of the decision of the Shulchan Aruch.”

The information discussed at the meeting that the Health Ministry organized with Rabbi Silman and other rabbis falls under the category of public policy. Any rabbi or doctor who makes decisions based upon what was discussed at the meeting is implementing public policy, not providing halachic or medical guidance.

Regarding efficacy –

Despite the 43,448 people who were participants in the vaccine trials, the 95% efficacy claim²⁴ was based on just 170 participants who were PCR confirmed covid-19 cases. Had they included the 3,410 cases of suspected, but unconfirmed covid-19, the relative risk reduction would have been 19%.²⁵

Regarding side effects –

As noted earlier, four people who got Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine in the firm’s trial developed Bell’s Palsy, a form of (usually) temporary facial paralysis and others experienced anaphylaxis.²⁵

Professor Eric Caumes, head of the Infectious and Tropical Disease department at a major Paris hospital, said:

“‘I have never seen such a high frequency’ of side effects from an injection’.

“Take the example of fever. It can occur transiently after an injection; it is classic. But here, 15.8 percent of 18- to 55-year-olds had a fever of 38 degrees Celsius or higher within seven days after the second injection. And 45 percent had to take medication for fever or pain. Another 55 percent had headaches and 62 percent were tired. No, really, that’s much too much, perhaps there’s a problem …”²⁶

Chadrei Chareidim states:

“Six people died during the trial. 4 of them were those who received a sham vaccine and only 2 received a real vaccine and tests showed that they did not die as a result of the vaccine.”

Rodef Shalom 613 responds:

Vaccine manufacturers are the ones who determine whether any adverse events are related to the vaccine or not and therefore any determination that the vaccine didn’t cause the deaths is not reliable. The FDA is a “captured agency” since the vaccine manufacturers have to pay them to review their trial data and can impose their own requirements on how their monies are to be used.²⁷ Comprehensive research has shown that the FDA regularly ignores falsified data and other problems they uncover in clinical trials.²⁸

About one of the deaths during the trial:

 “One of the deceased was reportedly immunocompromised (meaning their immune system’s defenses were low, affecting its ability to fight off infections and diseases–this can be temporary or permanent).

“The FDA announced on Tuesday that currently there is not enough research to guarantee the vaccine’s safety for immunocompromised groups, pregnant women and children–yet it is still expected to gain approval on Thursday, and is already being rolled-out across the UK.”²⁹

If this is the case, then how can Rabbi Firer recommend the vaccine to pregnant women (suggesting they ask their doctor – who is likely relying on the health ministry), elderly people and people with comorbidities (those people most likely to die from Covid-19), since they are most likely immunocompromised as well?

Chadrei Chareidim states:

Firer, who is considered an authority in the medical world, emphasizes that “the experiment did not skip any stage in approving the vaccine and is done just like vaccines or other drugs in accordance with all the strict rules required by the FDA. It is true that other vaccines and drugs are approved only after a decade. But technological advances alongside global mobilization have changed the current situation… ”

Rodef Shalom 613 responds:

Vaccine development can take as long as 15-20 years or more, including a lengthy period of animal testing to make sure that the vaccine is safe and effective. The initial development process requires iterative tests in animal models where adjustments are made along the way. Many vaccines never even make it to the Phase III trials.

For the Covid-19 vaccine, however,

“They are moving new technologies from the computer into the clinic at an unprecedented rate, and normally distinct phases of a drug program—preclinical animal models, clinical testing, and manufacturing —are happening all at once.

“It is like building an airplane while you are flying …”³⁰

Conflict of interest

It is quite a serious matter to consider that Rabbi Firer is misleading rabbanim and the public. Unfortunately, it appears that there is more to the story than meets the eye.

A long-time supporter of Rabbi Firer’s organization, Ezra LeMarpeh, is Yuli Edelstien’s father-in-law, Leonid Nevzlin, a Russian billionaire. ³¹ Yuli Edelstein, a politician who has no medical background, is Israel’s current health minister.

Nevzlin is the founder of the Nadav Foundation; one of the Foundation’s projects is the Jewish Outreach Institute’s Mothers Circle Program – To develop a unit on Jewish Peoplehood and Israel to be offered in a course for non-Jewish women who are raising Jewish children.³² As an example of how this organization compromises Judaism, one only has to read their article about a non-Jewish woman hosting a Pesach Seder, with Jewish guests, based on information she garnered at one of the Foundation’s workshops ³³ or their article promoting intermarriage.³⁴

Irina Nevzlin, Yuli Edelstein’s wife, who is president of the Nadav Foundation,³⁵ is listed as part of The Team / Partners and Members of the General Meeting of The Jewish People Policy Institute. The institute was established as an independent, non-profit think tank to “ensure the thriving of the Jewish People and the Jewish civilization”. They can hardly be accused of upholding their mission considering their “Pluralism in Israel Project” which would destroy Judaism as we know it.³⁶

Nevzlin also owns a 20% share of the anti-religious³⁷ Haaretz newspaper.

Considering all of the above, one might wonder about Yuli Edelstien’s choice of Irina Nevzlin for his wife. Yuli Edelstein, after all, was well-known as a Jewish Russian refusenik. It seems very difficult to understand considering his background. However, what is little known about Edelstein is that, while his mother was Jewish, his father, Yuri Edelstein, is not.

“Yuli Edelstein was born in Chernivtsi in the Soviet Union (now Ukraine) to a Jewish family. His mother, Anita Edelstein, was Jewish, while his father, Yuri Edelstein, is the son of a Jewish father and Christian mother. Both converted to Christianity, and Yuri is now a Russian Orthodox priest in Karabanovo of Kostroma Oblast named Father Georgy.[2][3] While his parents taught at universities in the countryside, [Yuli] Edelstein was raised by his maternal grandparents. His grandfather had taught himself Hebrew at the age of 70 and used to listen to the Voice of Israel on a shortwave radio.”³⁸

Either the apple doesn’t fall so far from the tree or, like Rabbi Firer, Edelstein was captured by Leonid Nevzlin’s money and power, or both.

 

 

 

Notice that in this last photo, above, of Yuli Edelstein attempting to persuade Rabbi Kanievsky to close the yeshivas, Rabbi Kanievsky is the only one not wearing a mask. From the article:

“Kanievsky has however been highly reluctant to close down schools during the pandemic when required by the government, believing such a step would cause spiritual and physical harm to the Jewish people.

“The rabbi relented however at the beginning of the current lockdown and agreed that schools in the sector should close for “several days.”³⁹

Is it possible, probable, that although closing the schools was said in Rabbi Kanievsky’s name, he never agreed to this, especially in light of reports that his grandson, who acts as gatekeeper, is intent on preventing anyone from hearing that Rabbi Kanievsky recommends against the vaccine?⁴⁰

​Was Rabbi Firer threatened?

Rabbi Yoav Alon, a former Weitzman scientist and the father of the Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir of Brachfeld, on December 21, 2020, in a lengthy video warning against taking the Covid-19 vaccine, had this to say about Rabbi Firer’s recommendation to vaccinate:

“So we did not get answers to all these problems, and I know personally that Rabbi Firer was invited to the same conference that took place last Saturday night in Bnei Brak, where doctors from the ‘other side’ appeared. There were about seven doctors there who expressed their position on the issue of vaccines. There were those who explained why there is no need for a vaccine, when according to one of them the damage from the corona is minor in relation to its inflating by the authorities, and also because in many places herd immunity has already been established, certainly in the ultra-Orthodox public. One by one there, not only is it not clear that it will not help but it is quite clear that there is a greater chance that it will even be harmful.

“In light of all these points, I allow myself to raise the possibility that it is unpleasant to say that Rabbi Firer wrote this letter out of severe pressure. I talked about two hours ago with one of Israel’s gedolim and he told me: It’s not wise. You’re sure what Firer says is not true, so you think he was pressured, but I think what he says is true. I told him – the rabbi is one hundred percent right, and that’s exactly the point: I’m sure what he’s saying is not true, in light of what we have said, so I think my concern is a matter that needs to be examined.

“Another thing to keep in mind is that while Firer is a great expert in medicine, in our case, we need mostly a great expert in the social sciences, because there are mafias that control these matters and it cannot be ignored. An example of this is the fact that in Kenya tetanus vaccines were given in which the substance HCG was injected which caused infertility in about a million women. This was done by Bill Gates, who until today has connections with all the vaccine companies, including the corona. So in order to examine something like this it will not help to be just a medical expert, there needs to be an expert here who knows how to tell if a crime has been committed here or not. Check if Pfizer and Moderna are criminals or if Bill Gates has been planning for years to depopulate the world and the like. This requires expertise in criminal issues. It seems to me that Rabbi Firer is not versed in these matters.”⁴¹

Rodef Shalom 613 heard a report about a recent meeting (March 2021, for which Rodef Shalom 613 is awaiting confirmation) between one of the Chassidic rebbeim and Rabbi Firer. It is reported that Rabbi Firer was asked many questions that he could not answer and relates that he was put under tremendous pressure to promote the vaccines to the gedolim. They threatened to shut down his organization.

Whether or not the latter story is accurate, it is clear that Rabbi Firer, who

• has a reputation to maintain in the medical world and
• whose organization is supported by the Israeli Health Minister’s father-in-law,

cannot afford to appear as even “vaccine hesitant”. His severe conflict of interest, not just from a political/medical standpoint, but from a religious one as well, appears to have destroyed his integrity.

Torah warnings ignored

Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 1:7, warns:⁴²

נִתַּאי הָאַרְבֵּלִי אוֹמֵר, הַרְחֵק מִשָּׁכֵן רָע, וְאַל תִּתְחַבֵּר לָרָשָׁע, וְאַל תִּתְיָאֵשׁ מִן הַפֻּרְעָנוּת

Nittai the Arbelite used to say: keep a distance from an evil neighbor, do not become attached to the wicked, and do not abandon faith in [divine] retribution.

Leonid Zevlin (because of his anti-religious stance), can be considered an evil neighbor and receiving his support means that Rabbi Firer is attached to him.

Leonid Nevzlin’s and Reuven Rivlin’s support is also a form of bribery. The Torah warns multiple times against receiving bribes. Here are two such instances:⁴³

Exodus 23:8

וְשֹׁ֖חַד לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח כִּ֤י הַשֹּׁ֙חַד֙ יְעַוֵּ֣ר פִּקְחִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽים׃

Do not take bribes, for bribes blind the clear-sighted and upset the pleas of those who are in the right.

Deuteronomy 16:19

לֹא־תַטֶּ֣ה מִשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹ֥א תַכִּ֖יר פָּנִ֑ים וְלֹא־תִקַּ֣ח שֹׁ֔חַד כִּ֣י הַשֹּׁ֗חַד יְעַוֵּר֙ עֵינֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽם׃

You shall not judge unfairly: you shall show no partiality; you shall not take bribes, for bribes blind the eyes of the discerning and upset the plea of the just.

Relying on Rabbanim: a faulty premise?

The above is a sad commentary on the state of religious (and medical) affairs in some of the Orthodox Jewish community today.⁴⁴ In light of this, we really have to ask whether it is incumbent upon G-d fearing Jews to rely on rabbanim for their life decisions.

Masechet Horayot⁴⁵ discusses the case of a Sanhedrin that makes an erroneous ruling. From there we learn that an individual who knows the halacha is permitted to make his own decisions and does not have to follow the Sanhedrin. Moreover, if he knows that the Sanhedrin erred, he is not allowed to follow their ruling. This is the Torah’s safeguard to make sure that halacha and Torah Judaism are not subverted by outside forces of any kind.

We also learn, from the story of Shimon ben Shetach, that the judgement of an entire Sanhedrin can be subverted by their feelings of intimidation in front of the king.⁴⁶

Since we have learned that the Sanhedrin is not infallible and the judges can succumb to outside pressure, we must be cognizant that pressure exerted by outside players has the same effect on many of today’s rabbanim.

Therefore, Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Smith, who has already spoken out against rabbanim and community activists who are being bullied by government officials,⁴⁷ informs:

“Every person is responsible for making their own decisions and every person is responsible for asking a rabbi or doctor who comes along and tells you to do anything … say … what led you to that decision? … … If you’re going to base your actions and life on someone else’s endorsement then you’re not fulfilling your purpose in the world which is to really get your own information about what’s right and what’s really happening”.⁴⁸

In his video, “Six-Point Method for Making Good Decisions“, Rabbi Smith explains the Torah-based method for personal decision-making.

Conclusion

“Civilization is going through the writhing pangs of the establishment of public health supremacy which intends to overrule all other considerations, including Torah. Public health is not ‘refuah’ in Torah. Public health is not a substitute for Torah.”⁴⁹

It is up to each one of us to make sure that we do not forfeit the Torah, our inheritance, which has kept the Jewish people alive for centuries. When we learn halacha and apply it properly, as we are individually obligated to do, we can prevent catastrophe on both a personal and a nationwide level. The choice is ours to make – now.