SHATNEZ fraud IN MONSEY?-YES! (It's worse than you think!) Lakewood Branch???

Update: This was reconfirmed

Background: Monsey shatnez test center is unqualified to test, and they put on non-shatnez labels on clothing that have shatnez. R"L = All clothing must be rechecked!

SHATNEZ TESTING: The Monsey Shatnez Test Center does testing in Monsey, Queens, Englewood & other areas as well.
While testing in Queens, there arose some questions by some of the Queens "Rabonim" as to the expertise of the tester. The Rabonim had garments that the Monsey tester labeled as non-Shatnez was re-tested by the National Shatnez Testing laboratory & found that they did in fact contain Shatnez.

The Rabonim confronted the Monsey tester, & was told that these garments contain Shatnez, yet he was unable to identify the places that contained the Shatnez. Other tests were prepared for the tester to ascertain his degree of expertise. After the conclusion of the testing of his expertise he was advised not to return to Queens.

We followed up with approaching Rabonim in Monsey, NY to advise them to follow up on the serious concerns of the conclusion of the Queens Rabonim. The Monsey Rabonim sent garments to the Monsey test center & had the same results; the National Shatnez The Monsey Shatnez Test Center does testing in Monsey, Englewood & other areas as well. The Monsey Shatnez Test Center used to go to Queens to do shatnez testing in Rabbi Friedman’s Shul & David’s Cleaners on Main Street every Sunday morning.

In June ’01-Sivan ‘61, some of the Queens "Rabbonim" (Rabbis Yigal Haimoff ,Shlomo Teitelbaum) began to suspect the validity of the Monsey tester. Therefore the Rabbonim acquired three garments that contained shatnez and sent them to the Monsey tester for testing via David Cleaners in Queens. All three garments the Monsey tester labeled as non-Shatnez. These garments were re-tested by the Directors of the National Association of Professional Shatnez Testers & Researchers (Lakewood) who confirmed that they did indeed contain Shatnez in obvious places, that any qualified tester should be able to find easily.

Rabbis Yigal Haimoff, Teitelbaum, Peretz Steinberg confronted the Monsey tester (June17’01-26 Sivan’61 in Rabbi Friedmans Shul), & they informed him that these garments contain Shatnez, yet he was unable to identify the places of the Shatnez.(?)

Another test was prepared for the Monsey tester to ascertain his degree of his expertise that took place on June 20th ’01 in front of Rabbis Oelbaum,Teitelbaum, Peretz Steinberg, Savitsky. They concluded by advising him not to return to Queens.

On July 17 ’01-26 Tamuz,’61 Rabbi Shain together with the Directors of the NAPSTAR met with Rabbis Yisroel Hager, Weissmandel, Schnebalg, Neiman to discuss the seriousness of the problem concerning the Monsey Shatnez Test Center.

The Directors of the NAPSTAR were asked to come to Monsey and demonstrate to the Rabbonim where was the shatnez in the garments that was certified as non–shatnez by the Monsey Test Center. The Directors of the NAPSTAR clearly showed Rabbis Yisroel Hager, Weissmandel, Schnebalg, Neiman the Shatnez, by use of Microscopes. The Rabbonim were shocked and dismayed how the shatnez was missed and that they all had labels non-Shatnez labels affixed to them by the Monsey tester.

Rabbis Yisroel Hager, Weissmandel, Schnebalg, Rottenberg, Neiman confronted the Monsey Shatnez Center with the facts on July 26th ’01-5 Av,’61 where he confessed that he is lacking the knowledge to be able to test properly & the Rabonim concluded that he is not qualified to test for Shatnez unless he attends extensive shatnez training sessions. (which the Monsey tester didn’t follow up)

Thereafter he went to the "Bnai-Brak" & Yerushlaim Shatnez laboratories to attempt to obtain a certification (August 12th- 15th). Rabbi Shain advised them to test his Shatnez knowledge.They interviewed him & advised him that he will require a least whole year of training in their Laboratory before they can consider certification. The Monsey tester informed them that he is leaving the Shatnez testing field altogether. Upon his return to Monsey he decided nonetheless to continue Shatnez testing.

A meeting of Rabbis Yisroel Hager,Weissmandel, Schnebalg, Rottenberg & the Belzer Dayan took place in Monsey on August 30th ’01-11Elul,’61 on how to proceed. Monday September 3rd ’01-15 Elul,’61 a comprehensive meeting took place. Rabbonim with the Bodkim of Lakewood, Williamsburg & Monsey. The purpose of the meeting was to try to get everyone to work as a unit.

Rabbonim attending were: Rabbis Yisroel Hager, Weissmandel, Schnebalg, Neiman, Rottenberg, Belzer Dayan , Satmar Dayan Also present were Rabbis Shain, Yeshaya Dovid Feier, and the Director’s of NAPSTAR R’ Yoel Schockett & R’Yosef Sayagh, & the Director of Lee Ave Shatnez Lab. R’ Yitzchok Gluestien and R’ Yakov Kreitman the Monsey tester. The conclusion of the meeting was that R’ Yakov Kreitman was going to be trained by R’ Yoel Schockett.

On Sept ’01-13 Elul,’61 Rabbi Schnebalg asked of R’ Schockett to please send R’ Yakov Kreitman the Monsey tester a garment that contains shatnez to see if he will find it, the shatnez was unfortunately missed. After Succos, by Nov 1st ’01-15 Cheshvan, ‘62 a total of nine garments were sent to the Monsey tester and all were certified as Non –Shatnez. All this was done under the auspices of Rabbi Schnebalg. On Nov 7th ’01-21 Cheshvan, ‘62 NAPSTAR were asked to come to Monsey & demonstrate to Rabbis Yisroel Hager, Weissmandel, Schnebalg, Neiman, Rottenberg where was the shatnez that was certified as non–shatnez by the Monsey Test Center.

Rabbi Rottenberg wrote everything that was said by the Directors of the NAPSTAR as to where the shatnez in every garment was, and then he sent the garments to WLSBG & Boro Park for further clarification. The Rabbonim met with the Monsey Tester and asked him to resign. Thereafter he obtained the certification of Bais Din "Mishpat-Sholom" in Brooklyn, NY despite “Mishpat Shalom” being advised by the Monsey Rabonim of the serious situation &; “mich’shol li’rabim”.

"Mishpat-Sholom" also certifies Lee Ave Laboratory. "Mishpat-Sholom Rabonim" admit that they don’t know the practical aspects of shatnez testing nor do they have a qualified expert in the practical testing of Shatnez in the Bais-Din. Lee Ave Brooklyn lab claims that they have retrained the Monsey tester. The fact remains that after retraining, we are confronted with the same problems, Shatnez garments having labels non-Shatnez.

Please Note: The writer, R' Yehuda Shain was trained in Shatnez testing under R' Yosef Rosenberger OB"M 45 +- years ago, and worked under his personal guidance. A meeting was called by Mishpat-Sholom Bais-Din (WLSBG) to update them of the findings of the Queens & Monsey Rabbonim as far as the Monsey tester.

The meeting took place in Wlsbg on Jan 16th ’02-3 Shevat, ‘62, Rabbi Shain & the Director of the NAPSTAR were present together with representatives of the Lee Ave Shatnez center. Why wasn’t the most important individual present, "the Monsey tester"?.

Some prominent Rabonim advised against going to the meeting called by the Bais-Din Mishpat Shalom as their intentions are to cover up & to make the accusers look foolish. We were not ready (at the time) to accept that a Bais-Din will be using such tactics. Also at the meeting was a CPA who brought some suits of his (purchased at the “British-American House” NYC) that were tested by the Lee Ave Shatnez center & labeled as Non-Shatnez. After retesting them at the Flatbush Lab (not affiliated with Lee Ave. Lab) they were found to contain obvious Shatnez.

Also present was a prominent Flatbush Rov, Rav Eliezer Ginsburg & a Flatbush askan. At first the Lee Ave. Lab told all of us & the Bais-Din that their tester has not been going to the British American House in NYC for 3 years (which was not true). The owner of the suits called the store from the Bais-Din & they said that the Lee Ave. Labs tester comes every 2 weeks to do Shatnez testing. The Bais-Din Mishpat Shalom was in a bind by certifying Shatnez garments as non-Shatnez.

Mishpat Shalom decided on a new tactic & wanted to know one thing only “why we brought this new problem to them"? This questions the qualifications of the current Lee Ave Laboratory as well. The current head of Lee Av Lab is the son in law of Mr. Rosenberger, OB"M who never let him get involved in Shatnez testing. (He obviously realized that he wasn’t qualified).

The CPA & Rav Eliezer Ginsburg asked the Mishpat-Sholom Bais-Din how they intend to deal with this additional serious problem. The Bais-Din responded that it's of utmost importance to know why I told the Flatbush group about this meeting & thereby putting them in a corner. And till they do not get a satisfactory response they will not address any real Shatnez issues.

Then one of the Judges said a long story about him eating a hot piece of Gefilte fish & going to the hospital, & it's hard for him to talk; yet all the Mishpat Shalom Judges had him do all of the talking.

We saw that the Monsey tester was not present & Lee Ave Lab was there, we realized the "set-up". At that point it was useless to remain any longer (2 + hours) at the meeting. We must confess that the Rabonim that advised us against going to the meeting, were regretfully right, as this is the outcome they foretold.

The facts as they are today, the Monsey Shatnez Center & the Lee Ave Lab. are certifying clothing containing Shatnez as "non-Shatnez", under Mishpat-Sholom Certification. The "Right Place" in Borough Park was advised that their tester is unqualified & is certifying suits containing Shatnez as "non-Shatnez", the Right Place refuses to stop deceiving the public and buyer beware.

All of the "Right Place" suits require re-testing by a qualified lab, which excludes the following labs: Lee Ave Lab & their affiliates, Monsey Test Center. They claim to be guided by a Psak of a Rov. The Shatnez testing fee is a fraud. We verified that the Rov was given wrong and misleading information.

There have been surfacing some fraudulent letters about Shatnez & other related issues. The Rabonim signed authentic letters that certain Shatnez testers are not to be relied upon. The fraudulent letters are known as the "Weinberg-letters". The Copy Express on Lee Ave. in Williamsburg is more than happy to provide anybody with copies of the fraudulent "Weinberg-letters".

Pps. Rabbis, among others were invited to the Shatnez meetings & turned it down as he is an” Erliche responsible tester” (e.g. Erlicher butcher) .This information is current.
CONCLUSION! YOU MUST RECHECK ALL YOUR CLOTHING!

For reliable Shatnez test centers in your area call 732–905–2628 or 732-364-7056
or
http://home.comcast.net/~shatnez/testing_labs.html
Since this past Rosh Hashonah, Lakewood "Kreitman" branch also is unqualified & misses shatnez.

Pedophilia in the news, go to the authorities.

#לא_התלוננתי
כי אסור להתלונן, וכשאזרתי אומץ להתלונן נותרתי חשוף וחסר הגנה.

התמונה שאיני מסוגל להביט עליה.
אני ילד בן 11, אני שונא את שאני רואה בה. את השיער הבלונדיני היפה שלי המתגלגל לפיאות, את החיוך הפשוט מול המצלמה ואת המטר ומשהו ששיקפתי בה. זו סתם דמות של ילד בכיתה ז׳.
אז פגעו בילדות שלי פעם ראשונה.
בחור בן 20 מן הישיבה ה'גדולה' אסף אותי כדי להראות לי את החזרות האחרונות הנערכות בקומה הראשונה של הישיבה, לקראת ההצגה הגדולה שתעלה על שולחנו של הרבי באותו לילה. פורים 2003.
נרגש הייתי כשהגעתי לקומה אך מצאתי בה רק חושך. ואת הבחור ההוא.
האינסטיקנטים שלי כבר אז ידעו לומר לי שכדאי לשכוח הכל ולהסתיר את מה שקרה כלא היה. אך כוח כלשהו גרם לי כן להתלונן.

Yeshiva World News- The Hadasim Scandall- Solution -Buy Shain's "Brisker-בריסקער" Hadasim only

ALERT – The Great Haddasim Scam – A Halachic Analysis And Warning

(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times)
“Psst..  Hey Buddy, wanna buy some Arba Minim? I got Lulavs, Esrogs, and some good Hadassim for you..”

Watchout, however, you may be purchasing something that Chazal call, “Fools’ Hadassim.”
Most people know that the nickname for Iron Pyrite is “Fools’ Gold.”  Few people, however, know that there are non-kosher Hadassim out there called “Fools’ Hadassim” or rather, in the Hebrew – “Hadas Shoteh.”
It is one of the scandals having to do with the Haddasim that has not really been adequately addressed. When “photocopied Mezuzos” were being sold at Jewish Seforim stores and Judaica shops – the Sofrim and Rabbonim got together and pulled the plug on it. When falsified kosher certifications were printed on non-kosher cheese in Canada this past summer – the Canadian authorities were able to find it and stop it.
Yet for some reason, the non-triple leaved Haddasim scam has never really been fully revealed or addressed. By the way, the Hadas or myrtle is a woody, evergreen plant with essential oils that is indigenous to the Mediterranean area.

THE PROBLEM
What is the Hadassim scam? It is a fact that is only whispered among Talmidei Chachomim, but many, many of the Hadassim that are sold are not kosher – and never were. Most of the haddasim being sold are unkosher, because they do not fit the halachic requirement of Meshulashim – three leaves emerging from the same circumference of the twig.  Indeed, even some of the pre-packaged Hadassim with a hechsher from a BaDaTz are invalid and in these cases it is almost impossible to check them because the packages are closed and cannot be inspected.

The Gemorah in Sukkah 32b explains that the word “avos” used to describe the hadas plant means that the leaves are braided. In order for something to be considered braided – three strands are required.

TWO POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS-      [Or buy Shain's Brisker בריסקער Hadasim, in Lakewood-ys]
What needs to be done is that the Judaica stores who sell the haddasim (and of late the makeshift street-corner Arba Minim dealers) should inform the consumer that the majority of hadassim are actually non-kosher. Either that or they should stop selling the problematic ones altogether.

THE THREE, OR FOUR VIOLATIONS
There are actually three or four areas in which halacha is being violated. Firstly, the innocent people who are buying the Arba Minim with haddasim that are posul are not fulfilling the Mitzvah of Arbah Minim. They could be spending $150 on an esrog only to find that they did not fulfill the Mitzvah at all since the hadassim were posul.
The second violation is that of Bracha Levatalah. Those people with haddassim that are not meshulash – are reciting blessings incorrectly.

The third violation is that of Lifnei Iver – putting a stumbling block before the blind.
And finally, the fourth possible violation: Many Rishonim are of the opinion that a non-triple-leaved Hadas is actually considered a different halachic genus. If that is the case than there is also a violation of Bal Tosif – the prohibition of adding onto the Torah. This violation would even be violated if someone had merely added one extra Hadas to three fully kosher ones. Other Rishonim hold that the violation involved in using a Hadas Shoteh – Fools’ Hadas is not that it is a different halachic species or genus – it is that it is not Hadar – beautiful.
As far as the question as to how it is possible for the Fools’ Hadas to be considered a different genus, the Mishnas Yaavetz explains that it is in fact, possible, for two different geus to emerge from the same mother. There is also the idea that sometimes a male offspring is permitted while a female offspring would be forbidden.

Todays wigs/ sheitels

I don't want to bother now responding to the first two comments here -

much less to repeat what Rav Chaim Kanievsky has to say about that so called hareidi "big-hole" website which distorted his words and intentions outrageously. Some things are better left unsaid to the overall public... 

And the second commenter can make do on fresh
fruits, vegetables, and homemade bread if he actually believes what he
writes. Especially when those giving the meaningless "hechsher" on
wigs admitted THEMSELVES that their supposed "supervision" was
seriously flawed, and that "no hechsher on food products would use
these same standards ever"...

Someone who was tripped up in eating nonkosher food r"l would have
done harm to himself, and the leave a negative ripple-effect on the
Klall. A woman who goes out with a typical modern day wig is
IMMEDIATELY harming herself and others who glance at her. What's more
- most slip-ups in kashrus are done unintentionally out of sheer
negligence and/or monetary interests. 

A married woman going out in public with her modern day wig is, by contrast, INTENDING to create acertain sensation around her, which - whether she understands this or not - inevitably leads others to sinful thoughts, R"L.

When Eliezer came to Lavan's house Lavan ran out and invited him in.
He assured him "I've cleaned out my house from avoda zara!" Have we
sunken today to the level of BRINGING IN the same filth that Lavan
threw out??!! When she lights the Shabbos licht and says a heartfelt
tefillah she is "adorning" herself the whole while with avoda zara
filth! 

When her husband says Kiddush, bentches her children, sings
zemiros, and says Bircas Hamazon - he is facing avoda zara filth the
whole while! when she goes to shul on Yom Kippur she brings the
"finest shearings of the Balaji temple" with her! 

Does the reader
fully comprehend what is going on here??

Sheitel controversy-Meeting by Rav Shterbuch this week, all human hair sheitels/wigs are Ossur

http://bshch.blogspot.com/2018/06/blog-post_941.html

Chainechei Hayeshivas and Reb Mordechai Gross have removed themselves completely from the so "hashgocha on wigs".

Rav Shternbuch says the hashgocha on the wigs is "less than nothing".

Lakewood publications stopped publicizing sheitel/wig ads.

KCL -encourages the intermarriage crisis, by allowing Barkan wines-thanks KCL

STOP- Don't use Barkan wines, Don't add to the intermarriage crisis.

The Eidah Jerusalem refused to grant their certification, due to the Ethiopians working there .

According to all Poiskim, the Ethiopians require a conversion aka "Geirus ki'halacha" .

Therefore, everyone stopped drinking the Barkan Wines and are disposing of what they have already purchased. KCL allows Barkan and encourages "Intermarriage".

IS BARKAN WINE KOSHER?

See following article;

https://cross-currents.com/2018/08/09/is-barkan-wine-kosher/

Rav Shmuel Wosner, OB"M re: infestation "whom to ask"

Many newspapers, magazines, etc publish recipes with a misguided disclaimer;

"Many ingredients are prone to infestation. Please ask a local Rav for guidance re: infestation". 

According to Rav Shmuel Wosner, the Local Rav is not the one to ask re: infestation or any area of kashrus, you must ask only an expert in infestation or kashrus.

Rav Shmuel Wosner, זצוק"ל stated on more than occasion that the  רמ"א ש"ע יו"ד סימן ס"ד סעיף ז " וסדר ניקור אלו החלבים צריך ראיה מן הבקי בניקור , ואי אפשר לבאר היטב בספר" 

Rav Wosner said this halachah is for every area in kashrus, one is to ask the "expert in that area" not the Ruv. 

Rav Wosner said that the Ruv is to sit in the Bais Medrash and obtain from the "mumcha / expert" the facts, and דער רב איז נישט דער מומחה, דער רב קען געבען דער פסק לוט דאר מציאות וואס דער מומחה שטעלט אראפ .

The ר"ן among others state that the opinion of the מומחה outweighs all others, no matter how many disagree with him.

A man may not extend their hand to one of the opposite sex.

From an Email:

While visiting a large manufacturing facility where the CEO was a woman, she extended her hand to me in a welcome to our facility. I responded in not extending my hand in return.

At the after visit inspection, there was a meeting in the conference room with the Company executives including of course the woman CEO. At that point the CEO stated that she felt that I disrespected her as a woman by not extending my hand in return. I was taken aback, as I was sure that they realize that Rabbis do not extend their hand to a woman.

I responded that, on the contrary because of our high regard for women as it says 
כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה , we regard the woman as Royalty, not every commoner may extend their hand to a woman of Royalty. Protocol by the Queen of England is not to extend your hand to the Queen.

BTW, Kosher certifiers in general instruct their personnel not to extend their hand to women. Re: responding to a Woman who extends her hand, there are differences with the various Kashrus Organizations.

The Aguda party in Israel should have responded to the Israeli Supreme Court as above "Royalty does not run in elections".

Re: patronizing michalelei shabbos

OU Videos for Summer trips

https://oukosher.org/kosher-summer-travel-videos/#bbq
Can you cook on a BBQ that has previously been used for Non-Kosher meat?
Can meat and fish be cooked on the same BBQ?
Can you eat cut fruit from an uncertified vendor?
Can you buy coffee from a non-kosher establishment or a kiosk?
May you purchase salad from an uncertified entity when traveling on the road?
What products am I permitted to eat from an ice cream store?
What are the Halachos in regards to prayer on an airplane?
What are the Kashrut issues with airline meals?
Can in-room hotel microwaves be used without kashering?
Is it permissible to take antihistamines or other medication without certification?

UPDATE: Why are there Gezeiros against Milah? because of these Mohalim.

Reb Elchonon, Z"L in Kovetz Mamorim says  Why are there Gezeiros against Milah? Because of these Mohalim.

As soon BP Hatzolah Rabonim saw the Video, they immediatly Cancelled Krohn's speech.

No responsible Organization should allow him to speak.
No one should use him for a bris.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rakzL4K7iTo&feature=related

The professional of botched brissim

Fish & Meat, glucosomine issues

KCL Mashgiach for Shabbos? [be safe, get your own mashgiach]

Relying on KCL policy - Policy="No Mashgiach needed for shabbos jobs- we call them drop offs". 
Don't be surprised-You may get dairy ice cream after fleishig meal!
You may have Bossur She'nisalem (also literally-it vanished out of the cholent, etc.)

KCL Shabbos Mashgiach!

Dairy in Meat oven, KCL permitts it-[that's why many don't eat at KCL establishments?] OH!

A KCL certified caterer at an affair tonight heated their dairy in the Meat oven, Senor Filipio was the only Mashgiach.

They called a KCL Poisek, and he found a "bi'di'eved" Heter.


At KCL caterers it's too common to serve dairy ice cream at a fleishig affair. Either there was no mashgiach, or he was drunk, or just a KCL mashgiach.

The Rabbonim and Roshei Yeshiva should make a "Takana", every affair or simcha must hire their own mashgiach as well. [The Roshei yeshiva hired mashgichim for their affairs. EB]

*Rabbi Weisner's "KCL" "kashers" Foremost Caterers

A Lakewood based Yeshiva was having a small affair. The Gvir wanted to use Foremost to cater the affair. The Yeshiva had Weisner's KCL handle the kashrus. Foremost then told his clients "Foremost is accepted by "Kosher Council of Lakewood". KCL says they only kashered 1 pot for noodles. [Only a little pregnant?] But in reality they Kashered Foremost Caterers.

As an asides: When Foremost caterers became certified by the Star-K, the Owner of Foremost decided for Business it pays to go through a conversion process (geirus) for his wife. Star-K's Rabbinic administrator when asked don't you have to now "toivel" the thousands of utensils of Foremost because there isn't any more a non-Jewish partner at Foremost? The Administrator responded "I don't recognize the conversion, so I don't require tevilas keilim.

When someone at Foremost was asked "why did you choose Star-K over OU, OK, Kof-K, etc?" The responded "even though Star-k was very tough e.g. seperate salt shakers, etc for dairy & meat, their leniencies on Shabbos & Yom-Tov was worth all the hardships".

Are AKO members hiding and covering serious kashrus issues?

Certain AKO members would not allow the kosher consumer's advocate to attend their conference for fear of "transparency".

What information are they hiding from the kosher consumer?

EMES not Sheker

Rav Aharon was the consummate kanai: He saw through the sham created by those who undermined Yiddishkeit in their pursuit to satisfy their desire to be like “everybody else." In their attempt to accommodate Orthodoxy to the liberal world of secular Judaism, they succeeded in watering down a number of the basic tenets of Judaism, creating on approach to religious observance that was neither.

The Rosh Yeshivah was relentless in exposing their charade and in warning the ignorant of the harm that could-and would- come as a result of an attempt to meld sheker, falsehood, with emes, truth.

Winston Churchill: "The truth is incontrovertable, Malice may attack it, Ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is."

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Reb Noson Wachtfogel OB"M described what "Emes" looks like:

An old, slow moving, hunched back,

with a cane in each hand,

every one poking fun at him etc.

"UBB'ER - ER - VET - UN'KUM'EN, - Tzum - Soif.

* * * * * * * * *

Hi Rabbi,
Because of your blog, I along with some of my friends are trying to be more careful in what we put in our mouths. We are in brooklyn. What meat & poultry brands do you recommend. Also I sometimes need to buy bet yosef because I have sephardic guests, can you recommend someplace? Much appreciated. Keep up the good work.

I must say I was bit skeptical about your accusations against agri as they do have the hashgocho of the OU & KAJ who are.... I met last week with a shochet who I know personally to be a yarei shomayim, he's been to AGRI & saw them in action & he told me it's a disaster. He said he even questioned some of the shochtim there & they admitted that they themselves won't eat the meat that they shechted by AGRI. I am no longer skeptical.

"MESORAH"- we must follow the Mesorah, we may not question Mesorah

The Chatam Sofer confronted the growing strength of the Reform movement. He was faced with those who demanded relatively minor modifications in religious observance, as well as those who were ready to abandon much more essential Jewish practices. His strategy in preserving the mesorah was a simple one: no compromise whatsoever. Borrowing a phrase from a specific halachic context, he asserted, “Chadash assur min haTorah; All that is new is prohibited.” He opposed modernization in all its forms.

The Chatam Sofer’s approach reflected his deep mistrust of the historical developments of his time that originated in non-Jewish sources. To him, all values had to stem from impeccably Jewish origins. Every deviation, no matter how slight, was to be vigorously opposed. Every proposed innovation, however innocuous it might seem, had idolatrous roots and would lead to serious transgressions.

For the Chatam Sofer, not one iota of mesorah could be sacrificed. He used to say, “Let one thousand of my opponents be lost, but let not one jot or tittle of Jewish custom be dislodged from its place,” and, “Anyone who questions our norms and customs is suspect [of heresy].”

Viewed this way, mesorah is so much more than a system of traditional practices that can be easily modified. Rather, mesorah is the exquisitely nuanced, intricately complex system through which the loftiest values of our religion can find expression.

Lately there have been others that learned in Yeshivish Yeshivas and were successful in the business world, yet they feel that anything and everything may be questioned from their prospective. Sorry to say, the Mesorah is handed down from generation to generation, and only those that are the carriers of the Mesorah may interpret "how does mesorah deal with this situation"?

Rambam-truth

                   

  

        Truth does not become more true by virtue of the fact that the entire world agrees with it, 

        nor less so even if the whole world disagrees with it.

To all maminim

There were 2 Jewish partners albeit, not religious that owned a popular kosher catering hall that was kosher certified by  a Religious Rabbi from the Metropolitan New York area. An individual called the certifying Rabbi on numerous occasions to voice his concerns about the caterer working on Shabbos for a Sunday affair, the owners have the keys of the kitchen and refrigerators / freezers etc.

After numerous call of kashrus concerns, the certifying Rabbi asked the caller “You see that I did not make any of the changes to alleviate your valid concerns, so why do you keep calling me”? The caller said sorry, I don’t have an answer to that question.

 A few weeks later, Si’yata di’shmaya has the caller be invited to a wedding where one of the names on the invitation was the same last name as that certifying Rabbi. So, he asked if anyone knows if this Rabbi is present at the wedding. Someone pointed to an elderly Rabbi in the back corner. So, he approached the Rabbi and introduced himself. The Rabbi asked, “do you have an answer to my question”? He said, yes, I do, can we sit down.

He told the Rabbi, you do appear to be considerably older than myself, Rabbi, excellent observation. Likely you’ll meet your maker after 120 before I will. Rabbi, correct again-what’s the point already? They will ask you, Rabbi how did you allow all these violations at the caterer that you certify? Normally you would shrug your shoulders and say, “I did not know”. That “excuse” you will not have, as I told you about them, that’s why I keep calling. You know what they will tell after 120? They’ll tell you very nicely where to go.

If you opt to ignore our kashrus alerts, issues, etc. you will not be able to feign "I didn't know".

I guess that why I keep bringing kashrus issues to everyone’s attention, now they will not be able to use the “excuse” after 120, I DID NOT KNOW.

KCL criterea for Mashgichim for Shabbos / Yom Tov

The KCL arranged with an individual to find Shabbos / Yom Tov mashgichim.

The pay is a set amount, to the KCL shadchan. He could pay the Mashgichim as little as he wants "and keeps the rest". Brilliant!

So the KCL's shadchan is looking for mashgichim that are incapable, likes to drink, shomer Shabbos not a criteria, the more personal issues, misfit, the better- they are cheaper.

How DNA Testing Can Tell You What Type of Fish You’re Really Eating?

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-dna-testing-can-tell-you-what-type-of-fish-youre-really-eating-378207/

By analyzing a the DNA of fish sold across the country, researchers have found that roughly a third of U.S. seafood is mislabeled

Guidestar activities for KCL

http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2008/223/128/2008-223128323-051738e1-Z.pdf

In 2008 KCL only took in $28,000.00????????????????

A Lakewood Shabbos Bar Mitzvah

One family of the guests does not eat meat, so they made for them a small parve cholent.

At the day Seudah, that family was served the small Parve cholent, or so they thought. They saw meat in the cholent.

The host was beside himself.

They discovered that the waiters helped themselves to a breakfast of cholent. They realized that the small cholent was almost finished, so they scooped out from the large meat cholent to refill the parve cholent.

All under the watchful eyes of the Lakewood kashrus's Mashgiach, who went to daven with a minyan  and came back at 10:30 AM and had "bossur she'nisalem.

Mashgiach is bombed, either drunk or druggie?

Our Simcha in Lakewood we thought was a disaster.

Friday night seudah, the mashgiach was already bombed.

Our friends said, take it easy, this is Lakewood's holy hashgocha mashgiach, Who else can they get for a Shabbos job? That's what they say.