Blaming the victim

The Wise Men of Monsey are circulating flyers and pamphlets urging the faithful to fast this Sunday for the sin of trusting a Jew injesting treif chicken. This strikes us as absurb. The men and women of Monsey relied on a mashgiach who told them the meat was kosher. They followed the halachic process; therefore there is no sin to repent. An ones (someone who sins through no fault of his own) is always blameless.

The butcher who lied, cheated and defrauded his customers for 10 years should fast. The mashgiach who permitted himself to be deceived by the butcher's external show of piety should fast. But the victims who followed the rules and did as they were told? Ridiculous.

Perhaps the Wise Men of Monsey will next call on murder and rape victims to fast.