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Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Yeshiva World hoists itself on its own petard

Today's exciting post from the worlds most exciting blog is a letter from a YW reader written in the inimitable style of the uneducated. It criticizes the ads that have appearing in support of Hillary Clinton in various Jewish newspapers. The endorsements are signed by various big and small wigs from the Jewish community, and each is listed as a member of some group like Bobov or Hatzolah. The ad makes it clear that the names of the groups are provided for "identification purposes only."

Does this stop our letter writer from blowing a gasket? Of course not!

First of all, who are these “Community Leaders” to self proclaim that they represent the “Greater Jewish Orthodox Community”? And are we led to believe that BOBOV, SATMAR, HATZOLAH, SHOMRIM, CHAVEIRIM, KRASNE, VIZNITZ - all endorse Hillary? Did Rav Dovid Feinstein sign his name on behalf of Hatzolah? Did the Bobover Rebbe sign his name? Did the Satmar Rebbe sign his name? Were these Rabbonim even consulted?
Uh no. They probably were not consulted. This is why it says, on the ad, that the group names were provided FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES ONLY.

Suppose the groups themselves actually were announcing formal and official support of a particular candidate. Is the letter-writer suggesting this could ever occur without the blessing of that group's own leader? How strange. And if such a thing were possible, wouldn't every psak and every public statement by any Jewish organization immediately be called into question? The whole system would collapse.

Anyway, the part of the letter we like best is this:
Where is the Heter to deceive the general public into thinking that these organizations endorse a particular candidate?
Leading us to once again ask the YeshivaWorld Editor to please supply his heter for deceiving his audience into thinking that Barack Obama and Al Sharpton are running mates.

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