Rabbi Bashing....
Question
My concern is that all of us who hold by Rabbi Abadi and bash the kashrut industry for being money hungry are falling into a terrible pit by speaking Loshen Hora against specific Rabbanim and organizations. We are all allowed to practice what we practice and do what we feel is correct in the laws of hallacha but to me it seems a little scary that so many people on these boards are so willing to accuse Rabbonim of being money hungry and having selfish intention- I'm sure if asked they would express utmost concern for Hallacha just like we have and Rabbi Abadi has... I just thought I'd put in my two cents about the subject- we all freak out when people bash Rabbi Abadi- I think we should be equally cautious about bashing other Rabbis.
Answer
Answered by Aaron AbadiI do not agree! Lashon Harah is overrated. We like to use it as an excuse. Lashon Harah applies to a situation where someone does something wrong and others don't know about it. He's a regular guy, usually pretty OK, but on that day he messed up. You happened to see him, and you run around telling people. That's Lashon Harah. On the other hand, if what he did was in front of 3 people, it isn't Lashon Harah anymore, because it's public knowledge. If one sees a Rashah who does not keep Shabbat, he's required to tell people. If you are asked about a Shidduch and you withhold or lie, you can cause serious disasters. If one knows that a leader, a Rabbi, or someone that people respect is not what he is built up to be, then it is a Mitzvah to publicize it. Yell it out from the rooftops! The "Shevet Mussar" says that those Rabbis who are respected for more than their actual value; the fault lies in the community that gave him that extra credability. This is all based on a Gemara in Yumah that says "Mefarsamim Et HaChanafim. Look it up. The fact that many Rabbis mislead the people is a serious malfunction in our religious society. It is certainly a major obstacle to the coming of Moshiach (Messiah). It is YOUR duty to tell the truth to everyone that would listen. AA