ST emails: Dear Luke, you have given much attention to the Tropper scandal, and rightfully so I think it would be nice to at least show a little of the other side of the story. From the blogs it would seem as is there is no other side, but in fact in the chareidi world, and I’m referring to the Chareidi world that in principle does not have Internet (Yes they do exist in large numbers!) there is a view that by many is assumed as the obvious. That view is not the view being shown on any blog that I have come across. So being that I have always found you to be someone which frequently shows other views even though it may not be yours, I’d like to request that you post this message.
An OPEN LETTER to Rabbi Daniel Eidenson of Har Nof Jerusalem. Rabbi Eidenson has in recent years been in the forefront in trying to bring down Rabbi Tropper. He has been doing this through his blog which for the past few years has primarily been focusing on reporting anything negative on Rabbi Tropper. Rabbi Eidenson through his blog was one of the first to report and spread the word about the current scandal regarding Rabbi Tropper. His negative statement’s regarding Rabbi Tropper have recently been quoted on many other blogs. He is very much ‘on top’ of the current scandal, and is very often the one to come up with new negative information for other blogs to post.
Dear Rabbi Eidenson,
A few questions for you:
1. Do you know for a fact that the voice on the audio is Tropper’s voice? If yes, can you tell how you know this.
2. Even if it is his voice, who said these are not cut n paste sentences from months of recorded conversations with various people put together as a frame (listen to the audio W/O the woman’s voice, its not half as bad)?
3. Does you realise that there is no dispute as to who released these tapes. And A) that person has a very strong hate for R’ Tropper. B) He has been accused of threatening to kill him. C) He has been accused of threatening to throw him out of a 9 story bldg. D) He has claimed that he is Mashiach. This has been documented. E) His wife is a non Jew with a very shaky geirus at best. F) Many in his family claim that he is not stable and is on drugs. G) There is a million dollar lawsuit to which Tropper has been called to testify against this person.
4. Do you realize that the above said person by the name of Guma Aguiar is a billionaire who has unlimited amount of funds to bring down Tropper, and could have easily paid good money to someone to talk on the tapes, or paid big money to bug the phones and do a cut n paste job with this women talking as if Tropper was talking to her. Or a combination of both tactics in making these tapes? Lets not forget that Hollywood movies are totally made like that from beginning to end. Cut and paste, impersonations, etc. nothing a BILLIONAIRE couldn’t get done if he hated someone as much as Guma hates Tropper.
5….[It was a slam on Shannon Orand deleted by Luke Ford.]
6.DO YOU REALISE THAT THIS WOMEN IS AN OLD FRIEND OF GUMAS?
Its not so hard to connect the dots.
Although Rabbi Tropper did release a statement today regarding the scandal, it was a very “pareve” statement, and he did not admit to anything other than violating issues of modesty. Now, of course one can try and derive from the statement that he is in fact admitting guilt by not denying the allegations, and by in fact actually admitting to ‘partial wrong doing’. The fact of the matter is that after the statement was released Rabbi Tropper has openly said the accusations are totally false and were fabricated to smear him. Therefore claiming that he admits that he did wrong to answer the above questions is is a non answer, since as of now he is denying it. In addition to this he has many reputable Rabonim and Roshei Yeshiva standing on his side. I highly doubt they would do that if: A. they thought he was guilty, and B. He was admitting his guilt.
It is known that that there are many believing that the allegations on Tropper (which you in your great Tzidkus had a hand in spreading) are false…even after hearing the tapes. In addition you yourself have raised some points in your post “the case for Rabbi Troppers defense” which leave room for many to believe that he may NOT be guilty of all the Lashon Horah/ Motzi Shem Rah being spread by Balei Lashon Horah.
There are many who have questioned this blog, here and elsewhere, as being full of Lashon Horah.
I see you quote R’ Shternbuch as saying “there is no problem to say that Tropper is a menuval or a sheigitz (Megila 25) and in fact it should be publicized that he is a menuval.” Although I have not heard him say this myself, and frankly I find this hard to believe that he would give you such a heter (I plan on asking him if he really said that as soon as I can), I will assume for the sake of this letter that you are not lying. So if that is case, the question is: how can someone Pasken give a heter to say lashon Horah and/or Motzi Shem Rah, both of which are life and death (clearly that is the case with Tropper- if people will except this gossip, he is finished) based on a Gemara (megila 25, as you said) when the mefarshim (see Chofetz Chaim Klal 7, #4, and Be’er Mayim Chaim #8) there speak at length what the gemarah means. And by no means in anyone’s rational interpretation does this Tropper story come close to the criteria!
I also see that you took the liberty to pasken on your own based on you’re convenient interpretation of other gemarah’s etc., CONTRARY to what is ruled by the Chofetz Chaim in his sefer on Lashon Horah very explicitly.
Now there are 2 possibilities. 1) R’ Shterbuch never said this, and you made this up. And you twisted the Gemara completly avoiding the poskim to fit your needs. Just as the reform and conservative do with the Bible. And just as you have accused others of doing, rendering you a total hypocrite. On top of that, this renders you a fraud in portraying yourself as one who is very zealous for the Torah, and on the other hand you have no regard for the terrible sin of Lashon Horah etc. which is unquestionably far worse then anything you are accusing Tropper of.
2) R’ Shternbuch did say this based on fabricated facts that you fed him out of your obssesive hate for Tropper.
I find it hard to believe that R’ Shternbuch would not know what the mefarshim say on that Gemarah and Pasken against the Chofetz Chaim who is the unquestionable Posik Achron when it comes to laws pertaining to Lashon Horah.
As for you, it might be worthwhile to actually LEARN the Sugyas Hagemarah before you use it for distorted purposes, and showing everyone your lack of ability to learn a Gemarah.
So if the whole story was indeed a set-up, you had a hand in ruining someones life. You had a hand in ruining the life of his wife and children (who I’m sure are suffering very much). And although you might be giddy now at seeing the downfall of someone who you have made your enemy (Your happiness is evident…). Shlomo Hamelech said: Do not be happy when your enemy falls…For G-D will be upset with you and will turn his anger away from him [and put onto you, (mefarshim)]. (Proverbs24 17-18) I believe Shlomo Hamelech. Maybe you will end up being another proof to his wisdom.
