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By ChabadInfo Editors

There are various Kosher certifications that are known among the public as Hechsher that can be trusted for their kosher standards, and in contrast, there are other certifications that are less reliable and are known for not being strict. Generally, the buying public does not understand enough about kosher, and of course is not exposed to all the requirements of the Mashgichim and the findings of visits to factories and stores. So how is the public opinion about the various kosher certifications formed after all? The answer to this lies in the processes that are visible and publicized, they show the public how different authorities behave.

One of the “processes” that are visible to the public occurs when a Kosher certification removes its Hechsher from a certain establishment because it did not meet its kosher requirements. Generally, no other kosher certification will give a new Hechsher to the same establishment, certainly not immediately. Even after some time, it will only be after turning to the previous kashrus to find out what the deficiencies were, and after in-depth investigations to see that they have indeed been corrected. On the other hand, if there is a Hechsher that is willing to certify a factory that has just gotten its certification removed, any reasonable person understands that this means that it is a Hechsher with poor standards and should not be trusted.

This is exactly what happened when the Badatz of Crown Heights removed their Hechsher from the Agri Star factory in Postville. Within hours, an ad was already published about a new Hechsher that is ready to grant kosher to the factory!

Let it be clear: this is not about politics, nor a dispute between Mishichistim and Anti’s. This is a first-degree Kashrus violation. One may say that the new Hechsher was in the process of being established a long time before and it was planning to grant a kosher certification to the slaughterhouse even before the removal of CHK. Then this is a serious obstacle to Kashrus, since the mere knowledge that there is another Hechsher that is ready to grant a kosher certification to the factory, negates the negotiation power to demand Kashrus improvements from the hands of the Badatz, because the owners of the factory know that even if they refuse, they will not be harmed, since they can get another Lubavitch Hechsher.

But beyond the main problem, which is of course a problem of Kashrus, there is another problem, no less serious, and that is the terrible Machlokes that this provokes. The entire establishment of the new Hechsher proves that its purpose is Machlokes, not Kashrus. The first message in which the new Hechsher rushed to introduce the new fire in Lubavitch, already proved what it is supposed to be. When a new Hechsher opens, they prepare the ground with Rabbonim, administration, Mashgichim, and so on, only then is the establishment announced. But here, the announcement was that they have none of these, no office, no Mashgichim and not even a phone number, but they hurry to announce that they have opened a new Hechsher, and the rest will follow. If necessary, add a sticker (which can easily fall off) on top of the old stamp…

The next step was also not orderly work for the establishment of a serious Hechsher, but rather the work of an advertising agency. Launching a PR campaign aimed at sowing confusion between the Anash in Crown Heights and the entire world is not what a legitimate Hechsher does. As part of the obfuscation, supermarkets and restaurants were instructed to say that it is “Lubavitch” without specifying that it is the new “Hechsher”, as well as to sell the cut meat without packaging and without a kosher stamp. In the advertisements, they also inserted the name of the Badatz, a picture of Rabbi Osdoba, and all kinds of other such confusions. Articles, ads, and publications written and sent on behalf of the advertising agency, were intended to convince Lubavitchers that the new Hechsher with the name Lubavitch is not in competition with the old Hechsher that exists over three decades and is known to every kosher observant Jew in the US. It is ridiculous to see how an ad for a supermarket from Flatbush is published in a Crown Heights publication, when in fact the store does not address the Chabad audience at all. This is just another dishonest way to advertise the new logo, under the guise of an economic advertisement…

It is difficult to exaggerate the special importance that the Rebbe gave to the Beis Din of Crown Heights. This one extremely rare quote should be enough to show it. During the first elections for Rabbonim that took place in 5746, the Rebbe said that “although I have enough “trouble” from other matters, when I saw the state of things, I had no choice but to withdraw from all my business and put them aside, and to make sure that the whole issue of the election and appointment of the Rabbonim is conducted according to Shulchan Aruch, including, to prevent all attempts to thwart or postpone the selection and appointment of the Rabbonim!”

The Rebbe went on to describe his displeasure at the situation: “I thought that after my intervention and intercession regarding the selection and appointment of the Rabbonim, I could return to my business, but it turned out that I was wrong, since in addition to that, they still continue to “dig” against the Rabbonim” (Sicha Shabbos Parshas Mas’ey 5746).

This is not the place to elaborate on the history of those who, for over three decades, chose to fight the Rabbonim of the Shchuna, these things are known and clear. Unfortunately, history repeats itself, and after several years of peace and unity in the neighborhood, someone decided that he was assigned the task of stirring up Machlokes in Crown Heights, and to do so on as wide a scale as possible, he did not rest until he called the name of the kashrus “Lubavitch”. There is nothing more opposite from the name Lubavitch than this. Lubavitch teaches about the love of the Torah, the love of Hashem and the love of Yidden. This on the other hand causes division and dispute. The very use of the name Lubavitch is a tremendous Chutzpa! Who are you to speak in the name of Lubavitch?

Often, Rabbonim and Shluchim are asked by factories or restaurants in their area to provide a Hechsher, and those who are qualified do so. However, this new Hechsher has not the slightest hint of anything to do with Kashrus. It was established with a clear and stated goal: to remove the Hehcsher of the Badatz from factories and stores, and take over!

The pretense that it is about an “additional” Hechsher that will operate “alongside” the old Badatz Hechsher is an exact repetition of history. When there were those who did not accept the authority of the Crown Heights Rabbonim and asked to establish a new body of Rabbonei Lubavitch, with exactly the same claim: The new Beis Din will not compete with the Crown Heights Beis Dim, rather it will work alongside it. When the idea was brought to the Rebbe’s attention, the Rebbe responded sharply: “Completely absurd?! Who is leading everyone to any possible disagreement and division? Give me his name and his mother’s name as soon as possible!”

After that, when they solemnly notified the Rebbe about the activities of the new organization, the Rebbe gave the famous answer: “I cannot answer on this in any way – since it is not known at all: when was the committee created, who created it etc. What is alarming (besides for being the opposite of the Shulchan Aruch – Hasogas G’vul), there have already been meetings like this and all of them, either do not want to know about this thing or have forgotten about it (everyone?!). In any case – there is no place for me in it“.

Everyone remembers the years when, unfortunately, the Machlokes between the Rabbonim of the Crown Heights was burning, following a dispute over the Hechsher. Only by the grace of heaven did the dispute subside and peace returned to prevail among the Rabbonim. But the same one who was responsible for all this Machlokes, did not rest. After several years of behind the scenes of intrigues and disputes, finally he found a rift in which to define himself, to establish a new “Hechsher” that would fight the Rabbonim of the Shechuna. About him, it is possible to say what the Rebbe said about those who fight the Rabbonim: “Is a Rachmanus (mercy) on him… I don’t want to interpret more than that.”

For decades, the slaughterhouse in Postville was under the supervision of the Badatz Crown Heights. Recently, more and more Kashrus problems have come to light, until there was no choice left and the Hechsher was removed. The one who jumped at the opportunity was, of course, the new/old Ba’al Machlokes, who was quick to grant a questionable Hechsher to that slaughterhouse!

The slaughterhouse in Postville was only the beginning. Since then, the efforts to fight the Badatz Hechsher have continued, while appealing to factories, restaurants and other stores, to replace the Badatz Hechsher with thier new Hechsher.

Chabad Chassidim are smart, and will not fall for the scam. Anash in Crown Heights and around the world, who are extremely careful in keeping kosher, also knows and recognize the Rebbe’s special relationship with the Rabbonim of the Shchuna. Chassidim have great respect for the Rabbonim and they will not lend a hand to the new controversy.

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