1 year ago

Crown Heights Badatz Issues Guidance After Major Safrus Scandal

A couple of weeks ago, Chabad.info Hebrew (our sister site) exposed that a who left Yiddishkeit and was living with a non-Jewish woman, was still writing and selling Sta”m • On Sunday night, the Crown Heights Beis Din, headed by Rabbi Avraham Osdoba and Rabbi Yosef Braun released instructions for Anash and released the name of the Sofer • Full Story, Letter

By Chabadinfo Reporter

A couple of weeks ago, Chabad.info Hebrew (our sister site) exposed that a who left Yiddishkeit and was living with a non-Jewish woman, was still writing and selling Sta”m.

The case was revealed to several Chabad Chassidim who had been purchasing from him, and after a lengthy investigation, it was confirmed without a doubt that the Sofer was not Frum and was living with a non-Jewish woman.

When we published this report we wrote, “We hope that those who buy and sell Sta”m from him will cease, and we hope Rabbonei Chabad will publish a clear Kol Torah regarding the manner.” On Sunday night, the Crown Heights Beis Din, headed by Rabbi Avraham Osdoba and Rabbi Yosef Braun released instructions for Anash and released the name of the Sofer:

“We express our opinion, after a thorough investigation and inquiry over a long period of time into all the details of the matter, that all those who have purchased STaM (Sifrei Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuzos) in recent years, especially those written in the Ksav Hameyuchas, and are concerned it was written by Mr. Yaakov Shlomo Itzkovitz (from the village Zinkov in the Poltava district of Ukraine) – they are to inquire with the merchants from whom they bought (if they trust them) to inform them with certainty that the parshiyos they bought are not from the aforementioned scribe, in order to know whether to replace them with others.”

They added, “If for some reason they cannot be sure of this, and are concerned as mentioned above, they have the option to submit the parshiyos they purchased for inspection by a G-d-fearing Sofer STaM, who is also an expert in recognizing handwriting, so they can be informed whether there is a resemblance to the writing style of the aforementioned scribe.”

Full Statement (Free Translation)

B”H, 4th of Shevat, 5784

Important Announcement to Anash, may they live

To all those for whom the kashrus of their tefillin and mezuzos is dear to their hearts, and who have heard rumors about the conduct of a Sofer STaM (scribe) from Ukraine, rumors that concern the kashrus of the parshiyos, etc.

We express our opinion, after a thorough investigation and inquiry over a long period of time into all the details of the matter, that all those who have purchased STaM (Sifrei Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuzos) in recent years, especially those written in the Ksav Hameyuchas, and are concerned it was written by Mr. Yaakov Shlomo Itzkovitz (from the village Zinkov in the Poltava district of Ukraine) – they are to inquire with the merchants from whom they bought (if they trust them) to inform them with certainty that the parshiyos they bought are not from the aforementioned scribe, in order to know whether to replace them with others.

If for some reason they cannot be sure of this, and are concerned as mentioned above, they have the option to submit the parshiyos they purchased for inspection by a G-d-fearing Sofer STaM, who is also an expert in recognizing handwriting, so they can be informed whether there is a resemblance to the writing style of the aforementioned scribe, as exemplified in the attached example. [See below]

To the merchants, we emphasize that it is their duty to inform buyers who purchased from the writings of the aforementioned scribe. Likewise, if those involved in the sacred work of checking and correcting come to recognize the writing of this scribe, they are obliged to inform their clients.

Generally, from now on, it is proper that buyers should know in advance, before purchasing STaM, the name of the scribe, so they can ascertain his level of Yiras Shamayim (fear of Heaven) in his place of residence.

May it be His will that in the merit of being meticulous in the kashrus of STaM, we will be worthy to fulfill the promises mentioned in relation to these parshiyos – ‘that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied…’ and ‘all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the L-rd is called upon you, and they shall be afraid of you’, in the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach, immediately and literally now.”

Signed