Many saw TV footage
of the Gava"d Rav Padwa advising a victim not to involve the police. Not mesira!!!
I don't claim to be as knowledgeable as
Rav Padwa, perhaps he suspected that there was something untoward in that
particular event, nevertheless, we must all get one thing very, very clear; in
cases of abuse – mental, physical or sexual – it is necessary to help the
victim and to inform the authorities immediately. A perpetrator, even one who
has been confronted and has sworn to stop, will continue abusing this victim
and will seek out others; it is unlikely to ever stop without physical
restraint. The perpetrator is considered a roidef who must be
informed upon. Mesira does not apply, it is a bullying tactic used to
frighten the already scared and vulnerable.
Rav Moshe Sternbuch (Teshuvos veHanhogos 1:850) states the authorities may be informed of a person who drives recklessly or without a valid licence.
Rb Yitzchok Adlerstein heard the following from Rb Mordechai Kaminetsky,
in the name of Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky.
In the 1970's an unsavoury group were smuggling valuables in tefillin and
other religious articles that would usually evade inspection. They would send religious
articles with unsuspecting haredim and asked to deliver them to certain
locations near their final destinations. When US customs officials got wind of
this scheme they asked a few observant agents to help crack the ring. In
addition to preserving the sanctity of the religious items, the customs
authority felt Jewish religious agents would be better able to determine knowing
accomplices from unsuspecting participants who had been duped into thinking
they were actually performing a mitzvah.
The Jewish custom agent in charge of the operation decided to confer with Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky on this matter, and explained how the severity of the crime was compounded by its use of religious items. "Smuggling diamonds in Teffilin," he explained, "These thieves, by taking a sacrosanct symbol and using it as a vehicle for a crime, have destroyed the eternal sanctity and symbolism of a sacred object. Their evil actions may cause irreparable damage to countless honest religious people. Those rogues must be stopped, by any means possible!" he exclaimed.
The Jewish custom agent in charge of the operation decided to confer with Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky on this matter, and explained how the severity of the crime was compounded by its use of religious items. "Smuggling diamonds in Teffilin," he explained, "These thieves, by taking a sacrosanct symbol and using it as a vehicle for a crime, have destroyed the eternal sanctity and symbolism of a sacred object. Their evil actions may cause irreparable damage to countless honest religious people. Those rogues must be stopped, by any means possible!" he exclaimed.
If R’ MS permits informing on unlicensed or reckless drivers and R’
YK insisted on stopping smugglers who used tefillin, without
encountering the “problem” of mesira, do not think for a moment that it applies
in cases of abuse, IT DOES NOT!!!
It does not matter who the perpetrator is, a teacher, counsellor,
rabbi, the Torah commandments and the laws of the land apply to them too,
nobody is above the law, and you must report them.
