KSAV SIRUV

Ksiv siruv of the Baltimore Bais Din regarding Mrs. Manya Ort

Summoned: Mrs. Manya Ort Lakewood N.J.

This is to make known that the above mentioned has refused to appear for a din torah as required, regarding the monetary claims between her and her husband, and has gone to gentile courts contrary to Halacha and without permission from Bais Din. She is summoning him there to obtain money from him contrary to Jewish law.

She is committing thereby three transgressions: One, the mere utilization of gentile courts is a severe transgression as is explicitly stated in Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat (chapter 26: I ) that the person “is called a rosho and is considered as if they blasphemed and rebelled against the Torah of Moshe”. Two, the refusal of a summons from a Jewish court constitutes a rebellion against the laws of the holy Torah, as Chazal teach “these are the laws which you should place before them” – and not before the gentiles". Three, there is a possibility of actual “gezel” on any money taken from him through them contrary to Halacha, as is explained in the commentary of Rebbe Akiva Eger in Shulchan Aruch (ibid), aside from the enormous expenses she causes by going to gentile court, which is in itself a damage which one is liable for if they go to gentile court contrary to halacha, as is stated in Shulehan Aruch (14:5).

The excuse which she gives that she had no choice because her husband will not listen to what the Bais Din says is a RIDICULOUS and FALSE claim WITH NO BASIS as was already declared by the Rabonim, Horav Tuvia Goldstein shlit"a and Horav Dovid Feinstein shlit"a, and we the undersigned attest that he was READY AND WILLING to come to a Din Torah FROM BEGINNING TO END, AND TO ADHERE TO IT. But she, the above mentioned, is the one going to court contrary to the din. All this we are making known with great anguish to protest against the wrongdoing, perhaps there is hope to save the victim from the wrongdoer, and we should not persist in making the gentile to be our judges, and may we merit the establishing the authority of the Torah in our community.

To this we affix our signatures on Isru Chag Shavuos; the occasion of the giving of the holy Torah, 5762. (R.) Yakov Hopfer (R.) Simcha Bunim Shafrin (R.) Mordechai Shuchatowitz