In a Psak Din issued by the Beis Din Ohel Chaim, the Dayanim ruled today against R. Yosef Braun for steadfastly refusing to appear and be judged by the Beis Din. The Dayanim wrote that “according to din we should be issuing a Ksav Siruv [against R. Braun], and anyone who wishes to ask Halacha questions by him should get permission from accepted rabbinic sources first.”

Psak Din Released: R. Braun “Should Be in Siruv”

In a Psak Din issued by the Beis Din Ohel Chaim, the Dayanim ruled today against R. Yosef Braun for steadfastly refusing to appear and be judged by the Beis Din. The Dayanim wrote that “according to din we should be issuing a Ksav Siruv [against R. Braun], and anyone who wishes to ask Halacha questions by him should get permission from accepted rabbinic sources first.”

The ruling came out today, Tuesday evening, and was signed by three Dayanim: Rabbi Chaim Krauss, Rabbi Yakov Gavriel Goldstein and Rabbi Naftali Chaim Salamon. It came more than a year after the Beis Din issued its first summons to R. Yosef Braun.

According to the Psak Din, R. Braun refused to comply with the summons in a manner accepted by Halacha.

The summons to the Din Torah came on behalf of Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba, along with a number of askanim in Crown Heights, who had raised legitimate concerns over allegations that R. Braun had forged the date on his Smicha – an allegation which would have disqualified him from running in the elections for the position of Rabbi.

CrownHeights.info was the first and only news website to report the allegations and the subsequent public display of the destruction of the documents in question by a supporter of Braun, and we have recently obtained more information pertaining to these allegations and the subsequent departure of Rabbi Avrohom Rosenberg from the Zabla Beis Din, which will be published in the coming days.

Related Articles:

Are The Braun Documents Forged?
Letter Reveals Subterfuge and Lies During Braun Installation
Not so Fast – Beis Din Issues Ikkul Against R. Braun
Key Evidence Publicly Destroyed at Braun Welcome Ceremony
2nd Hazmono Sent to R. Braun, and Ikkul Clarification
R. Osdoba: “Important Questions Not Being Answered Correctly”

75 Comments

  • About time

    Its about time this man answer the questions the community has, and stop causing machlokos

  • Help Bring Moshiach

    This man braun made more machlokos in CH in the last year then there was in the last 50 years

  • lets say lchaim

    I cannot wait until braun is out of office and we can have fair elections and have a proper beis din, with proper rabbonim

  • Simon

    Get a life. This endless fighting is getting stupid. Who cares who is the Rov?

  • FactsRule

    I’m perplexed. It seems that the bais din is saying that they should issue a k’sav sirruv. But, then they are not issuing the k’sav sirruv. If the bais din is going against itself &, seemingly, the Torah — and mind you I have heard of this case, but have not studied the case against Braun, & I have no dog in this fight, at all, &, btw, I call Rabbi Osdoba with shailos from time to time — then isn’t the bais din disqualifying itself from being legitimate? I’m just asking because I don’t see why they wouldn’t simply say that Mr. Braun is in a sirruv. Or, did I not understand correctly or miss something?

  • about time2

    Its about time this Rov who I don’t consider a Rov, and will NOT ask halacha questions from, will get out of office.

  • Avrahom

    We respectfully ask that Rabbi Braun resign so we can have a new election and a Bais Din of 3 Rabbonim. The way it is now, that will never happen

  • disappointed

    While Machloikes is very bad & can & does no good every time this issue is a very serious & legitimate.There have been questions from day one that were never properly answered.It seems Mr. Braun still refuses to answer them.While some not including myself may not like Rav Osdoba he is a legitimate Rov with over 30 years experience & was given Koach by The Rebbe after his Election to The Bais din.Mr. Braun thinks very highly of himself & as played a game from day one & is therefore ineligible for Rabbonus & probably does not have any smichs at all.

  • yoss

    Last week I was reading the pamphlet that came out against he internet, machlokes and chabad news websites. I liked what it said, but then I noticed only 2 “rabbonim” signed. That gave me a good laugh. Braun out. There is only 1 proper rov in crown heights, HaRav Bluming Shlit”a.

  • I voted for Braun

    How many out there voted this “Rabbi” in and now wish they haven’t?
    I do not like R. Osdeba or R. Schwei. they both have their own agenda at the forefront of ANYTHING they do.However, this Braun is a cancer to the community.

  • Timing is everything

    The fact it surfaced on rosy chodesh Sivan is a sign the Satan is working overtimedont be blind stayaway

  • MM

    To #8

    A responsible Beth Din tries to avoid a Siruv as long as possible.
    Consider the “really we should issue a siruv” to be a warning shot.

  • A pusheter yid

    I think that RABBI BOGOMILSKY should be approached and ask of him mechila and request that he becomes more involved in CH Rabbonus.

  • oy vey nebuch

    none of these comments sound like frum yidden, it sounds like a bunch of bored nebachs. nasty talk. how should I take this kind of nasty loshon hora seriously.
    Rav Braun comes from a more eidel family than any of you Loshon Hora-niks, so your comments are really useless.
    why don’t you just try harder to separate the community by bringing out the loshon hora. keep it up. the tznius problem and other issues will maybe improve? dream on. you all are just so far away from emes, its enough to cause a serious( chas ve sholom)) state of meyayesh. more than what any rov can do.

  • RSP

    makes me think that we will keep attracting bad elements of goyim when they see how scatter brained we carry ourselves.
    we make our own halachos and then talk loshon hora about it and bring down the shechunoh and expect that the crime will go away. when we lower our standards as yidden, what can we expect. I have had enough. I don’t feel like anyone cares about the Rebbe’s words. nebach how the Rebbe tried so hard. did he try so we can say all the trash which people said here?

  • CHLEAKS.COM

    Where is the millions the CHJCC has received by way of government grants to help/assist the needy of the Crown Heights Community’?

    http://whoisshmira.wordpres

    STOP THE CORRUPTION STOP THE FRAUD!!!

    Once we find how the CHJCC spent over ten million these past five years, we can discuss – just for entertainment purposes- these irrelevant issue. Make no mistake, Braun-sky must go, they all must go, shut down the CHJCC and their “beth din”, thats the goal.

  • get over it

    at a time when we are all supposed to unite , you dig up old garbage , get over it.or just move out.

  • Sperlin Family

    Whens someone going to talk about why the Sperlins are really at the CHJCC? What are they doing there?

  • toshav hashchunah

    “CrownHeights.info was the first and only news website to report the allegations and the subsequent public display.” Nothing to be proud about and you are beginning to sound like the guy who runs failedmessiah.com

  • Milhouse

    #8, there’s no chiyuv on a BD to issue a siruv just because they can. The letter says that although me’ikar hadin it would be proper issue the siruv, they’ve decided not to. They’ve realised that he’s not going to come no matter what they do, so they’re just making the facts known, and let people come to their own conclusions.

    #16, you may read Hebrew, but evidently you can’t read English. Nobody said it was a siruv.

  • Hirschel Pekkar

    BH. The Rebbe would never demote anyone, in other peoples eyes, or in the persons own eyes. When asked about the holocaust how Hashem let it happen, The Rebbe did not put any blame on the Yidden, The Rebbe answered, “kach olo bmachshovo”.
    Why does Rabbi Braun have to go to a Bet Din, since you speak about him so openly, then mention your complaint publicly, and lets see what answers come in. How can a Dayan give a psak, of what a person deserves, before hearing what the defendant has to say? Does it not say, when a person judges others, he is pronouncing a judgement on himself? Good shabbos and Yom Tov

  • Hirschel Pekkar

    BH. If you don’t ask questions, then there will be peace, and if you have peace, you have EVERYTHING, so why ask questions?

  • RESIDENT

    P L E A S E DO NOT MAKE A BIZAYON, HALACHA OR NOT?? SO LIVE HIM ALONE, I THINK TOO LATE, JUST YOU DON’T MAKE A FAMILY MOVING AND CREATING PROBLEMS OF SHALOM BAYIS, MONEY/PARNASSA AND KAVOD + BIZAYON, COME ON PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Yossi

    I respectfully request that all rabbanim who engage in machlokes be forced to get real jobs that require real effort. They should be forced to volunteer in hospitals and at soup kitchens until they learn what real life is all about.

  • Sickened by this man

    Isn’t it terrible that we have a pompous fool on a Bais Din, someone who never had Smicha? (no matter how smart he is supposed to be) While the majority of people in CH either can’t stand him or are totally apathetic & see him as a joke & an embarrassment, he is screwing us every way he can. Does he pay FULL tuition for his enormous family? Does he go through the humiliation of a Tuition Committee or means test? Does he pay rent? Does he even pay for groceries or clothing? (I bet the local stores feel obliged to give him & his family freebies.)

    Of all the damage the Vaad/CHJCC etc has ever done in their long & appalling history, this (along with suing everyone) is the worst. Instead of throwing out reputable Rabbonim, get rid of this fool. He’s a loser.

  • LaAniyas Dayti

    The issue is fueled by a basic fact.

    It was Biden who who displayed it recently. “They just don’t get us!” he yelled. When in fact, the opposite is true. Liberals live in a happy cocoon, believing they represent the majority opinion.

    The new Vaad Hakohol, especially the “top” one“ is an honest man (so is Biden) and really believes that ramming Braun into position was a positive move. (That is because he shares another very prominent trait of Biden’s. VeDal.)

    Sincere as HE is, and probably one or maybe two around him, they constantly verify to Braun that it is but a minority who are upset at his past shenanigans, and that they arwe the ”machloikess“ wing of the shchunah. (So he has told a neutral inquirer, whom he didn’t suspect was a setup.)

    The Kraus Beis-Din are displaying an objective attitude, by not granting Braun a Siruv, in case he is indeed found ”not-guilty” as charged. (Eppess a shtikel guilt will follow him everywhere, for his arrogance – as Biden’s boss.)

    This is probably the most encouraging thing here. That Kraus is acting like a true Dayan and not assuming guilt in the charges, until they are tried, but allowing for the dignity of a Rov should he be found innocent.

    The question is: Does honesty, objectivity, and dignity, really play any significant role in CHTS politics?

  • thinker

    well it looks like nobody likes him

    we all got a letter before pesach colecting money for him, as he wasnt paid his salary since he got here. and he dosent have money for food, tuition etc…

    so i am trying to figure out why is this guy still here? and where are all the pepole who were fighting for him? i thought they promised his salary.

    the word i hear is that the pepole figured out that this guy is a liar, and a cheat.

  • ShILOV

    “ I don’t feel like anyone cares about the Rebbe’s words. nebach how the Rebbe tried so hard. ”

    That’s just it. For all the talk about Hiskashrus and “alive” the behavior of most so-called “chassidim”, especially among the big shots in town, proves that the Rebbe, ZTL, is truly gone.

  • People are watching what-s going on.

    Horrible is this smear campaign against Rabbi Braun. It is transparently evil. You who are behind these lies and intimidation have no humanity, zero decency. To many people Rabbi Braun has every quality necessary to be a Rov, and they elected him to be a Crown Heights Rov for life. You don’t like it? Tough luck. You lost the fair election. That means, trug zich up, or if you’re a mature person, support the candidate who won. No matter how much post-election “question” and confusion you raise, you will not fool all the people all the time. You (yes, YOU) who are defaming Rabbi Braun have lost perspective of your behavior. As with all thug-gangster activity, eventually the law will bring you low.

  • Pitts - CH

    Herscher Pekkar’s comments explain how ALL braun supporters feel:

    “PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Stop asking questions!”

    “If you dont ask questions there will be peace”

    ARE YOU BLOODY MAD?! How foolish can you be???

    Valid questions need to be asked. This is no smear campaign, rather it is a Halachik ruling which if Braun would have been honorabl he would have stood before the BD and answered away these questions.

    OR

    If he felt this BD was not the appropriate place he would have demanded – al pi halacha – that he be judged elsewere, which he DID NOT DO.

    Sooo, beutiful. We have a ROV who is a MESURAV. Can Crown Heights get any more SAD?

  • Question for Halacha Gurus

    Can a “rov” who has a siruv for not coming to Bait Din, issue a siruv against a litigant in HIS own Bait Din for refusing to attend?

    Seems to me it’s the pot calling the kettle black.

    As Alice in Wonderland would say, “We may be all mad but this is getting curiouser and curiouser.”

  • malka

    Look he is a spoiled brat with a lot of chutzpah .

    HE WAS SEEN RIPPING OFF A SIGN THAT ONE CAN SELL THE CHOMETZ TO RABBI SEGAL.

    A rov with no smicha like him should return to Australia.

    We really don’t need him here. Really.

    He only came here to help mendy hendel. enough said?

  • ayl

    leave hershel alone at least he has the confidence to put his name by his comments

  • chossiddd

    heres something I herd, a theory that makes sense.
    men grow up and when they realiz that they didnt make anything of themselves altz parnosseh, they make politics, so they can feel important.
    how …as is said above….nebuch. take the Torah and our Rebbes inyonim and do what??

  • Hirschel Pekkar

    BH. To #42, The chosid Shmuel Munkas, at a farbreng, when meat was brought in, and he saw how people wanted it so much, after trying to run away with it, he finally threw it into the garbage, so that no one could eat it. The chassidim wanted to lay him on the table and pach him for wasting good food, then they heard shouting and crying from the outside, it was the butcher’s wife, crying, that she gave them treifa meat by mistake, they calmed her down, by telling her, it’s alright, it was already thrown into the garbage. But then the chassidim wanted to put Shmuel Munkas on the table to patch him, for displaying openly such ruach hakodesh, but he told them, that it was not ruach hakodesh, it was a lesson from The Alter Rebbe, who taught, that when a person wants something with an excessive desire, that this is a sign that there is something wrong with it, and since Shmuel Munkas saw, how much people wanted this meat, he knew, that there was something wrong with it, and threw it into the garbage, so that nobody could have it.
    To say to somebody – “ARE YOU BLOODY MAD” and in capital letters, is an example of an EXCESSIVE passion. This shows that, even if you are demanding justice al pi halacha, that there is something fishy about it. You may ask, – what’s wrong to want halacha? Well, once in Yechidus, The Rebbe said to me, “as you are taking from the ruchnius from here, you are taking me with you, and as you are taking me with you, use me out on GOOD things”. So you see that taking “The Rebbe with you” what could be better than that? but even that, could be used on not, on good thing. This demand for halacha, and with such vehemence and passion, is itself a sign, that maybe this PASSION (not chas vsholom Halacha) deserves the garbage can? Good Shabbos and good Yom Tov.

  • Yossi Yossi O.

    Braun you are finished. Like someone said here: You’ve caused so much machloikes for Crown Heights balabatim in this one year, and it’s not coincidental or bad luck. You should go back to yeshiva and take a course on being a MENTSCH. You’re a low life, and don’t even deserve the title of Rabbi. I would rather put a young knowledgeable Tmimim in place instead of you. Take a hike, or take an early holiday in the Catskills, you wimp. Really. So many dirty fights in 770 can be attributed to you.

  • meir rhodes

    in whichever way you slice it, the story is tragic. it’s a loae lose for everyone.however, the biggest losers in this farce are the kids.ever- thing you think you don’t have to say and everything you say you don’t have to print. gevalt,gevalt yidden.

  • Mickey

    Since when has it become “fashionable” to use the word “nebach” in reference to the Rebbe?

    Feh. Feh. Vehu lemaalah maalah mikol zeh.

    Herschel Pekar reminds me of the time when some yidden, under Stalin ym“sh, took a chance and asked for a permit to make a seder on Pesach. To their surprise, they received an answer (and no arrests):

    ”Permission granted, but all questions are forbidden.”

    It is amazing how some people still feel the election was won fair and square, and any complainers are baalei machloikess. How many blatt Gemara need to be ignored for reference to sheker bememkar, onaah, mekach tauss. If the ballot-ticket was a misrepresentation, then the winner cannot claim to have won. Even Mickey Mouse knew that, so he didn’t run.

  • be fair

    From 47 comments maybe only 2 are really in favor of Braun. Is it because 1. most people are against him 2. the system is programmed not to allow pro Braun comments 3. All pro Braun people boycotted this site?

  • me

    The only one item to his credit is maybe the strong stand on child abusers vechulu – that’s it.
    Otherwise its been loads of machlokes and if he can not see it himself its pretty sad.

  • just aa small tip

    watch your tongues people please. itw not ver ynice or sensitive

  • bring back marlow son

    thats what we need in CH

    i hear there are problems in fla he cant finish the shul so maybe hell accept a rabbinical post where his father was rav

  • shmuel

    The Rebbe always said to use ONLY Lubvaitcher Rabbonim – Rabbonim outsode CH have no say in what is going on here> PERIOD!!!

    Kabolos Hatorah Besimcha Ubpnimius!!

  • meir rhodes

    the biggest losers in this farce are the kids.this fight is about kavod not truth.the emperior has no clothes.the kids see and that’s why so many are dropping out.wake up yidden.

  • Milhouse

    #43, Are you claiming that R Kraus has a siruv against him?! Please tell us about it.

  • levi

    i love rabbi Braun he is very good
    thank you rabbbi Braun crown haights really need 3 like rabbi Braun

  • ve-hamayvin yovin.

    I think it’s clear how the zabla came out. R’ Rosenberg spilled enough ink to ensure everyone understands what is happening here.

    The later bais din that sent off this letter is what they they would call in english (and with all due respect to Rabbi Kraus) Johny come lately (who might very well be a distant cousin of Johny in the market in this case).

  • Rabbi Braun is awesome!

    BS”D
    Stop attacking Rav Braun! I know he is a truly great Talmid Chochom and a sweet guy!
    Moshiach NOW.

  • Braun is NOT Smart

    Where does this BS notion come from that Braun is a smart guy “a Talmid Chochom”?

    I’ve seen no proof of this, in fact all his actions thus far and all his words thus far say another story all together.

    Why must we play in to a premise that the Meshichistim created to give Braun some jiggle space?

    We should not play into this premise.

    Braun is not smart and in fact has proven to be an idiot and a Tenok (child).

    He has messed up a lot of people with bad Halochik advice.

    So let’s stop this BS of “He may be a smart guy BUT”….. he’s not smart at all!!!

  • RK BD

    Rabbi Rosenberg did not leave because of what these Rabbis write, he clearly wrote he’s leaving because he can’t conduct a DT the way it was going on by correspondence and telephone conferences where a Rabbi leaked information by maybe allowing other people to be listening in to the phone calls.He clearly wrote he will reconsider if the Rabbis and the parties will come back to the table and conduct normal sessions. I don’t see why is permitted to go to a different BD when both parties signed an agreement that only the zablo BD will be the sole BD dealing with all issues.

  • to #61

    you are very smart! a gaon oilom! your comment was so mature amazing!

  • Rabbi Rosenberg paskened not to pasken

    though this is old news… being that it is being brought up. if you read the p’sak of Rabbi Rosenberg and his beis din, you will notice, that they paskened that they are not going to pasken. i.e., reinforced to leave things as is and that machlokes should continue. (that way no one can accuse them of taking a side). THATS NOT A BEIS DIN.
    additionally, one of the most ridiculous parts of the p’sak, that Rabbi Osdoba and Rabbi Shwei should each choose a candidate for the next election. how stupid. automatically the next candidate will be one sided… so stupid… no brains…

  • chmho@msn.com

    A functional Jewish community should have Beis Din of three people. Above all they need to be impartial. We can’t have R. Ozdoba. We can’t have R. Braun. R. Schwei is a really good man but not strong enough.

    Just accept it, you’re screwed.

  • Braun is NOT Smart

    To #63

    Did I hit a nerve?

    The truth hurts, its meant to hurt, but to bad. The truth doesn’t bend to peoples will as the Rambam wrote:

    “Truth does not become more true by virtue of the fact that the entire world agrees with it, nor less so even if the whole world disagrees with it.” (Rambam: Moreh Nevuchim 2:15)

  • Braun IS smart

    Braun is smart, he says lots of things that people don’t understand and he quotes many great sources which no one would bother to look up. Hes a genuine, he really knows how to fool a bunch of fools.

    Also he took a photo-shut and his desk was full of open Seforim, it really makes him look smart. Theres solid proof for you! Ha!

  • to 64

    you are right. the psak should read the Rabbi that his candidate won should stay the looser should stay home and then conduct another election and choose a 3rd Rabbi and sholom al yisroel.

  • correction for #67

    “Hes a genuine” meant to be…
    Hes a genius he really knows how to fool a bunch of fools.

    Comment #61 really hits a nerve because (a) its true. (b) it’s really the only thing they falsely have on him, once you expose that bluff, they have nothing.

  • #64

    That was smart because no one wants to come in and be the one to decide who is right and who is wrong and then will be the same situation as now. The kehila decided and the rabbi that his candidate lost should accept it and not look for excuses and keep machloikes going. If he would accept the outcome and join the BD machloikes would END!

  • yechi charlie

    i vote charlie buttons for rov. no machlokes, only heart balloons.

  • to # 51

    From the comments after your quote I think choice no. 2 was the correct answer but I’m sure still not fair enough.

  • NoYechi770InJerusalem

    I think they should dump Mr. Braun & take HaRav Dovid Mandelbaum as third rov.
    At least Reb Dovid has a real smicha & is a genuine talmid chochom & takes no crap from anyone.

  • just me

    I have tons and tons and tons to write about Braun – what’s the point? Those who are reading this are either pro or con.
    I am obviously from the camp of “get him out as fast as you can before he kills more people”! He has lied to me openly and blatantly! I am talking about MY VERY OWN experience! He is pathetic and the horrible joke is on us!
    The Rebbe said vas tut zich da shpigult zich iber di velt.
    Look what we have in Washington – no birth certificate there either .. no smicha here either.. the b’hayma in D.C. is also rumored to be brilliant. Can he put together a coherent sentence without his teleprompter? If it hurts too much to admit or see the mess we are in here simply turn your attention towards D.C. it’s the mirror image of our schuna!!
    Kinderlach, the bottom line “we need Moshiach real bad!”

  • TO ALL COMMENTATORS

    All of this discussion about whether Braun is or is not a talmid chochom is totally irrelevant. The Sichos clearly state the guidelines and conditions as to who is worthy to be a Rav in the Crown Heights schuna, as clearly delineated by Rav Yoel Kahn in his letter stating why Braun did not meet those criteria. Until today, no one has even ATTEMPTED to refute Rav Yoel Kahn’s letter.

    Whoever is in favor of Braun serving as Rav is simply going against the words of the Sicha. And all those people are just singing YECHI to the air!