Q&A: Obtaining Money by Fraud, on the Instruction of His “Rabbis,” and Much Much More…
Obtaining Money by Fraud, on the Instruction of His “Rabbis,” and Much Much More…
Question
A certain dear Jew has for years made a good living from… fraudulently extracting money from the state.
True, it isn’t nice, but the state is to blame for not giving him the basic tools to earn a living honestly [the compulsory education law is not actually implemented in that tribe, and it is abandoned to the mercy of political operatives.] He found himself in poverty, found a scheme and a fraud, and asked his rabbi, who permitted it for him.
Now he understands that this is not proper, but: a. this has been his main occupation for almost two decades; b. he has no other way to support himself; c. it is a very good livelihood [a very respectable amount.]
His question now is: is he disqualified from testimony like a robber?
Or perhaps since he did this on the instruction of his rabbi, it is alright? [Even though he is not comfortable with it today and feels it is improper, but this is what there is; otherwise he will go hungry.]
Answer
That “dear Jew” is of course a robber. There may perhaps be room to be lenient in his case as someone who says “it is permitted,” because of Haredi brainwashing, and therefore I am not sure that he is disqualified from testimony. But it is clear that he is disqualified from testimony regarding the property of state institutions, for one who is suspected regarding a matter may neither judge nor testify about it, even without being formally disqualified.
The fact that he did not receive the tools to make a living and is poor does not justify any robbery. Let him live off charity, or learn a profession, or find an occupation that does not involve a prohibition, and let him direct his complaints at his parents and not at the state (perhaps at it too).
But bottom line, I think that if he is continuing his actions now, then he is indeed disqualified from testimony as a robber, since he is now aware of the prohibition involved and nevertheless continues.
Actually he is disqualified even without continuing now, as part of the disqualification of those whose occupation is a degrading line of work from which it is not fitting to make a living. See for example here: https://olamot.net/shiur/%D7%A2%D7%93%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%91%D7%96%D7%95%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D