tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1424596018978091780.post1308418467888822014..comments2023-03-02T06:28:43.575-08:00Comments on Toras Bnei Noach: Rabbi Moshe Shulmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05984629225916645775noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1424596018978091780.post-15665916220666635282017-11-07T14:41:17.870-08:002017-11-07T14:41:17.870-08:00Thank you for replying to my post. Your reply forc...Thank you for replying to my post. Your reply forced me to think more deeply into this matter. You explained in your reply that the Baal Shem Tov, “teaches that there are various types of 'galus'. There is the general galus that the whole people of Israel and the world are in. There is also the galus of the nashamah (soul) which each of us as individuals need to exit.” Thus, after reading your response, I initially though that Clorfene only addresses the ‘Gulut (Exile) of the Soul’ part of this teaching, as he wrote, “unless one has been actively and individually redeemed personally by G-d, he or she is in Galut.” However, later, I reread several of Clorfene's Blog pieces and remembered that Clorfene does indeed address the general Galut. <br /><br />In Clorfene’s Blog post entitled ‘Rebbe Eliezer's gates’, he states that, “We have left the 2600 year era of Galut and have entered the “new heavens and new earth” of Geulah.” He further teaches that, “Ger is a prime factor in Geulah”, and that Ger did not exist in Galut.” He continues that “The Orthodox Rabbinate maintains its authority by tenaciously clinging to the path of its fathers. It thrives on Galut and the suppression of independent thought and individualism. Rabbinic Judaism has become the Jewish Church. The Babylonian Talmud is its New Testament, and Halacha (Jewish Law) is its gospel. And like most churches, it is corrupt. “…And the reason why so many rabbis are against Ger is because Ger is the portal to Geulah.”<br /><br />Thus, Clorfene indoctrinates in a series of small steps. With a professional writers ease, he gently leads his protégés through the process, one step at a time, each step being not very far from the old step, so it doesn't seem like a big change. However, at the end, in order to be ‘Redeemed’, even in a Universal time of Geulah (Redemption), one must be “actively and individually redeemed personally by G-d”. Now, having rejected the 'corrupt' Christian and Jewish ‘Churches’, the devotees are left with only the teachings of Clorfene/Katz to achieve personal redemption. As Clorfene and Katz declare, one has to ‘Get Ger’. Get Ger and win your prize, Redemption and Salvation.<br /><br />Thus, I am certain that the Clorfene Katz ‘Ger Movement’ is a Cult; not a ‘movement’ akin to ZS’s Jewish Renewal Movement, but an anti-Judaism Cult aimed at turning masses of Gentiles (and Jews) into followers and thus, haters of authentic Torah-true Judaism. Clorfene is using classic cult indoctrination for indeed he is an expert. He co-wrote the classic book, ‘Confessions of a Jewish Cultbuster’. Besides writing, he worked with his co-author helping to deprogram young Jews who fell into Cults. The book was recently reprinted, and included a new chapter on Scientology, a subject in which Clorfene is expert.<br /><br />In short, the Clorfene/Katz Cult is using several classic Cult moves. Via Social Media, email, and private meetings they shower the potential recruits with attention and praise. This is called ‘love-bombing’. Clorfene/Katz claim they are teachers, and will suggest that if you join or study with them, you can attain something special, such as the ‘answer's to the world's mysteries’, (this is Scientology in a nutshell). Then, they dangle before their devotees the promise of Redemption and Salvation. The reason this is so attractive to vulnerable Gentiles, is that the Clorfene/Katz ‘Ger Cult’ serves as a replacement theology for Christianity. It is attractive to vulnerable Jews for they can feel they are ‘Orthodox’, while at the same time completely rejecting Orthodox Judaism. This Cult is insidious and dangerous.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04421928729282322653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1424596018978091780.post-52611009774120171942017-11-07T13:11:43.872-08:002017-11-07T13:11:43.872-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04421928729282322653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1424596018978091780.post-81151574516070983642017-11-07T02:34:33.857-08:002017-11-07T02:34:33.857-08:00This is a great example of what I call Chaim's...This is a great example of what I call Chaim's 'new age' theology. New agers take real legitimate concepts, take them from their real simplicity, obscure them and make them into ideas totally foreign.<br /><br />The Baal Shem Tov teaches that there are various types of 'galus'. There is the general galus that the whole people of Israel and the world are in. There is also the galus of the nashamah (soul) which each of us as individuals need to exit. This later galus ends through our Torah and mitzvos and according to the Baal Shem Tov based on the Kabbalos Ari, from avodah bGashmiyos (serving HaShem with physicality.)<br /><br />His comments are just a way of saying: 'Follow me because only I know the truth, and you can't ever know it.' BTW this is a common thread in eastern mysticism where the 'master' or 'guru' has special knowledge. That is why I am not surprised to see him making references to eastern mystic ideas in his blog articles.<br /><br />In the end this is not Torah, and Chaim is not the first one to go down that path. (I am thinking of ZS). But it is sad because 1. He is actually quite sincere, he is a true believer. Which in some ways makes it worse. 2. Those non-Jews who listen to him really have no way of knowing what is and is not Torah. They cannot know when his ideas are drawn from Torah and factual, and when he has added his eastern mystical - new age spin to something in Torah.<br /><br />In the end I think you may be correct. While clearly unintentional by him, the danger exists. I can see it already from what some of his followers say. They are setting up a separation between themselves and the rest of the Jewish people where they look upon them in a very negative manner. This will become worse when 'normal' Noahides are shown respect and acceptance and they are shunned for reasons they cannot understand.Rabbi Moshe Shulmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05984629225916645775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1424596018978091780.post-12911214344865563802017-11-06T23:54:04.834-08:002017-11-06T23:54:04.834-08:00I read a question on Clorfene's Facebook page ...I read a question on Clorfene's Facebook page in response to his post, 'My last word on the matter of Ger'. The question states:<br /><br />Chaim, I would really like to know, what makes you so confident that the Geula is present? And on what do you base your belief that we are at the point in the process where, as you say, Hashem trusts us?<br /><br />Chaim Clorfene: I think everything that I express through my writing explains what you are asking, but to put it succinctly, unless one has been actively and individually redeemed personally by G-d, he or she is in Galut. But if you are "one from a city and two from a family" then you know it and you could not possibly ask the questions you are asking. You want in Binah what is only available in Chachmah. (End of answer)<br /><br />It appears that Clorfene believes that the Jews being in Exile (Galut) is not a National issue, but an individual matter, akin to the Christian concept of being 'saved'. Thus, Clorfene is declaring that a Jew (or Gentile) will remain in Exile until they are "redeemed personally by G-d". This ‘sings’ to Gentiles raised on Christian concepts of Salvation. I also contend that Clorfene's rejection of Rabbinical Judaism ensnares Gentiles who were taught the New Testament's hatred for the Pharisees who represented Rabbinical Judaism.<br /><br />The horror that can result from Clorfene's heretical ideas, is that we can end up with a mass of Torah Observant 'Righteous Gentiles' with a burning hatred towards Orthodox Judaism; the same hatred that burns in their Leader 'Saba' Clorfene's heart and mind.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04421928729282322653noreply@blogger.com