Page 94 - issue
P. 94
of these fakers knows no bounds, as kabbalist told him that he saw in the impression they have some sort of
they transform halachic matters, such kesuba that he had two sick children “mysterious” ability to know personal
as kesubos and mezuzos, into tools for and that for a small fee of $5,000, he information about the client. The read-
their own agenda. could make the proper corrections and ing is “cold” because it does not
thereby everything would be okay. depend on any prior knowledge of the
In truth, the kashrus of a mezuza is Rabbi Teitelbaum wrote, “My friend client. Instead, the “psychic” will usual-
the domain of a sofer, and a question- thanked him for his deep insights and ly begin by making a series of general
able kesuba needs a posek. Indeed, said he was going home to talk it over or Barnum statements. Barnum state-
there have been instances when a “cor- with his ‘wife.’ So much for his brilliant ments, named after the American
rected” kesuba caused an actual shaila. readings!” showman P.T. Barnum, seem to relate
Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum, z”l, who was a to a particular individual but actually
rebbi at Yeshiva and Mesivta Torah Only after Rabbi Teitelbaum apply to everyone, or almost everyone.
Temimah, director of Camp S’dei exposed this kabbalist’s phony A statement like “You’re experiencing
Chemed International, and executive schemes did he move his act elsewhere. some tension with a friend or a relative
director of the Torah Communications at the moment” would probably strike a
Network, was very outspoken about the Hot and Cold chord with many of us.
swindlers who targeted the frum com- “But how could he possibly have
munity, and wrote numerous articles known that my daughter’s name was A fake psychic might also make
on the subject to raise awareness and Rivky?” vague and contradictory statements,
educate the unsuspecting public. such as, “Most of the time you are
The seemingly supernatural ability happy and cheerful, but there have
In order to test the abilities of one of pseudo-kabbalists to “know things” been times when you were very upset.”
kabbalistic healer who claimed to see about the petitioner contributes to Called a rainbow ruse, this conflicting
all one’s problems in a kesuba, Rabbi their mystique and is often enough to statement covers all the possibilities
Teitelbaum once asked an unmarried convince even the most skeptical that and sounds like a very convincing
friend to make an appointment with the person is a true mekubal when, in description of the subject’s personality.
the kabbalist under the false pretext fact, he could most likely be nothing While fishing for details, a skilled psy-
that he had two sick children. When more than a very gifted cold reader. chic will carefully observe the individ-
the friend met with the kabbalist and ual’s reactions, quickly picking up on
showed him the phony kesuba, the Cold reading is a technique used by
professional manipulators to give the
86 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
they transform halachic matters, such kesuba that he had two sick children “mysterious” ability to know personal
as kesubos and mezuzos, into tools for and that for a small fee of $5,000, he information about the client. The read-
their own agenda. could make the proper corrections and ing is “cold” because it does not
thereby everything would be okay. depend on any prior knowledge of the
In truth, the kashrus of a mezuza is Rabbi Teitelbaum wrote, “My friend client. Instead, the “psychic” will usual-
the domain of a sofer, and a question- thanked him for his deep insights and ly begin by making a series of general
able kesuba needs a posek. Indeed, said he was going home to talk it over or Barnum statements. Barnum state-
there have been instances when a “cor- with his ‘wife.’ So much for his brilliant ments, named after the American
rected” kesuba caused an actual shaila. readings!” showman P.T. Barnum, seem to relate
Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum, z”l, who was a to a particular individual but actually
rebbi at Yeshiva and Mesivta Torah Only after Rabbi Teitelbaum apply to everyone, or almost everyone.
Temimah, director of Camp S’dei exposed this kabbalist’s phony A statement like “You’re experiencing
Chemed International, and executive schemes did he move his act elsewhere. some tension with a friend or a relative
director of the Torah Communications at the moment” would probably strike a
Network, was very outspoken about the Hot and Cold chord with many of us.
swindlers who targeted the frum com- “But how could he possibly have
munity, and wrote numerous articles known that my daughter’s name was A fake psychic might also make
on the subject to raise awareness and Rivky?” vague and contradictory statements,
educate the unsuspecting public. such as, “Most of the time you are
The seemingly supernatural ability happy and cheerful, but there have
In order to test the abilities of one of pseudo-kabbalists to “know things” been times when you were very upset.”
kabbalistic healer who claimed to see about the petitioner contributes to Called a rainbow ruse, this conflicting
all one’s problems in a kesuba, Rabbi their mystique and is often enough to statement covers all the possibilities
Teitelbaum once asked an unmarried convince even the most skeptical that and sounds like a very convincing
friend to make an appointment with the person is a true mekubal when, in description of the subject’s personality.
the kabbalist under the false pretext fact, he could most likely be nothing While fishing for details, a skilled psy-
that he had two sick children. When more than a very gifted cold reader. chic will carefully observe the individ-
the friend met with the kabbalist and ual’s reactions, quickly picking up on
showed him the phony kesuba, the Cold reading is a technique used by
professional manipulators to give the
86 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
