If it’s true that Rav Bina publicly shames certain students whom he believes he needs to discipline, the issue is clear: time and again Jewish law forbids public humiliation — no ifs, ands or buts. See Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman’s scholarly but accessible book, “The Right and the Good, Halakhah and Human Relations.” The first chapter: “Emotional Homicide: Embarrassing Others.” Amazing. How Joseph, the Egyptian viceroy held back from shaming his brothers who either sold him into slavery or left him for dead.
Nobody’s exempt. A rosh yeshiva, a synagogue rabbi, a synagogue president, or the president of the United States. But if the rosh yeshiva doesn’t set the right example, who will?
Manhattan
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NYJW or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
