Jerusalem – According to Israeli new sources, neighbors of Asher Dahan, the suspect detained by police in the fatal stabbing of Rabbi Elazar Abu Chatzeira ztl’l last night in Beer Sheva, said that Dahan’s behavior yesterday had been very unusual, with Dahan davening the Yom Kippur Maariv last night. Asked about his unusal behavior Dahan replied “I must daven that Moshiach Ben Yosef will not die.”
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According to Yediot Ahronot, Dahan’a bizarre behavior began at Shachris yesterday morning when he requested a that a misheberach be made for him. When questioned about his request by fellow daveners, Dahan is said to have replied “I need a misheberach.” Later during the day when Dahan’s credit card was refused by a local supermarket he allegedly told the cashier “you are going to be hearing about me”. He was also spotted crying in his yeshiva and when asked what was wrong he replied, “I am crying for Moshiach Ben Yosef not to die.”
Dahan’s neighbors in the chareidi community of Elad described the alleged murderer as “a good boy, smart and educated. It is difficult to imagine that he committed this crime, but if one were to connect all the dots perhaps they might have realized that he was planning to do something wrong.”
Dahan was reportedly a devoted follower of Rabbi Abu Chatzeira who went to the Rov frequently for advice and according to neighbors, Rabbi Abu Chatzeira had recently told Dahan he needed to separate from his wife. One neighbor told reporters, “Anyone who knew him knew that Rabbi Abu Chatzeira was like Moshiach for him.”
Hundreds of Elad residents converged on Dahan’s building in Elad today but were sent home by the local police. Dahans wife and children were taken to another location by police who were concerned for their safey and a police car has been stationed at the entrance to the building.
these are signs that we should not miss. it is amasing to interpret them.
Sounds like he is missing something upstairs!!
another case of mental illness being ignored. we need to be aware of the disturbed people in our midst. they are not all innocent and some need treatment before they harm themselves and others.
Sounds like another nut job that needed psycritaric help long ago. But then again, in the frum community we harbor dozens of nut cases. We refer to the as “rachmunus cases” when in essense, a lot of them are ticking time bombs.
So you think that anbody who is “slightly off” in your eyes should be locked up?!?! There are many many more rachmunus who never harm a soul, and because of a couple of crazy nuts, we should get rid of anyone we deem to be off? Who should make that determination – you? Straight out of the middle ages… and what about when a “normal” person does something wrong? Should all of the normal then be locked up?!?!?!
Sounds like he was being treated by yet another incompetent psychologist.
Its very sad indeed. Its sad for Klal Yisrael the Niftar the Killer and his family. Only the Almighty knows the truth. But we all must heed to the words of our Gedolim. We must do proper Teshuva even Hirur Teshuvah helps! Especially when this episode is happening before our own very eyes during the three weeks!! This is nuts!!!
Its called Jerusalem Syndrome.
When lunatics think of themselves as some type of messiah.
This also is prevalent in those communities where there is an abundance of commonfolk spending their time learning kabbalah without proper background or level of holiness.
Unfortunate, hopefully their community leaders will reconsider this.
Next time someone unusally asks for a misheberach or acts a little weird I will tackle him and force him into a mental ward. I have now learnt from this case and the Aron case.
There is only 1 option to Daven and be Mispalel, cause we are in a very very dangrous world
i am crying for the killers family………… the wife, the kids, the in-laws, his brothers and sisters……………..
we cant make sense out of the senseless
Its called Jerusalem Syndrome.
When lunatics think of themselves as some type of messiah.
This also is prevalent in those communities where there is an abundance of commonfolk spending their time learning kabbalah without proper background or level of holiness.
Unfortunate, hopefully their community leaders will reconsider this.
This guy Dahan sounds like a nutcase but this rav clearly allowed himself to be viewed by his followers as a larger than life “messiah” figure. To that extent, what happened is not all that surprising since all rationality is gone and the followers begin to expect (and to some extend demand) miracles which cannot be delivered. There is a danger when these Kabbalists develop a cult like following which has become the norm both in EY and in a few worrisome cases here in the U.S. where the behavior of some rabbonim is borderline avodah zorah.
Who said he is ‘mentally ill?’
Who murdered Gedalia?
Every murderer is ‘mentally ill?’
Our society thinks all evil is really mental illness.
We’ve abandoned ourselves to the psychiatric profession. They
are the new ‘Kohanim Gedolim’
Boruch HaShem, we’ve wiped out evil.
What a sad day for us all. Someone once said that our communities managed for centuries not to have a single murderer, whereas recently such acts seem to be becoming less and less rare.
HaShem yerachem!
A few comments:
1) I’ve seen cases of Jerusalem syndrome. This person does not appear to have had that. Jerusalem syndrome primarily involves tourists who arrive in Jerusalem and soon thereafter become unhinged.
2) His reported actions are consistent with psychosis. Some psychiatrists almost never use the term “evil” anyone. I’m not a psychiatrist. I do use that term, as I believe at some point many such individuals make a choice to go over to the dark side, if you will.
3) It’s inappropriate at best for people to speculate that this crime was related to “commonfolk” trying to learn Kabbalah, let alone the outrageous suggestion that somehow this rav created a climate that resulted in this horrendous crime. Now is not the time to blame the victim.
4) I’d prefer to see a photo of the rav, zl, HYD, then the disturbed murderer.
im not condoning him chas veshalom!!!!! this is a terrible crime R”L!!!!
but on a side note…not regarding him….maybe our communities need to help poverty stricken people more…..lack of money can make ppl crazy……not that they should murder someone of course nOT!! just a side note….those of us that have must give to those that do not….it is not our money…we r just holders….TZEDAKA TAZIL MIMAVES….and i have seen that there r many millionaires (im related to many) who r so removed from the concept of tzeddaka- it is sad…even when they are sick…and are told to give they laugh it off…ppl that have $ its not bec. kochi v’oitzem yodi…..its cuz HaShem decided to give it to yuo…..i am not rich…..but i give my last dollar….and know that HaShem will provide for me…ppl think im rich bec. i always have an open hand…i feel its my protection…..i cant learn so well…so this is my mitzva….i know its off topic….but if one person learns from this comment it is worth it…
Very sad. Baruch Dayan Ha’Emet. Seems clear that the perpetrator suffers from mental illness. More than one recent tragic event in “our” world, I think we must become more pro-active in identifying, acknowledging, and treating mental illness. When I was a girl, many problematic family issues (abuse, molestation, mental illness, etc.) were swept under the rug, denied, as if ignoring it would make it disappear. This model does not work, and as we have lately seen, can lead to tragedies too sad for the heart to bear. Please, let us stop using euphemisms like “a little strange” or “a little different.” Let us be strong enough to identify those who need help, and provide treatment, before the next tragedy.
According to media reports he had bee receiving psychiatric care for the past 15years already. Who could tell he was about to snap in such an extreme way? Why play the blame game it serves no positive purpose and just diverts our attention from the call to teshuva for us all.
to #8 and #13 your tone and what you say is judgemental and inappropriate both to the memory of the tzaddisk who was neherag and to the 3 weeks.
Who’s to say when someone is over-the-top religious or is mentally i’ll?
Should all these wackos dancing in the streets be detained?
It’s very hard to justify doing anything before the fact, and very easy to judge after the fact.