Frequently asked Questions:
Q: If I’m correct, the term is not 'Ayin Horah'. The precise term is 'Ayin Ra-ah'?
A: According to Rashi Bereshis 16:5, and 49:22 It’s actually 'Ayin Horah'!! (see also Talmud Brochos 20a)
Q: I heard that 'pouring the lead' was an ancient pagan practice, so how can you do it?
A: Darkey HaEmori is muttar lechatchilah to use as a refuoh, (and lead-pouring may not even be 'Darkey HaEmori'!)
There is a machlokes between the Remah and the S'Oruch concerning darkey ha'Emori. The S"Oruch says it can only be used if has been proven to work. The Remah says even if it hasn't been proven to work, it may be used if the intention is for a refuoh.
Based on the success we have had in doing this procedure, it is clear that it is permissible according to all opinions.
The rabbonim who have allowed this are fully aware of the facts.
In short- Witchcraft uses shemos haTumah, however practices using 'segulos' in line with avodas Hashem are perfectly permissible.
Rav Hool's clients have included roshey yeshivah and gedolei Torah as well as dayonim from all over the world. Hagaon Rav Yisroel Yaakov Fisher ztz'l sent hundreds of people to do the procedure, as did Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapirah ztz'l. There is no question whatsoever about the permissibility of this practice- as reflected in the written haskomoh from HaGaon Rav Mattisyahu Doitch shlita -dayan of the Bedatz Eihdah Chareidis, Moreh D'asrah Ramat Shlomo.
Furthermore, on 'The Treatment' page on this website we present the teshuvah (responsa) of the Tzemach Tzeddek ztz'l (who is quoted by the Mishna Brurah) who permits heating the lead up on shabbos to try and save someone's life! So there is obviously no concern whatsoever about avodah zarah or witchcraft- chas vesholom!
Furthermore, We have information from a very reliable source that Rav Elyashev Ztz'l had someone come to his home multiple times to 'pour the lead' for him, in the weeks before his petirah.
For a full halachick analysis of why this procedure is 100% persmissible according to all opinions, see here for a detailed t'shuvoh (responsa).
Q: Am Yisrael should only pray to Hashem for any salvation- so how can you do this procedure?
A: Hashem is the only One we daven to. Rav Hool's procedure involves (as part of the procedure) him davening on your behalf to Hashem for a salvation and saying his specific prayer against ayin horah. He also demands you to undertake a mitzvah so that the procedure should be effective.
We also have in our possession the lachash for ayin horah (which is said on someone else's behalf) personally given by Rav Aron Leib Shteinman ztz'l, which comes from Rav Zundel MiSalant ztz'l- so we see there is nothing new about saying a prayer/lachash for ayin horah for someone else.
See also Medrash Rabbah parshas Shoftim ch.16 where Rav Meir asks in the Beis Hamedrash"Who knows the 'lachash' (silent prayer) and can say it for me -to get rid of my ayin horah?" See the pirush Maharzev on that medrash.
Q: How is your method different to anyone else who does this?
A: Rav Hool has a very specific teffiloh he says before the procedure and he uses absolutely pure molten lead. He demands a kabolas mitzvah before the procedure and he has a unique way of pouring the lead. As far as we know- he is the only person who can- with S'Dishmayah 'read' the ailments people have during the procedure. There is at least one 'world expert'- with many years experience, who has adapted their procedure after instruction/advice from Rav Hool.
Q: What is your response to people who say Rav Hool's successful 'reading' of the lead is done by 'cold-reading' where the 'palm reader' cleverly gleans information from the client beforehand and adapts their results accordingly? Or the 'Barnum effect'- where people confirm his results because they subconsciously want the 'palm reader' to be correct?
A: Firstly regarding 'cold reading'- this is impossible because Rav Hool has never met most clients, he does not ask them what physical ailments they may have (he only asks what general yeshuoh they require (shidduch, parnossoh, refuoh etc.) and he copies and pastes on 'The Lead reveals' page exactly what he sends the client by email following the procedure- and their exact response. All these emails are stored and independently verifiable.
Concerning the 'Barnum effect':
"The Barnum effect is a common psychological phenomenon whereby individuals give high accuracy ratings to descriptions of their personality that supposedly are tailored specifically to them, that are in fact vague and general enough to apply to a wide range of people. This effect can provide a partial explanation for the widespread acceptance of some paranormal beliefs and practices, such as astrology, fortune telling, aura reading, and some types of personality tests."
The Barnum effect applies to reports that are vague and subject to interpretation by the recipient of the information especially in describing a person's personality. The issues uncovered by Rav Hool’s reading of the lead however include precise description of physical ailments such as teeth problems, broken limbs- including the exact location of the pain. These are so specific that they cannot possibly be explained by the Barnum effect.
The following is a list of 47 (!) precise different ailments stated by Rav Hool and confirmed by the client to be 100% true after the procedure, gleaned from the first 68 cases on the 'Lead Reveals' page:
Stomach intestinal, left hand, sleep problem, teeth right, pain base of spine going down left leg, forehead, swollen glands, Sore throat, teeth left, blocked nose, back of head, neck, front of face, upper back, left leg past knee, shoulder right, between shoulder blades towards right, extreme stomach cramps, backside (was problem toilet training), left leg, lower back, (was hemorrhoids), right chest towards shoulder, rear of head, top of neck, right leg above knee, serious runny nose (was condition called nasal drip), back of head, right side of face, back of head right side, right shoulder, anxiety, chest infection, groin area issue, spine, intestinal above naval, left base of spine, neck right side- collar bone height, upper chest internal, right jaw towards back, upper back left side, vision right eye, (although Rav Hool was told 'vision' beforehand), internal below naval, neck left side, left side body- elbow height, left arm internal, chest left, lower back right, both hips, mouth/nose right.
Barnum effect? We don't think so!
Q: Is it right to take payment to help another Jew in this way?
A: There is a well known tradition to pay someone to say kaddish for a person who has no-one to say kaddish for them, Similarly rebbeim of a yeshiva are paid for their time and many gedolim receive payment for teaching Torah. A doctor receives payment for his services. Nobody would suggest that they have to do so without being paid.
Also besides the time and hard physical labor involved in the procedure - there is considerable costs in lead, fuel, other ingredients and of course advertising. Furthermore, HaRav Hagaon Rav Doitch Shlitah has advised Rav Hool to do this to gain parnossah.
Furthermore- There is a well known letter one godol sent to another godol (from 200 hundred years ago) telling him he made great efforts in writing for him the kamiah of the 'Ilan Hakadosh' and he thus kindly requests full payment. He then sends him a second letter telling the payment was received with thanks......
Q: Will I get a refund if the procedure doesn't work?
A: No. This is because we don't know if the procedure was ineffective. Even if you don't get the result you were hoping for, the procedure could well have been effective in areas of your life you haven't even noticed.
Q: Can I be sure that my personal information will go no further?
A: Absolutely. Rav Hool never discusses or reveals to anyone else what he sees in the lead, or what a client tells him.
Q: Where did Rav Hool learn to do this and can anyone be trained to do it?
A: Rav Hool cannot answer this for reasons he cannot say.
Q: What does it mean if I don't have the ailments you read in the lead?
A: It means ayin horah may be affecting you in other non-physical ways, or you have certain merits that prevent the ayin horah from actually damaging that part of your body.
Q: What does it mean if I have ailments that you did not identify in the lead?
A: It seems that not all ailments are caused by ayin horah. For example if you intentionally bang your head against the wall- Rav Hool may not see the injury in the lead. Also- it is sometimes extremely difficult to read the lead accurately- especially when the areas of the body are so close like the difference between right jaw and left jaw. Also, the exact place of ailment in the legs is very difficult for Rav Hool to 'read'.
Q: How do you know you have destroyed all ayin horah?
A: We don't! Rav Hool does the procedure and does his best! Siyyatah Dishamyah will determine the success, just like everything in the world! There are certain signs in the lead that imply ayin horah is being effectively dealt with. However, If you do the procedure and the next day you do it again and 'eyes' appear yet again in the lead, this does not mean the first procedure was ineffective. There is a large number of opinions as to how many times the lead should be poured and many of these opinions are irrespective of whether 'eyes' appear in the lead or not.
Q: Can you tell me who gave me the ayin horah?
A: Rav Hool wouldn't tell you even if he could, because this creates sinas chinom!
Q: How often should I do the procedure?
A: We cannot say. This is why we recommend the kamiah to protect from new ayin horah after doing the procedure. The Peleh Yoetz ztz'll advises carrying the Rudah Herb (buttercup herb) as protection from ayin horah. (see Peleh Yoetz under 'Ayin Horah') The 'ruda' herb is added to the kamiah we sell (as extra protection). Please see 'The kamiah' page above to see a picture of it.
Q: How can Hashem let people give ayin horah if Hashem is running every aspect of the world?
A: This is a very good and complex question. The bottom line is no-one can ever do -absolutely anything- to you without Hashem wanting them to do it. This is clear from the second Biur Halocoh on Shulchan Aruch. This is also what the Chinuch says by Lo Sikom and also The Peleh Yoetz by 'Netira'.
People make a mistake about the famous Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh about throwing Yosef into the pit -they think he means a ba'al bechirah can affect someone without Hashem wanting - that is Rubbish! The Or Hachaim doesn't say that at all! (He just says that to test to see if Yosef did a chet that was chayev missah, they gave Yosef over to nechashim and akrabim who would only kill him if he had done such a chet, but if they killed him with their own hands they would not know of his guilt. However they could only kill him with their hands if Hashem let them- but then his death would tell them nothing about Yosef's guilt).
Some people think the Chazon Ish ztz'l says a person can have a gezerah or punishment that their fate will be up to people- but that is a mistake as well. The Chazon ish just means that the way they will be punished will be dependent on others.
Removing/preventing ayin horah is like going to the doctor to heal you...everything is from Hashem- we just do hishtadlus. There is a machlokes how much hishtadlus you should do about ayin horah. Rav Moshe Feinstein ztz'l says you don't have to worry about it. The Peleh Yoetz says you do. The Peleh Yoetz who says to worry about ayin horah says you don't have to worry about mitzvos berabim because the zechus mitzvah will protect you- as does Teffiloh.
So if people give someone an ayin horah it is just a way of being punished by Hashem or to be given a nisayon. We need to do Hishtadlus to deal with ayin horah (like not arousing jealousy) just like for an illness we go to a doctor, even though Hashem sent the illness.
Q: How long do I have to take the kaboloh on for?
A: Idealy you should find something small that is 'do-able' and it is something you should be doing anyway (like modeh ani in the morning before getting out of bed) and make it stick until 120, but a kaboloh for 30 days is also acceptable. Obviously the better/longer the kaboloh the bigger the zechus/merit.
Q: I missed a day of my kabolloh- what happens?
A: Don't worry - just try to carry on with it! As long as you still try - the kabolloh is still there!