Rav Elyashiv yesterday released a new ruling.

This is the latest in a series of rulings that generate a rash of blog postings and newspaper articles criticising the Haredi world.

For example, we recently heard about his ruling that anybody in possession of an unapproved, "non-kosher" cellphone cannot be allowed to have his kids in the Haredi school system (talmud torahs/heder).

Prior to that we heard about his ban on higher learning for Haredi women. This despite the fact that the higher learning referred to was in the Bais Yaakov school system and was for the purpose of teachers having higher degrees to a) be better teachers and b) so they could earn more money with which to support their husbands in kollel.

Prior to that was temporarily banning El Al, no matter what the enormous cost was to travellers who had to cancel tickets and buy new tickets on other mechalel shabbos airlines.

Prior to that was [name your item of interest here - from wigs to Zebu meat to Slifkin to Kaminetzky to who can remember what else].

The latest, which I bring to you here, was announced yesterday in the Yated Ne'eman (Hebrew edition).

There is an organization called "U'K'Tavtem". This organization finds a nice way to provide a little extra cash to kollel yingerleit. They provide examinations for the avreichim and those with qualifying grades on the exams receive a stipend. Sounds great. What kollel guy does not need every extra shekel he can get. Add that to the benefits of testing which causes one to study harder and generally increases one's retention of the material studied and it sounds great.

Yesterday Rav Elyashiv announced that any avreich in possession of a "non-kosher", unapproved cellphone will not be allowed to receive a stipend from these exams and therefore his exams will not be reviewed.

Here is the clipping:

Just the latest in the list of choke holds applied by the Haredi leadership over their own followers.