Listen, I don't think you're crazy at all. What I think is that you're dealing with very evil people who are trying to destroy you by calling you crazy. This is a common tactic - when someone wants to hurt you or take your children, they call you crazy or unfit to manipulate the system against you. The fact that your ex's mother and these men are telling officials and your friends that you're crazy doesn't make it true. They're just trying to poison people against you.

I've seen this many times. People will say anything to hurt someone, especially in custody battles. They'll lie to officials, they'll spread lashon hara, they'll do whatever it takes. The problem is that sometimes the corrupt legal system listens to these lies instead of seeing the truth. Some officials in different countries actually look for ways to take people's kids for no good reason.

You need to understand something very important: Just because you've had difficulties in your life, just because you've struggled, that doesn't make you unfit or crazy. Many people go through terrible times. The fact that you're reaching out for help and trying to fight for your children shows you care about them - that's what a real mother does. Regarding the situation where your ex abducted your child - this is kidnapping, plain and simple. Even if he's the father, he has no right to take your child and hide him from you. This is a crime. The fact that he's telling officials you're unfit is just more lies to cover up his own criminal behavior. A person who kidnaps a child is the one who should be in jail, not walking around free while you suffer.

The legal system today is completely broken. Instead of putting these criminals who kidnap children in jail or mental institutions where they belong, they actually help them keep the children. I've seen cases where the kidnapper flees to another country and the courts say "let's just leave the child there" because it's too much paperwork to bring them back. This is the kind of evil we're dealing with.

You need to be strong. Don't let these people destroy you with their words. Go to a competent lawyer - a good one who has fear of Heaven. Document everything these people have done. Fight for your children through the proper channels. And most importantly, pray to Hashem and do teshuva. When we get closer to Hashem and keep His mitzvot, He protects us and helps us even in the worst situations. You're not crazy - you're a mother fighting for her children against evil people. That takes tremendous strength.

Rabbi Yaron Reuven