Dr. Laura

Back in 2003, when Dr. Laura announced that she would no longer practice Orthodox Judaism, I wrote an article entitled Fare Thee Well, Dr. Laura, available on the Nishma website at http://www.nishma.org/articles/commentary/drlaura.html, which expressed my view that it was in the best interest of Torah for Dr. Laura not to be identified with the Jewish People. The events of the past week further strengthen this view. I, for one, am happy that, in the aftermath of what happened, the fact that she cannot be identified with Orthodoxy is most positive. Take a look at the following two clips and tell me who looks to have the more intelligent position.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/celebrity.news.gossip/08/17/doctor.laura.ends.show/index.html?iref=allsearch

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/08/18/ac.dr.laura.ends.show.cnn?iref=allsearch

Throughout the Torah literature, we are admonished that it is not only the substance of your words that matter but also the form. We speak of lashon neki'ah, clean language, and the issue that began this whole episode with the use of the N-word clearly reminds us of the Torah directive in this regard. There may have been substance to the point that she was trying to make but her language was indeed problematic.

It seems, though, that she also recognized this and indeed apologized soon after this discussion with a caller to her show when she used this word. Yet what occurred afterwards is equally significant and also makes me happy that she is no longer able to be seen as a representative of my community. We have concepts such as hapeh she'assur who hapeh she'hitra, the very mouth that enunciated the prohibition is the one that enunciated the permission, a concept to remind us to be consistent in our words and thoughts. When the Rev. Al Sharpton comes out looking like the calm, thoughtful one, you know something is wrong. Of course, under American values, one is entitled to voice their opinion and the other is entitled to voice their opposition, even take lawful steps in reaction to that opinion. If you want to say something that I don't like, it is my right to pronounce my opposition and call on those who agree with me to boycott sponsors who may have given you the airwaves to present your opinion. Perhaps, I may not like the very legal principle that gave this person that right. I do not think that Torah allows from a similar standard of freedom of speech as is allowed in America. But that is the standard in the US., and one that has had beneficial results for Jews. In any event, it is a standard within which we must live. The result demands that we understand it and our statements comply with it in order to make sense. I am very happy that Dr. Laura's rhetoric, the rhetoric of one who does not know how to dialogue with another, is no longer associated with me.

Rabbi Ben Hecht