Hirhurim: Three Practical Ways Bad Theology Hurts Us

«It is easier to define technical Sabbath observance, the avoidance of Sabbath violations, than it is to prescribe how to reach the state of shevittah, of leaving the week behind in the name of discovering the greater reality of the world that will one day come, a world that is "all Shabbat." It is easier to define kosher food and kosher tefillin and kosher tzitzit than it is to lay out exactly how love and fear of Hashem work, to speak of moral and ethical obligations instead of speaking of trying to understand how Tanach and Chazal describe Hashem's impact on the world. It is easier to delineate what kinds of speech we should avoid as slander or gossip than it is to lay out where we should trust Hashem to handle our future and where we should take care of it ourselves. It is easier to pick a good lulav than it is to recognize where the events of my life are a call from Hashem to change what I'm doing. We go with what is easy.

That doesn't change the fact that there are mitzvoth, direct Biblical obligations, to create some kind of positive state of rest on Shabbat, to love and fear Hashem, to imitate Hashem's ways of impacting the world, to trust Hashem rather than adopting non-Jews' ways of trying to predict and control the future, and to be aware of where Hashem's impact on our lives is a message, a call to improve who we are.

Each of those more amorphous mitzvoth becomes harder to fulfill, even to recognize the need to fulfill them, if our theological views go awry...»

Three Practical Ways Bad Theology Hurts Us | Hirhurim – Torah Musings
http://torahmusings.com/2013/07/three-practical-ways-bad-theology-hurts-us/


Best Regards,
RRW

Simplicity May Mean Mastery

"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself."

― Albert Einstein


When I was teaching,
I'd test my students as follows:

"Explain this as if you were explaining this to a moderately intelligent 12 year old."

When they could, I know that they had internalized the material.

Best Regards,
RRW

Mussar: Developing Empathy for the "Other"

First See:
NishmaBlog: Mussar: Points of View
http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/2013/07/mussar-points-of-view.html


In the Torah world - Beth Hillel triumphed over Beth Shammai due to their "Anvetonut". Namely, they presented Beth Shammai's view at first. As such, Anvetonut is usually understood as Humility.

I'd like to tweak that definition and call it "Empathy". Meaning B"H could "get" Beth Shammai, to honor them and their sheetah, and then go back and counter it, using their own point of view. Because by understanding Beth Shammai's sheetah, their own sheetah became clearer to them via empathy.

L'havdil, there are several non-Jewish parallels.

Debating teams do better when they master their opponents "talking points first. Often teams are asked to prepare both sides and told which position to take only at the last moment.

Litigating Attorneys often know their adversaries arguments quite well. It stands to reason that the better they understand the adversary, the better they will perform. Empathy can be key.

This advantage of understand the "other", is reflected in a Martial Arts story, told to me by a Tae Kwon Do instructor.

On a basic level - to combat is about understanding yourself - your own strengths weaknesses, strategies, etc.

A Superior Level is to know your opponent just as well. Then one performs at the ultimate level.

In the search for Truth, understanding ALL sides gives one's own a more well-rounded, holistic mastery of the subject at hand. So empathy for the other is key in being able to transcend the limits of one's own ego limitations. In a courtroom, it could produce absolute justice over mere victory.

Know yourself and your side. Understand and appreciate the other's self and side, too. Then you will be free of self-limitations to your better understanding of Torah and life in general.


Best Regards,
RRW

Has Time Passed Over the Passover Story

Further information: Historicity of the Bible

On Passover 2001, Wolpe told his congregation that "the way the Bible describes the Exodus is not the way it happened, if it happened at all." Casting doubt on the historicity of the Exodus during the holiday that commemorates it brought condemnation from congregants and several rabbis (especially Orthodox Rabbis). The ensuing theological debate included whole issues of Jewish newspapers such as the Jewish Journal in Los Angeles and editorials in The Jerusalem Post, as well as an article in the Los Angeles Times. Critics asserted that Wolpe was attacking Jewish oral history, the significance of Passover and even the First Commandment.[citation needed]

Wolpe asserted that he was arguing that the historicity of the events should not matter, since he believes faith is not determined by the same criteria as empirical truth. Wolpe argues that his views are based on the fact that no archeological digs have produced evidence of the Jews wandering the Sinai Desert for forty years, and that excavations in Israel consistently show settlement patterns at variance with the Biblical account of a sudden influx of Jews from Egypt.

In March 2010, Wolpe expounded on his views saying that it was possible that a small group of people left Egypt, came to Canaan, and influenced the native Canaanites with their traditions. He added that the controversy of 2001 stemmed from the fact that Conservative Jewish congregations have been slow to accept and embrace biblical criticism. Conservative rabbis, on the other hand, are taught biblical criticism in rabbinical school.[6]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wolpe


Best Regards,
RRW

Are Those Lefties the Unwitting Allies of Islam?

«Farber decided to remove all doubt about what his beliefs are, but at the same time expressed a sentiment that he really didn't understand their implications.  On a fledgling website promoting an academic approach to the Torah, he expressed his disbelief in a number of the core principles of what it means to be an Orthodox Jew: the truth of the Torah, the historicity of the Torah, the reliability of Oral Law, and our descent from the Patriarchs Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov.  In saying this, he makes two bizarre statements: his belief system can be reconciled with, nay should become, what Orthodox Judaism is provided people are simply willing to make a "paradigm shift", and that there's no implications of making these declarations in a public forum since they are simply meant to stimulate conversation and open up a pursuit of truth.

....

Questions -
9. Are you a Zionist?  How do you relate to Israel in light of the fact that you don't believe the land was promised to Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov?»

The College Rabbi » Farber's Folly
http://www.collegerabbi.com/farbers-folly/

-----------------------------------------

Does anyone realize how much the extreme Bible Critics support the Islamic view of the Tanach? We have our own fifth column in the battle for the hearts and minds of today's world.

EG

The Yusaf Abudallah Ali translation of the Quran actually mentions DH in the footnotes, in a positive light.

Best Regards,
RRW

Stand Your Ground and Halacha

Stand Your Ground And Halacha Guest Blogger:
Rabbi J. Simcha Cohen
* * * * *

The acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin has generated national debate concerning the propriety of the "Stand Your Ground" law. Of interest is that Jewish Law has a concept that appears to relate to this issue. Halacha notes that if someone is the potential victim of one who is running after him and seeks to kill him, the potential victim is permitted to kill the pursuer. This law is categorized as the case of a "Rodef"."Rodef" literally is a person who pursues another. The limitation of this rule is that should the potential victim be able to avert being killed by merely wounding the "Rodef", then, he would not be permitted to kill the "Rodef". Should it so be judged, then the original victim would be guilty of murdering the "Rodef". Thus in all cases where the potential victim kills the "Rodef", a judgment must be made as to whether safety could have been achieved without killing the "Rodef".(See Rambam, Hilchot Rotzai'ach, Chapter 1:6,7)
According to this law, the jury in the Zimmerman case would have been required to assess whether Zimmerman had the option of not killing  Trayvon Martin. This factor did not appear to have been analyzed or given proper consideration.
Of special relevance is the Halachic position of the Mishna L'Melech.He contends that there are two distinctly different cases of permission to save a "Rodef".
1. A is running after B to kill him. C sees this scene and attempts to save the victim. C has a responsibility to assess whether he may save the victim (A) by not killing the "Rodef"(B).If the only way to save A is by killing B, then and only then may he be permitted to kill B.
2. A second case is where the victim himself wishes to defend himself from the "Rodef".The victim is in a situation wherein he himself may be killed. In such a case the victim is not required to make distinctions as to how to save himself from being killed. His role is to simply save himself from the life threatening condition in any way. Even if a subsequent analysis suggests that he could have saved himself by not killing the "Rodef", under the fear and confusion  of a violent attack threatening his life, he has Halachic permission to kill the attacker and is not required at all to seek alternate means of escaping from the "Rodef".As such, the only concern is whether one feared his life was in danger in order to be exempt from punishment for killing the pusuer.(Mishna L'Melech,Rambam, Hilchot Chovail U'Mazik, Chapter 8:10)
Based on this distinction, Zimmerman did not have to even consider whether he could have saved himself from Martin by means other than killing him.

------------------------------------------
It is worthwhile seeing Rambam Sefer HaMitzvot Negatives #290,
especially the Chavel edition re: circumstantial evidence at a Capital Trial.

Best Regards,
RRW

Jewish Tribune: State of Jews or Jewish State?

In many ways, I believe that we are again asking that age-old question - Is Israel a State for Jews or a Jewish State? In my recent Tribune article, I address this issue from a somewhat different perspective that has timely application within our modern setting.

Please go to http://www.jewishtribune.ca/religion/2013/07/30/state-of-jews-or-jewish-state.

Rabbi Ben Hecht

An Indispensable Element of Orthodox Judaism.

Hashamayim
Tuesday, July 30, 2013

In light of the recent spirited and important discussions in the community, the International Rabbinic Fellowship takes this opportunity to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the principle of Torah Min Hashamyim within the parameters outlined by classical Rishonim, Aharonim and contemporary Orthodox rabbinic scholars. We regard this principle as the linchpin of halakhic observance and as an indispensable element of Orthodox Judaism.

IRF Confirms Commitment to Torah Min Hashamayim | International Rabbinical Fellowship
http://www.internationalrabbinicfellowship.org/news/irf-confirms-commitment-torah-min-hashamayim


Regards,
RRW

Why I fear a nuclear Iran - Rabbi Elchanan Poupko

Rabbi Elchanan Poupko is a fellow at Yeshiva University's Institute for Advanced Research in Jewish Law.

«When I say historically tragic I don't mean just the obvious horror of even one Jewish life being jeopardized, and how so much more so that it would take so many Jewish lives. What I mean is the tragedy of going for 2,000 years and being able to make the exact same mistakes, without learning one iota from our experience and history. I mean that 2,000 years after the Holy City and the Temple have gone down in ruins, even as we were killing each other in an internal wars, we still are able to do the same thing all over again.»

Why I fear a nuclear Iran - The Jewish Standard
http://www.jstandard.com/content/item/why_i_fear_a_nuclear_iran/27984


Best Regards,
RRW

Stuck in the Middle with You

As I write this, the radio is playing "Stuck in the Middle with You". Too much of a con-incidence!

«Modern critics, however, have charged that with the rise of movements that challenge the "divine" authority of halakha, traditional Jews have greater reluctance to change, not only the laws themselves but also other customs and habits, than traditional Rabbinical Judaism did prior to the advent of Reform in the 19th century.»

Halakha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halakha

---------------------------------------

The Leftist have facilitated calcification of Halachah by radicalizing it and inviting reactionary forces. Another case of unintended consequences!

Best Regards,
RW

Rabbi Lopatin on Torah MiSinai

«Our talmidim are exposed to a range of views on Torah Min Hashamayim from our classic commentaries and thinkers, and students will embrace different views along this traditional spectrum.
 Some talmidim are in the midst of theological work to uphold Orthodoxy in a way they find intellectually honest.  
One recent example is Rav Zev Farber, whose journey has taken him to the outer boundaries of Orthodox thinking on this subject. Rav Zev is thinking honestly and personally, but his ideas are different from, and in some ways contradictory to, what we teach and ask our students to believe at YCT.  He discusses his struggle in more detail here.  Rav Zev is a big enough talmid chacham to defend his Orthodoxy from all his critics. We support his honesty and speaking his mind, but he speaks for himself, not YCT. His beliefs on this matter are his own and far from the broad classical views of Torah Min Hashamayim that we at the Yeshiva believe in.»

Revelation and the Education of Modern Orthodox Rabbis | Morethodoxy: Exploring the Breadth, Depth and Passion of Orthodox Judaism
http://morethodoxy.org/2013/07/26/revelation-and-the-education-of-modern-orthodox-rabbis/

----------------------------------------

Does YCT see its role as including the enforcement of Boundaries?

RIETS typically does not.
RCA typically does.
OU - remains to be seen to what extent.

Best Regards,
RRW

Baruch Dayyan Ha'Emet Rabbi Dr. Jacob Immanuel Schochet, 77

«Although the Rebbe usually advised his followers not to study in secular universities, he made an exception in the case of Schochet. Following Schochet's marriage to Mrs Jettie Schochet in 1961 the Rebbe encouraged him to achieve advanced degrees at a number of prestigious universities, including the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo. Schochet's studies focused primarily on issues of logic, epistemology, ethics, and the philosophy of religion, and in 1974 his thesis The Psychological System of Maimonides earned him a PhD (Phil).

In 1959 Schochet became rabbi of the Kielcer Congregation in Toronto, and served in that capacity until 1996. Subsequently he served as the rabbi of Congregation Beth Joseph Lubavitch, in the same city. He served as professor of philosophy at Humber College in Toronto from 1971 to 1996; as professor of Jewish philosophy, law and mysticism at Maimonides College, Toronto from 1980 to 1990; and as adjunct professor of medical ethics at University of Toronto School of Medicine from 1983 to 1987.»

Rabbi Jacob Immanuel Schochet, 77 - Chabad-Lubavitch News
http://m.chabad.org/news/article_cdo/aid/2285972/jewish/Rabbi-Jacob-Immanuel-Schochet-77.htm


Best Regards,
RRW

Jose Can You See? Only in America. Only in Brooklyn.

Only in America.  Only in Brooklyn.  On the Fourth of July.

Guest Blogger:
Rav Dov Fischer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9NBegi2ozaE
 
Also
 
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/oh-say-can-you-sing-the-right-lyrics-video/2013/07/04/
  — Dov Fischer


Best Regards,
RRW

Whither the RCA

«And this brings us to the crux of the issue. Many view open orthodoxy as a form of modern orthodoxy, certainly many of those affiliated with open orthodoxy are also affiliated with modern orthodoxy. It is thus incumbent upon modern orthodoxy to state their position vis-a-vis Farber. Chief Rabbi Brodie was not a major talmid chacham, but he deeply revered Judaism. He was a staunch proponent of orthodoxy and a persistent and unforgiving opponent of its detractors. This is what motivated him to fight Jacobs in a bitter battle, until Jacobs was utterly removed from any position within orthodoxy. Will the RCA be this generation's Brodie. Do they have the conviction and the strength of character to announce unapologetically that his opinions and beliefs are not orthodox. Will they tell open orthodoxy that so long as Farber serves as a member of its institutions, then by extension open orthodoxy is also not orthodox?»

http://www.mohoshiv.com/whither-the-rca/


Best Regards,
RRW

Weiss’ Neo-Cons has moved farther to the left than the UTJ led by Professor R Halivni - R Averick

Rabbi Moshe Averick

«Truth be told, Weiss' Neo-Conservatism has moved farther to the left than the Union for Traditional Judaism (UTJ) led by Professor David Weiss Halivni, which is usually described as the far-right wing of the Conservative movement. UTJ does not ordain women – UTJ formed as a breakaway from the main body of Conservative Judaism over the issue of egalitarianism – and to the best of my knowledge does not accept or condone homosexual relationships in any way whatsoever. On the other hand, Rabbi Asher Lopatin, (the new Director of YCT), along with other high profile YCT rabbis have joined with Reform and Conservative clergy in publicly endorsing same-sex marriage legislation and have even given their blessings to the homosexual relationships of their congregants. Rabbi Hyim Shafner who aligns himself with YCT, described the home of two of his congregants living in an open lesbian relationship as a bayis ne'eman b'yisroel [exemplary Jewish home]. In support of this radical position he marshals some very authoritative evidence….such as an out of context remark by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. A blogger, under the banner of "Progressive Orthodox Judaism" agrees with my analysis: "In many aspects, UTJ falls to the right of the YCT/Open Orthodox crowd. UTJ was formed to counter egalitarianism, while the Open Orthodox movement, under the guise of "Yeshivat Maharat," conferring semicha upon Sara Hurwitz, etc., has moved towards this paradigm."»

American Jewry at the Crossroads: Isaac Mayer Wise, Solomon Schechter, and now...Avi Weiss and Sara Hurwitz | Jewish & Israel News Algemeiner.com
http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/07/18/american-jewry-at-the-crossroads-isaac-mayer-wise-solomon-schechter-and-now-avi-weiss-and-sara-hurwitz/


Best Regards,
RRW

Hareidism vs. Centrism VII

My chavrutah and I were chatting recently about how Stalin YSvZ used to remove pictures of Trotsky, Yezhov, and others by air-brushing them out.

How long ago was it that Secretary Hilary Clinton was air-brushed out of a photo?

And so some airbrush out YU/RIETS from the Orthodox Jewish Landscape.

Is this disrespect?
Or
Intellectual Dishonesty?


Best Regards,
RRW

Neo-Cons Revive the Decaying C Movement

«Along with the decay of the liberal forms of Judaism, came the realisation that without halacha Judaism simply can not survive. And so there emerged a modern positive-historical movement. A movement which claims fealty to halacha, but in reality uses halacha to its own ends. If halacha can provide a structure and a community with values it can identify with, then by all means, its followers will loudly proclaim their adherence to halacha. But if halacha posits values or positions that are out of sync with modern sensibilities, then halacha simply must give way. This is exactly the original stance of the founders of the conservative movement, and whilst conservative Judaism can no longer claim to be halachic, the new positive-historical movement makes precisely that claim, viz. that they are both halachic and also in tune with modern, enlightened moral theory.

The leaders of this modern conservative movement [Aka Neo-Cons] are people like Eliezer Berkowitz, Emanuel Rackman, Avi Weiss, Blu Greenberg who first coined the phrase "where there is a halachic will there is a halachic way", and others. In recent years this movement has finally made it clear that it no longer views halacha as binding. This they have done not by dismissing halacha as irrelevant, but rather by redefining what halacha means, distorting its words and twisting its values so that it fits with what makes them comfortable.»

The Conservative Movement Revivified
http://www.mohoshiv.com/the-conservative-movement-revivified/


Best Regards,
RRW

Torah Min-Hashamayim: A Reply to Rabbi Nati Helfgot | Cross-Currents

Comments

«It was not long ago that Rabbi Moshe Averick spoke out against YCT and suggested that the RCA should censure Rabbi Avi Weiss, yet instead the RCA responded by temporarily banning Rabbi Averick himself from participating in their rabbinic mailing list. Is the RCA also on the side of Farber? If Farber is a member of the RCA they should do something about him and his views.

http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2013/07/21/torah-min-hashamayim-a-reply-to-rabbi-nati-helfgot/


Best Regards,
RRW

What Makes for a Good Chief Rabbi?

 
The Chief Rabbi and the Car Mechanic
14.07.2013

By TAL BECKER

«There is a serious debate in the Jewish world about the legitimacy of the role of the Rabbinate in Israel in institutionalizing orthodoxy as the only authentic form of Judaism. It is generally cast by the opponents of the current Rabbinate as a call for religious pluralism, and a demand for equality and respect for all Jewish denominations. But there is also a question to be asked about the core tasks any Chief Rabbi is entrusted to fulfill, and the personal attributes required to fulfill it.»

The Chief Rabbi and the Car Mechanic - Shalom Hartman Institute
http://www.hartman.org.il/Blogs_View.asp?Article_Id=1169&Cat_Id=275&Cat_Type=Blogs


Best Regards,
RRW

A Tree Dies in Teaneck

Did a group of "Tree Huggers" cost the UTJ $100,000's in sabotaging their assets by falsely asserting the viability of a dying tree which posed a hazard to life and limb?
------------------------------------------

To the editor,

I was saddened to learn that the 250-350-year-old red oak tree in Teaneck was cut down by order of the County Executive.
My sadness is not the result of my love of trees, which I do have, but for the length of time it took those who blocked our plan to take down the tree two years ago to come to their senses. In 2010 as Executive Vice President of the Union for Traditional Judaism I ordered the tree to be removed because I had seen two massive branches come down either on our property or on Cedar Lane. Two arborists and the town DPW had agreed that the tree was already at a threat level of no less than 8 on a scale of 12.
This information was discussed at a public meeting at which a group of citizens sought to block us from removing the tree. Aspersions were cast by no less prominent a figure than State Sen. Loretta Weinberg. She wanted the tree to be designated as a memorial to her late husband Irwin. Weinberg and her allies declared their fight to keep the tree from "destruction" (so it reads on the dedication plaque at the foot of the tree) and they got their way.
All this at a time when the UTJ was attempting to sell its property through bankruptcy proceedings in order to pay all creditors in full and continue its educational work. We did both, but not before tree protesters slowed our progress through bankruptcy, adding six digit costs to the proceedings.
I was amazed at the time that the Teaneck council as well as Bergen County rather than supporting the protection residents, refused to take any action in the face of a rowdy few and one well-known politician. I have had to live with the knowledge that leaders left every resident and visitor in Teaneck at risk for over two years.
The passing of this tree is the end of an era. But that is the way of all material things including ourselves. Risking lives for tree limbs is a perversion of conservation.
It is more than ironic that those who celebrated protecting the nearly dead tree last year now witnessed its destruction, rightfully I hope, burdened by conscience.
I will be left only with the pleasant memories of the Oak tree in bloom outside my office window.

Rabbi Ronald D. Price
Executive Vice President, Emeritus
Union for Traditional Judaism
Teaneck

Teaneck letters, June 20 : page 1 - NorthJersey.com
http://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/212271661_Teaneck_letters__June_20.html?c=y&page=1&mobile=1


Best Regards,
RRW