An op-ed in a recent edition of the Internet Yated that speaks about a letter Rav Mordechai Gifter wrote in response to someone who asked whether he should send his daughter to a seminary led by a controversial Menahel (principal, as he called him). He clearly advised against it, in part because he felt that this principal had near heretical views. Of course some of the other things he said were troubling, such as his belief that this principal was slighting a Gadol. I’m not sure if I would agree that what this Menahel said in reaction to not being received by this Gadol qualifies as that. But it is still unfair to judge whether Rav Gifter was justified in his view since we do not really know who the Menahel was or what his actual views were.
In my view we should give him the benefit of the doubt. If for example, the principal involved was someone like R. Emanuel Rackman who was almost universally denounced for teaming up with Moshe Morgenstern in a Beis Din to be Matir Agunos using the principle of "Kedushei Taus" based on the incorrect application of "Kol D'Mekdash Al Datah D'Rabbanan Hu D'Mekadesh"... I would have the same kind of problem as Rav Gifter did. I can't say that I agree with every point Rav Gifter made about this Menahel but certainly some of his accusations about this fellow are troubling.
But it is interesting to note how he ends off his letter. Here is the final sentence:
"That we cannot discern such a blemish R'l at present is owing to the impurity of our own faith."
Impurity of our own faith! It is good to see that one of the Gedolei HaDor of the last generation has admitted a flaw in his Emunah. What else could he have meant by a statement like this? He is clearly saying that because of an inability to discern a blemish in a seminary girl's Hashkafos that she picked up in a school that he believes teaches things that smack of heresy... that his Emunah is impure. Rav Gifter's Emunah...impure? Quite a revelation, if you ask me.
And it gives sanction to those who have great questions of faith to speak their minds on matters of faith as in the case on blogs like Godol Hador’s. While some of the comments made by both Mr. Hador and his commentators are bit over the top, they are never-the-less in good company.
