Rabbi Gil Student’s post today has caused me to write my own take on the issue he raises. He suggests Rabbinc leaders who tend to dipparage ten to become role models for behavior amonsts their constituents. It is also true that criticism by the right of leaders on the left will generate much of the negativity in reverse. It is understandable but it doesn’t excuse the bashing by members of the Left of Gedolim of the right. With that in mind an article written by Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblum where he castigates Rabbi Shlomo Goren and his defender, Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet is troubling.
I happen to be a big fan of Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblum, a fellow Chicagoan, now living in Israel who attended HTC. Although he is Charedi, his views on issues that concern the Torah world are usually right on the mark. I rarely disagree.
Even on the issue of Rabbi Goren I tend to side with him. Rabbi Goren’s Halachic decision in the Langer case was in error in my view. For those who don’t know what that is, let me briefly explain.
An issue of an adulterous relationship came before the religious courts in Israel . The products of such a relationship are Mamzerim, Halachicly illegitimate. They may not marry other Jews. The rabbinic judges, all of them of impeccable credentials and perhaps even Gedolim ruled on just such a case. There were siblings by the name of Langer whose legitimacy was in question her mother had remarried without the benefit of a Get, a Halachioc divorce. That makes any product of such a marriage a Mamzer. The court ruled that they were Mamzerim. But there was factor which could have changed that ruling. The first husband was a convert. This issue was whether the conversion to Judaism of the first husband of their mother was a legitimate conversion. If it were not legitimate, the second marriage would not have been considered adulterous. And the products of it are not Mamzerim.
After the Psak (religious ruling) was made, Rabbi Goren gave his own a Psak that the original conversion was indeed invalid. He stated that he had ‘proof’ that the first husband had never truly accepted Mitzvah observance, a requirement of conversion.
It was a very controversial decision, to say the least since it defied the court decision whose members were rabbis of very great stature. He was strongly criticized for it They felt his proof was debatable at best, and since this a stringent biblical level Halacha, they have no choice but to assume the worst case scenario. If I understand correctly, Rav Elyashiv resigned from the Rabbanut over that incident.
Even though my heart goes out in sympathy to people in these kinds situations, and am emotionally inclined to side with Rabbi Goren, my intellect tells me that Rabi Goren’s Psak was wrong.
And that brings me to Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet. He defended Rav Goren and explained why he believed that Rav Goren was correct. But Rabbi Rosenblum not only disagrees as I do but he disagrees in a very disagreeable manner. He dishonors a man who has earned the right to be called a Rav, teacher, and preacher in Israel.
Rabbi Rakeffet is a Musmach of Yeshiva University and of the Rav, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. He is a Talmid Chacham and a Rosh Kollel of the Gruss Kollel in Israel. A sincere man who is a Yiras Shamyim of the first order. For Rabbi Rosenblum not to treat him that way in his essay is just plain wrong. Referring to him by his last name is disrespectful to a Rosh Kollel and thereby disrespectful to the Torah itself. But it is more than just that. The animosity or Rabi Rosenblum against Rabbi Rakeffet comes across loud and clear. For example in the very first paragraph he refers to him as Dr. instead of Rabbi or Rav. This is typical of the right wing. They get out of referring to heretical rabbis as rabbis if the have any kid of doctorate, real or honorary; they refer to him as Dr. It is not the same as calling someone Dr. who self identifies that way. I do that all the time such as Dr. Lamm or Dr. Berkovits. Rabbi Rosenblum is talking about a Rosh Kollel who does not self identify that way. To refer to an Orthodox Rav who is a Rosh Kollel as Dr. demeaning at best. And he goes on in hos article referring to him by his lkast name only!
Rabbi Rakeffet is a man who I greatly admire and respect. He has written several biographies on great historical figures. They include a biography Rav Eliezar Silver, Yeshiva College founder, Dr. Bernard Revel, and the Rav. I heartily recommend them. He is a Talmid Chacham of the highest order. You don’t get to be a Rosh Kollel if you’re not.
And his Hashkafos are in the right place too. For example he is a strong proponent of mixed seating at weddings a position with which I completely agree. And he has forthrightly and publicly defended that view.
I happen to disagree with his position on the Langer case. But that does not mean I don’t respect and admire him. Why can’t rabbi Rosenblum do the same?
This in a nut shell is one of the major problems I have with the right. It is evident in comments I often hear from them. Anyone that disagrees is Krum (crooked, not straight)! It is only their own Shitos that are straight.
This is not true of Centrists or even the left. I may disagree but I never disparage. I would never refer to Rav Elyashiv as “Elyashiv”. Nor would I ever say his Haskafa is Krum. Is it too much to ask that the other side do the same? We disagree on some Hashkafic matters! So what?! We have far more in common than we disagree about. Why must a disagreement about Hashkafa always result in disparagement by the right against the left? That’s how it usually breaks down.
It’s is true that the left sometimes criticizes the right unfairly. And they are wrong when they do it even as they have role models to justify it as Rabbi Student suggests in his piece today.
As I said. I am a fan of Rabbi Rosenblum’s. But in this piece, his attitude is all wrong.
Updated: 7/2/07 12:30 PM CDT
