The ‘perp walk’. This is what is done to white collar workers arrested for white collar crimes. The reason for this is that many poor people complain that when a poor person is arrested he is handcuffed and treated like a dangerous criminal no matter how minor (or major) the crime.
White collar criminals used to be spared this indignity. But in recent times CEOs of major companies who stole millions while their companies ended up bankrupt have been handcuffed too. These people were guilty of destroying their investors life savings that was invested in the company while profiting to the tune of millions for themselves.
People were outraged. So now when a white collar criminal is arrested, even though he is not a danger to anyone, he is handcuffed and treated like a common criminal.
This is the image I saw today of the former head of Agriprocessors. A religious Jew with a large Charedi style Kipah and a very long beard handcuffed doing the ‘perp’ walk. Although I’m not even sure if this qualifies as a white collar crime.
This is not an image I wanted to see this morning as I read the Chicago Tribune – print edition. Yet another desecration of the name of God – a Chilul HaShem!
The charge is - conspiracy to harbor undocumented immigrants for financial gain, aiding and abetting document fraud and aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft.
The details are in a story in the Chicago Tribune via the Associated Press.
I’m trying to give these people the benefit of the doubt and say, ‘Innocent until proven guilty’. But this is a story that keeps on giving. Even though Agriprocessors ownership has already given the reins of control over to others - the Chilul HaShem remains.
I want to be Dan L’Kaf Zechus, but there is just far too much smoke for there to not be any fire.
There have been so many charges. Some of them truly disgusting - some unbelievably so and no doubt untrue. But in every case the charges are not flattering.
Fraud against the US government is a Chilul HaShem. If this man is found guilty it will be a stain on the Jewish people. It doesn’t matter if you are Charedi or Modern Orthodox. All religious Jews will be tainted by this man’s actions.
The more religious one looks the bigger the stain. And this man looks religious. I wish he would have shaved off his beard and taken off his Kipah during the arrest. It wouldn’t have lessened his crime - but it would have lessened the Chilul HaShem.
I am reminded of what an elementary Rebbe of mine said about a religious student he had that used to steal candy from a local merchant. He said that if someone has a problem like that, let him at least take off his Kipah before he does the crime. By leaving it on he only compounds the problem. His stealing then becomes a community issue -not only a personal one.
The argument put forward by some people that he was just trying to help some poor illegal immigrants earn a living for their families - does not wash. You cannot break the law no matter how noble your intent - unless the law is intrinsically immoral or against Halacha. This crime was not based a reaction to anything immoral or against Halacha. Besides, I’m not sure the intent was all that noble. From the Trib:
In September, the owner and managers of the plant, … were charged with 9,311 misdemeanors alleging they illegally hired minors and let children younger than 16 handle dangerous equipment. The complaint filed by the Iowa attorney general's office said the violations involved 32 illegal-immigrant children younger than 18, including seven who were not yet 16.
How exactly is that a noble act?
I can only speculate here but experience has taught me that there are certain people that have a 'Hashkafa' - that one can violate the laws of the land as long as they do not directly violate Halacha and they don’t get caught.
This is true in all segments of Orthodox Judaism. But the more one is concerned with matters of Bein Adam L’Makom (religious ritual) the less likely - it seems - one is to be concerned with matters of Bein Adam L’Chavero (inter-personal relationships). And the less likely one is to see non Jews in a favorable light.
If we are going to put an end to these kinds of events we need to be more pro-active in teaching our children laws pertaining to inter-personal relationships - and how to treat our fellow non-Jewish citizens. I’ve written about this many times. There is no excuse for what happened here.
There appears to be an erroneous assumption among Mechanchim – those who are responsible for teaching our children good values. Bein Adam L’Chavero is taken for granted. The emphasis is therefore almost exclusively on Bein Adam L’Makom – religious ritual.
There needs to be a concerted effort across the entire spectrum of Orthodox Judaism on teaching our children these values and not just ritual. They are sorely lacking in this department and the result is the kind of attitude that produced an apparent fraud. Both here and in so many other cases.
It behooves Torah U’Mesorah and every other organization of this type whether Modern Orthodox, Charedi, Chasidic, or Lubavitch to mandate a program that will instill proper values of Bein Adam L’Chavero - Jew and and non Jew alike - into our children if we ever hope to prevent things like this from happening again.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Another Look at an Obama Presidency
The closer we get to the election, the more depressed I get. I do not recall any election in my lifetime that will bring such radical change to this country. It seems that an Obama landslide is imminent. The closer we get to Election Day the more likely it seems that Barack Obama will be the President of the United States.
I just read Jonathan Rosenblum’s column at Cross-Currents and it scared me. I now feel an Obama Presidency would be a danger to the Jewish State. All assurances in the world from the Obama camp about his loyalty to ‘our ally Israel’ does not allay my fears that change is in the wind. That is his catch phrase. Change. His campaign is all about change.
But what will that change look like? Is change necessarily always a good thing? It all depends on what that change is. Obama’s entire understanding about Israel has been influenced by far too many people who see Israel as the villain. And I don’t just mean his pastor for over 20 years Jeremiah Wright. From Cross-Currents:
Obama has described the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as a “sore, . . . infect[ing] all our foreign policy,”
A sore infecting foreign policy?! This is how to refer to Israel’s existential situation? As a sore? This is not the man I want as my President. He adds that he wants to go back to the Clinton years of peacemaking. But if he speaks in terms like ‘sore’ and ‘infection’ that’s not good. This man scares me.
And it isn’t only about his foreign policy. It is about his domestic agenda. He couches his socialistic re-distributionist attitudes with terms like 'fairness' and 'tax cuts for the middle class'.
He is an economic liberal but his social liberalism promotes views that are anathema to a Torah oriented Jew. For example social liberals tend to be much more likely to allow Hollywood - in the name of free speech - to continue producing the smut that passes for mainstream entertainment. Which in the past 40 years or so has succeeded in defining deviancy down ( …to put it the way former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan did).
This is why he is supported by the worst elements in Hollywood. There has recently been a parade of celebrities on late night shows like Jay Leno's Tonight Show who have come out and unabashedly supported Obama. As if their views on life reflected mainstream morality. Those celebrities are immoral pieces of garbage.
One such fellow, Seth Rogin, touting his strong support for Obama recently came on the show selling his new movie called Zack and Miri make a Porno. He actually complained that he could not show full frontal nudity in that picture as others have. And this is a mainstream comedy!
Is this man someone we should be listening to for advice on choosing the leader of the free world? Is this attitude conducive to maintaining higher sexual mores for this country? If I were to be influenced by Hollywood it would be in the opposite direction: Whoever they support, vote for the other guy!
As to Obama's leadership ability as Commander-in-Chief he is sorely lacking in that department. One of the most important but forgotten issues of the election... and the very one Obama decided to run on was getting us out of Iraq without preconditions. His attitude was basically ‘to hell with the aftermath’. That's not leadership. That's ineptitude. That's surrender.
The reason it has been forgotten is not only because the economic crisis has overwhelmed all other issues. That’s true, but that isn’t the only reason. It’s also due to the fact that John McCain actually advocated a policy that has succeeded.
A reduction troops if not an entire pullout is not that far off no matter who wins the election. At this point Obama would have to be a complete idiot to pull out before that country is fully stabilized. Iraq is no longer an issue.
The reason for that was McCain’s 'right decision' and not Obama’s 'wrong one'. Had we taken Obama’s advice Iraq would have been overrun by radical Islamists. They then may very well have developed closer ties to Iran in a common goal of creating another holocaust against the Jews. This time in Israel.
This has been the promise of Iran’s President Ahmadinejad. Of course Obama can discuss this with Ahmadinejad as he promised he would. No doubt he will offer to force Israel to give back all of the land captured since 67 and allow all Palestinians the right of return. Peace in our time!
Has Obama never heard of Neville Chamberlain? Does he really think that all this modern day Hitler wants is the West Bank? Not any more that the Hitler of old only wanted Chekoslovakia!
Pro-Israel American foreign is in jeopardy. I can’t prove it but I’ve really got a bad feeling about this. Dennis Ross who is a good man may be his best advisor on the issue, but one cannot overlook others who have advised him an continue to advise him on this issue including some of the most unsympathetic to Israel names one can find. From the Cross-Currents article:
Obama’s foreign policy advisers have included: Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jimmy Carter’s national security advisor and thirty-year critic of Israel; Samantha Powers, who has called for an end to aid to Israel and the introduction of American forces to protect the Palestinians; and Robert Malley, who has made a career of advancing, together with a former Arafat advisor, a revisionist account in which Israel was responsible for the breakdown of Camp David.
Even the Republicans touted for an Obama cabinet – Chuck Hagel and Richard Lugar – have been among the handful of senators, sometimes the only ones, to consistently oppose sanctions against Iran, Syria, and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. Hagel laments the intimidation on Capitol Hill by the “Jewish lobby.”
It wouldn’t surprise me if Chuck Hegel ended up being Secretary of Defense and Richard Lugar Secretary of State – God forbid!
Obama will probably have a veto proof congress that will support virtually all of his polices. My friends, after reading Jonathan’s column I have changed my mind. We are headed to hell in a hand basket if this inexperienced liberal ideologue comes to power.
I said in my last post that Obama will surround himself with good people of all views. He said that is his desire because he wants all perspectives heard before he makes a decision. But if those mentioned above are the ones who end up advising him, and congress rubber stamps him - it won’t be good.
But, as near certain I am about the expected outcome, it ain’t over till it’s over. The public has yet to actually vote. We will see if the expected landslide for Obama actually happens. But if it does - God help us!
I just read Jonathan Rosenblum’s column at Cross-Currents and it scared me. I now feel an Obama Presidency would be a danger to the Jewish State. All assurances in the world from the Obama camp about his loyalty to ‘our ally Israel’ does not allay my fears that change is in the wind. That is his catch phrase. Change. His campaign is all about change.
But what will that change look like? Is change necessarily always a good thing? It all depends on what that change is. Obama’s entire understanding about Israel has been influenced by far too many people who see Israel as the villain. And I don’t just mean his pastor for over 20 years Jeremiah Wright. From Cross-Currents:
Obama has described the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as a “sore, . . . infect[ing] all our foreign policy,”
A sore infecting foreign policy?! This is how to refer to Israel’s existential situation? As a sore? This is not the man I want as my President. He adds that he wants to go back to the Clinton years of peacemaking. But if he speaks in terms like ‘sore’ and ‘infection’ that’s not good. This man scares me.
And it isn’t only about his foreign policy. It is about his domestic agenda. He couches his socialistic re-distributionist attitudes with terms like 'fairness' and 'tax cuts for the middle class'.
He is an economic liberal but his social liberalism promotes views that are anathema to a Torah oriented Jew. For example social liberals tend to be much more likely to allow Hollywood - in the name of free speech - to continue producing the smut that passes for mainstream entertainment. Which in the past 40 years or so has succeeded in defining deviancy down ( …to put it the way former Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan did).
This is why he is supported by the worst elements in Hollywood. There has recently been a parade of celebrities on late night shows like Jay Leno's Tonight Show who have come out and unabashedly supported Obama. As if their views on life reflected mainstream morality. Those celebrities are immoral pieces of garbage.
One such fellow, Seth Rogin, touting his strong support for Obama recently came on the show selling his new movie called Zack and Miri make a Porno. He actually complained that he could not show full frontal nudity in that picture as others have. And this is a mainstream comedy!
Is this man someone we should be listening to for advice on choosing the leader of the free world? Is this attitude conducive to maintaining higher sexual mores for this country? If I were to be influenced by Hollywood it would be in the opposite direction: Whoever they support, vote for the other guy!
As to Obama's leadership ability as Commander-in-Chief he is sorely lacking in that department. One of the most important but forgotten issues of the election... and the very one Obama decided to run on was getting us out of Iraq without preconditions. His attitude was basically ‘to hell with the aftermath’. That's not leadership. That's ineptitude. That's surrender.
The reason it has been forgotten is not only because the economic crisis has overwhelmed all other issues. That’s true, but that isn’t the only reason. It’s also due to the fact that John McCain actually advocated a policy that has succeeded.
A reduction troops if not an entire pullout is not that far off no matter who wins the election. At this point Obama would have to be a complete idiot to pull out before that country is fully stabilized. Iraq is no longer an issue.
The reason for that was McCain’s 'right decision' and not Obama’s 'wrong one'. Had we taken Obama’s advice Iraq would have been overrun by radical Islamists. They then may very well have developed closer ties to Iran in a common goal of creating another holocaust against the Jews. This time in Israel.
This has been the promise of Iran’s President Ahmadinejad. Of course Obama can discuss this with Ahmadinejad as he promised he would. No doubt he will offer to force Israel to give back all of the land captured since 67 and allow all Palestinians the right of return. Peace in our time!
Has Obama never heard of Neville Chamberlain? Does he really think that all this modern day Hitler wants is the West Bank? Not any more that the Hitler of old only wanted Chekoslovakia!
Pro-Israel American foreign is in jeopardy. I can’t prove it but I’ve really got a bad feeling about this. Dennis Ross who is a good man may be his best advisor on the issue, but one cannot overlook others who have advised him an continue to advise him on this issue including some of the most unsympathetic to Israel names one can find. From the Cross-Currents article:
Obama’s foreign policy advisers have included: Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jimmy Carter’s national security advisor and thirty-year critic of Israel; Samantha Powers, who has called for an end to aid to Israel and the introduction of American forces to protect the Palestinians; and Robert Malley, who has made a career of advancing, together with a former Arafat advisor, a revisionist account in which Israel was responsible for the breakdown of Camp David.
Even the Republicans touted for an Obama cabinet – Chuck Hagel and Richard Lugar – have been among the handful of senators, sometimes the only ones, to consistently oppose sanctions against Iran, Syria, and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. Hagel laments the intimidation on Capitol Hill by the “Jewish lobby.”
It wouldn’t surprise me if Chuck Hegel ended up being Secretary of Defense and Richard Lugar Secretary of State – God forbid!
Obama will probably have a veto proof congress that will support virtually all of his polices. My friends, after reading Jonathan’s column I have changed my mind. We are headed to hell in a hand basket if this inexperienced liberal ideologue comes to power.
I said in my last post that Obama will surround himself with good people of all views. He said that is his desire because he wants all perspectives heard before he makes a decision. But if those mentioned above are the ones who end up advising him, and congress rubber stamps him - it won’t be good.
But, as near certain I am about the expected outcome, it ain’t over till it’s over. The public has yet to actually vote. We will see if the expected landslide for Obama actually happens. But if it does - God help us!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Practicing Skeptics
One of the most fascinating phenomena to me is the existence of observant Jews who are not fully Orthodox in their beliefs. One such individual is a blogger known as XGH. He was not always this way. But in the course of running several blogs on matters of belief he became very skeptical about the traditional Orthodox view of God and Torah. And yet, he is an observant Jew who learns Torah and fully practices Halacha. He calls himself Orthoprax.
There are of course various degrees of Orthoprax Jews. Some are actually atheists. Others are not concerned with theology at all and practice Halacha for social reasons. Still other are somewhere in-between.
Although Hirhurim posted yesterday in the name of Rishonim that seeking proofs of God’s existence is a legitimate enterprise - the purpose of this post is not to debate belief. That would be counter productive in a forum such as this. I am a believer. I base those beliefs on a combination of factors that include – but are not limited to - education, evidence, history, and intuition. I’m not going to go into to details. Been there and done that.
This does not mean I don’t have the same questions that many skeptics have. I do. But my conclusions are different than theirs.
I wonder how two Jews who started out religious and sincere - as both XGH and I did – can come to different almost opposite conclusions? Is he smarter than I am? Or am I smarter than he?
I don’t think it is a function of intelligence. Some of the greatest minds in history were religious believing Jews. Like the Rambam. And some others were not. Like Albert Einstein.
There are plenty of smart people in both camps. In my view the Rambam may very well be the role model for intelligent conclusions since he wrote about it extensively in his famed Moreh Nevuchim. He contemplated God’s existence a lot as he did the validity of the Torah. He concluded that God exists and Torah Judaism is true. It is his thirteen principles of faith that - according to most people - define the basis of our beliefs.
True, some of his other beliefs may no longer be considered mainstream. For example, his son, Avraham Ben HaRambam declared that Chazal were fallible in maters of science. This is a near heretical belief according to many Poskim, including my own Rebbe, Rav Ahron and - if I understand correctly - according to his brother the Rav as well. But Avraham Ben HaRambam was nonetheless a believing Jew according to all.
Seeking proofs of God is an exercise in futility for me. One cannot prove His existence conclusively. If that were true, there would be no such thing as an atheist. And yet it is permissible to try.
Rabbi Gil Student points out the following:
…the Maharsha writes that it is proper to investigate and acquire knowledge of the world and its creation. However, whatever you fail to understand you should attribute to the limits of your own understanding.
That is pretty much my approach. Which is why I’ve always been interested in seeking proof of God’s existence. But I have never succeeded. I have only succeeded in strengthening my belief. But in many cases other religious Jews have gone through a similar process and have gone in the opposite direction. That was - as I understand it - XGH’s route.
I am not in a position to judge people like XGH. He is a sincere Jew looking for Emes just as I am. His search led him down the path of skepticism. As it has many others who have gone even further to deny God’s existence entirely.
These are not bad people - just misguided ones in my view. I’m sure they would say the same thing about me. But one thing is certain. These are not people who wanted to be Porek Ol – to remove from themselves the burden of Halacha. Some have suggested this as their motive but I don’t believe that. They keep Halacha in spite of their doubts. Of course there are some who don’t but I am not addressing them. I am addressing only Orthoprax Jews - those who observe Halacha as XGH does.
I wonder how many Jews there are like this. It’s hard to gauge because a closet skeptic may choose not to reveal their skepticism to anyone. Even anonymously on a blog – although many do.
And what are we to make of such Jews? Are they permitted to be counted in quorum related Mitzvos? Can we include a practicing Jew into a Minyan that we know has serious doubts in belief? How serious must those doubts be before we disallow their participation? How much skepticism qualifies for rejection? If there are so many how can we even be sure whether the fellow standing next to us in Shul isn’t one of them?
Just some random thoughts on Orthopraxy.
There are of course various degrees of Orthoprax Jews. Some are actually atheists. Others are not concerned with theology at all and practice Halacha for social reasons. Still other are somewhere in-between.
Although Hirhurim posted yesterday in the name of Rishonim that seeking proofs of God’s existence is a legitimate enterprise - the purpose of this post is not to debate belief. That would be counter productive in a forum such as this. I am a believer. I base those beliefs on a combination of factors that include – but are not limited to - education, evidence, history, and intuition. I’m not going to go into to details. Been there and done that.
This does not mean I don’t have the same questions that many skeptics have. I do. But my conclusions are different than theirs.
I wonder how two Jews who started out religious and sincere - as both XGH and I did – can come to different almost opposite conclusions? Is he smarter than I am? Or am I smarter than he?
I don’t think it is a function of intelligence. Some of the greatest minds in history were religious believing Jews. Like the Rambam. And some others were not. Like Albert Einstein.
There are plenty of smart people in both camps. In my view the Rambam may very well be the role model for intelligent conclusions since he wrote about it extensively in his famed Moreh Nevuchim. He contemplated God’s existence a lot as he did the validity of the Torah. He concluded that God exists and Torah Judaism is true. It is his thirteen principles of faith that - according to most people - define the basis of our beliefs.
True, some of his other beliefs may no longer be considered mainstream. For example, his son, Avraham Ben HaRambam declared that Chazal were fallible in maters of science. This is a near heretical belief according to many Poskim, including my own Rebbe, Rav Ahron and - if I understand correctly - according to his brother the Rav as well. But Avraham Ben HaRambam was nonetheless a believing Jew according to all.
Seeking proofs of God is an exercise in futility for me. One cannot prove His existence conclusively. If that were true, there would be no such thing as an atheist. And yet it is permissible to try.
Rabbi Gil Student points out the following:
…the Maharsha writes that it is proper to investigate and acquire knowledge of the world and its creation. However, whatever you fail to understand you should attribute to the limits of your own understanding.
That is pretty much my approach. Which is why I’ve always been interested in seeking proof of God’s existence. But I have never succeeded. I have only succeeded in strengthening my belief. But in many cases other religious Jews have gone through a similar process and have gone in the opposite direction. That was - as I understand it - XGH’s route.
I am not in a position to judge people like XGH. He is a sincere Jew looking for Emes just as I am. His search led him down the path of skepticism. As it has many others who have gone even further to deny God’s existence entirely.
These are not bad people - just misguided ones in my view. I’m sure they would say the same thing about me. But one thing is certain. These are not people who wanted to be Porek Ol – to remove from themselves the burden of Halacha. Some have suggested this as their motive but I don’t believe that. They keep Halacha in spite of their doubts. Of course there are some who don’t but I am not addressing them. I am addressing only Orthoprax Jews - those who observe Halacha as XGH does.
I wonder how many Jews there are like this. It’s hard to gauge because a closet skeptic may choose not to reveal their skepticism to anyone. Even anonymously on a blog – although many do.
And what are we to make of such Jews? Are they permitted to be counted in quorum related Mitzvos? Can we include a practicing Jew into a Minyan that we know has serious doubts in belief? How serious must those doubts be before we disallow their participation? How much skepticism qualifies for rejection? If there are so many how can we even be sure whether the fellow standing next to us in Shul isn’t one of them?
Just some random thoughts on Orthopraxy.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Guilty!
What would you do to a father that was convicted of killing his baby son? Not that he did so with malice or premeditation. But that he did it in a fit of frustration and rage. Not that he put a gun to his baby’s head and shot him. But that he ‘shook’ him to death?
His son was a victim of the so-called shaken baby syndrome. If I understand it correctly this is a scenario where a parent or other child care-giver becomes so frustrated at the inability to quite a crying baby that he picks him up and shakes him violently until he stops crying. That usually means death.
This is apparently what happened in the case of a Charedi father. He was convicted of killing his three-month-old son. I wrote about him at the time he was arrested. At that time various rabbinic leaders declared him innocent. This – even though he admitted his guilt!
The claim was that the confession was coerced by the police out of a grieving father who felt guilt over the death. There was a lot of bashing of the Israeli police at the time and I was criticized for not giving this man the benefit of the doubt over a corrupt and brutal secular Israeli police force – known to use such tactics in the past.
But in July of this year a court of law in Israel found him guilty of manslaughter. He has yet to be sentenced. Now some Charedi leaders are advocating for a light sentence. There is much testimony about the fine character of this man - that he was an exemplary member of their community with a bright future.
Perhaps. But manslaughter is not one of his better traits. No one is now claiming he didn’t do it… or that the confession was coerced anymore. They are just asking for mercy.
This makes me wonder why there was such certainty at the time by great rabbinic leaders as to his innocence. They were so sure and they made their views public. They made those proclamations without the benefit of trial or conclusive evidence. They based it only on his past behavior and reputation – and on the belief in an unfair and corrupt Israeli enforcement and judicial system. ‘He couldn’t have done it!’ ‘They just want a Charedi Korban!’
If great rabbinic leaders were wrong there, maybe they have been wrong in other decisions they have made with ‘certainty’. To those who refuse to question the decisions of great religious figures this is clearly a case where questioning their decisions was right. The rabbinic leaders were wrong. Unless they are still saying he is innocent. I have not heard that claim being made.
I also wonder if this man were not Charedi, would there be the same level of compassion for him among Charedi leaders? Would a Religious Zionist or a secular Jew who had an otherwise impeccable reputation be advocated for leniency if he accidentally killed someone in an uncharacteristic fit of rage? I don’t think so. I think they would be asking for his head. And they would be right.
His son was a victim of the so-called shaken baby syndrome. If I understand it correctly this is a scenario where a parent or other child care-giver becomes so frustrated at the inability to quite a crying baby that he picks him up and shakes him violently until he stops crying. That usually means death.
This is apparently what happened in the case of a Charedi father. He was convicted of killing his three-month-old son. I wrote about him at the time he was arrested. At that time various rabbinic leaders declared him innocent. This – even though he admitted his guilt!
The claim was that the confession was coerced by the police out of a grieving father who felt guilt over the death. There was a lot of bashing of the Israeli police at the time and I was criticized for not giving this man the benefit of the doubt over a corrupt and brutal secular Israeli police force – known to use such tactics in the past.
But in July of this year a court of law in Israel found him guilty of manslaughter. He has yet to be sentenced. Now some Charedi leaders are advocating for a light sentence. There is much testimony about the fine character of this man - that he was an exemplary member of their community with a bright future.
Perhaps. But manslaughter is not one of his better traits. No one is now claiming he didn’t do it… or that the confession was coerced anymore. They are just asking for mercy.
This makes me wonder why there was such certainty at the time by great rabbinic leaders as to his innocence. They were so sure and they made their views public. They made those proclamations without the benefit of trial or conclusive evidence. They based it only on his past behavior and reputation – and on the belief in an unfair and corrupt Israeli enforcement and judicial system. ‘He couldn’t have done it!’ ‘They just want a Charedi Korban!’
If great rabbinic leaders were wrong there, maybe they have been wrong in other decisions they have made with ‘certainty’. To those who refuse to question the decisions of great religious figures this is clearly a case where questioning their decisions was right. The rabbinic leaders were wrong. Unless they are still saying he is innocent. I have not heard that claim being made.
I also wonder if this man were not Charedi, would there be the same level of compassion for him among Charedi leaders? Would a Religious Zionist or a secular Jew who had an otherwise impeccable reputation be advocated for leniency if he accidentally killed someone in an uncharacteristic fit of rage? I don’t think so. I think they would be asking for his head. And they would be right.
Monday, October 27, 2008
It’s the Economy, Stupid!
The above phrase was the guiding philosophy that gave Bill Clinton his victory in 1992. His campaign stayed focused on it. It is pocket book issues that decide elections.
Everybody’s thinking about the current economic crisis. But I have yet to see either candidate come up with solutions. No matter what sector of the economy you are from, no matter how wealthy or how poor, the state of the US economy is affecting you. Unless you’re Donald Trump or Bill Gates.
I don’t mean that your lifestyle has changed. At least not yet - unless you are one of those who has lost a job or business because of it.
But vast amounts of wealth has disappeared in - what seems like a flash in a stock market that has fallen at record levels. That affects the entire world economy. The power of the United States economy is so strong that when we fail, so does the rest of the world.
We all know what caused the economic meltdown. It a nutshell it was the fiscal irresponsibility of huge lending institutions. They made risky unsecured mortgage loans to people who could not afford to pay them back. They then defaulted on those loans. And instead of money, these lenders ended up with a glut of devalued real estate. Besides,lending institutions are not in the real estate business. And the major insurer all these major lenders, AIG could not pay out on the massive claims made by these failed lenders. And the economy is collapsing.
Credit, the fuel that drives major industry in this country has all but dried up and businesses of all kinds... of shapes and sizes - cannot afford to operate. Many of them are closing up. Jobs are being lost… It’s a mess.
The 700 billion dollar government bailout to AIG has not rebuilt the confidence in the economy required to turn things around. This is on top of already higher fuel costs over the last year that resulted in rise in the cost of all goods and services. This has made this a simultaneous inflation and recession! (Oil prices are now down, but – except for gas prices - I doubt we will see a corresponding drop in goods and services.)
I am not an economist. And this may be an oversimplification. But this is the way I understand what is happening. And I don’t think we have seen the end of it yet.
Which brings me back to the Presidential elections. As I said I do not see either candidate offering any solutions. Just a lot of vague promises of tax cuts for one or another segment of the population.
Philosophically, I am far more in tune with the free market - supply side approach of John McCain. He speaks of incentivizing business towards more production. That will create jobs and more disposable income.
Obama speaks of redistribution of the wealth. He calls it ‘fairness’. He wants to help the middle class who needs it the most by giving only them the tax cuts. But that will not give people more jobs. At best it’s a temporary fix. By taxing business he disincentivises them from production. This is socialism. You can’t keep giving money away to those who don’t earn it without calling it that.
That is one reason I am voting for McCain. He stands by this principle. Unfortunately his arguments do not resonate with the masses. They like the Obama ‘Robin Hood’ idea of soaking the rich and giving it to the poor. But this will not help the economy at all. It will increase the deficit and thereby lower world confidence in the US economic system even more than it is now! If you think our dollar is at a low point now (although it has risen somewhat recently) wait until the deficit increases with all the Obama social programs – if he carries out his election promises.
But it doesn’t matter. Obama is going to win the election. The economic crisis has all but assured that.
Just to be clear -as I have said many times in the past - the main reason I am voting for McCain is his stance on Israel. But I cannot be dismiss the economy. It is too important.
So… are we about to be given over to hell in a hand basket? Is an Obama Presidency going to destroy the ‘world as we know it’? I can’t answer the question. But my guess is that it will not. In fact I believe that Obama’s lack of experience and his recognition of that fact will serve to prevent it, hopefully.
Barrack Obama is a good man He is a social and economic liberal but nevertheless a patriot who wants to serve his country. He will surround himself with the best and brightest people he can. And – if he is true to his word – he will include people who disagree with him so that he can hear all perspectives on any issue. Hopefully he will make some good choices for this country domestically. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Foreign Policy is another question. But there too, I take him at his word that he fully supports ‘our ally Israel’ – despite his past connection to the rabidly anti Israel Reverend Jeremiah Wright. He has completely severed his relationship to him and called his rhetoric hateful (or something like that).
Though I do not believe his commitment to Israel is as deeply emotional as McCain’s who sees Israel’s survival in the ‘never again’ mold of the holocaust – I nevertheless believe he will not turn his back on the Jewish State. Hopefully he will listen to his more pro Israel advisers than his anti Israel advisers. (…although I have detected signals in his rhetoric that he will have a more ‘evenhanded approach’ – whatever that means!) Again, we will have to wait and see.
Perhaps Obama’s biggest problem is that he is ‘too smart’. He may become indecisive because he will see both sides of an issue and be unable to decide on policy thus stagnating domestic issues as well as foreign ones. That was in part Carter’s problem. One more time: we’ll have to wait and see.
McCain does not have this problem. If anything he has an opposite one – deciding things too quickly. But good advisers will help him make better decisions. Think Reagan.
Of course there is still a chance that McCain can somehow win the election. Polls have been wrong before. And there may very well be an element of racism not reflected in the polls that will be reflected in the voting booth – the so called ‘Bradley Effect’. But I strongly doubt it. I'd hate for that to be the reason for a McCain victory anyway.
A McCain victory is highly unlikely at this point. I just hope and pray that - despite my fears - an Obama Presidency will somehow- with the help of God - work out well.
Everybody’s thinking about the current economic crisis. But I have yet to see either candidate come up with solutions. No matter what sector of the economy you are from, no matter how wealthy or how poor, the state of the US economy is affecting you. Unless you’re Donald Trump or Bill Gates.
I don’t mean that your lifestyle has changed. At least not yet - unless you are one of those who has lost a job or business because of it.
But vast amounts of wealth has disappeared in - what seems like a flash in a stock market that has fallen at record levels. That affects the entire world economy. The power of the United States economy is so strong that when we fail, so does the rest of the world.
We all know what caused the economic meltdown. It a nutshell it was the fiscal irresponsibility of huge lending institutions. They made risky unsecured mortgage loans to people who could not afford to pay them back. They then defaulted on those loans. And instead of money, these lenders ended up with a glut of devalued real estate. Besides,lending institutions are not in the real estate business. And the major insurer all these major lenders, AIG could not pay out on the massive claims made by these failed lenders. And the economy is collapsing.
Credit, the fuel that drives major industry in this country has all but dried up and businesses of all kinds... of shapes and sizes - cannot afford to operate. Many of them are closing up. Jobs are being lost… It’s a mess.
The 700 billion dollar government bailout to AIG has not rebuilt the confidence in the economy required to turn things around. This is on top of already higher fuel costs over the last year that resulted in rise in the cost of all goods and services. This has made this a simultaneous inflation and recession! (Oil prices are now down, but – except for gas prices - I doubt we will see a corresponding drop in goods and services.)
I am not an economist. And this may be an oversimplification. But this is the way I understand what is happening. And I don’t think we have seen the end of it yet.
Which brings me back to the Presidential elections. As I said I do not see either candidate offering any solutions. Just a lot of vague promises of tax cuts for one or another segment of the population.
Philosophically, I am far more in tune with the free market - supply side approach of John McCain. He speaks of incentivizing business towards more production. That will create jobs and more disposable income.
Obama speaks of redistribution of the wealth. He calls it ‘fairness’. He wants to help the middle class who needs it the most by giving only them the tax cuts. But that will not give people more jobs. At best it’s a temporary fix. By taxing business he disincentivises them from production. This is socialism. You can’t keep giving money away to those who don’t earn it without calling it that.
That is one reason I am voting for McCain. He stands by this principle. Unfortunately his arguments do not resonate with the masses. They like the Obama ‘Robin Hood’ idea of soaking the rich and giving it to the poor. But this will not help the economy at all. It will increase the deficit and thereby lower world confidence in the US economic system even more than it is now! If you think our dollar is at a low point now (although it has risen somewhat recently) wait until the deficit increases with all the Obama social programs – if he carries out his election promises.
But it doesn’t matter. Obama is going to win the election. The economic crisis has all but assured that.
Just to be clear -as I have said many times in the past - the main reason I am voting for McCain is his stance on Israel. But I cannot be dismiss the economy. It is too important.
So… are we about to be given over to hell in a hand basket? Is an Obama Presidency going to destroy the ‘world as we know it’? I can’t answer the question. But my guess is that it will not. In fact I believe that Obama’s lack of experience and his recognition of that fact will serve to prevent it, hopefully.
Barrack Obama is a good man He is a social and economic liberal but nevertheless a patriot who wants to serve his country. He will surround himself with the best and brightest people he can. And – if he is true to his word – he will include people who disagree with him so that he can hear all perspectives on any issue. Hopefully he will make some good choices for this country domestically. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Foreign Policy is another question. But there too, I take him at his word that he fully supports ‘our ally Israel’ – despite his past connection to the rabidly anti Israel Reverend Jeremiah Wright. He has completely severed his relationship to him and called his rhetoric hateful (or something like that).
Though I do not believe his commitment to Israel is as deeply emotional as McCain’s who sees Israel’s survival in the ‘never again’ mold of the holocaust – I nevertheless believe he will not turn his back on the Jewish State. Hopefully he will listen to his more pro Israel advisers than his anti Israel advisers. (…although I have detected signals in his rhetoric that he will have a more ‘evenhanded approach’ – whatever that means!) Again, we will have to wait and see.
Perhaps Obama’s biggest problem is that he is ‘too smart’. He may become indecisive because he will see both sides of an issue and be unable to decide on policy thus stagnating domestic issues as well as foreign ones. That was in part Carter’s problem. One more time: we’ll have to wait and see.
McCain does not have this problem. If anything he has an opposite one – deciding things too quickly. But good advisers will help him make better decisions. Think Reagan.
Of course there is still a chance that McCain can somehow win the election. Polls have been wrong before. And there may very well be an element of racism not reflected in the polls that will be reflected in the voting booth – the so called ‘Bradley Effect’. But I strongly doubt it. I'd hate for that to be the reason for a McCain victory anyway.
A McCain victory is highly unlikely at this point. I just hope and pray that - despite my fears - an Obama Presidency will somehow- with the help of God - work out well.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Elisha Ben Avuyah
During my stay in Israel I was told about a Talmid Chacahm who lives in Ramat Bet Shemesh. He has written several Seforim – Chidushim on Shas. But, alas, he has recently gone 'Off the Derech' (OTD). He is no longer religious. A widly accepted Posek in Bet Shemesh has Paskin’d (issued a religious ruling) that one may continue to learn his Seforim. They contain no Kefira – heretical thought.
When I asked about the reason this Talmid Chacham decided to give up on Judaism I was told the following story. He was a very poor man and could not provide for his family. When seeking advice for finding some way to make a living, he was told that perhaps he could try sweeping stairwells in apartment buildings! That broke him.
I don’t know to what extent this is true. I’m sure there were other issues. This may just be the proverbial ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’. But it speaks volumes about the lack of understanding in the Torah world about people with unique needs.
This is not the first Talmid Chacham to go OTD. To the best of my knowledge the first one ever recorded doing that was Elisha Ben Avuyah - the famed Acher. His Torah was permitted to be learned too. His teachings are quoted in the Mishnah. It is also known that the Tanna, R’ Meir was a disciple of his even after his apostacy - accepting the ‘good’ while rejecting the ‘bad’.
I am not in a position to analyze what went wrong with either the Talmid Chacham of Ramat Bet Shemesh or the Tanna, Elisha Ben Avuya. I will leave that for others wiser than I. But I would note that one of real problems facing Judaism today is the inability to understand people with special needs or questions of faith. They seem to be almost rejected by the Torah world. No one seems to be able to deal with their questions or their problems.
Instead they are marginalized or even ostracized. I am reminded of the young man from a Charedi background who had a guest post here a while back. He was sexually molested and ultimately went OTD. In a last desperate attempt to get his son to return to observance his father convinced him to see a Rav and tell him his story. But he was rebuffed by this Rav as having no Ne’emanus –no credibility - since he was no longer religious!
There is a poster who uses the name Elisha Ben Avuyah who commented recently on one of my posts. He commented quite frequently on another blog (now defunct) that dealt with questions of faith. His comment resonated with me. I thought that surely there would be many responses to what he said. But so far only one! In my mind that just reinforces his lament, which was written in response to my post wishing everyone a happy Sukkos. His comment follows:
I can't wait for the end of Simchas Torah. Rather than inspirational and spiritually uplifting, Jewish holidays are depressing to me and a waste of time. If I do get to spend time with my family, it's as a barely tolerated guest, not as a father or spouse.
Why bother going to shul? The walk home alone is depressing. My living situation pretty much precludes being able to make any kind of Shabbas or Yom Tov meals, and even if it didn't, who wants to sit down to a solitary meal? Listen to the zmiros reverberate off of the walls? Make a l'chaim to the shadows?
On Rosh Hashona it made much more sense to make money satisfying customers than to pray for parnossa. At the Yam Suf, God told Moshe that there is a time for prayer and a time for action and when people are willing to pay you it makes much more sense to take the money instead of praying and hoping it comes.
If I was a college student, particularly if I had wealthy parents, kiruv groups would eagerly find a host family for me. Since I'm not of means, though, I'm persona non grata and can go to hell as far as most frum Jews are concerned. I stopped asking my rabbi and others to please find me a place to eat on shabbas or yomtov - it was only making me resent them for their apparent lack of concern for my neshoma.If I could find some kind of role model that might be helpful, but apparently no religious Jews have ever struggled with faith and observance since none of the books about gedolim or tzadikim ever mention crises of faith or less than exemplary behavior that was changed.
I don’t know the identify of this poster. I also do not know what his personal circumstances are or how much at fault he is for his own situation. But I do know that the religious community is failing him as it did that Talmid Chacham in Ramat Bet Shemesh.
He seems to have been barely tolerated and nearly ignored by his religious leaders. He has issues of Emunah - and no one to talk too... no where to go.
There is something terribly wrong in a world that allows this kind of thing to happen - whether it is a major Talmid Chacham who despairs of earning a livelihood or an individual with serious questions of faith and virtually ignored. Both were ‘thrown the wolves’.
I think that the incident with Rav who told the young abused person that he had no credibility puts this issue in stark relief. There is no tolerance for people who are outside the bell curve of 'normalcy'. If someone is molested and goes OTD - or if a huge Talmid Chacham is told he should go clean the stairwells of apartment buildings - or an individual dares to ask a question dealing with matters of faith… he is seen as out of the mainstream and left to fend for himself. After all – the thinking goes – what is one suppose to do or say? Besides - the greater good is served by dealing with those inside the bell curve - the vast majority of religious Jews who don’t have these kinds of problems.
I understand it. But I think it’s wrong and desperately needs to be fixed. Kol Yisroel Areivim Zeh LaZeh. Every Jew has a responsibilty towards every other Jew. That's EVERY JEW...not just most Jews! We ARE our brothers keepers. The community of those who have left the fold is too large and too precious to be treated this way. And it seems to be growing rather quickly.
When I asked about the reason this Talmid Chacham decided to give up on Judaism I was told the following story. He was a very poor man and could not provide for his family. When seeking advice for finding some way to make a living, he was told that perhaps he could try sweeping stairwells in apartment buildings! That broke him.
I don’t know to what extent this is true. I’m sure there were other issues. This may just be the proverbial ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’. But it speaks volumes about the lack of understanding in the Torah world about people with unique needs.
This is not the first Talmid Chacham to go OTD. To the best of my knowledge the first one ever recorded doing that was Elisha Ben Avuyah - the famed Acher. His Torah was permitted to be learned too. His teachings are quoted in the Mishnah. It is also known that the Tanna, R’ Meir was a disciple of his even after his apostacy - accepting the ‘good’ while rejecting the ‘bad’.
I am not in a position to analyze what went wrong with either the Talmid Chacham of Ramat Bet Shemesh or the Tanna, Elisha Ben Avuya. I will leave that for others wiser than I. But I would note that one of real problems facing Judaism today is the inability to understand people with special needs or questions of faith. They seem to be almost rejected by the Torah world. No one seems to be able to deal with their questions or their problems.
Instead they are marginalized or even ostracized. I am reminded of the young man from a Charedi background who had a guest post here a while back. He was sexually molested and ultimately went OTD. In a last desperate attempt to get his son to return to observance his father convinced him to see a Rav and tell him his story. But he was rebuffed by this Rav as having no Ne’emanus –no credibility - since he was no longer religious!
There is a poster who uses the name Elisha Ben Avuyah who commented recently on one of my posts. He commented quite frequently on another blog (now defunct) that dealt with questions of faith. His comment resonated with me. I thought that surely there would be many responses to what he said. But so far only one! In my mind that just reinforces his lament, which was written in response to my post wishing everyone a happy Sukkos. His comment follows:
I can't wait for the end of Simchas Torah. Rather than inspirational and spiritually uplifting, Jewish holidays are depressing to me and a waste of time. If I do get to spend time with my family, it's as a barely tolerated guest, not as a father or spouse.
Why bother going to shul? The walk home alone is depressing. My living situation pretty much precludes being able to make any kind of Shabbas or Yom Tov meals, and even if it didn't, who wants to sit down to a solitary meal? Listen to the zmiros reverberate off of the walls? Make a l'chaim to the shadows?
On Rosh Hashona it made much more sense to make money satisfying customers than to pray for parnossa. At the Yam Suf, God told Moshe that there is a time for prayer and a time for action and when people are willing to pay you it makes much more sense to take the money instead of praying and hoping it comes.
If I was a college student, particularly if I had wealthy parents, kiruv groups would eagerly find a host family for me. Since I'm not of means, though, I'm persona non grata and can go to hell as far as most frum Jews are concerned. I stopped asking my rabbi and others to please find me a place to eat on shabbas or yomtov - it was only making me resent them for their apparent lack of concern for my neshoma.If I could find some kind of role model that might be helpful, but apparently no religious Jews have ever struggled with faith and observance since none of the books about gedolim or tzadikim ever mention crises of faith or less than exemplary behavior that was changed.
I don’t know the identify of this poster. I also do not know what his personal circumstances are or how much at fault he is for his own situation. But I do know that the religious community is failing him as it did that Talmid Chacham in Ramat Bet Shemesh.
He seems to have been barely tolerated and nearly ignored by his religious leaders. He has issues of Emunah - and no one to talk too... no where to go.
There is something terribly wrong in a world that allows this kind of thing to happen - whether it is a major Talmid Chacham who despairs of earning a livelihood or an individual with serious questions of faith and virtually ignored. Both were ‘thrown the wolves’.
I think that the incident with Rav who told the young abused person that he had no credibility puts this issue in stark relief. There is no tolerance for people who are outside the bell curve of 'normalcy'. If someone is molested and goes OTD - or if a huge Talmid Chacham is told he should go clean the stairwells of apartment buildings - or an individual dares to ask a question dealing with matters of faith… he is seen as out of the mainstream and left to fend for himself. After all – the thinking goes – what is one suppose to do or say? Besides - the greater good is served by dealing with those inside the bell curve - the vast majority of religious Jews who don’t have these kinds of problems.
I understand it. But I think it’s wrong and desperately needs to be fixed. Kol Yisroel Areivim Zeh LaZeh. Every Jew has a responsibilty towards every other Jew. That's EVERY JEW...not just most Jews! We ARE our brothers keepers. The community of those who have left the fold is too large and too precious to be treated this way. And it seems to be growing rather quickly.
Friday, October 24, 2008
A Note to YCT
How many lines need to be crossed before Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (YCT) re-evaluates it philosophy of ‘Open Orthodoxy’. As I understand it this philosophy is a departure from the strict guidelines set up by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik who was a mentor of YCT founder Rabbi Avi Weiss. Rav Soloveitchik was strongly opposed to inter-denominational participation in matters theological or religious.
YCT apparently believes that the time has come to join together with these movements and fully dialogue with them on all matters. But can there be any better illustration of the folly of such a philosophy than what Rabbi Darren Kleinberg is doing in its name?
According to an article in Chosen Magazine, he participated in a conversion bais din with a Conservative woman rabbi and Conservative male rabbi. Chosen magazine states:
[The girl] was immersed in the mikvah at [Reform] Congregation Beth Israel in a traditional conversion ceremony. A beit din of three rabbis, Robin Damsky of Congregation Or Chadash of the Northeast Valley, where the [family] are members; Mark Bisman, of Har Zion Congregation and Darren Kleinberg of KiDMa-The Southwest Community, officiated.
This is beyond outrageous and in no way can it be considered a valid conversion. That an Orthodox rabbi participates in any way violates basic tenets of Judaism. It mocks the very definition of who is a Jew. And yet a supposedly Orthodox rabbi has not only given his imprimatur, he was a willing participant in it!
To its credit YCT has repudiated this event. I received a communication from Rabbi Naftali Helfgot of YCT that clearly stated so. The following is public statement by its founder; and its Rosh HaYeshiva:
Rabbi Darren Kleinberg was ordained as a rabbi by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, an Orthodox rabbinical school, in June 2004. Since then, he has been engaged in many positive endeavors as a rabbi on behalf of the Jewish people.
However, recently, Rabbi Kleinberg has participated on a non-halakhic beit din for conversion. This violates the standards and principals of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and YCT categorically rejects this action.
Rabbi Kleinberg's statements and actions should not be assumed to be representative of YCT's positions and principals.
Rabbi Avi Weiss Rabbi Dov Linzer Founder and President Rosh HaYeshiva and Dean
Well and good. Nonetheless it should seem obvious to all the slippery slope YCT is on.
I believe they have good intentions in seeking discourse with heterodox movements. I would think they believe their mission to be one of Arvus, the responsibility each Jew has toward his or her fellow Jew. They probably believe that influencing these movements in any way is worthwhile. By being more ‘open’ and tolerant we demonstrate our brotherhood as Jews.
They probably feel that by using this approach, it will get them a lot farther than the more rejectionist approach of right wing in Orthodoxy. That may be true. In fact I am a big supporter of tolerance.
I’m sure that the Rav was very tolerant too, as was his younger brother Rav Ahron. If I recall correctly, Rav Ahron even gave a weekly Shiur to Conservative Rabbis at Yeshivas Brisk.
But he was diametrically opposed to participating with them at any level. One has to know where to draw the line. The Rav gave us those lines. As did many other great rabbinic figures who were even stricter than the Rav. YCT seems to have chosen to ignore them. And the result can be seen here where one of their graduates seems to not draw any lines at all!
YCT must re-evaluate their policy of 'Open Orthodoxy'. I also call upon the rabbinic leadership at YCT to rescind their Semicha from Darren Kleinberg. He may have meant well but that does not allow him to violate Halacha. Esecially in a matters as serious as this. Such actions hurt all of us. There are lines that cannot be crossed - or excused. No amount of good he has done in other areas can compensate for what he did here. If he wants to continue along this path Darren Klienberg should not have the cover of any rabbinic ordination that calls itself Orthodox.
Allowing him to retain his ordination will taint all of YCT’s ordinations. If they want to have any chance at credibility within Orthodoxy, this is the least they need to do.
YCT apparently believes that the time has come to join together with these movements and fully dialogue with them on all matters. But can there be any better illustration of the folly of such a philosophy than what Rabbi Darren Kleinberg is doing in its name?
According to an article in Chosen Magazine, he participated in a conversion bais din with a Conservative woman rabbi and Conservative male rabbi. Chosen magazine states:
[The girl] was immersed in the mikvah at [Reform] Congregation Beth Israel in a traditional conversion ceremony. A beit din of three rabbis, Robin Damsky of Congregation Or Chadash of the Northeast Valley, where the [family] are members; Mark Bisman, of Har Zion Congregation and Darren Kleinberg of KiDMa-The Southwest Community, officiated.
This is beyond outrageous and in no way can it be considered a valid conversion. That an Orthodox rabbi participates in any way violates basic tenets of Judaism. It mocks the very definition of who is a Jew. And yet a supposedly Orthodox rabbi has not only given his imprimatur, he was a willing participant in it!
To its credit YCT has repudiated this event. I received a communication from Rabbi Naftali Helfgot of YCT that clearly stated so. The following is public statement by its founder; and its Rosh HaYeshiva:
Rabbi Darren Kleinberg was ordained as a rabbi by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, an Orthodox rabbinical school, in June 2004. Since then, he has been engaged in many positive endeavors as a rabbi on behalf of the Jewish people.
However, recently, Rabbi Kleinberg has participated on a non-halakhic beit din for conversion. This violates the standards and principals of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and YCT categorically rejects this action.
Rabbi Kleinberg's statements and actions should not be assumed to be representative of YCT's positions and principals.
Rabbi Avi Weiss Rabbi Dov Linzer Founder and President Rosh HaYeshiva and Dean
Well and good. Nonetheless it should seem obvious to all the slippery slope YCT is on.
I believe they have good intentions in seeking discourse with heterodox movements. I would think they believe their mission to be one of Arvus, the responsibility each Jew has toward his or her fellow Jew. They probably believe that influencing these movements in any way is worthwhile. By being more ‘open’ and tolerant we demonstrate our brotherhood as Jews.
They probably feel that by using this approach, it will get them a lot farther than the more rejectionist approach of right wing in Orthodoxy. That may be true. In fact I am a big supporter of tolerance.
I’m sure that the Rav was very tolerant too, as was his younger brother Rav Ahron. If I recall correctly, Rav Ahron even gave a weekly Shiur to Conservative Rabbis at Yeshivas Brisk.
But he was diametrically opposed to participating with them at any level. One has to know where to draw the line. The Rav gave us those lines. As did many other great rabbinic figures who were even stricter than the Rav. YCT seems to have chosen to ignore them. And the result can be seen here where one of their graduates seems to not draw any lines at all!
YCT must re-evaluate their policy of 'Open Orthodoxy'. I also call upon the rabbinic leadership at YCT to rescind their Semicha from Darren Kleinberg. He may have meant well but that does not allow him to violate Halacha. Esecially in a matters as serious as this. Such actions hurt all of us. There are lines that cannot be crossed - or excused. No amount of good he has done in other areas can compensate for what he did here. If he wants to continue along this path Darren Klienberg should not have the cover of any rabbinic ordination that calls itself Orthodox.
Allowing him to retain his ordination will taint all of YCT’s ordinations. If they want to have any chance at credibility within Orthodoxy, this is the least they need to do.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Back... in two Days!
Once again I enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere of Ramat Bet Shemesh A. I am about to embark on my return trip to Chicago and God willing - as promised - I will resume posting on Friday October 24th.
People here were as nice as ever. And everyone seems to get along. Charedim, Datim, Sefardim, Chasidm... everyone! A truly lovely community.
Just wanted to make note of that.
People here were as nice as ever. And everyone seems to get along. Charedim, Datim, Sefardim, Chasidm... everyone! A truly lovely community.
Just wanted to make note of that.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Happy Sukkos - 5769
Just a short note to wish everyone a wonderful Sukkos. We are enjoying ourselves immensely with out son, daughter in law, and our grandchildren here in Ramat Bet Shemesh. It is the same warm and welcoming experience from the mostly Charedi community where I am staying that I have always enjoyed when visiting here.
As I said when this trip began, my Internet access is very limited this year so I have not been able to post too much. I have a little window of opportunity here about an hour or so before Yom Tov begins and I want to use it to wish one and all a very happy Sukkos.
As I said when this trip began, my Internet access is very limited this year so I have not been able to post too much. I have a little window of opportunity here about an hour or so before Yom Tov begins and I want to use it to wish one and all a very happy Sukkos.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Protect our Children
The following petition was sent to me by Chaim Shapiro and I was asked to post it. Which I am happy to do. I am going to sign it and I urge anyone reading this to sign it as well.
I am not by nature prone to signing petitions of any kind. And - by nature - I am pretty skeptical person. But this issue is too important. And this petition is about as straight forward as possible. Please sign on at:
Aries2756@optonline.net
I present it now in full as it was sent to me.
A Yom Kippur Resolution to Protect our Children (If you would like to add your name to the petition, please email Sherree Belsky at Aries2756@optonline.net)
Mee Lahashem Aylai
Let’s make a Kiddush Hashem and stand up for our children!
On Yom Kippur we read the part in the Torah where incest is prohibited. It is the first time in history where a code of law condemned this practice officially. It is where we all first learned about the crime. We read it right before Neilla. While for many, and for many years it has been confusing as to why we read this horrible portion with all the examples of sexual depravity at the holiest time of the year, on THIS year, the explanation may seem readily apparent. In light of the recent horrific news about child abuse that have rocked our communities and as a partial fulfillment of our obligation for Teshuva on Yom Kippur we the undersigned resolve that:
We are committed to the undeniable right of children to live and learn in a safe, secure happy environment were people they are supposed to look up to and trust are not threatening their physical, emotional and mental health and well-being.
We denounce those individuals who act so immorally and dishonorably as “sinners” against the Torah and its moral values whether they are ill or evil and must be immediately removed from their innocent prey.
We will not stand blindly, silently or helplessly while child abuse happens in our communities.
We resolve to do everything in our power to speak up and confront abuse.
We will educate ourselves and protect our children.We will offer support and/or protection to victims/survivors of child abuse.
We will follow appropriate guidelines for reporting child abuse and molestation to legal authorities.We will support legislation to make our Yeshivos/schools safe for all students.
We will work to educate our community to prevent further abuse.
I am not by nature prone to signing petitions of any kind. And - by nature - I am pretty skeptical person. But this issue is too important. And this petition is about as straight forward as possible. Please sign on at:
Aries2756@optonline.net
I present it now in full as it was sent to me.
A Yom Kippur Resolution to Protect our Children (If you would like to add your name to the petition, please email Sherree Belsky at Aries2756@optonline.net)
Mee Lahashem Aylai
Let’s make a Kiddush Hashem and stand up for our children!
On Yom Kippur we read the part in the Torah where incest is prohibited. It is the first time in history where a code of law condemned this practice officially. It is where we all first learned about the crime. We read it right before Neilla. While for many, and for many years it has been confusing as to why we read this horrible portion with all the examples of sexual depravity at the holiest time of the year, on THIS year, the explanation may seem readily apparent. In light of the recent horrific news about child abuse that have rocked our communities and as a partial fulfillment of our obligation for Teshuva on Yom Kippur we the undersigned resolve that:
We are committed to the undeniable right of children to live and learn in a safe, secure happy environment were people they are supposed to look up to and trust are not threatening their physical, emotional and mental health and well-being.
We denounce those individuals who act so immorally and dishonorably as “sinners” against the Torah and its moral values whether they are ill or evil and must be immediately removed from their innocent prey.
We will not stand blindly, silently or helplessly while child abuse happens in our communities.
We resolve to do everything in our power to speak up and confront abuse.
We will educate ourselves and protect our children.We will offer support and/or protection to victims/survivors of child abuse.
We will follow appropriate guidelines for reporting child abuse and molestation to legal authorities.We will support legislation to make our Yeshivos/schools safe for all students.
We will work to educate our community to prevent further abuse.
Friday, October 10, 2008
A Heimishe Molester
I’m at a loss about this story. The very fact that there exists the term Heimishe molester (as he is being described by other Orthodox blogs) speaks volumes! Is it true? Who knows? Is it possible? Unfortunatly - very much so based on recent history with such people!
There has to be an end put to tolerance of the molesters in our midst. But despite the fact that much has been written on the subject by many good and decent people, precious little is being done.
I speak not about the average religious Jew - whether he is Charedi or Modern Orthodox. I speak about Jewish religious leadership. This seems to be one area where religious leadership is failing us big time.
This is not meant to leave any of us (and I include myself) off the hook. We need to do all we can. But in reality what that amounts to is putting pressure on our religious leadership to be more proactive in putting an end to this behavior once and for all.
It seems to me that the rabbinic leadership can do it, if they would only have the will. Here is one way they could have helped recently – and didn’t.
They should have publicly rebuked the Kannaim who undermined the good intentions of people like Dr. Benzion Twerski. He was ‘forced’ to resign from a commission set up by New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind to deal with molesters in the Torah world. If I were a rabbinic leader, I would not have allowed Rabbi Twerski to resign. I would have instead strongly rebuked all attempts to intimidate Dr. Twerski. I would, have further offered to serve on the commission myself. Why this was not done is a puzzle to me.
There is so much trouble going on in the world today. The stock market is crashing. People with large fortunes are becoming destitute. Many people with good jobs have been fired by companies affected by this terrible economy. And it seems like more people than ever are getting sick.
Maybe this is a message from God? Maybe He was trying to tell us something on Yom Kippur day when the stock market (Dow Jones industrial averges) dropped by over 600 points?
Rabbi Yakov Horowitz has stepped up once again and gone out an a very far limb. He deserves tremendous credit and support.
Here is an excerpt from Rabbi Horowitz’s website which I think speaks directly to those who would counter my call for action. It reflects my own views exactly:
If your children are married and out of your home, feel free to join those who blame these stories on “Anti-Semitic, goyishe newspapers,” and “Self-hating-Jews-who-love-to-bash-charedim.” Or, you can join those who would rather stay clueless and say things like, “Wow, did you hear that story? Please pass the salt.” You can also trust the ‘leaders’ who tell you not to worry about this since there are only an infinitesimal number of frum pedophiles. But if you are a parent still entrusted with the care of your children, please read the non-airbrushed story in the secular newspapers and be frightened. Very, very frightened.
There has to be an end put to tolerance of the molesters in our midst. But despite the fact that much has been written on the subject by many good and decent people, precious little is being done.
I speak not about the average religious Jew - whether he is Charedi or Modern Orthodox. I speak about Jewish religious leadership. This seems to be one area where religious leadership is failing us big time.
This is not meant to leave any of us (and I include myself) off the hook. We need to do all we can. But in reality what that amounts to is putting pressure on our religious leadership to be more proactive in putting an end to this behavior once and for all.
It seems to me that the rabbinic leadership can do it, if they would only have the will. Here is one way they could have helped recently – and didn’t.
They should have publicly rebuked the Kannaim who undermined the good intentions of people like Dr. Benzion Twerski. He was ‘forced’ to resign from a commission set up by New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind to deal with molesters in the Torah world. If I were a rabbinic leader, I would not have allowed Rabbi Twerski to resign. I would have instead strongly rebuked all attempts to intimidate Dr. Twerski. I would, have further offered to serve on the commission myself. Why this was not done is a puzzle to me.
There is so much trouble going on in the world today. The stock market is crashing. People with large fortunes are becoming destitute. Many people with good jobs have been fired by companies affected by this terrible economy. And it seems like more people than ever are getting sick.
Maybe this is a message from God? Maybe He was trying to tell us something on Yom Kippur day when the stock market (Dow Jones industrial averges) dropped by over 600 points?
Rabbi Yakov Horowitz has stepped up once again and gone out an a very far limb. He deserves tremendous credit and support.
Here is an excerpt from Rabbi Horowitz’s website which I think speaks directly to those who would counter my call for action. It reflects my own views exactly:
If your children are married and out of your home, feel free to join those who blame these stories on “Anti-Semitic, goyishe newspapers,” and “Self-hating-Jews-who-love-to-bash-charedim.” Or, you can join those who would rather stay clueless and say things like, “Wow, did you hear that story? Please pass the salt.” You can also trust the ‘leaders’ who tell you not to worry about this since there are only an infinitesimal number of frum pedophiles. But if you are a parent still entrusted with the care of your children, please read the non-airbrushed story in the secular newspapers and be frightened. Very, very frightened.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Sukkos in Israel
I’m off to Israel. This post will be pretty much my last one before I land. My Internet access there this year will at best be limited. So my posts - if there are any – will be erratic at best. I do hope to do at least some posting during this period.
The available days for posting will in any case be limited to just a few – many of them on Erev Yom Tov or Erev Shabbos. I will however try and post when I can. Please check and see.
I will, God willing, be back in Chicago late on Thursday the 23rd of October and return to my daily posting schedule the next day, Friday October 24th.
If I do not get the chance to post before Yom Kippur – My wish is for all of Klal Yisroel to have a G’mar Chasima Tova. May God bless and seal this year for a good and blessed one - of life, health, happiness, and prosperity.
The available days for posting will in any case be limited to just a few – many of them on Erev Yom Tov or Erev Shabbos. I will however try and post when I can. Please check and see.
I will, God willing, be back in Chicago late on Thursday the 23rd of October and return to my daily posting schedule the next day, Friday October 24th.
If I do not get the chance to post before Yom Kippur – My wish is for all of Klal Yisroel to have a G’mar Chasima Tova. May God bless and seal this year for a good and blessed one - of life, health, happiness, and prosperity.
The Battle for Jerusalem
Charedim versus Secular and Modern Orthodox Jews. That’s the scenario in Jerusalem. And that’s a pretty sad commentary on the state of Torah Judaism in Israel’s capital.
At issue is the election on November 11th of Jerusalem’s next mayor. The current mayor, Uri Lupoliansky, who is himself Charedi is very popular and would surely be re-elected. But he is not running for another term. Not because he doesn’t want to. But because he is honoring one of -what seems to be - the stupidest rules ever created by a political party in Israel.
United Torah Judaism is the political party of Charedim in Israel. But as small as that party is, it is a divided one. There are two factions. One is the Chasidic oriented Agudat Israel and the other factions is Lithuanian/Yeshivishe Degel HaTorah. Each has its own representatives.
In a power sharing agreement it was decided that the leader of each faction would share power and take turns in elected office. That means Lulpoliansky’s turn is over. He must now pass the baton to the leader of the other faction, Rabbi Meir Porush. This almost guarantees that the Charedi party will lose the mayoralty of Jerusalem to the secular candidate, Nir Birkat. He is being supported by both secular and Modern Orthodox Jews.
How did Lupoliansky get the support of so many modern Orthodox Jews as well as secular Jews? Why are Frum Jews not supporting the Frum Candidate?
Lupoliansky knew how to get along with everyone. He did not shove religion down everyone’s throat. And yet he did not give up on any of his religious principles. Perhaps most importantly, he was an effective mayor that ran the city well.
Rabbi Porush has no such reputation. In fact he has an opposite one. Here is an excerpt of an article from World Jewish Digest that illustrates that:
In one infamous incident in 1987, he(Rabbi Porush) entered a movie theatre on Shabbat and shouted "Shabbes, Shabbes!" Further, in an interview with the ultra-Orthodox newspaper Hamodia last year, he declared war on the Education Ministry for directives requiring that secular subjects be taught in ultra- Orthodox schools.
This is a man whose vision of Jerusalem is hardly one of tolerance. He has no interest in Modern Orthodoxy. And secular Jews are seen as the enemy! He wants to turn Jerusalem into one big Charedi town. His method? If past is prologue - see above. Jerusalem may very well turn into one big Meah Shearim.
Modern Orthodox Jews in Israel see this and are completely turned off. As a result they have teamed up with secular Jews in opposition to Rabbi Porush . And he will lose big time to the secular candidate Nir Birkat. And that’s too bad. Frankly I don’t blame any non Charedi for fearing Rabbi Porush. The last thing I would want to see is Jerusalem turning into one big Meah Shearim. Secular Jews along with Modern Orthodox Jews view Rabbi Porush this light. A Porush administration will surely attempt to return Jerusalem to the dark ages all in the name of Charedi values.
Just to be clear, modern Orthodox Jews are just as sincere in their Judaism as Charedi Jews. Both segments have people who their exemplars and their embarrassments. But the serious among them are equally committed to the Torah. No one for example wants to see open movie theaters in Jerusalem on Shabbos. The difference is in how that is achieved. It should not be the Porush method – one that can only result in the alienation of secular Jews to the point of no return. And when it comes to opposing secular education, we cannot allow the Jewish people to become the most ignorant people on the face of the earth in everything except Torah! Anyone who has made that a near life mission ought to be fully opposed.
It’s too bad Lupoliansky won’t or can’t run. The leadership of United Torah Judaism ought t reconsider that stupid power sharing rule. Because if Charedi leaders want to have a mayor that best represents their interests, he is the only chance they have.
At issue is the election on November 11th of Jerusalem’s next mayor. The current mayor, Uri Lupoliansky, who is himself Charedi is very popular and would surely be re-elected. But he is not running for another term. Not because he doesn’t want to. But because he is honoring one of -what seems to be - the stupidest rules ever created by a political party in Israel.
United Torah Judaism is the political party of Charedim in Israel. But as small as that party is, it is a divided one. There are two factions. One is the Chasidic oriented Agudat Israel and the other factions is Lithuanian/Yeshivishe Degel HaTorah. Each has its own representatives.
In a power sharing agreement it was decided that the leader of each faction would share power and take turns in elected office. That means Lulpoliansky’s turn is over. He must now pass the baton to the leader of the other faction, Rabbi Meir Porush. This almost guarantees that the Charedi party will lose the mayoralty of Jerusalem to the secular candidate, Nir Birkat. He is being supported by both secular and Modern Orthodox Jews.
How did Lupoliansky get the support of so many modern Orthodox Jews as well as secular Jews? Why are Frum Jews not supporting the Frum Candidate?
Lupoliansky knew how to get along with everyone. He did not shove religion down everyone’s throat. And yet he did not give up on any of his religious principles. Perhaps most importantly, he was an effective mayor that ran the city well.
Rabbi Porush has no such reputation. In fact he has an opposite one. Here is an excerpt of an article from World Jewish Digest that illustrates that:
In one infamous incident in 1987, he(Rabbi Porush) entered a movie theatre on Shabbat and shouted "Shabbes, Shabbes!" Further, in an interview with the ultra-Orthodox newspaper Hamodia last year, he declared war on the Education Ministry for directives requiring that secular subjects be taught in ultra- Orthodox schools.
This is a man whose vision of Jerusalem is hardly one of tolerance. He has no interest in Modern Orthodoxy. And secular Jews are seen as the enemy! He wants to turn Jerusalem into one big Charedi town. His method? If past is prologue - see above. Jerusalem may very well turn into one big Meah Shearim.
Modern Orthodox Jews in Israel see this and are completely turned off. As a result they have teamed up with secular Jews in opposition to Rabbi Porush . And he will lose big time to the secular candidate Nir Birkat. And that’s too bad. Frankly I don’t blame any non Charedi for fearing Rabbi Porush. The last thing I would want to see is Jerusalem turning into one big Meah Shearim. Secular Jews along with Modern Orthodox Jews view Rabbi Porush this light. A Porush administration will surely attempt to return Jerusalem to the dark ages all in the name of Charedi values.
Just to be clear, modern Orthodox Jews are just as sincere in their Judaism as Charedi Jews. Both segments have people who their exemplars and their embarrassments. But the serious among them are equally committed to the Torah. No one for example wants to see open movie theaters in Jerusalem on Shabbos. The difference is in how that is achieved. It should not be the Porush method – one that can only result in the alienation of secular Jews to the point of no return. And when it comes to opposing secular education, we cannot allow the Jewish people to become the most ignorant people on the face of the earth in everything except Torah! Anyone who has made that a near life mission ought to be fully opposed.
It’s too bad Lupoliansky won’t or can’t run. The leadership of United Torah Judaism ought t reconsider that stupid power sharing rule. Because if Charedi leaders want to have a mayor that best represents their interests, he is the only chance they have.
Friday, October 03, 2008
The Paul McCartney Concert
There is an issue being discussed on an e-mail list to which I belong about the recent Paul McCartney concert in Israel. For those who get all their news from the Yated, Paul MCartney is one of the original Beatles, a very successful rock group of the sixties.
Considering that all - even kosher separate seating - concerts in Israel have been banned, I might conclude that a secular concert would be a no brainer even for those who disagree with the ban. Especially during the ‘days of awe’ the Yomim Noraim - just before Rosh Hashanna.
But - it was disclosed by someone on that list that a young American Yeshiva student asked his Rosh Yeshiva for permission to go to that concert and he was permitted to go. It was further revealed that at the time of the concert there was a funeral taking place for a big Talmid Chacham, Rav Binyomin Zilber.
The question arose about the propriety of allowing this young man to do that. Wouldn’t it have been a far more appropriate choice to force this young student to attend an inspiring funeral of a huge Talmid Chacham instead of allowing him to attend a rock concert?! …during the Yamim Nora’im? Especially in light of the fact that this concert was not only outdoors, and mixed seating, it was completely secular! What about matters of Tznius? What about the frivolous atmosphere at a time when one should be thinking about Teshuva?
The Mechanech was severely criticized by some on this e-mail list for his decision allowing his student to go. But one should never judge the path of others via one’s own path.
Yes it is an educator’s responsibility to teach a student of Torah appropriate values. But one cannot always look at every situation in the ideal. One must look at the real as well. One must also consider context. And there is the aspect of Chanoch L’Naar Al I Darko to consider.
On an ideal plain, the funeral of a Talmid Chacham is on a far greater level than a rock concert by Paul McCartney. If for example one of the Kollel Yungeleit would opt to go to the concert instead of the funeral, that would be a travesty - assuming there are no extraneous issues impacting it such as being Mekarev an OTD child.
First let me state that in my view there is no intrinsic Issur in such music any more than any other music - despite efforts by some to cast virtually all secular music that way.
For an American student raised in an American culture and who has come to enjoy the Beatles music and appreciates their contribution to the field of popular music - which is enormous and in line with what Beethoven did for classical music and what Carlebach did for Jewish music – going to this concert and in effect witnessing a truly historic figure perform those great songs may in fact be a better choice than forcing him then to go to a funeral and thereby having resented the forced missed opportunity.
As for the atmosphere at the concert, Paul McCartney is quite harmless. In fact it likely attracted mostly older fans who are now in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. The manner of dress worn by attendees at the conceert will hardly be any different than what one sees in the street in Israel on any given summer’s day. It is a sight that most Americans are used to and will not be the focus of any of the attendees there anymore than a passerby on the street might be.
Paul McCartney is not a rapper, nor was his group, the Beatles a heavy metal band. This is a singer who has written some of the most beautiful music of his generation. Nothing even remotely raunchy or distasteful. In fact I know one huge Talmid Chacham- a Masmid - who sometimes hums Beatles tunes while he learns!
Yes, it was in the midst of the Yomim Noraim. And yes one can spend one’s time more productively at this time. But when one considers the age and the influences of a young person being satisfied by going to a relatively harmless concert versus the disappointment of being forced to attend a funeral instead… it’s a no brainer to me.
Maybe when he gets older this student will regret his ‘misspent youth’. But I doubt it - and what difference would it make anyway. In fact it will probably end up being a very pleasant memory for him.
I therefore think the Mechanech who gave him permission to go did exactly the right thing. Better to regret having gone later in life than to resent those refusing to allow him to go now.
Considering that all - even kosher separate seating - concerts in Israel have been banned, I might conclude that a secular concert would be a no brainer even for those who disagree with the ban. Especially during the ‘days of awe’ the Yomim Noraim - just before Rosh Hashanna.
But - it was disclosed by someone on that list that a young American Yeshiva student asked his Rosh Yeshiva for permission to go to that concert and he was permitted to go. It was further revealed that at the time of the concert there was a funeral taking place for a big Talmid Chacham, Rav Binyomin Zilber.
The question arose about the propriety of allowing this young man to do that. Wouldn’t it have been a far more appropriate choice to force this young student to attend an inspiring funeral of a huge Talmid Chacham instead of allowing him to attend a rock concert?! …during the Yamim Nora’im? Especially in light of the fact that this concert was not only outdoors, and mixed seating, it was completely secular! What about matters of Tznius? What about the frivolous atmosphere at a time when one should be thinking about Teshuva?
The Mechanech was severely criticized by some on this e-mail list for his decision allowing his student to go. But one should never judge the path of others via one’s own path.
Yes it is an educator’s responsibility to teach a student of Torah appropriate values. But one cannot always look at every situation in the ideal. One must look at the real as well. One must also consider context. And there is the aspect of Chanoch L’Naar Al I Darko to consider.
On an ideal plain, the funeral of a Talmid Chacham is on a far greater level than a rock concert by Paul McCartney. If for example one of the Kollel Yungeleit would opt to go to the concert instead of the funeral, that would be a travesty - assuming there are no extraneous issues impacting it such as being Mekarev an OTD child.
First let me state that in my view there is no intrinsic Issur in such music any more than any other music - despite efforts by some to cast virtually all secular music that way.
For an American student raised in an American culture and who has come to enjoy the Beatles music and appreciates their contribution to the field of popular music - which is enormous and in line with what Beethoven did for classical music and what Carlebach did for Jewish music – going to this concert and in effect witnessing a truly historic figure perform those great songs may in fact be a better choice than forcing him then to go to a funeral and thereby having resented the forced missed opportunity.
As for the atmosphere at the concert, Paul McCartney is quite harmless. In fact it likely attracted mostly older fans who are now in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. The manner of dress worn by attendees at the conceert will hardly be any different than what one sees in the street in Israel on any given summer’s day. It is a sight that most Americans are used to and will not be the focus of any of the attendees there anymore than a passerby on the street might be.
Paul McCartney is not a rapper, nor was his group, the Beatles a heavy metal band. This is a singer who has written some of the most beautiful music of his generation. Nothing even remotely raunchy or distasteful. In fact I know one huge Talmid Chacham- a Masmid - who sometimes hums Beatles tunes while he learns!
Yes, it was in the midst of the Yomim Noraim. And yes one can spend one’s time more productively at this time. But when one considers the age and the influences of a young person being satisfied by going to a relatively harmless concert versus the disappointment of being forced to attend a funeral instead… it’s a no brainer to me.
Maybe when he gets older this student will regret his ‘misspent youth’. But I doubt it - and what difference would it make anyway. In fact it will probably end up being a very pleasant memory for him.
I therefore think the Mechanech who gave him permission to go did exactly the right thing. Better to regret having gone later in life than to resent those refusing to allow him to go now.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Implementing Ethics - Agudah and the RCA
Both Agudah and the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) have recently come out with statements stemming from the Rubashkin controversy. I have resisted posting about this issue and have done so only sparingly. I prefer the issue be resolved in the courts whereupon I will then offer my final analyisis.
But my reluctance to post has not prevented others from commenting on the greater issue that the Rubashkin controversy has raised – that of ethical conduct in the workplace. The Conservative Movement was the very first (to the best of my knowledge) to deal with that issue – long before US immigration officials raided the Rubashkin owned Agriprocessors.
They created the Hekhsher Tzedek. They wanted to implement ethics as an added layer of Kashrus certification. That would help insure that the kind of ethical violations Agriprocessors was accused of would never happen again.
In an article by Rabbi Avi Shafran in the Jewish Observer - available at Cross-Currents - the Agudah has condemned this initiative in its entirety.
I took exception to Rabbi Shafran and wrote about it a while back. Everything I said there is still true. The gist of it was that one should not condemn a good idea just because of the source or the way they seek to implement it. As I said then, there is plenty to criticize the Conservative movement for. But this is not an instance of it.
Agudah has nonetheless recently made a public statement along these lines. Among other things they said:
The halachic tradition defines the term “kashrus” as relating to the ritual suitability of food. Jews insist on kosher food not because of ethical considerations, but because Hashem has commanded us to observe certain ritual dietary requirements. Terms like “kosher,” “kashrus” and “hechsher” are, as a result, rightly associated with those requirements – those requirements alone. The “Hekhsher Tzedek” blurs this fundamental distinction.
I prefer the approach taken recently by the RCA:
The Rabbinical Council of America announced on September 23 that it would create and publish a guide to Jewish ethics as applied to business in general, and the kosher food industry in particular, and would urge companies to commit to upholding those standards.
Whether Rubashkin is guilty or innocent, this episode has brought into sharp focus ethics in the workplace. And though many Orthodox Jewish owned companies have very high ethical standards it is obvious that there is room for improvement. It is long past due that the Orthodox community not let ethics be ignored or allowed to be the sole domain of individual company owners – any more than matters of actual Kashrus are. No matter how ethical any given individual company owner might be, not all company owners have the same standard of ethics.
It behooves Orthodoxy to insist on ethical standards for Jewish owned businesses that seek certification from Kashrus organizations. To that extent the RCA has taken up the challenge and now advocates tying ethics to Kashrus certification.
This it’s not the first time that Hechsherim- kosher certification - has been tied to other Halachos having nothing to do with the actual kosher status of the food. Bnei Brak rabbinic authorities do not allow fast food restaurants to provide seating for their customers.. Any fast food establishments that has customer seating - cannot get a Hechsher. The rabbinic authorities behind this certification policy feel that providing seating encourages these establishments to become hangouts for boys and girls. That results in inappropriate mingling of the sexes. One can certainly debate the need for such rules. But what it shows is precedent. Tying extra-Kosher conditions for Kosher certification is not an inappropriate or a new idea.
Ethical standards are no less important than matters of Tznius. Public violations of ethical standards is no less a Chilul HaShem than public violations of Tznius.
So instead of condemning the source of the HeksherTzedek as Agudah did, we should instead be taking a cue from it and insisting on our own ethical standards. And that is exactly what the RCA did.
Updated: 10/2/08 12:37 PM CDT
But my reluctance to post has not prevented others from commenting on the greater issue that the Rubashkin controversy has raised – that of ethical conduct in the workplace. The Conservative Movement was the very first (to the best of my knowledge) to deal with that issue – long before US immigration officials raided the Rubashkin owned Agriprocessors.
They created the Hekhsher Tzedek. They wanted to implement ethics as an added layer of Kashrus certification. That would help insure that the kind of ethical violations Agriprocessors was accused of would never happen again.
In an article by Rabbi Avi Shafran in the Jewish Observer - available at Cross-Currents - the Agudah has condemned this initiative in its entirety.
I took exception to Rabbi Shafran and wrote about it a while back. Everything I said there is still true. The gist of it was that one should not condemn a good idea just because of the source or the way they seek to implement it. As I said then, there is plenty to criticize the Conservative movement for. But this is not an instance of it.
Agudah has nonetheless recently made a public statement along these lines. Among other things they said:
The halachic tradition defines the term “kashrus” as relating to the ritual suitability of food. Jews insist on kosher food not because of ethical considerations, but because Hashem has commanded us to observe certain ritual dietary requirements. Terms like “kosher,” “kashrus” and “hechsher” are, as a result, rightly associated with those requirements – those requirements alone. The “Hekhsher Tzedek” blurs this fundamental distinction.
I prefer the approach taken recently by the RCA:
The Rabbinical Council of America announced on September 23 that it would create and publish a guide to Jewish ethics as applied to business in general, and the kosher food industry in particular, and would urge companies to commit to upholding those standards.
Whether Rubashkin is guilty or innocent, this episode has brought into sharp focus ethics in the workplace. And though many Orthodox Jewish owned companies have very high ethical standards it is obvious that there is room for improvement. It is long past due that the Orthodox community not let ethics be ignored or allowed to be the sole domain of individual company owners – any more than matters of actual Kashrus are. No matter how ethical any given individual company owner might be, not all company owners have the same standard of ethics.
It behooves Orthodoxy to insist on ethical standards for Jewish owned businesses that seek certification from Kashrus organizations. To that extent the RCA has taken up the challenge and now advocates tying ethics to Kashrus certification.
This it’s not the first time that Hechsherim- kosher certification - has been tied to other Halachos having nothing to do with the actual kosher status of the food. Bnei Brak rabbinic authorities do not allow fast food restaurants to provide seating for their customers.. Any fast food establishments that has customer seating - cannot get a Hechsher. The rabbinic authorities behind this certification policy feel that providing seating encourages these establishments to become hangouts for boys and girls. That results in inappropriate mingling of the sexes. One can certainly debate the need for such rules. But what it shows is precedent. Tying extra-Kosher conditions for Kosher certification is not an inappropriate or a new idea.
Ethical standards are no less important than matters of Tznius. Public violations of ethical standards is no less a Chilul HaShem than public violations of Tznius.
So instead of condemning the source of the HeksherTzedek as Agudah did, we should instead be taking a cue from it and insisting on our own ethical standards. And that is exactly what the RCA did.
Updated: 10/2/08 12:37 PM CDT
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