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| Christian students in YU's masters program looking into a Chumash (JTA) |
Lest anyone think YU has crossed some line about teaching Torah to non Jews, they could not be more wrong. First because this was done with the approval of YU’s Roshei Yeshiva/Poskim. But more importantly the common belief that non Jews may not be taught Torah is widely misunderstood. There have been many different interpretations of that Halacha throughout Jewish history.
Suffice it to say that there is a good number of Halachic opinions that have a very limited interpretation of that Halacha. Having mostly to do with the fear that they will use that knowledge against us. But the opinion of one of the most revered Rishonim in Jewish history, the Rambam, is that the law does not apply to Christians who believe in the divinity of the Torah. At best they will come to believe in the Jewish interpretation and at worse cause no harm.
I think it is with that in mind that YU decided to offer this program. And I could not agree more. This is an obvious next step forward in the relationship between Christians and Jews. One that my friend, the late Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein (A YU Musmach) was very active in promoting through the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the organization he founded in 1983 and led until his untimely death a few years ago.
His mission was to promote understanding and cooperation between Jews and Christians. He saw an opening and to his great credit, he grabbed it. But not without suffering the slings and arrows of many Orthodox rabbis. He was practically thrown out of Orthodoxy for daring to do this. Much of that criticism was based on the strictest interpretation of the above mentioned Halacha - and fears that it would indeed be used against us. Not an unreasonable fear considering the long history of Christian antisemitism and persecution of the Jewish people.
But that ignored many post Holocaust events that were designed to end that. Not the least of which was Vatican II that redefined how the Catholic Church views the Jewish people. They now consider Judaism a brother religion.
Recent history has proven Rabbi Eckstein right. His early efforts bore fruit. We now find massive Evangelical support for the Jewish people, unequivocal support for the State of Israel which includes the belief in our biblical right to all of it. Including Judea and Sumeria (the West Bank). Politics aside - this is something all observant Jews believe. Christian support comes with unprecedented financial support from their mainstream membership.
(One might be interested to know that Rabbi Yitzchok Adlersetin, a Musmach of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim - was involved in similar capacity in his role as the director of Interfaith Affairs for the Simon Wiesenthal Center. I’m sure that included the blessing of his own Poskim .I doubt he suffered anywhere near the rejection that Rabbi Eckstein had. if any at all. But I digress.)
Rabbi Eckstein was way ahead of his time. And now 40 years later the Yeshiva that ordained him is doing virtually the same thing for the same reasons. With the imprimatur of YU’s Poskim - which I’m sure must include Rav Hershel Schachter who is widely respected by many mainstream rabbis on the right.
This is yet more evidence to my contention that mainstream Evangelical Christians are indeed friends of the Jewish people. And they they are not doing it for any ulterior motives - like trying to convert us – as has been the charge of many who are certain that that is the only reason they would embrace us.
While there are some Evangelical preachers that have this as their real goal, this is not what the vast majority of them are trying to do. This does not of course mean that if one of us God forbid wanted to convert that they wouldn’t accept us. Of course they would. Why wouldn’t they want us to become ‘true believers’ like them and reap the same rewards their religion preaches one will get for that.
But that is not the goal for most of them - as was so often stated by Rabbi Eckstein. No one was in a better position to know this then he was. He was as close to many prominent Evangelical preachers as could be. He knew their minds. He know their motives. Which in most cases was to fulfil the the dictum of the Torah stated more than once - that God blesses those who bless the Jewish people. They truly believe that.
I don’t know how many times CUFI founder, Rev John Hagee has explained that as his motive and preached that to his massive and supportive flock. One may not agree with his politics. One may even find his past references about Christian ‘End times prophesy’ that preaches bitter consequences to Jews if we do not convert. Why would he not believe that? Does that shock anyone? But that is clearly not the motive for his massive and consistent long time support of Israel and the Jewish people.
A lot of Jews are nonetheless still very cynical about that explanation insisting that their embrace of us is all about eventual conversion. But Rabbi Eckstein knew better. As does Rabbi Adlerstein. I’m glad to see that YU and its Roshei Yeshiva are now on board with this too.
As the Rambam said: Christians, who believe in the divinity of the Torah, will at best come to believe in the Jewish interpretation and at worse cause no harm. I agree with that sentiment. And although not YU’s intent, who knows… some of these Christian students may actually convert and become observant Jews. And that ain’t bad.
