I am always glad to see that reasonable approaches to reconciling
Torah and science - like those of Rabbi Slifkin - are increasingly being re-accepted
by mainstream rabbis of stature. Especially since in the case of Lord Sacks - he
had his new book on the subject vetted by the London Beth Din. Which as R’ Gil
points out means that we can “deduce that the London Beth Din feels this book
does not rise to the level of deserving condemnation.”
But that has not removed
the problem created by the ban of these views by the right. They have clearly
stated that anything other than a view than that the universe is 5773
years old is Apikursus. And to believe that Chazal only
knew and utilized the best science of their era is Apikursus as well.
The only acceptable view on this issue is
that anything which is included in the Talmud – whether it is Halacha or
science is Emes… if there are current knowledge of science contradicts those
views, we either don’t understand Chazal or we do not fully understand the science.
Many people would just say, “Who cares what the right wing
says about these things?!”
Sorry, wrong answer.
We cannot ignore the right wing just because we disagree
with them. They are far too big and far too important. They are probably
largest segment of Orthodoxy and are certainly the fastest growing. They are
clearly the wave of the future – at least in moderate form.
In the world of the right, when a Gadol of Rav Elyashiv sets
policy, it is considered near blasphemy to contradict or disregard it. Rav
Elyashiv famously declared the views espoused by Rabbi Slifkin - and now Lord
Sacks and Rav Ariel to be Apikursus. Until the day he died he never backed down
form that. (Although interestingly he never declared Rabbi Slifkin himself to be
an Apikores since the views he espoused were in fact espoused by Rishonim. One
cannot declare someone an Apikores because he believes in the views of Rishonim
even if those views are no longer accepted.)
It was Ner Israel Rosh HaYeshiva, Rabbi Aharon Feldman, originally
a backer of Rabbi Slifkin’s views who explained why he now rejected them; explaining why we are no longer permitted to believe in those views. In essence he said it
is because Rav Elyashiv said so. And we cannot disagree with the Psak of the
Gadol HaDor in these matters.
Interestingly he must have been quite incredulous about initial
reports about Rav Elyashiv’s rejection of views which up to that point he held to
be legitimate. Upon hearing about it, he immediately flew to Israel to find out first hand if it was true. And came
back saying that indeed it was.
The right wing view on this subject is therefore are unbreakable.
In numerous statements over the years since this controversy began, various
members of the Agudah Moetzes and other rabbinic leaders were adamant in
support for the views of a man who they saw as the Gadol HaDor. And in the
process Rabbi Slifkin was - and still is being hammered by them.
Since that time, many respected rabbis have come out of
support of Rabbi Slifkin’s views, Lord Sacks and Rav Areil only being the
latest. But unless there is some sort of rethinking on this issue by the right
(which I don’t see happening) - this a Pyrrhic victory at best. Nothing has
changed. These views will continue to be seen as Apikursus by the largest and
fasted growing segment of Orthodox Jewry. That is extremely sad and could lead to an
even greater spit in Orthodoxy than we have even now.
If I were a member of
the right wing rabbinic leadership, I would take very serious note of this and
try and do something about it. And that ‘something’ cannot be trying to change
the views of those who believe as Rabbis Ariel, Sacks, and Slifkin do. That
will not work and I think they probably know it. If these rabbinic leaders don’t
rethink their attitude in this regard - the resultant split will be beyond
tragic.
