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Jan 4, 2011
My Way (On Conversions) Or The Highway
I have just about completely stayed out of commenting on the big fight raging in the country about who controls the conversions, and whether or not to allow the army rabbinate to convert soldiers who will be recognized with official status. I stayed away from it because I don't get it - the halacha of geirus in Shulchan Aruch is far more meikil in every aspect than what the rabbonim advocate, so i don't get the basis for the seriousness of the argument. I have been told that today it is far more common for people to try to become Jewish with ulterior motives than it used to be and therefore they must be more machmir, but still - what is in Shulchan Aruch is in.
I still am not going to comment on the geirus fight, but on a side issue. Rav Amar has been convening a committee to analyze the situation and come to decisions to form an opinion as to whether or not to give the army rabbinate the authority to convert.
Rav Amar, with the guidance and approval of Rav Ovadiah Yosef, has been working to find a way to set guidelines by which the army rabbinate can convert those soldiers who wish to convert, while ensuring that such conversions would be acceptable and halacha and would not later be overturned retroactively.
In response, those who oppose allowing the army rabbinate to convert soldiers have started slinging mud. Instead of debating the issues and working to set guidelines, perhaps trying to get Rav Amar to accept stricter guidelines than he would have otherwise (I am not saying he would be too meikil, but form their perspectibe that is what they are worried about), instead of dealing with the issue, they have resorted to name calling. They have pasted pashkevilim and are planning protests including protesting outside the homes of the rabbinic members of the committee. The pashkevilim are pretty nasty basically sayign that they are allowing conversions of people who do not accept the Torah at all, and based on the opinion of Rav Kanievsky such conversions are not allowed they then call those performing and allowing them (read: Rav Amar) "Apikorsim".
I get that they don't agree. In halacha we always have differences of opinion and machlokes. In Shulchan Aruch it is so, and down to regular differences of opinions between different rabbis paskening the same question. It is fine to debate the issue and not agree. At least keep the argument to the issues, rather than resorting to name calling in the rudest way of people who are great talmidei chachomim.
Why can't they just debate the issues, and work to find solutions and common ground, on the basis of mutual respect? Why is it always my way or the highway?
I still am not going to comment on the geirus fight, but on a side issue. Rav Amar has been convening a committee to analyze the situation and come to decisions to form an opinion as to whether or not to give the army rabbinate the authority to convert.
Rav Amar, with the guidance and approval of Rav Ovadiah Yosef, has been working to find a way to set guidelines by which the army rabbinate can convert those soldiers who wish to convert, while ensuring that such conversions would be acceptable and halacha and would not later be overturned retroactively.
In response, those who oppose allowing the army rabbinate to convert soldiers have started slinging mud. Instead of debating the issues and working to set guidelines, perhaps trying to get Rav Amar to accept stricter guidelines than he would have otherwise (I am not saying he would be too meikil, but form their perspectibe that is what they are worried about), instead of dealing with the issue, they have resorted to name calling. They have pasted pashkevilim and are planning protests including protesting outside the homes of the rabbinic members of the committee. The pashkevilim are pretty nasty basically sayign that they are allowing conversions of people who do not accept the Torah at all, and based on the opinion of Rav Kanievsky such conversions are not allowed they then call those performing and allowing them (read: Rav Amar) "Apikorsim".
I get that they don't agree. In halacha we always have differences of opinion and machlokes. In Shulchan Aruch it is so, and down to regular differences of opinions between different rabbis paskening the same question. It is fine to debate the issue and not agree. At least keep the argument to the issues, rather than resorting to name calling in the rudest way of people who are great talmidei chachomim.
Why can't they just debate the issues, and work to find solutions and common ground, on the basis of mutual respect? Why is it always my way or the highway?
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Because it's about power and control, not about the issues.
ReplyDeleteYou still read pashvilim? Pashvilim and announcement trucks are automatically ignored and discounted by me.
They have not only lost any authority they might have had, I believe they have become an AVERA to be avoided.
Because if everything pasted up is true, then I've lost any respect for authority of the gedolim. And if it's not true, then they're lying about the words of the gedolim!
In either case they only bring one to sin!
Rafi,
ReplyDeleteI hope that your display of naivite is just "tongue in cheek".
As someone who is a product of the Yeshiva world, davens in BTYA and lives in RBS none of this should be so surprising.
Bitul, mudslinging, etc. is the way of a segment of our society.
This type of behavior has been going on for centuries. I believe, actually, from a story about 2 peple of similar names, that this is a reason why we remain in galus.
You and I both daven in a shul whose rav has banned Lema'an Achai?
Why?
Because a member of their board disagrees with his position on reporting child abuse. In addition I was witness to the rav's public degrading of this board member of Lema'an Achai in shul.
If one can ban and mudsling against tzedaka and chesed (for no good reason) certainly mudslinging against "makilim in halacha" is justified by the parties who oppose the conversions.
To add on to what was posted before...
ReplyDeleteI'm reminded of what I heard from R. Rakeffet a few times. Prof. Saul Lieberman was asked if there there are jokes in the Gemara. He answered, certainly. When asked to elaborate he answered אמר רבי אלעזר אמר רבי חנינא: תלמידי חכמים מרבים שלום בעולם...Take it for what it's worth :-).
Another annecdote. The cleaning woman once went into the sanctuary on the night before services. At the podium, she saw the Pastor's speech, and on it were written various notes. On one point there was lots of red ink in big letters that said: Weak Point, Yell Like Hell.
In the end, I believe that truth is as Hashem presented Himself to Eliyahu HaNavi on Har Sinai. It's not in the big maelstrom, with the loud voices, etc. It's the קול דממה דקה, the soft silent voice.
Same point made here http://www.rationalistjudaism.com/2011/01/rabbi-shlomo-miller-endorses-rabbi.html
ReplyDeleteWhy not makes a valid point.
ReplyDeleteRabbi Malinowitz is supposed to be a moderate and open minded individual.
Look at his childish backlash just because someone feels differently about reporting child abuse.
If that's his reaction (which is tolerated by the community) imagine how justified are those who protest the conversion issue which has real basis in halacha.