[NGFP-BookClub] goodbye session 2; hellow session three

[michael Rosenak]

Dear Friends: Few but very rich responses to Session Two have come in, giving us all food for thought. Dr. Halberstam seems to have agitated people; I must admit I only learned of his existence from a panel in Shema, and took him on board for the provocative nature of his remarks. I think Annette describes him well; he seems to be a representative of a modern (Kantian) approach to modern Orthodoxy, most priminantly espoused by the late Professor Isaiah Leibowitz. Leibowitz formulates an outspoken response to those, who think that freedom means lack of authority and we already heard from a few of these who see a contradiction between human authority and "commandments as freedom". Leibowitz would say that "authority is the name of the game" but the question is, which authoritative traditiion to trust, to "go with", since one is free to DECIDE. A wonderful example of this issue of authority, is the talmudic story of a gentile accosting the sage, Hillel, and telling him that he is ready to convert and to accept the Written Torah but not the Oral one for he feels that a human conversation cannot be a revelation! See Shabbat 31a, andthe discussion in my book, Roads to the Palace (1995), Chapter 11 (where the text is erronously said to be found on 25a).  Since our course is about Judaism in the midst of modernity, we now see that this Halberstam-Leibowitz approach is one modern way to maintain loyalty to the tradition, though not the only way. Some in our group would reject this "you have to decide" approach because it makes absolute values dependent on human choice. And some choices are so obviously unacceptable (e.g., fanaticism, ideals that foster hatred, etc.). How can revelation and the commandments be trusted to deliver us from moral insensibility? Others would say that perhaps, that it was always God's intention that people accept out of choice, and that the Torah must be interpreted in line with ethical principles that are intrinsic to Torah itself and, in a sense, precede it.  A fascinating subject.
Annette and Luka seem to share a desire to have the tradition live and maintain its unique vitality by virtue of being somewhat more relaxed, looking at the ways one can, even as an individual, blend modern consciousness and commitment to tradition (Luka). Annette suggests we look at both the pluralism and the vitality that exist in the Jewish world and build on them. She cautions against being overly "principled" which will separate Jews from one another and will weaken Judaism. Interesting point. But, in a sense, the (principled) Orthodox are a kind of insurance policy in her mind. Later today I will suggest ways of moving into Session Three. Please make sure to read my introductory session. Have a good week,. Michael Rosenak


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