tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9267923.post5947895035379907983..comments2024-01-04T19:35:00.635-08:00Comments on ThanBook: More on R' Lookstein and BHOthanbohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06197564008203120013noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9267923.post-6577052313284776312009-02-03T07:20:00.000-08:002009-02-03T07:20:00.000-08:00As has been stated elsewhere, it was ironic that t...As has been stated elsewhere, it was ironic that this happened right after the passing of Rabbi David B. Hollander z"l.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9267923.post-58317689990785156252009-01-29T16:05:00.000-08:002009-01-29T16:05:00.000-08:00That's all well and good from the "outside" perspe...That's all well and good from the "outside" perspective but within the Orthodox community, there is still a dichotomy - either you're observant or you're not. Conservatism is failing in numbers and influence while rapidly morphin into a ritual-heavy version of Reform. Reform has little to no authentic Jewishness left to it other than meaningless slogans like "tikun olam" whose real meanings they ignore anyway.<BR/>For the Orthodox, it's not about being relevant or irrelevant, but about being right. For an Orthodox rabbi to stand on that podium means he's just another Jewish rep, and Judaism is just another religion in America. It defies the Torah concept of uniqueness amongst the nations that comes with proper observance of halachah. Is the whole world against that? Have we ever cared before?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9267923.post-17561073823467307332009-01-29T15:41:00.000-08:002009-01-29T15:41:00.000-08:00legitimacyThat battle was lost long ago. C/R are ...<I>legitimacy</I><BR/><BR/>That battle was lost long ago. C/R are the dominant streams in America. If anything, RHL reinforced the idea that O is still relevant, not completely rejectionist, on the American scene.thanbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06197564008203120013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9267923.post-7597376879173631872009-01-29T14:46:00.000-08:002009-01-29T14:46:00.000-08:00> all we small-time bloggers and commenters nip...> all we small-time bloggers and commenters nipping at his heels mean nothing.<BR/><BR/>Well speaking as the quintissential small-time blogger, I still have issues with this. For one particular reason: what was Rav Lookstein's main motivation to be there? To perform a kiddush HaShem? We would all like to think so but from various articles on the subject I seemed to have gleaned the following:<BR/><BR/>1) He had to go because the Conservatives and Reformers were sending representativies and Orthodox had to be represented.<BR/>2) All the halachic support around his attendance seems to lean towards that: I had to do it, he seems to be saying, but good news! There's ample proper support for what I did.<BR/><BR/>And that may be the case, but a standing ovation aside (well what did you think would happen, it's his shul for crying out loud!) I have a different concern:<BR/><BR/>Some guy in the crowd looks out and saying "Well, isn't that nice. All three 'streams' of Judaism are here today." Whether he wants to or not RHL has just conferred religious legitimacy on non-religious rabbis and lowered Orthodoxy's standing to just one amongst many. And that troubles me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com