Ethical Orthodoxy: A Manifesto
When people ask me to describe my religious worldview, I respond that I believe in “Ethical Orthodoxy.”
Although no labels are perfect, “Orthodoxy” describes the commitment to both standard practice and belief within traditional Judaism. A term like “Shomer Torah Umitzvos” would work similarly, but “Orthodox” is the best the English language can do (with some help from Greek).
The term “Ethical” describes and constrains, to some degree, the category of “Orthodoxy.” It means that the sort of Orthodoxy I am committed to is one that sees the indelible importance of ethics.
Prof. David Weiss-Halivni, leading European-born Talmudist and rabbi, passed away today at the age of 94.
Born in 1927, he grew up in Sighet, Romania and was known at a young age as an Illuy, a Talmudic genius, receiving ordination at age 15. He was sent to Auschwitz at 16 and survived the horrors of the Holocaust, making his way to America at 18,
where he first learned at Yeshiva Chaim Berlin under Rav Hutner and was educated at Brooklyn College and NYU, and then received a PhD in Talmud at JTS under the tutelage of Prof. Saul Lieberman. He taught Talmud at JTS until 1983 and then at Columbia until 2005.
I just had the most amazing experience giving Shiur Kelali at Yeshivat Drisha on the topic of Rodef and Ba BaMachteret. This culminates their last few months learning the eighth Perek of Sanhedrin. (Now on to Zabl"a!)
The level of learning, as exemplified by the back and forth with Talmidot, is at an extremely high level. It was a true Zechut to share Torah with this unparalleled institution and to see it up close.
The Jewish People is very lucky to have such a Yeshiva, where women can strive to learn Torah and grow in their Avodat Hashem, under the tutelage of faculty of the first rank.
What's the relationship between ritual sacrifice and atonement?
The Hebrew Bible, and especially the opening chapters of Leviticus, present the two as deeply connected.
How does it all work?
So first of all, we should note that there are two distinct approaches throughout the Hebrew Bible on sacrifice and atonement.
Leviticus chapters 4 and 5 present the primary way of an individual attaining atonement as coming through sacrifices (Hattat and Asham offerings).
And Lev. chapter 16 discusses the Day of Atonement (Yom HaKippurim) offerings, brought by the High Priest & atoning for Israel's sins more broadly.
We might see these (and related) texts as constituting a ritual atonement discourse, focusing on sacrificial means of atonement.
Where do you start reading the Megillah from - the beginning? Where Mordechai is first introduced? Or where Haman is first introduced?
It’s a Machlokes (mMeg 2:3):
מהיכן קורא אדם את המגילה ויוצא בה ידי חובתו?
רבי מאיר אומר: כולה.
רבי יהודה אומר: מ"איש יהודי".
רבי יוסי אומר: מ"אחר הדברים האלה".
This isn’t just a technical debate, but a presentation of three different ways of reading the Megillah:
1. Start at the Beginning - The Megillah is the story of a failed political system, where powerhungry opportunists can easily hack the decadent political order and direct it to their own (dangerous) ends.
If you'd told me 10 years ago–even 10 days ago–that a major Charedi mag would feature on its cover a Dati Leumi Rabbi (!) who convicted in the court of public opinion a leading Charedi figure (!) after a Gadol said not to engage in such 'Lashon Hara'(!), I'd never believe you.
It's a testament to the changing tides on the Charedi street. Parents now realize the dangers for their kids and are unwilling to put up with the status quo. @Ami_Magazine has its finger on the pulse and knows this is the message that is needed.