UTJ Viewpoints

Two cases were brought to my attention. A Hassidic rabbi who serves secular Israelis asks to use our beis medrash for Nusah Ari high holiday services. Since Nusah Ari is neither Ashkenazi or Sefardi, but a contrived ritual that claims to be the best by proclamation and not demonstration I determined that

• The ritual is a Reform in Jewish practice.
• Alternative rites are divisive.
• The secular laypeople attracted to this Hassidic rabbi do not care about this ritual.
• What is presented as a request or favor is really a public acknowledgment that Hassidism is really the most real Judaism, which because it ignores Jewish law, it is not.

We, Congregation B’nai Israel, offered free seats for this population and the Hassidic in our Ashkenazi congregation, which was not accepted. This rabbi belongs to a sect that makes claims and expects those claims to be accepted without question.

At a house of mourning this same Hassidic rabbi wanted to pray the afternoon service after dusk. This practice, although common among Hassidics, is a popular but nevertheless improper usage. I explained that:

• The time called “afternoon” in Jewish law ends at dusk.
• Afternoon prayers are appropriate only during the afternoon, from12:30, with the afternoon PM shadows, to dusk.
• Therefore the afternoon prayers may not be properly recited after the afternoon has past, because blessings are not recited when in doubt.

The Hassidic rabbi responded:

• Great Hassidic rabbis allowed the practice of late afternoon prayers.
• We do not question great rabbis, certainly if we are not great rabbis.
• The logic of little rabbis pales in authority against the charisma of great rabbis,
• Therefore the afternoon services will be recited; the opinions of great souls are not waived just because a Hassidic rabbi cannot and will not answer a complaint, because….
• –Complaints challenging the opinions of great rabbis is disrespectful of great rabbis and is unworthy of consideration
• –Customs of pious Jews cannot be questioned; sincere practices have divine protection.

We learn that…

• Hassidic Judaism uses traditional images but does not follow Halakhic practice,
• By conditioning polite but uninformed Jews to observe Hassidic rites, people are conditioned to believe that Hassidic Judaism is Orthodox Judaism.
• One does not address learned dissent, it is divisive.
• We encourage and, if need be, people to do Hassidic Judaism and creative facts on the ground.

Modern Orthodoxy’s response is:

• Respect for the personhood of all Jews.
• The Hassidisms of the Kotzker and Rav Tsaddoq are very valuable, as are the teachings of R. Nachman of Bratslav,
• But when elements of Hassidism argue that the words of their rebbe is by definition “Orthodox” and not subject to review, their claim to Orthodoxy is forfeit.
• Deference to reason but not to rabbis who do not advance positions.
• Being Hassidic alone does not make the opinion legitimate or valid.
• Any Hassidic claim that violates Jewish law is open to public scrutiny; failure to allow conversation implies the forfeiture of a right to speak and advocate a position in the community.

Briefly:
Let’s make a few general principles:

1. The problem with a too left wing solution is that you may throw away the baby with the bathwater:
2. The problem with a right winger solution is that you might wind up keeping both baby and bathwater!

Eizehu Mekomam is CENTRAL to Qorbanoth, nevertheless it is usually “davened up” with such haste that one is not really “yotzei limud Mishnah” at all. And thus it is somewhat understandable that many Left Wing Prayer books therefore simply omit it. Alternatively,many Right Wing Minyanim say it @ warp-drive speed!

How about a “Centrist Solution?”

Eizehu Meqoman has 8 mishnayoth. Instead of rushing through all 8 daily, say it once with care over the span of a week. In other words [IOW], say one mishnah ever weekday and double up and say two on Shabbat.

Now:

1. You have fulfilled your daily dose of mishnah.
2. You cover an essential core of Qorbanoth instead of benign neglect.
3. You need no longer rush.

Kol Tuv
RRW