Jewish: March 2008 Archives

March 14, 2008

As one might expect most of my outlook on Judaism has been influenced by my father. Also nearly as obvious is that my father's outlook has been extensively influenced by his own teacher Hakham Jose (Yosef) Faur. I have just been informed of a new website for Hakham Faur which includes several articles available for download. Though not not fully comprehensive there are some excellent ones up there, including Anti-Maimonidean Demons (PDF) in which I happen to be footnoted.

The discerning reader will notice differences between Haham Faur's, my father's, and my own writings (aside from the drastic dropoff in scholarship and sophistication as found on this blog). What was transmitted to me at least was more of a system of thought which could then be applied elsewhere, but will differ based on individual experiences.

Enjoy!



March 12, 2008

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Mishlei 16:18)

The Jewish Week reports the "breaking news" that R. Hershel Schachter has once again made irresponsible and controversial statements. From a YouTube clip taken at Yeshiva Hakotel R. Schachter was to have said:

First you have to know what the army is going to do. If the army is going to destroy Gush Katif, there's no mitzvah to destroy Eretz Yisrael...If the army is going to give away Yerushalyim [Jerusalem], then I would tell everyone to resign from the army - I'd tell them to shoot the Rosh Hamemshalah [Prime Minister]," which prompted laughter from his audience...No one should go to the army if they [the army] are doing aveirus [sins]...We're talking if the army is seeing to it that the country is secure, if they're doing the right thing. I'm not sure if the army is doing the right thing...we have to look into that.

This is not the first time R. Schachter has made controversial or irresponsible statements, but rather one in a pattern of such remarks which leads us to the question of the viability of his Rabbinic leadership.





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