Friday, March 25, 2005

R' Leff on Slifkin

R' Leff on Slifkin
I am amazed and very disturbed by what he says. He agrees that everything that R' Slifkin wrote is Torah and based on the opinions of Rishonim and Acharonim. And yet, he says that since many Rishinim argue and the consensus opinion seems to be like them, it is (and I quote) "presenting the other side is misleading". This is absolutely incredible. R' Slifkin writes in his books that this is 1 approach and that there are other approaches, he doesn't hide thiis fact. And yet, according to R' Leff to present the views of Rishonim is misleading!!! He goes on to say that for many people (I understand the this to mean the Charedi population) this approach is inappropriate and should not be taught. Again, I can't believe my ears. This is Torah!!!! The Rambam said this. Are we now supposed to stop learning minority opinions??? If Chazal had taken this attitude in shas there would be no Beis Shammai in the Mishna. Chazal comment that בית שמאי במקום בית הלל אינו משנה and yet Beis Shammai is mentioned in the Mishna and the Gemara. Chazal did not censor minority opinions, you find all through Shas opinions that now would be considered to be against halacha.

I am very worried about the future if this is what is going on. What happened to intellectual honesty? What about knowing all of Torah?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I just listened to Leff and is he ever unimpressive. So embarassing to hear him shill for the "gedolim". His monotone practically screams, "I don't believe a word I'm saying, but if you're stupid enough to ask me questions, and stupid enough to listen to what I have to say, and stupid enough to actually follow the "gdolim" after they intellectually mugged a fellow rabbi, be my guest!"
Slifkin presented the "wrong" side (Rambam, Ramban, Rabbi Hirsch, Dessler, et al.). What a disgrace. Leff is a joke. A couple of questions under cross-examination and I'd have him hanging out to dry. That's a talmid chacham? An "odom gadol"? Stop listening to him and you wouldn't be so upset.

We used to have a great religion, which valued the mind, intellect, reason, spirited debate. No more. Right-wing orthodox Judaism is an absolute farce intellectually. It won't debate a paper bag for fear of hearing a hashkafah it (chas v'shalom!)disagrees with. Is it not too late to join the Karaites?