Comments on: Rabbi Pruzansky, Orthopraxy, and Rabbahs http://www.jewlicious.com/2010/03/rabbi-pruzansky-orthopraxy-and-rabbahs/ It's a Jewish Blog! Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:17:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David http://www.jewlicious.com/2010/03/rabbi-pruzansky-orthopraxy-and-rabbahs/#comment-1474290 David Sun, 21 Mar 2010 09:20:21 +0000 http://www.jewlicious.com/?p=13450#comment-1474290 While I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments that rabbis should not lose sight of the spirit of the law in the face of their zeal for halachic legalism, it's interesting to note that generally this critique is asserted by non-orthodox rabbis who attack orthodoxy for be caught up in the minutia of the halacha. Now, when left-wing orthodox groups insist on an adherence to halacha in their support of female spiritual leaders, it is davka those elements within orthodoxy who generally recoil at non-halachic, watered-down considerations are now clinging to the amporphous "spirit of the law," which in haredi practice is synonymous with "Da'as Torah." While I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments that rabbis should not lose sight of the spirit of the law in the face of their zeal for halachic legalism, it’s interesting to note that generally this critique is asserted by non-orthodox rabbis who attack orthodoxy for be caught up in the minutia of the halacha. Now, when left-wing orthodox groups insist on an adherence to halacha in their support of female spiritual leaders, it is davka those elements within orthodoxy who generally recoil at non-halachic, watered-down considerations are now clinging to the amporphous “spirit of the law,” which in haredi practice is synonymous with “Da’as Torah.”

]]> By: Rafi Hecht http://www.jewlicious.com/2010/03/rabbi-pruzansky-orthopraxy-and-rabbahs/#comment-1473407 Rafi Hecht Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:54:32 +0000 http://www.jewlicious.com/?p=13450#comment-1473407 I don't think that that's what Rabbi Steven Pruzansky was trying to get across. It's that many Rabbis today have turned into nothing more than Judaic lawyers, always trying to find loopholes. Keep in mind that things also have to be kept "in the spirit" as well. I for one, on Erev Yom Kippur, wouldn't attend a Jets game even though I technically could for the very reason that I consider Erev Yom Kippur a time to reflect on the past year and what I could do better the next year, should Hashem grant me the Mazal to live next year. Anything less would cheapen the experience. I don’t think that that’s what Rabbi Steven Pruzansky was trying to get across. It’s that many Rabbis today have turned into nothing more than Judaic lawyers, always trying to find loopholes. Keep in mind that things also have to be kept “in the spirit” as well.

I for one, on Erev Yom Kippur, wouldn’t attend a Jets game even though I technically could for the very reason that I consider Erev Yom Kippur a time to reflect on the past year and what I could do better the next year, should Hashem grant me the Mazal to live next year. Anything less would cheapen the experience.

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