This week, we read the Torah
portion of Shoftim, judges. We learn
about the central role of the contemporary rabbinic personality, the judge in
each time, who is the authoritative voice on all difficult questions. (See Devarim, Chapter 17, verses 8-11 and
Rashi’s commentary there.)
Now, as a rabbi, this all
sounds great. At the same time, there
are a number of troubling examples where today’s rabbis and judges are not handling
things properly.
Let’s take conversion. A few weeks ago, a group of respected modern,
religious Zionist rabbis launched “Giyur
Kehalacha,” a conversion court outside the auspices of the Israeli Chief
Rabbinate to address the issue of Israelis from the former Soviet Union who are
not halakhically Jewish. There are
hundreds of thousands of such cases, and this is a major issue that will only
grow more serious over time. There have
been various attempts to deal with these conversions within the existing
system, yet all have failed due to politics.
Finally, these rabbis (including my good friend and colleague, Rabbi
Seth Farber of ITIM) acted. They deserve the gratitude and
encouragement of the entire community!
Instead, what was the reaction? Condemnation. The Chief Rabbis of Israel called those
involved haters of Torah and Reform rabbis wearing kippahs. (Why that is thrown out as an insult is wrong
on all sorts of levels!) It got so bad
that the police
needed to be called in after several of the rabbis were threatened.
There are legitimate differences
of opinion in Jewish law. There are some
controversial issues out there that have received attention in the Jewish world
recently. (More on those another
time). But here we have respected religious
leaders being called Torah haters by Chief Rabbis for doing just what the Torah
expects of the “judges in each time:”
They are addressing a complex religious issue using Jewish law. (Let’s leave aside that ultra-Orthodox rabbis
have had conversion courts separate from the Chief Rabbinate for years, and no
one says boo.) This one is no-brainer!
It is time for a respectful,
responsive religious approach to the issues of the day. Let’s look to the sources and, if need be,
respectfully disagree. That is how to
address the challenges of today. I am
glad some rabbis have started moving in this direction, and I am proud to support
them. I hope that, please God, we will
see more and more of such efforts in the future.
