Declaration by Ultra-Orthodox Group Intensifies Debate Among Jews

Our sages in the Talmud--the oral law--advise that upon embarking on the study of a difficult theme in the Torah a humorous opening is useful. So here is my humorous story: A young rabbi full of energy and dedication occupied his first pulpit and delivered his first fiery sermons on such major teachings of Judaism as the Sabbath, dietary laws and Jewish family law. But he noticed a cool, if not hostile, reaction by his congregants. He shared his concern with the president of the congregation, who told him frankly that the coolness was due to the fact that many people did not observe the Sabbath, dietary and family laws. “So what should I speak about,” the young rabbi asked. “Speak about Judaism,” said the president.

There is more than just a grain of truth in this jest. For many Jews, Judaism is some kind of a vague, nostalgic link to the hoary past. But Judaism is a system of religious laws for daily living, teaching the above-mentioned three plus many other laws of integrity, humility and compassion, respect for truth, justice and for all human beings, Jews and non-Jews, for all were created in the image of God.

The above story leads into the issue before us, namely what is and what is not Judaism. And with God’s help, I present it here in the framework of the words of our sages that “the world stands on three pillars, on truth, law, and peace.” (Ethics of the Fathers)

The truth (as distinguished from the claims of the irresponsible or the uninformed) is that there is no disagreement--nor can there be--within Orthodox Rabbinate that: (a) a child born to a Jewish woman is a Jew forever no matter how far he or she has drifted from the practice of Judaism. (b) That there is only one Judaism, namely Orthodox or as some call it today Torah Judaism and that, therefore, Reform and Conservative is not Judaism at all and their spiritual leaders are not religiously qualified in any area of Jewish law such as marriage, divorce and conversions.

The truth is that the Reform and Conservative movements declare openly and officially that they are not bound by the eternal commandments of the written and oral law. They have demonstrated their rejection of the Halacha (laws of Judaism) through their patrilineal resolution that though the mother is not Jewish, but the father is, the child is a Jew. They also permit outright violations of the laws of Sabbath observance and numerous other laws in the realm of Jewish family law. So, we ask, by what right do they call their religion Judaism?

The truth on Jewish unity is that the non-Orthodox have no moral right to charge the Orthodox with causing Jewish disunity. For it is not the Orthodox but the opponents of Orthodox Judaism, namely the Reform and Conservative movements and their spiritual leaders, who broke away from the Torah community and its rabbis by organizing their own temples, clergy, seminaries, schools and their own religion outside the Torah laws.

The truth is that the Orthodox are attempting through their unbroken allegiance to the Torah laws given by God through Moses at Sinai more than 3,300 years ago, and through outreach programs, to heal that breach by the non-Orthodox, by inviting them to return to authentic Judaism as ruled by the written and oral law. The truth is that a major factor in the perilous growth of intermarriages in the U.S. is the teaching of our people by Reform and Conservative spiritual leaders that Torah laws may be altered and eliminated outright. If so, people conclude, the laws against intermarriage may also be disregarded. This explains why well over 90% of intermarriages come from the non-Orthodox.

Judaism is a religion of laws, not of men, not of how many Jews belong to this or that so-called branch or denomination in Judaism. Since there is only one Judaism, it cannot have branches or denominations. This is why pluralism in Judaism is contrary to the Torah and the whole spectrum of Orthodoxy has come out forcefully against pluralism. This also answers the question why the Union of Orthodox Rabbis (Agudat Harabonim) is reiterating now that while all Jews are Jews, Reform and Conservative is not Judaism at all. The relentless campaign in Israel to foist the pluralism plague upon Jewry, and the continued rise of intermarriage outside Israel, makes its stand and Halachic rulings urgent and imperative, to remind all that the laws of the Torah are eternal and not subject to anyone’s approval.

When Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik of Boston (of blessed memory) ruled that where there is no Orthodox synagogue within walking distance on the Sabbath and holiday, including Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipur, one should pray at home rather than in a non-Orthodox temple, he did so on long-standing laws. When Chief Rabbi Herzog O.B.M. of Israel stated that Reform was “not Judaism at all” and when the Lubavitcher Rebbe O.B.M. stated that the Conservative and Reform movements are “Heretical Movements which have plagued our people, having no basis in our everlasting Torah,” their stand is in accordance with Jewish religious law and well-known precept of the oral and written law. The same holds true with the stand of Reb. Moshe Feinstein, O.B.M. president of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis, till the day of his passing. He ruled that the performance of marriage, divorce or conversion by Conservative or Reform spiritual leaders is Halachically invalid.

Finally, peace (shalom). We fervently pray and hope that the non-Orthodox spiritual leaders and their followers will make peace with the Torah of the God of Israel by conceding their gravely erroneous ways and return to Torah Judaism.