From: cohen@quartz.ciw.edu (Ronald Cohen)
Subject: Re: Conservative vs. Orthodox Halacha (was Conversion Question)
Date: 13 Nov 92 02:43:05 GMT
Organization: Geophysical Laboratory, CIW

In article <1992Nov12.175344.16158@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> friedenb@birch.egr.msu.edu (Gedaliah Friedenberg) writes:
>
>In article <10Nov92.142628.21103@granite.ciw.edu> cohen@quartz.ciw.edu (Ronald Cohen) writes:
>
>>...
>>is not a sin to think such, as long as one follows Halacha.
>
>Who's halacha?  The C movement says that it is permissable under halacha 
>to drive to shul on Shabbos, and that *ALL* North American wine is 
>Kosher (teshuva of rabbi Israel Silverman of Canada).  

Certainly wine used for idolatry is not a major problem these
days.  Many Conservative Jews do make special efforts to buy and
drink only kosher wine, and almost all would only use Kosher wine
for kiddush.  But I again think if this is a major issue with one
than there is something wrong with one's priorities.

The question is whether halacha can change, and even the orthodox
agree that it can.  So what's the problem?  The problem is that
there are differences in opinion, and C does not accept O's
authority, and O does not accept C's.  But certainly O's opinion
is no more sacred than C's.  The important thing is not to agree
(until Elijah comes) but to learn to live together as fellow Jews
(or Elijah will not come), and to respect those fundamental things
such as conversions, marriage, and divorce when done according to
the halacha, regardless of the affiliation of the rabbi(s)
performing the service.

The driving to shul decision was not so straightforward as the
problem of wine.  It first of all requires individual permission
from one's rabbi.  Most rabbi's have spoken with are against
the decision and would never grant permission.  It also has other
restrictions.  I think the driving problem is important, but that
the wrong decision was made which lead to greater fragmentation of
the Jewish community.  However, I do currently drive to synagogue
on shabbat, but have my house is on the market so we can move
within walking distance to a synagogue.  Our Conservative rabbi is
constantly preaching for people to buy homes within walking
distance of the synagogue.  It may be a sin for me to drive to
synagogue on shabbat, and soon, G-d willing, I will no longer have
to wrestle with this problem.

>Let's face it, the only minyanim that hold to C halacha is at JTS.
>Individual synagogues have "Ritual Comittees" of laymen making
>halachic decisions.
>

Never heard of it.  It may happen, but never heard of it.

>Rabbi Joel Roth (halachic authority for C movement) advocates women 
>making chiuv before they are given "equal" rights in C shuls.  Therefore
>women would have to take upon themselves the same obligations that men are
>born into:  davening 3x/day with t'fillin and tallis, shomer shabbos and
>yom tov, keeping kosher, etc...
>
>This, of course, will never be adopted by the C movement, because it
>is more concerned with halacha than the ever sliding ruler which 
>measures "equality".

Incorrect again, at least in my experience.  Women are expected to
follow the halacha.  Again, at our synagogue the girls wear
tefillin and learn the halacha like the boys.  I don't get the
"shomer shabbos, yom tov, keeping kosher..."  Those halacha are
binding regardless of whether women can davin or not.  The problem
is this--if you let men read torah, etc. that are not observant in
every way, how can you discriminate again women for this reason.
Ideally all would follow the halacha.  I would hold that women
should still be allowed exemption from time-related commandments,
but take it on themselves to do the most possible.  Of course,
others would claim that child-rearing etc. is not exclusively a
woman's domain anymore, so that there should not be any difference
in treatment with respect to time-related halacha.  Speaking from
my own experience, even with a relatively modern and sharing
marriage, my wife tends to be in urgent demand by my kids more
often than I am.

>
>I left the C movement because I saw that they seem to have lost sight 
>of what it was that they were trying to "conserve."  I wonder what A.J.
>Heschel and Solomon Shechter would think of driving to shul on Shabbos 
>to hear a woman rabbi and make kiddush over Blue Nun Wine? 

I never saw ANYONE make kiddush over Blue Nun.  I have heard women
rabbis and have learned Torah from them, and I never felt a loss.
Is learning Torah from a woman a sin?  As far as driving on
shabbat goes, I think Heschel and Shecter would understand the
tensions of modern society, but work towards the rebuilding of
traditional Jewish communities where driving was not necessary.

Paraphrasing Heschel (Understanding Halacha, in Conservative
Judaism and Jewish Law, Ed.  S.  Siegel, 1977, p.  140):  There
are two ideas concerning Jewish law which are inimical to its
survival.  The first is the assumption that you observe all or
nothing.  The second is that every iota of the law was revealed to
Moses at Sinai.  Of the Torah it is said "The measure thereof is
longer than the earth and broader than the sea."  Could Moses have
learned it all in forty days?  No, he learned the principles.
(Exodus Rabba)
-- 
Ronald Cohen
Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington
5251 Broad Branch Rd., N.W.,  Washington, D.C. 20015
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish