…communities need joy to survive, and Modern Orthodoxy cannot be built on constant moral self-denial. It is true that as subjects of Halakhah, our foremost duty is to find ways to obey even when our opinions are not followed. But as creators of Halakhah, we must work to make sure that every halakhically committed voice is genuinely heard. As stewards of Torah who seek to make halakhah a live option for every Jew, we must understand and acknowledge that obedience can be difficult for reasons other than self-interest, and make every effort to let the voices of our religiously passionate rebels find authentic expression in the practice of our community.
Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, “So Long” vs “Thanks for All the Fish”: A New Reading of Sefer Yonah and Its Implications for Modern Orthodoxy”, Text & Texture (26 September 2009) [http://text.rcarabbis.org/so-long-vs-thanks-for-all-the-fish-a-new-reading-of-sefer-yonah-and-its-implications-for-modern-orthodoxy/]