“Historically, ideological matters were kept separate from halakhah”
Historically, ideological matters were kept separate from halakhah. The various rabbinic organizations in Europe...
Tag Archives: Marc B. Shapiro
“…there is no such concept [of “falling in love”] in the haredi world”
…there is no such concept in the haredi world (and...
Passages Claimed to Be in the Zohar, But Not There
In my article, I referred to passages in the Zohar which traditional authorities had...
“There are women who are learned and it is only fitting that they too have a title”
…I still don’t see the objection to female clergy. I am not talking about...
“…there is a big difference between the Amish and the hasidic communities”
…there is a big difference between the Amish and the hasidic communities. The Amish...
“…degrading one’s ideological opponents despite their great Torah knowledge…stands at the root of all the terrible disputes in the haredi world”
A basic feature of “official” haredism, especially in Israel, is the attitude that even...
“…we can now better appreciate why certain rabbis have attempted to find solutions within Jewish law to the contemporary agunah problem”
I have been told that the Beth Din of America operates on the principle...
“…I don’t think that the reasons offered by medieval authorities operating in a completely different environment can determine what modern women will regard as “deal-breakers” when it comes to marriage”
Since people’s psychology has changed over the centuries, I don’t think that the reasons...
“…if the criticisms of Rabbi Gordimer and others were offered on a basis of friendship and common purpose, …”
I have no difficulty if someone wants to criticize, even sharply, Open Orthodox writers,...
“Nothing should scandalize us more than a so-called religious person keeping his wife captive as a means of revenge”
In matters of divorce, my feeling is that when either husband or wife wants...