Chazal say that one does not fully understand his Rebbi until 40 years have passed. I had a pseudo-experience of that recently. Read on!!!:-)
40 years ago I had a teacher who was [and still is] the wife of a well known rabbi. She was a good teacher, easy going and of modest dress and demeanor. She didn't cover her hair but that didn't seem odd b/c back in the 1970's almost no women in the MO community covered their hair [at least not where I lived]. The one woman I knew who covered her hair was a cousin in Bnei Brak [she still does, BTW...].
Yesterday I read an article by my former teacher's husband. It turns out that he IS a rabbi but not the type of rabbi I thought. He is a Reform rabbi:-)!! He says, among other "chiddushim" that we don't have to listen to Chazal. They lived in a certain era and what they say might no longer apply. Thus, there is no longer an obligation for women to cover her hair. שער באשה is no longer ערוה. In addition, one may listen to a woman sing. קול באשה ערוה no longer applies either:-)!! I don't know how many more laws no longer apply in Mr. Reform Rabbi's narrative [although something tells me that he is not makpid on chalav yisroel and yoshon...] but I DO KNOW that if I ever find myself in his vicinity, I will not drink wine that he has poured as יינו יין נסך כדין אפיקורוס. I will however be polite and inquire as to the welfare of his lovely children [whom I knew]. It is one thing not to keep halacha b/c one is lazy or b/c it is inconvenient etc. [the more common MO approach - sometimes and not always, of course. There are many fine, fully Halachically observant MO Jews who are far better than I. And there are others for whom all of Halacha is "minhag" where you can opt in or out.] and yet another to deny the binding nature of Jewish law. And yet another to have a website and write articles promulgating his beliefs [almost everything he writes is subversive and anti-tradition].
After 40 years I finally get closure on my teacher's hair and her husband's heresy:-).
PS - Fortunately, he no longer has a pulpit. His successor is much better [it seems. He is very famous and popular]. However, I did see with my own eyes at a shiva as he put out his hand and grabbed the hands of the women sitting shiva and warmly held them for an extended period of time as he said a prayer. I wasn't the only one surprised at this behavior. I saw the look of shock on one of the woman's faces. Like - aren't you a rabbi??
