I really think that this is מוציא שם רע big time so I will respectfully protest ["make a מחאה"].
Rav Soloveitchik's shiurim were not like a lecture of a college professor. Even the shiurim published in שיעורים לזכר אבי מרי that were characterized as being academic in nature [b/c first he presents the conclusions and only then explains how he arrived at those conclusions] are not. He presents a slew of questions and then presents the mehalech to answer all the questions. So I don't know what he is talking about.
[BTW - There are plenty of Teshuva seform that first tell you the psak and then explain. And so what if they do? Why is that less "frum"??]
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There is a great spiritual benefit in having the college under the same roof as the yeshiva [which is his main beef w/ RYBS]. Instead of yeshiva boys sitting in college with girls and goyim [and girls who are goyos 😳], they instead sit with other religious boys.
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He forgot to mention to "terrible" consequence of place like YU - religious boys are given the tools to make an honest living and support their families and the needy in the greater Jewish community [including the many impoverished people in Lakewood].
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Sitting with his legs crossed in one [!!!] picture, having a goatee and not wearing black clothing - There are bigger "aveiros".
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Rabbi Norman Lamm was not from LA. I know that b/c he lived across the street from me and I have never been to LA. He was probably confusing him for his brother Maurice who was a rabbi in Beverly Hills.
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If Rav Elchonon Wasserman and Aharon Kotler wouldn't go into YU then either would Eliyahu HaNavi [for a Bris].
Yes - but as he himself pointed out, Rav Shimon Shkop taught there, Rav Baruch Ber gave a shiur there and many other Gedolim entered the building. So I don't know why Eliyahu HaNavi would necessarily pasken like Rav Elchonon and Rav Aharon against the many other Gedolim.
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His last point about the Board Of Rabbis: A person of RYBS's stature is allowed to have his own opinion. He is not meshubad to others. There have been חכמי ישראל who went against the consensus and were proven right [e.g. the Rambam, Baal Shem Tov etc.]. He didn't give a reason? I don't think he owes us a reason. Even if he didn't publicize his rationale, he obviously had one but didn't want to make it public, which was his prerogative. Emunas Chachomim includes believing that Chachomim know what they are doing and have a strong Torah basis even if they don't reveal their reasons to us.
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The whole speech started with a premise - RYBS is treif. The avodah was to marshal every possible proof in that direction.
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I am not a YU apologist. I never studied there and am well aware of the problems. וד"ל...... But I don't appreciate when people only denigrate the institution w/o appreciating the מעלות.
