Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Interdenominational Panel/ Terms Of Endearment

I saw a panel consisting of an "Orthodox" Rabbi, Conservative "Rabbi" and Reform "Rabbi-tzin". There was soooo much mutual respect and even love. At one point the Reform rabbi-lady said to the Orthodox guy "that is why I love you [so much]". I am thinking - "Does this woman's husband know that she is in love with another guy? Does the Orthodox guy's wife know of this secret crush [which is no longer a secret馃槼馃槼]???"  [Reminds me of the time I was at the cashier in a West Side supermarket and she - a descendent of Cham - called me "Sweetheart". I am thinking - "I don't think we know each other long enough to speak with such terms of endearment". Or maybe she felt connected to me because we are both descended from slaves. Or maybe it was my good looks? Who knows!!! 馃ぃ馃ぃ]  

The Conservative and Reform rabbis seemed sooooooooooooo flattered that the Orthodox guy joined their panel. The Orthodox guy didn't seem flattered. Makes sense. There is nothing that Conservative and Reform rabbis want more than being granted LEGITIMACY from the Orthodox. They know that Torah observant Jews consider their whole religion bogus and a distortion of 3,300 years of a hallowed tradition. What they take seriously, the Orthodox regard as a very bad joke. Now they have it!!! A real bona fide Ortho-rabbi speaks to them with great respect and acceptance, never for a moment implying that he considers their religion a sham [probably because he doesn't]. 

The Rambam writes [Tshuva 3-6]: 

讜ְ讗ֵ诇ּ讜ּ 讛ֵ谉 砖ֶׁ讗ֵ讬谉 诇ָ讛ֶ谉 讞ֵ诇ֶ拽 诇ָ注讜ֹ诇ָ诐 讛ַ讘ָּ讗 讗ֶ诇ָּ讗 谞ִ讻ְ专ָ转ִ讬诐 讜ְ讗讜ֹ讘ְ讚ִ讬谉 讜ְ谞ִ讚ּ讜ֹ谞ִ讬谉 注ַ诇 讙ֹּ讚ֶ诇 专ִ砖ְׁ注ָ诐 讜ְ讞ַ讟ָּ讗转ָ诐 诇ְ注讜ֹ诇ָ诐 讜ּ诇ְ注讜ֹ诇ְ诪ֵ讬 注讜ֹ诇ָ诪ִ讬诐. 讛ַ诪ִּ讬谞ִ讬诐. 讜ְ讛ָ讗ֶ驻ִּ讬拽讜ֹ专讜ֹ住ִ讬谉. 讜ְ讛ַ讻ּ讜ֹ驻ְ专ִ讬诐 讘ַּ转ּ讜ֹ专ָ讛. 讜ְ讛ַ讻ּ讜ֹ驻ְ专ִ讬诐 讘ִּ转ְ讞ִ讬ַּ转 讛ַ诪ֵּ转ִ讬诐 讜ּ讘ְ讘ִ讬讗ַ转 讛ַ讙ּ讜ֹ讗ֵ诇. 讛ַ诪ּ讜ֹ专ְ讚ִ讬诐. 讜ּ诪ַ讞ֲ讟ִ讬讗ֵ讬 讛ָ专ַ讘ִּ讬诐. 讜ְ讻讜'. 


The following individuals do not have a portion in the world to come. Rather, their [souls] are cut off and they are judged for their great wickedness and sins, forever: The Minim, the Epicursim, those who deny the Torah, those who deny the resurrection of the dead and the coming of the [Messianic] redeemer, those who rebel [against God], those who cause the many to sin etc. 

So these "rabbis" are out on numerous counts. The average Conservative and Reform Jew - we will give them the benefit of the doubt and call them 转讬谞讜拽讜转 砖谞砖讘讜. But the clergy should really know better. Or maybe - no. They, too, are like 转讬谞讜拽讜转 砖谞砖讘讜 b/c they were raised to deny Torah Min Hashomayim, Tchiyas Hameisim, Moshiach etc. Maybe. Thankfully, I don't decide. But it is clear that nobody with an ounce of Yiras Shomayim should be out there giving them legitimacy and presenting Torah observance as only one legitimate option of many, 专讞"诇. As if we haven't been sacrificing our lives for thousands of years to preserve our tradition and these "rabbis" lives aren't dedicated to the spread of it dissolution. 

So Rabbi -----, I hope you do Tshuva. And I have decided NOT to give the ten million dollar donation to your shul that I had been considering. Sorry. You stepped over the line. Liberal-Shmiberal. You went toooooo far this time.