In loving memory of David B. Schwartz, Dov Ber ben
Tzvi Zev z”l,
on his Yahrzeit, 29 Tammuz
Sponsored by his sister, Judy Schwartz Floam
In Parshat Masei, Bamidbar 33:53 we are commanded: “Drive
out the inhabitants of the land and settle in it because I have given this land
to you to possess.”
According to the Ramban (Nachmanides) we learn from this
verse that settling the
613 commandments from the Torah.
Nechama Leibowitz points out that “there can be no complete
observance, in all spheres of life of the mitzvoth of the Torah outside of the
its entirety except in a society wholly governed by its precepts and not in an
alien framework ruled by other ideals. There are personal religious obligations
that can be observed anywhere…but the Torah as a whole implies a complete
social order, a judiciary, national, economic and political life. That can only
be achieved in the
it.”
In an ideal world, this would bring about a Kiddush HaShem
(sanctification of God’s name). However, today there is an abuse in power in
instead of the ideal there is also corruption which ends up causing a Chilul
HaShem (desecration of God’s name).
Many of the religious problems in
today have to do with the Chief Rabbinate being stricter than necessary in the
areas of conversion, marriage, divorce, funerals, Kashrut and the
In Jewish law there is a range of varying opinions which can
all be valid. It doesn’t make sense that only a few opinions are accepted and
everyone else is shut out.
In fact, that is one reason why we have both a Sepahrdic and
an Ashkenasic Chief Rabbi.
has a lot to learn from the Diaspora where members choose their own community
rabbi who presides over the conversions, weddings, divorces, funerals etc.
An individual who is converting, getting married or divorced
will not be comfortable going through this process with a rabbi that they have
no connection to.
There are a wide variety of points of view in the laws of
keeping kosher, some stricter and some more lenient. There is no reason that
every restaurant has to conform to more rigid and more expensive standards than
Jewish law requires.
There are also different viewpoints on the issue Jews ascending
the
respected without the Chief Rabbinate choosing sides.
The good news is that many Jewish leaders who are originally
from North America are bringing American values to
Rabbi Seth Farber of Itim is helping sincere converts handle
the bureaucracy of dealing with the Chief Rabbinate and the Ministry of
Interior.
Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz started an independent kosher
certification called Hashgacha Pratit (pivate supervision) with his own set of
mashgichot that certify that the food is Kosher.
Tzohar Rabbis help make brides and grooms who are not
necessarily observant feel comfortable having a religious wedding service.
Rabbi Yehuda Glick has been active in trying to ensure that
Jews can observe Jewish law while visiting the
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin trains toanot (female rabbinic
advocates) to represent women who are going through a divorce in the rabbinic
courts.
The list can go on and on…
What we learn from here is that it is no use to sit around complaining
about the Chief Rabbinate. Those who want to make a change must come and settle
the
