ePub Between the Yeshiva World and Modern Orthodoxy: The Life and Works of Rabbi Jehiel Jacob Weinberg; 1884-1966 by Marc B. Shapiro in History

Review

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Great Book about Modern OrthodoxyBy Phineas P.Shapiro captures the life of Rabbi Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg and tries to be as fair as possible when he talks about him. The only thing missing is more concrete examples of certain themes in the book.1 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy Ed Kalksteina little boring7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. rivetingBy Michael LewynI went to a modern Orthodox shul when I lived in Washington; and I now go to a shul in Jacksonville that is somewhat more "yeshivish" (i.e. not Hasidic; but less liberal than my prior congregation) in orientation; this intellectual biography of R. Weinberg gives me a better idea of the intellectual roots of both wings of Orthodoxy. Both modern Orthodoxy and Yeshiva orthodoxy have their roots in 18th and 19th century Europe. In Germany; relatively modern thinkers such as Samson Raphael Hirsch and David Hoffman favored a synthesis of Orthodoxy and modern culture; embracing art and literature to the extent compatible with halacha. These ideological ancestors of modern Orthodoxy argued that Judaism could (in the author's words) be a "decisive spiritual force for humanity" and "provide answers to the problems of morality and social justice which confront modern society." By contrast; in Eastern Europe; rabbinic scholars based in yeshivot (educational institutions devoted to Torah study; comparable I suppose to rabbinic seminaries today) tended to favor isolating Jews from the secular world; and focusing purely on Torah study as opposed to secular learning. So now when I go to shul and hear a rabbi telling us to "love the world" or to be suspicious of the "nations of the world"; I hear the voices of rabbinic intellectuals who died a century or two ago.Some more specific things I learned:*The level of hostility between some yeshivot and Zionism. In the Slobodka yeshiva where Weinberg studied; forty students sought to form a Zionist group. The administration forced them to disband by not just threatening to expell them from the yeshiva; but also to revoke rabbinic ordinations of students who had already received them.*The troubled relationship between German Orthodox and East European Orthodox Jews. Early in the 20th century; German Jews tended to see East Europeans as primitives - partially for irrational reasons (East Europeans were poorer; and Germans viewed Yiddish; the common East European Jewish language; as a mere corruption of German) but partially for good reasons as well. East Europeans often left Jewish education outside the yeshivot to untrained lay teachers; while rabbis focused their attentions solely on the best and the brightest. And until after World War I; East European Jews commonly made no effort to educate girls; causing girls to gravitate towards secularism. But in the last years before Hitler; a countertrend emerged. Germany's loss of World War I and postwar turmoil made German culture seem less appealing; and the "Torah only focus" and mysticism of East European Jewry seemed more appealing to some German Orthodox Jews.*The intellectual origin of intra-Orthodox disputes about woman's issues; many of which were addressed in Weinberg's writings. For example; Weinberg argued in favor of bat mitzvahs; but other Orthodox decisors were more skeptical. The halachic issues were as follows: there is a halachic rule that Jews should not imitate gentile practices; or by implication the practices of non-Orthodox Jews. Medieval authorities are split over how broadly this rule should be interpreted; some favor a broad interpretation (which would bar bat mitzvah ceremonies; on the ground that such ceremonies were originated by non-Orthodox Jews). Others interpret this principle narrowly; arguing that gentile practices may be permitted if adopted for a good reason (a view favored by Weinberg). In addition; there is a policy dispute over whether bat mitzvah ceremonies in fact cement girls' ties to Judaism.Generally; the modern trend seems to be in favor of liberalization in this area; despite the oft-touted "move to the Right" among Orthodox Jews. My shul in Jacksonville has bat mitzvah ceremonies; and a woman's right to vote and hold office (which was opposed 80 years ago by such leading authorities as Abraham Kook and the Chofetz Chaim) is no longer controversial; except in certain narrow areas such as intra-synagogue governance.