Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site cbdkc1.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!bellcore!allegra!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!cbosgd!cbdkc1!ask From: ask@cbdkc1.UUCP (A.S. Kamlet) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: Controlling one's ([homo]sexual) urges and Halakha Message-ID: <973@cbdkc1.UUCP> Date: Fri, 24-May-85 19:09:57 EDT Article-I.D.: cbdkc1.973 Posted: Fri May 24 19:09:57 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 25-May-85 07:51:49 EDT Reply-To: ask@cbdkc1.UUCP (A.S. Kamlet) Followup-To: Message-ID: <273@unc.UUCP> Distribution: na Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus Lines: 72 > I thought this was the Conservative Jewish point of view. > Conservative Jews believe that the Talmud is merely Rabbinical wisdom > and tradition. While one usually respects the wisdom of the ages, > the Jewish community is free to re-interpret the Torah, and thus set > aside specific Talmudic prohibitions. > : > : > Frank Silbermann > From a Conservative Jewish point of view, the Talmud is the same law that Moses received from G-d on Mt. Sinai. (In fact, there is a story --a midrash??-- about Moses visiting a Talmud class being taught by Rabbi Akiva(??) and not understanding what was being taught. Then Rabbi Akiva said he was teaching the Torah that Moses received on Mt. Sinai, and Moses now understood! Conservative Jews believe that men must learn and understand the law. The Talmud is a part of that understanding. So is the Mishnah Torah, the Shulchan Aruch, and (AND here is a major difference between conservative and orthodox points of view--) even more responsa; even today, Conservative Jews continue to learn, understand and state the law. The Conservative Jewish scholars who are recognized as today's scholars form the Committee on Jewish Law of the Rabbinical Assembly. The Rabinnical Assembly is the organization of Conservative Jewish Rabbis, and is affiliated with the United Synagogue of America in New York City. At present, Rabbi Joel Roth is the head of the Committee on Jewish Law. When you hear that Conservative Judaism "allows women to read from the Torah" or other major difference between orthodox and conservative rules, you can be sure that the Committee on Jewish Law has issued a responsa on the issue. The responsa must be based on halacha, and is fully argued and documented. All responsa issued are in accordance with halacha!! I have already been flamed for saying this. But I am a Conservative Jew, and this is MY belief!! I'm don't think Orthodox Jews are wrong for their beliefs (or Reform Jews for theirs) and I get mad when another Jew (see below) tells me that I'm wrong to be a Conservative Jew; even madder than when a Christian tells me I'm wrong to be a Jew. Now, I believe that all responsa which have been issued are permissive, not required. In other words, a rabbi and his congregation may choose to follow the responsa, but is not obligated to do so. In fact, many conservative rabbis, and virtually all orthodox rabbis do not agree with at least some of the responsa, and do not follow them. That's perfectly ok. A question must be asked: Do any Jews today have the wisdom and the right to continue to understand and explain the law? (The same law that Moses received on Mt. Sinai!) If so, is the Committee on Jewish Law a body that can do so?? Conservative Judaism says yes to the first, and is not entirely unanimous on the second question. I suspect that Orthodox Jews would answer differently to both questions. Perhaps they would accept that one or two orthodox rabbis today have such wisdom, and only in limited cases. I apologize for putting words in the mouths of any orthodox folks. >> >> everyone could interpret the Law. There have been groups >> throughout history who have tried to usurp authoriry from the >> sages who received the oral Law via a chain leading back to Har >> Sinai. >> >> Today, some groups and individuals try to exploit the Talmud for >> this purpose. They argue (as Korach did) that the oral Torah is >> really a work of man, and they thereby license thmeselves to >> rationalize whatever they want via their so-called "halakha". A >> key difference between the legitimate rabbis and the fakers is >> this: The former are committed to subjugating themselves to G*d >> and to a rigorous discipline of jurisprudence, while the fakers >> prostitute themselves to "man-centered" interests and they twist >> the talmud mercilessly towards those ends. >> -- Art Kamlet AT&T Bell Laboratories Columbus {ihnp4 | cbosgd}!cbrma!ask