by Rabbi Alan J Yuter
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are that of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Union for Traditional Judaism, unless otherwise indicated.
In his post on Jewish Values Online, Rabbi Alan J. Yuter analyses Rabbi Sh’lomo Aviner’s Orthodox Judaism, including Rabbi Aviner’s suggestion that the Notre Dame fire may have been divine retribution for the 1242 burning of Jewish writings as well as Rabbi Aviner’s objection to women serving in the military and participating in politics in Israel. Rabbi Yuter also addresses Rabbi Aviner’s opposition to wearing tkhelet and Rabbi Aviner’s standards of modesty for women’s clothing.
mAvot 1:11 advises Sages to be careful in choosing their words. This unverifiable theory, that the Notre Dame Church fire might be the Divine vengeance for the 1242 Talmud burning, [a] tells us nothing about “official” Jewish theology, [b] tells us a great deal about how R. Aviner constructs his spiritual world, [c] and he formulates an ideological narrative of a radical Jewish “otherness” that shapes the way in which he understands Torah and reads history, apparently without regard for how his words might impact anti-Semitic attitudes. …
R. Aviner adopts and advances the Haredi narrative that [a] claims that the Torah texts are too deep and esoteric to be understood and applied by anyone other than Gedolei Torah, or great Torah sages, [b] since these Great Sages are believed to be divinely inspired, their rulings may not be subject to review, and [c] challenging these rabbis’ divinely inspired opinions is the moral equivalent of defying God. The Great Rabbis have determined that women’s military service is immodest. But according to bSota 44b, in a defensive war in the land of Israel, i.e. a war of survival for the population and polity of the Jewish state, the Oral Torah requires that both bride and groom be drafted into the IDF. …
R. Aviner also understands Psalms 45:14, “the entire dignity is the King’s daughter is in her interiority” to express of a presumed meta-Halakhjic norm, that dainty Jewish daughters dutifully do what they are told and make no claim to positions of authority in public Jewish life. This descriptive passage is [mis]taken to empower select post-Talmudic rabbis to restrict all women’s public activity, rights, and privileges. However, bKetubbot 58b reports that a woman is entitled to declare to her husband, “I waive my claim to financial support and will not service your personal needs.” In other words, Jewish gender roles are habits of culture, and not Torah law. …
While communities do have a right to knowingly and willingly adopt hyper strict standards in order to address local conditions, it is improper to present one’s private proclivities about the other gender’s private parts as if those tastes are objective, uncontested Jewish law. Communal modesty standards are grounded in local taste, not public law, unless the Talmud explicitly rules otherwise. One is required to cover what by local social convention is covered. … The Jewish modesty discipline is actually directed to the male, not the female, according to Micah 6:8.
Read more at http://jewishvaluescenter.org/jvoblog/Aviner
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Educated and first ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Rabbi Alan J. Yuter earned additional ordinations from Yeshiva University, supervised by Rav Moshe D. Tendler, and the Israeli Chief Rav Mordecai Eliahu. He further received Yadin Yadin from Rav David Weiss Halivni and earned a PhD in modern Hebrew Literature from New York University.
A founding member of the UTJ, Rabbi Yuter served as a faculty member at the UTJ’s rabbinical school and has held multiple pulpits, including extended stints in Springfield, NJ, and Baltimore, MD.
Rabbi Yuter is a prolific writer on ritual and philosophical issues, underpinnings of halakha, Biblical criticism, and much more. His essays can be found on UTJ’s Viewpoints . He is also a frequent contributor for The Institute of Jewish Ideas and Ideals.
In addition to his activities with the UTJ, Rabbi Yuter teaches at Torat Reva in Jerusalem and is associated with the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding, affiliated with Ohr Torah Stone in Efrat.
Rabbi Yuter and his wife Linda reside in Israel.