Sorry I’m a little late, but here goes:
Pashuteh Yid:
“This is the main problem: People like Avi Weiss and YCT believe that the primary point of the Torah is chesed, which is a very valid belief.
If that is the case, then it raises many difficulties in some of our practices, which are legitimate kashyas, just like any other kasha in any sugya.”
Well let’s think about this for a moment; if there are “legitimate kashyas” about any part of Yiddishkeit if one learns that “the primary point of the Torah is chesed”, then maybe that assumption is simply incorrect?
“For example, they grapple with how one can be commanded to kill a child of certain nations. This is a very serious question. It is compounded by the fact that simple answers like they will grow up to be wicked, is also a justification for the Nazis killing our children.”
I don’t see the question. Wiping out Amalek is right because Hashem said it is. Killing anybody else is wrong for the same reason.
“So it is very convenient for the Chareidi world to just smugly say that our religion says so, end of story. Because that raises questions as to how we look on in horror when an Islamic terrorist kills one of our children. He believes just as strongly that his religion is the only true one, and has commanded him to kill Jewish children R”L (case in point, the Fogel murders).”
He can believe whatever he wants, but he his beliefs are mistaken. Therefore, all of the actions undertaken in the name of these mistaken beliefs are objectively wrong.
“So while one may disagree with Avi Weiss’s answers or his approach to these difficult questions, but I highly doubt anybody from the Chareidi world has any answers at all.”
Well, you’re wrong.
“It is convenient to just ignore things that one doesn’t want to face, and go around smugly patting oneself on the back for being a very religious person.”
Really, it’s only a few days after Yom Kippur; can we try to keep the generalizing/bashing to minimum?
“yes, we cannot change halachos, but excess baggage that has no basis in halacha, like requiring people to dress in black and white, can be discarded for the sake of not turning people away.”
True. And if the most radical thing Avi Weiss did was wear a blue shirt (or a fluorescent orange shirt with pink polka dots, for that matter) then this conversation wouldn’t be happening. But that’s simply not the case.
Feif Un:
“The RCA has said that it doesn’t consider YCT a real yeshiva, and they’ve said that many things Avi Weiss does are wrong. They’ve been attacked for not doing more, not speaking out more often, etc. Why is that different than how chareidim treat NK?”
I have personally heard many Chareidi Rabbonim question the sanity of the NK more times than I can count.
(This is assuming that when you say NK you are referring to the wackos going around hugging murderers, not just the people who disregard the state of Israel. If I’m wrong, please let me know.)
mosheemes2:
“Can you name the Gadol of 1000 years ago R’ Weiss doesn’t respect?”
All of them. By completely disregarding everything that the past and present Gedolim and the Poskei haDor have or have not done, he is clearly showing that he does not believe that their opinions have any more weight than that of him and his ilk. That’s disrespect in my book.
yitayningwut:
“He (Saul Berman) is editor of at least one of the Artscroll siddurim”
Really? Do you know which one(s)?