Reply To: Rav Lichtenstein's Centrist Orthodoxy, by GAW

benign:

Of course, you can make rational arguments in that vein. I’m commenting on the fact that he seems to attempt to prove it from the gemara, which is just astounding.

GAW: Yes, it is a bit hard to understand much of it. I try to interpret it by assuming that he must be adding some point over what is obviously part of any Judaism.

So for example in the first point, I am curious what he is adding–everyone thinks that halacha dictates our actions in every facet of life. It’s a bit unclear where he’s going.

Re number 2. Yes, I also agree that there is chochma b’amim, but I don’t agree on the need to seek it out, especially given the additional risks inherent in doing so.

Re number 3. So again, you need to define what he is adding. Everyone knows that lev l’achim is a chareidi enterprise, as is I think most of all kiruv work in America. Many if not most MO friends of mine think kiruv work is inherently arrogant since you purport to speak the one truth. So it sounds like he is adding an appreciation of their society itself.

Re number 5. I haven’t a clue what he means by that. Mussar and machshava are certainly mainstream in the chareidi world. I suppose tanakh as an independent study is not, but any serious talmid chochom has learned plenty of tanach.

Re number 6. I’m not convinced the zionist differences have as much to do with an understanding of history, as much to an ideological difference. It’s a bit insulting to say that if the chazon ish, or the Brisker Rav, or the Satmar Rav had understood history they’d have been zionists.