Reply To: OU = MO?

HaKatan:

As I pointed out before, the fact that many of the Gedolim vehemently criticized R’ Kook’s positions does not mean they did not respect the man himself. And as others have pointed out, there are well known stories that show many Gedolim, the Chofetz Cahim and R’ Elyashiv in particular, did indeed have a tremendous respect for R’ Kook. It is certainly possible that the Brisker Rov was an exception to this rule; but then again, he was more anti-Zionist than most of the other Gedolim as a general rule.

Mods, I second DaMoshe’s request that derogatory nicknames for YU’s slogan not be allowed.

Ivdu:

“there is a very famous picture of Rav Aharon and Rav Soloveitchik together at a Chinuch Atzmai dinner.”

Actually, in the speech I heard from R’ Meir Hershkowitz, he said that the only reason R’ Aharon did that was because he very strongly believed in Chinuch Atzmai, and that this was not indicative of his larger position on this issue.

“And as to the mixed events: Who is denying that they are done on purpose? For those who believe that it is ok, the events are absolutely fine.”

Merely believing something is OK does not make it so. There are many maamrei chazal and a psak of the Shulchan Oruch that would seem to frown on such events. I’m not going to pretend it’s a black and white issue; but I certainly wouldn’t say its “absolutely fine” either.

As for the YU Tolerance Club, I’ve been told (by people who were actually at YU at the time) that its mantra specified several different issues, and tolerance of those openly violating mishkav zachar was one of them. Again, I think the vast majority of MO strongly disagree with the mantra of the said club; yet somehow I don’t think such a movement would ever have been allowed in a Chareidi yeshiva.

Sam2:

“If you ask any YU Rosh Yeshivah or respected “MO” Rav what the real ideological differences are between YU and Lakewood, the answer you will get is “nothing” (or attitude towards the Medinah, I guess)”

I don’t think that is true, and I don’t think most MO/DL Rabbonim believe that. For instance, R’ Aharon Lichtenstein wrote an article about “Centrist Orthodoxy”, and specified a number of issues where he differs from “the right”. Zionism is one of the differences, but there are others as well. (Valuing general culture comes to mind.)

DaMoshe:

“I would like to point out that unfortunately, many Yeshivas in the chareidi community (as well as communities themselves) have become molester-support clubs.”

While I do not necessarily condone everything that anybody in the various Chareidi communities have done in regards to this issue, to the best of my knowledge nobody has ever actually advocated “tolerance” or “support” towards molestation. To have problems is human; to turn them into ideals is troubling.