Avira, thanks for an interesting reference and thanks for taking a year to ponder on my post, really appreciate the thoughtfulness of your research. Apologize for not taking a year to reply:
I don’t see the described approach of R Rabinovitch as controversial theoretically – respecting democratic process and pondering the power of kings, Lockean approach. Most of us who live outside of EY and, l’havdil, Russia and Persia, have no problem with co-existing with a democracy. I would think that you as non-Zionist, would appreciate his approach that tries to separate integrity of halakha from political Zionism, as often seen by R Kook’s followers. I personally also sympathize with the described empirical approach to halakha – I agree that many takonot are based on the desired societal effect (including the rule that the takanah is rescinded if society rejects it in the first year). This is not a surprise for me, as my initial respect to the Rav comes from reading his work on halakha and statistics that I found very well researched from the sttistical point of view.
I see, though, how his theoretical approach is triggering in the practical Israeli context in terms of supporting kashrus and giyur outside of Rabanut. So, I can easily see how one can disagree with his practical positions, but nothing to question his limud. I hope you admit that someone could be a Talmid Chacham without following same shitot as a particular YWN poster.
His support for some role of women in some roles is mentioned in one line, so there is nothing to comment on. The line may partially be based on article author views and clearly refers to limited support on these.
One thought on his approach to church/state (again, we are reading a secondary source, it would be proper to discuss a primary source to really understand his approach): note that non-Jews world made this experiment for last several centuries and the result is that First Amendment USA has more religious people than Europe that forced people to pray and register by the community. I am not saying this should directly translate to us, but it is an empirical food for thought. Jews had this argument between Litvakim and Rov Chasidim supporting Napoleon and Alter Rebbe who supported the Czar. It seems that Chabad had merit in a short-term with Jews staying under Czar and even being more religious than in West Europe, but in longer-term Chabad shluchim are now saving Yidden from the Russian army.