sad, with a bit of interesting
In this depressing article about Rabbi Mordechai Tendler (maybe) losing his pulpit, there was an interesting bit of labeling:
We're not going to discuss whether or not the author of the article is aware that Rav Moshe hasn't been actively deciding halakha for any community for about 20 years now. Calling him "modern", though, is very interesting. In a perhaps overly simple sense, he was a leading authority in the Modern period (of course, so is Rav Elyashiv). As his son-in-law is always quick to point out, he relied on up-to-date science and modern disciplines (often as provided by same son-in-law) in formulating his responsa. The Modern Orthodox community uses many of his famous responsa every day (cholov "kompany" comes to mind, as does the status of a non-Orthodox marriage).
Still, it strikes a little funny to associate him first and foremost with the MO community, doesn't it? Also, we seem to be conflating "halakhic authority" with "religious authority", and that is also worth discussing. I'd imagine that many more people in the MO community have PhDs than keep all of The Rav (tm)'s nihugim and halakhic ideosyncracies.
On Monday morning, Tendler — son of leading Yeshiva University Professor Rabbi Moshe Tendler and grandson of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, the Modern Orthodox world's leading religious authority — turned up for morning prayers at the synagogue.
We're not going to discuss whether or not the author of the article is aware that Rav Moshe hasn't been actively deciding halakha for any community for about 20 years now. Calling him "modern", though, is very interesting. In a perhaps overly simple sense, he was a leading authority in the Modern period (of course, so is Rav Elyashiv). As his son-in-law is always quick to point out, he relied on up-to-date science and modern disciplines (often as provided by same son-in-law) in formulating his responsa. The Modern Orthodox community uses many of his famous responsa every day (cholov "kompany" comes to mind, as does the status of a non-Orthodox marriage).
Still, it strikes a little funny to associate him first and foremost with the MO community, doesn't it? Also, we seem to be conflating "halakhic authority" with "religious authority", and that is also worth discussing. I'd imagine that many more people in the MO community have PhDs than keep all of The Rav (tm)'s nihugim and halakhic ideosyncracies.
3 Comments:
"as does the status of a non-Orthodox marriage)."
Rav Moshe in practice was not followed in this matter. An interesting published case in the name of the Rav from approximately 20 years ago in Tradition-the Rav was alive back then. Where the Rav was referred to as requiring a get when a "Reform conversion" followed by a "Reform Wedding" followed by a civil divorce and women wants to get married again. According to Rav Moshe that is a non entity-apparently the Rav required a get.
" than keep all of The Rav (tm)'s nihugim and halakhic ideosyncracies."
I assume you mean minhagim rether than nihugim-if referring to nigunnim-I don't believe the Rav sang Zmirot-drashas on Zmoirot yes-but singing-na despite being a Levi.
It was not expected to keep his minhaggim-it was expected to follow his piskei halacha.
In the sense that the MO world respects and follows his pesakim very often as opposed to other "chareidi" gedolim, I think he could be termed an authority for the MO world.
They should have just written moddern with a lower case "m".
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