Rabbi Yosef Blau's Comment on Un-Orthodox Jew

Rabbi Yosef Blau
Unorthodox Jew

There is a correlation between the problem of growing economic criminal behavior in the Orthodox community and the scandal of sexual abuse. It is the same hiding behind a halakhic formalism that justifies laundering money since the Shulchan Aruch does not mention it as prohibited, that fails to comprehend why it is horrendous for adults to abuse children. In modern societies dishonesty and moral depravity are often expressed in different terms from those mentioned in traditional sources but the ethical and moral principles of halakha remain valid. Unfortunately we lack the rabbinic leadership prepared to make the necessary applications.

Rabbi Yisrael Salanter started a Mussar movement primarily concerned with character development and ethical sensitivity but when was the last time one heard a Mussar shmuze that mentioned either.

As a child I was brought up with the model of my grandfather trying to pay back his creditors during the depression because an ehrlicher yid should not rely on the technical use of bankruptcy to avoid his responsibilities.

Yosef Blau