the soloveitchik who loved jesus.pdf

8/12/2019 The Soloveitchik Who Loved Jesus.pdf

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The Soloveitchik Who Loved Jesus

Peter Saloveys recent appointment to the presidency of Yale University,founded by Congregationalist ministers, was cause for celebration for those

who admire the Soloveitchik dynasty, an illustrious family of rabbis fromLithuania that includes abbi !ayyim Soloveitchik of "risk #$%&'($)$%*, oneof the most creative and important +ewish sages of modern times, and abbi+oseph ov "er Soloveitchik #$)-'($))'*, known simply as .the av,/ theleader of 0odern 1rthodo2y in 3merica4 5n a breathless column, a writer for

theYale Daily Newsreportedon the new presidents rabbinic lineage6under

which Salovey himself commented, proudly affirming his place in the familytree as he had come to understand it4

"ut what went unmentioned in the celebratory genealogy is that

Saloveys forgotten forebear, 4 7li8ah 9vi Soloveitchik, was forgotten for areason: his love of +esus Christ4 5ndeed, abbi 7li8ah 9vi Soloveitchik #aka7lias Soloweyc;yk, $%-&($%%$*, the grandson of 4 !ayyim of estament #0ark and 0atthew* anda book,Kol Kore,which argues for the symmetry between +udaism andChristianity and claims that there is nothing in Christianity that is alien to+udaism4

???

0uch of what we know about 4 7li8ah 9vi Soloveitchik is contained in theworkR. Elijah Zvi Soloveitchik: The Man and is !ork@!ebrewA
http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2012/11/27/singer-saloveys-rabbinic-legacy/http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2012/11/27/singer-saloveys-rabbinic-legacy/http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2012/11/27/singer-saloveys-rabbinic-legacy/#comments-titlehttp://yaledailynews.com/blog/2012/11/27/singer-saloveys-rabbinic-legacy/#comments-titlehttp://yaledailynews.com/blog/2012/11/27/singer-saloveys-rabbinic-legacy/


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#+erusalem $))&* written by ov !yman, a "ritish(born dermatologist wholived for many years in =ew York before emigrating to +erusalem in the$)B-s4 !ymans father and grandfather both studied in the yeshiva in


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unity of od #ahd$t ha-ore* K and also to strengthen the law of 0oses#Torat Moshe*4/ 0ore than that, he continues, .5 publish this commentary #to0atthew* in !ebrew for +ews, to introduce them to the =ew >estament who,until now, have not recogni;ed its beauty #eyna( (akiri( /et yo"ya*4/ 5tseems he wanted Christians to understand their scripture anew through

sympathetic +ewish eyes and to educate his +ewish readers about theirmisunderstanding of Christianity4

4 7li8ah 9vi Soloveitchiks interest in Christianity seems to pre(dateKol Kore4 5n $%IJ he published a !ebrew commentary to thephilosophical sections of 0oses 0aimonidesMishneh Torah#Code of +ewishLaw*, including .Laws on the Eoundation of the >orah4/ 5t is well(known that0aimonides is a ma8or figure in the Soloveitchik dynasty4 >he "risker avuses him as the centerpiece of his analytic method and >almudic analysis, but4 7li8ah 9vi seems to use him for a different purpose entirely4 5nterestingly,

he publishes his commentary to one section ofMishneh Torah, .Laws of5dolatry,/ separately4 5t is here where 0aimonides delineates the erosion ofthe natural state of monotheism to idolatry via a series of unfortunate errors

whereby humans mistakenly substitute the glory of ods creation forautonomous divinities4 Could it be that 4 7li8ah 9vi, this traditionalLithuanian +ew from the Soloveitchik dynasty, wanted to suggest that0aimonides description of idolatry as a veil that conceals a true belief inods unity is precisely what is presented in Christianity

Understood this way, Christianity becomes a mirror of +udaism4 5n fact,

4 7li8ah 9vi says as much in his introduction to the 7nglish translation ofKolKore, The 'aw, the Tal($d, and the os*el4 ."ut our ob8ect is not tocomment4 K De desire to institute an inGuiry into the causes of an e2istingmisunderstanding4 Eor since the fire of dispute has been kindled in the campof our !ebrew brethren, it has divided the worshippers of odinto twosections, the one +ews, and the other Christians4/ 4 7li8ah 9vicontinues inKol Koreto cite 0aimonides >hirteen Principals of Eaith, widelyconsidered to be the doctrinal framework of +udaism, and then proceeds toe2plain how each one of 0aimonides principles is upheld by Christianity,

8u2taposing >orah and =ew >estament verses to support one another4 5n onefootnote in the 7nglish translation he deals with the doctrine of the >rinity asfollows: .3s to the doctrine of the >rinity to which the modern +ew so muchob8ects #which was a doctrine really held by many of the most learned of theabbis* it is a very sublime thing, more e2tended than the circumference ofthe earth, and more e2panded than the sea, and has many sublime principlesdepending on it, and truly does the 3postle say: Mreat is the mystery ofodlinessN for not everyone can fathom the depth of that mystery4/ >heostensible division of the !oly >rinity as a compromise to true monotheismis, for 4 7li8ah 9vi, as well as many for Christians such as >homas 3Guinas,simply an error of interpretation4

Lest one thinkKol Korewas the product of some obscure and marginal


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figure, in the renowned +ewish bibliographer 0orit; Steinschneiders #$%$J($)-B* personal copy ofKol Korethere is a page with a commendation of 4Samson aphael !irsch #$%-%($%%%*, the founder of neo(1rthodo2y inermany4 Yet one may still understandably Guestion why this traditional +ewfrom a rabbinic dynasty would engage in this kind of scholarship4 >here were

many like him who converted to Christianity and wrote similarly4 1nee2ample would be 5mmanuel Erommann #d4 $B'&*, who wrote a kabbalisticcommentary to the ospel of Luke e2amined in a recent essay by 7lliot

Dolfson4 "ut as far as we know, 4 7li8ah 9vi remained a devout +ew4 Dhile inParis in $%B- he e2plained that he believed that the =ew >estament had beenmisunderstood and that he had achieved the correct understanding4 !e thus

wanted to illustrate to the church that since there are no contradictionsbetween the Christianity and >orah, Christian anti(Semitism should cease4 5naddition, he hoped his work would correct the negative appraisal +ews had of=ew >estament, which is why he published it in the original !ebrew after

various translations already appeared in print4 5n retrospect we can surely seethe naivetO of this observation, but in its time6that is, in the decadespreceding and following emancipation6it was not such an unrealistic hope4

Einally, it is also worth noting that the more well(known Soloveitchik,

4 +oseph ov "er #the av*, published an influential essaytitled.Confrontation/ in $)JI where, in response to the Second Ahe confrontation should not occur at a

theological, but at a mundane level,/ claiming that the .great encounterbetween od and man is a wholly personal affair incomprehensible to theoutsider6even to a brother of the same faith community4/ Dhile theunderlying reason for the avs counseling against serious ecumenism ismatter of scholarly debate, it is interesting that his position stands incomplete opposition to that of his cousin 4 7li8ah 9vi4

3nother Soloveitchik, 4 0eir Soloveichik #b4 $)BB*, great nephew of 4+oseph "er, 8ust completed a dissertation at Princeton on the 1rthodo2theologian 0ichael Dyschogrods work on divine election that also deals

e2tensively with Christianity and its relationship to +udaism4 4 0eirSoloveichiks position on Christianity is aptly e2pressed in his essay .=oEriend of +esus/ that appeared in+irst Thin)sin H--%, largely a review of+acob =eusners0 Ra##i Talks to %es$s4 estament scholars* there is nothing more to be said,and .respect and reverence/ is simply a .polite hedge/ #citing C4S4 Lewis* that
http://www.bc.edu/dam/files/research_sites/cjl/texts/center/conferences/soloveitchik/index.htmlhttp://www.bc.edu/dam/files/research_sites/cjl/texts/center/conferences/soloveitchik/index.html


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many like him who converted to Christianity and wrote similarly4 1nee2ample would be 5mmanuel Erommann #d4 $B'&*, who wrote a kabbalisticcommentary to the ospel of Luke e2amined in a recent essay by 7lliot

Dolfson4 "ut as far as we know, 4 7li8ah 9vi remained a devout +ew4 Dhile inParis in $%B- he e2plained that he believed that the =ew >estament had been

misunderstood and that he had achieved the correct understanding4 !e thuswanted to illustrate to the church that since there are no contradictionsbetween the Christianity and >orah, Christian anti(Semitism should cease4 5naddition, he hoped his work would correct the negative appraisal +ews had of=ew >estament, which is why he published it in the original !ebrew after

various translations already appeared in print4 5n retrospect we can surely seethe naivetO of this observation, but in its time6that is, in the decadespreceding and following emancipation6it was not such an unrealistic hope4

Einally, it is also worth noting that the more well(known Soloveitchik,

4 +oseph ov "er #the av*, published an influential essaytitled.Confrontation/ in $)JI where, in response to the Second Ahe confrontation should not occur at atheological, but at a mundane level,/ claiming that the .great encounter

between od and man is a wholly personal affair incomprehensible to theoutsider6even to a brother of the same faith community4/ Dhile theunderlying reason for the avs counseling against serious ecumenism ismatter of scholarly debate, it is interesting that his position stands in

complete opposition to that of his cousin 4 7li8ah 9vi43nother Soloveitchik, 4 0eir Soloveichik #b4 $)BB*, great nephew of 4+oseph "er, 8ust completed a dissertation at Princeton on the 1rthodo2theologian 0ichael Dyschogrods work on divine election that also dealse2tensively with Christianity and its relationship to +udaism4 4 0eirSoloveichiks position on Christianity is aptly e2pressed in his essay .=oEriend of +esus/ that appeared in+irst Thin)sin H--%, largely a review of+acob =eusners0 Ra##i Talks to %es$s4 estament scholars* there is nothing more to be said,and .respect and reverence/ is simply a .polite hedge/ #citing C4S4 Lewis* that

by definition undermines +udaisms basic foundation4 >he most that believing+ews and Christians can do is present a united front to battle the nastysecularists or progressive religionists because it is only the traditionalists,Soloveichik suggests, who still believe in .truth4/ iven such a position it is

surprising, or perhaps not so surprising, that R. Meir Soloveichikwas
http://www.bc.edu/dam/files/research_sites/cjl/texts/center/conferences/soloveitchik/index.htmlhttp://www.firstthings.com/article/2007/12/002-no-friend-in-jesus-25http://www.bc.edu/dam/files/research_sites/cjl/texts/center/conferences/soloveitchik/index.htmlhttp://www.firstthings.com/article/2007/12/002-no-friend-in-jesus-25


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honored with giving the benedictionat the H-$H epublican =ationalConvention4

5 have no idea whether either of these modern(day members of anillustrious rabbinical dynasty knew of their lost forebears work onChristianity and the =ew >estament, but it is surely the case that 1rthodo2y

has not taken the path suggested by 4 7li8ah 9vi4 "ut it seems that there ismore than one approach to Christianity among the Soloveitchiks4 >his is all tosay that while Peter Saloveys rise to the presidency of Yale University mayindeed be cause for celebration for those who have a connection to theSoloveitchik dynasty, the Soloveitchik who would likely be most pleased may

be the forgotten cousin, 4 7li8ah 9vi, the Soloveitchik who loved +esus4

reface: The Gospel According to MarkosIn the preface of the first volume, I put forward, and I promised todemonstrate, that the New Testament, notwithstanding the contrarymisconception, is in no manner contrary neither to the Tanakh nor theTalmud This commitment I have made in regards to the first Gospel, Iwas a!le to carry out, thanks !e to God" I now continue mycommitment with the completion of the second

#owever, a few words are necessary to !eginMany highly placed people $ whether so placed for their intelligence,good fortune, or their social rank $ have applauded my attempt, some!ecause they already shared my ideas or adopted them after reading my!ook, and others without any conviction at least respected the sanctityof my goal and the great importance of the result that I pursue %othgroups urged me to persevere, and their encouragements have, in nosmall way, contri!uted to supporting me in my efforts%ut alas& In this situation as in all others, one can always count one'treme opinions" moreover, wanting to reconcile the two adversaries,one risks turning !oth of them against each other Aside from somefavora!le reports that I (ust mentioned, there were )uite a few othersthat were not so favora!le *ews, as well as +hristians, either withfanatical personalities or dominated !y false pre(udices, have!om!arded me with o!(ections to which I !elieve would !e useful toanswerMy fellow Israelites have said: Putting the Gospel and the Talmud on

the same level what audacity on the part of the author& -ndou!tedlythere could !e some good things in the former, !ut we don.t know thesource /e don.t know who told it to them /here is, then, their
http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/110309/gop-conventions-rabbi-in-chiefhttp://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/110309/gop-conventions-rabbi-in-chief


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authority0 1n the contrary, in the Talmud nothing is anonymous" wefind the sources in everywhere, even in some of the oral laws, whichcan !e traced !ack to Moses, the direct interpreter of the Almighty /efind them even in some often very remote individual statements,coming from well$known men, respected scholars, of whom tradition

teaches us their names and genealogies 2All their words are like coalsof fire 3Mishnah Avot 4:567,. and the author is not afraid of !urninghimself& #is !ook is an attack against the sanctity of the Talmud, and tocompare the New Testament to it is a sacrilege8The +hristians, on their part, agree that it is indeed a sacrilege, !ut inthe opposite sense The New Testament is divine, the Talmud is only ahuman work" not only is it a human work, !ut it.s inconsistent andcontradictory /hat one ra!!i permits, another for!ids" or one sayswhite, the other says !lack The New Testament is completely different

It has one teaching, and this teaching is so !eautiful, so holy, so!eneficial to mankind, that it could come from no other source !utfrom God8This is what they say, and here is my response:9ellow Israelites, I know (ust as well as you the holiness of the Talmudand its precious value" I was nourished !y it since infancy and I learnedto revere it %ut, !elieve me, arguments like yours cannot glorify it" andour ra!!is would certainly disapprove of them if they were to come!ack from the dead *ust and impartial towards everything, they do notsystematically condemn neither man nor !ook, and they know how todeliver (ustice even to those they reprove ather, you can see what theysay a!out the !ook %en$;ira3Tractate ;anhedrin, 5


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order to reconcile man and wife, God has permitted that #is name,which was written in sanctity, !e erased !y the priest, how much more!eautiful is it to reconcile all of humanity&8 Now, this is precisely thegoal that I aspire to, that every friend of the Torah must aspire to, everyIsraelite and every man worthy of that name" and you, my !rothers,

you would disapprove of my efforts& @et me tell you, such words do notcome from wisdomAnd you +hristians, my !rothers, who claim that I insult the Gospel !yputting the Talmud on the same level, do you not know that thisTalmud you so thoroughly despise deserves your gratitude, and thatwithout whom the name of your +hrist8 would perhaps have long agofallen into o!livion0 Actually, many a famous writer has denied thee'istence of >eshua the Messiah, and many even deny it in our presentday, !y failure of knowing the Talmud, which, as we will see, strictly

mentions his e'istence /hat is more, one of your greatest writers,oltaire, spoke of him in terms that still outrage you, trusting allegedlyIsraelite documents and which a!solutely do not agree with theTalmudic sayings#ere is an e'ample of a portion from oltaire.s The Important='amination of the #oly ;criptures !y @ord %oling!roke,8 chapter 5eshu, that >eshua was the son of awoman named Miryam, married in %ethlehem to a poor man named>ochanan In the village there was a soldier whose name was >osefPantera, a very handsome man with a strong !uild" he fell in love withMiryam, and Miryam !ecame pregnant !y Pantera" >ochanan,confused and despaired, left %ethlehem and hid in %a!ylon, wherethere still were many *ews Miryam.s !ehavior disgraced her" her child>eshu was declared a !astard !y the (udges of the city etc8Now, this whole story is a lie from !eginning to end That there was acertain Pantera 3Pandiraor Panderaaccording to the Talmud7 whocourted a certain Miryam, that their relations may have !irthed a son

in adultery as the Talmud states $ fine %ut that this child was >eshua,the founder of +hristianity, there is no trace of this whatsoever in theTalmud" and not only that, as I also demonstrated at length in the firstvolume 3p 5Beshua theMessiah, !ut I proved 3loc cit7 through irrefuta!le te'ts that the real>eshua was held in high esteem !y our most revered ra!!is, who citehis words with approval, even though they differ with him on certainissues And you vilify the Talmud, which honors your Messiah and

speaks of his doctrine with praise& 9rankly, is this not ingratitude, or atvery least !lindness0;o then, do you know this Talmud of which you speak with such


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disdain, this Talmud which you !elieve unworthy of !eing e)ualedwith the Gospel0 Con.t you know $ touching on only one of its merits $that this is a monument !eyond all comparison of (urisprudence,profundity, and (udicial ingenuity0 @istenIn the Middles Ages there was an illustrious Israelite, the crowning

glory of the ;ynagogue and of humanity" medical doctor andastronomer, philosopher and theologian, e'egete and Talmudist,wonderful writer and !eloved man: Maimonides This man, who wasthe doctor of the ;ultan of =gypt, the famous ;aladin, surpassed all hiscontemporaries with his e'tensive knowledge, as his numerous workstestify, the greatest of which we have )uoted from in the first volume3p5?$567 1ne of these works, and one of the most significant, isthe Mishneh Torah, otherwise called >ad #a+haDakah 3The ;trong#and7, containing the complete Mosaic and ra!!inical law, according

to the Talmud, where he has in a way made an inventory of all thediscussions in order to give us the last word The work of Maimonidesis comprised of fourteen main !ooks divided into eighty$three parts,which are themselves su!divided into nine hundred and eighty$fivechapters, each of which is composed of an often considera!le num!erof paragraphs 3halachot7, treating every particular case with reverenceAlright, take whichever part you liked among the eighty$three sectionsthat compose the work" I commit to giving you the 9rench translationof them with e'planatory notes Now compare these Talmudic lawswith those of any =uropean nation a!out any matter, and you will seethat our *ewish laws !ear a striking resem!lance, and you will !eastounded !y what these ra!!is, whom you attack, knew how toproduce two thousand years ago !y their sheer intellect aloneThus, and I repeat this with regret, *ews and +hristians are e)uallyillogical in their attacks against me 9or who am I, after all, that youcomplain against me0 Not against me are your complaints8 3='odus5B:E7, !ut against truth and peace, my only o!(ectives& Cavid

distinctively wrote in one of his psalms: ANI ;#A@1M, =F#I ACA%=#=MA# @AMI@+#AMA#, and this is how I translate it: All my desiresare for peace, even though I wage war against men,8 I only do so for thepurpose of o!taining peace Alright then, me too& If I am here to give!attle to the old commentators of the New Testament, it is to restorepeace and understanding !etween men, whose false teachings have fortoo long divided themMay I succeed in this venture& May the favor of #a;hem descend uponmy work, so that it may produce in the hearts of those who read it

a!undant and !eneficial fruits, that with a unanimous spirit they willem!race the worship of one God, and that, through my hum!leintervention, the words of the prophet will come true 3ephaniah ?:H7:


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9or then I will make the peoples pure of speech, so that they all invoke#a;hem !y name and serve him with one accord8 Amen

the soloveitchik who loved jesus.pdf

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