Thursday, August 25, 2005

Rav Lichtenstein questions Rav Shapira

Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, head of the prestigious religious-Zionist Yeshivat Har Etzion and a leading disciple of the late Rav J. B. Soloveitchik, has posed a series of halachic questions to former Israeli Chief Rabbi Avraham Shapira.

Rav Shapira, one of the leading authorities for religious Zionists in Israel, ruled that soldiers must refuse orders to evacuate settlements. In a letter, Rav Lichtenstein questions him about the basis for this ruling. Rav Lichtenstein's letter has been publicized in the original Hebrew (RTF) and in English translation (RTF).

As opposed as I have been to the disengagement, I am inclined towards Rav Lichtenstein's approach to the halachic issues. The disengagement is now moot, but the issues at stake will remain relevant for some time to come.


Update: Some related links contributed by commentors Sharvul and NRK:

4 comments:

Sharvul said...

I read R. Lichtenstein's questions last week and, needless to say, I agree with him fully.

It would be interesting to see if R. Shapira answers him.

Sharvul said...

Well, not R. Shapira (yet) but two other rabbis have jumped into the fray: http://www.nrg.co.il/online/11/ART/975/919.html

Zman Biur said...

Sharvul,

Thanks for the link. My browser's currently choking on it, so I haven't managed to read it yet. Will let you know when I do.

NRK said...

Instead of Ynet - read Rabbi Shapira's psak (at least an English translation): http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=87398

And Rabbi Shapira's son-in-law's response to Rabbi Lichtenstein:
http://www.a7.org/article.php3?id=4791