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November 18, 2003

Address at Retirement of Rabbi Sol Roth (2003)

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Tribute

Happy Birthday, Rabbi Lamm (2007)

If you were to ask Mindy Lamm which publication would be one of the first to wish her husband a happy eightieth birthday, she probably wouldn't guess The Commentator. In fact, if she guessed a hundred times, it's doubtful that Yeshiva College's official student newspaper would ever escape her lips. Though a history of YC's newspaper has yet to be written, it is apparent to anyone familiar that Commentator editors and Rabbi Lamm rarely worked in concert with one another. As Rabbi Lamm prepares for the final third of his life, we are honored to break that longstanding tradition and help celebrate the achievements of one of our community's valiant warriors.It seems unnecessary to list Rabbi Lamm's scholarly achievements and administrative impact. Creativity was his mark, and it led to both cheers and boos. He took original positions that made him a hero for many and possibly too original to others. His annual shiur klali in the Main Beit Midrash demonstrated both his personal erudition and intellectual openness by citing the Gaon of Vilna and Tertullian. His conception of Torah u-Madda has comforted many, while appearing elitist and impractical to others. Undaunted by conventionalism and critics from inside and outside Yeshiva, Rabbi Lamm has always made sure be candid with his thoughts and remarks, and never shy to offer comments he knows that some will scoff.It has been suggested that the sign of a gadol is one's ability to be meikel when others prefer to stay conservatively machmir. If this is the case, then it follows that the sign of a scholar is the ability to write with conviction, when others prefer to be less than daring. While today's students struggle with the University's ideology, and often dismiss it as an unadvised or impossible belief, we must recognize that those who pursue this dream are noble (and 'nabled'). And those who champion it are brave, if not heroic.As is the way with all ephemeral communities, the collective memory of the Wilf Campus stude…
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Outline

Tribute to Rabbi Kenneth Brander (2003)

Pleased to join you in tribute t colleague/studnt/abv all – friend. I dclightd observ evolution young/inexprncd rabbi t 1st-rate communl LDR. His special gift – combines body/soul, sp/mattr, teachg/buildg, schol’p/managmnt. יודע היה בצלאל לצרף אותיות שנבראו בהן שמים וארץ. He combns Theortcl/Practcl; Sacrd/Profn; TuM. He = very successfl Rabbi – shul/ed instttns/communl lp; etc. But I nvr imprcssd success: Martin BUBER – met ppl success > success, & failures; othrs failur > failur, &: successes. Sp/rabbc lp has preccdnt: charismtc lp of Biblcl prophts, esp: MOSES… Paradigm… (coincdntlly: tods Birthdy/Yahrzeit). Talm (Yev 49): כל הנביאים נסתכלו באספקלריא שאינה מאירה, .....................משה רבינו נסתכל באספקלריא המאירה. Rashi: וכסבורים לראות ולא ראו ומשה נסתכל באספקלריא המאירה וידע שלא ראהו בפניו...... KB nvr used hs achvmnts as excuse arrognt/suprrcillious. Knows how much he has yet to do, how much t learn, how much t achieve… And bec he possess such awareness, ומשה נסתכל באספקלריא המאירה וידע שלא ראהו בפניו, I confdnt he’ll go מחיל אל חיל...
Birthdays & Tributes

Correspondence

Letter to R. Schonfeld about Rabbinic Alumni Dinner in His Honor (1967)

Dear Fabian: I just received word of the forthcoming honor which will be tendered to you by the Rabbinic Alumni on April 2nd and 3rd. Because the letter is unclear as to exactly when the dinner in your honor will be held, I find myself in a bit of a quandary. I had long ago accepted a lecture engagement for Sunday night, April 2nd in Flushing. I hope very fervently that your dinner will be held at some other time because I am anxious to be present personally to pay you tribute.Good luck and best regards,Cordially yours,Rabbi Norman LammRNL/fz
Biographical Material