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May 1966

Book Reviews: A New Presentation of Family Purity (1966)

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Letter to Jewish Life Responding to Review of A Hedge of Roses (1966)

I appreciate your review of A Hedge of Roses and the attention it has drawn to the ideas presented therein. However, I feel compelled to respond to several misconceptions that were advanced in the critique. It was never my intention to present Halakhah as a mere sociological construct – nor to judge its validity on pragmatic grounds alone. On the contrary, my argument was and remains that the Halakhic system is rooted in Divine command – but that it also contains within it profound insight into the human condition and a deep concern for human dignity.Whereas some may see halakhic restrictions as merely arbitrary or outdated, I sought to illuminate the human wisdom embedded in Divine law – not to substitute one for the other. The reviewer mischaracterizes this approach as apologetic. It is not. It is explanatory. One may choose to ignore the psychological, emotional, and social ramifications of Halakhah – but that does not mean they are not there.Moreover, the critique that I "water down" Halakhah in order to accommodate modern readers is entirely unfounded. At no point do I advocate leniency where none exists – nor do I suggest that Halakhic norms should bend to the spirit of the age. Rather, I propose that we not shy away from offering meaningful explanations where they exist – and where they may help those who seek to live a Torah life in a modern world do so with greater commitment and understanding.Finally, I am disheartened by the implication that writing in an accessible style for a broad audience is itself suspect. The challenge of translating Torah values into a language that resonates with contemporary readers is not a betrayal of tradition – it is an essential component of our task as Jewish educators and communicators.If we cannot articulate the moral beauty and spiritual depth of our tradition in ways that can be heard, we risk leaving the field to those who reject it altogether. That, in my view, would be the true apology – and it would be one that no …
Marriage & Sexuality

Article

New Book Spotlights Jewish Laws of Married Sex Life

New York – Most marriages are failures, says a young New York rabbi in a recently published book, A Hedge of Roses by Norman Lamm (Feldheim Publishers, N.Y. $1.75). Whether or not they end in divorce, he adds, too many marriages become “exercises in sustained tension, only occasionally relieved by periods of happiness and joy.” With this grim note, the author, a visiting assistant professor of Jewish philosophy at Yeshiva University and associate rabbi at The Jewish Center of New York, guides the reader on a short tour of one of Judaism’s most fascinating clusters of laws – taharat ha-mishpaḥah (Family Purity). According to Rabbi Lamm, the chances of success in a Jewish marriage are directly proportional to the couple’s observance of the biblical and Talmudic laws concerning conjugal relations. “It is easy enough to get married. It is quite another thing to stay married.” He recommends the ancient Jewish code for modern couples as a way of preserving marriage. The author eschews various “scientific” interpretations that have been offered to explain this religious institution. He proposes, instead, psychological, philosophical, and symbolic insights into the sexual code of Judaism. “Family Purity,” he concludes, “is that life-long education in the love of life which commences even before life begins.”
Marriage & Sexuality

Synagogue Sermon

The New Morality and the Crisis in the Jewish Family (1973)

Norman Lamm, Rabbi of the Jewish Center in New York City and Professor of Jewish Philosophy at Yeshiva University, will be exploring an area of immediate concern, the Jewish family and how it is being affected by movements now referred to in the terms of Youth, the New Morality, and Alternate Life Styles. Dr. Lamm is the author of several works including "A Hedge of Roses", "Jewish Insights Into Marriage and Married Life", "Faith and Doubt" and "The Royal Reach." He has traveled widely, lecturing
Marriage & Sexuality