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Dorm Talks Scenarios - Tolerance and Cheating (2000)

Yeshiva University Orthodoxy & Other Denominations
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Dorm Talks on Jews in America (2000)

I. The Infallibility of Jewish Leadership? In recent years Jewish leaders have been publicly accused of actions that do not befit the assumed ethical code we expect from our rabbis, teachers, and leaders In many of these cases the media provided the information to the public and the facts remained unclear. Although, everyone wakes up for a scandal, peoples lives are on the line and there is a great potential for Chillul Hashem.What is our responsibility in finding out and becoming active in such scandals?How do the concepts of Dan L 'Ka\’ Zechm/ChiUiil HaSh^in, and Lashon Hara factor in?Q>Regarding the Organization?Regarding the implicated individuals? 'Should we hold a Yeshiva responsible for alleged actions of an individual within that Yeshiva? (4)Does communal responsibility of maintaining the Shem Tov of an organization and its overall values and goals, take precedence over publicly dissecting its every flaw ?(3)What if a Yeshiva heard rumors about one of its best staff members?* What is the obligation of the Yeshiva in researching these allegations? What is the Yeshiva’s obligation of making such knowledge public? If the yeshiva feels the individual’s behavior was improper, is it enough to remove the individual from the Yeshiva or do they have to make it known that such an individual should never work with kids again?"דן אח כל האדם לכף זכות״—לא naivete אלא הכרח מטעם שג׳ בני יששכר: צמצום ידיעת ה׳חלול ה,: ברכות יט ע״ב״־־אר׳י א״ר: המוצא כלאים בבגדו פושטן אפילו בשוק, מאי טעמא אין חכמה ואין תבונה ואין עצה לנגד ה׳ כ״מ שיש חלוה״ש אין חולקין כבוד לרב." (מחלורת רמב״ם (אפ׳ בגד חברו אם הוא שוגג) ורא”ש־דוקא שלו—ותלוי בגי׳ "בבגדו" (=אבל לא של חברו)]לה" ר—i.e., no juicy recounting sordid details, up-to-date inside dope...be strict!Only if yeshiva encourage oretailed t take action>rcvg reliable reports if malfeasanceYes. Public “dissection” NG—except if failed egregiously to take approprt action t correct sitn oblign yesh allegations: yes, if some evidence.oblig yesh m…
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Outline

Dorm Talks: Serious Business Jews on the Edge of the Law

Some of those Orthodox Jews are really sly. You know all those federal programs that give out money to different people for different reasons? Like the Pell Grants, so that people can go to college, and the school lunch money, so that kids can eat lunch? Well, these Jews decided that they had the most worthy cause of all (more worthy than going to college, at least): supporting yeshivot and tzedakot. So they fashioned an ingenious scheme to siphon money from these federal programs into their own institutions. It was a foolproof plan, no one would ever know!(Now it's plastered in big letters across the front pages of every newspaper in the city. And it seems that, since you wear a yarmulka, non-frum acquaintances and even goyim are treating you as the spokesperson for the Jewish faith.)Do you defend the actions of the Orthodox Jews to your non-religious and goyish acquaintances and friends? Are there situations in which charges lveled at Jews might simply be cases of anti-Semitism? After all, halacha b’yadua she’eisav soneiyaakov. Can these Orthodox Jews be defended on the grounds that they were only cheating the government? Or on the grounds that they were cheating to support Torah institutions and not for private gain?The year: 1982. President Reagan just made his "evil empire" speech and Cold War tensions are at an all-time high.Meanwhile, in Washington Heights, you are preparing to go to the USSR to try to teach Torah and give chizuk to the Jews who are there. Shortly before your trip you are approached by a Russian man who wants you to bring a notebook computer with you, to sell on Russia's black . market. The profit margin is quite high, and you are tempted. There is only a slim chance of being caught, and at worst, he says, they will just confiscate the computer.Do you do it?^After all, it’s only the communist government that you will be cheating. What if you were thinking of bringing it in to Israel instead of Russia? How is this case any different from ille…
Yeshiva University Jewish Law & Secular Law

Note

Yeshiva University and Modern Orthodox Policy (1997)

Yeshiva University’s major function is that of education; all else is secondary. Its commitment to Modern Orthodoxy goes without saying – it is, indeed, the flagship of Modern Orthodoxy in a fleet that boasts of few other ships, if any at all – but the integrity and proper functioning of Yeshiva University must take precedence over the ephemeral issues that agitate the Modern Orthodox community from time to time. Hence, where there exist legitimate differences of opinion between groups of authentic halakhic authorities — whether they are Roshei Yeshiva or pulpit/community rabbis — Yeshiva University must and will, if at all possible, stay above the fray. It must continue to make it possible for its students to consider all legitimate opinions without introducing divisiveness into the student body, a condition which inevitable distracts students from achieving progress in their education.This policy has come under attack from many quarters as a cop-out by the administration. We are being challenged to “take a stand” on every controversial issue. My answer is that, indeed, there are many issues where it is morally and Jewishly imperative to offer a decisive opinion; but there are an equal number of occasions where the issues are such that they do not require a response from me or the administration. No one ever appointed us (or anyone else, for that matter) as the ultimate decisors for the Modern Orthodox community.Our master, the Rav זצ״ל never attempted to answer all questions. He was intellectually honest and also communally responsible; thus, he sometimes said, “I don’t know,” and at other times, “Do what you think is right.”Roshei Yeshiva, whether of our or any other yeshiva, are not authorized to decide all issues for the Jewish community or, certainly, to impose their will on others. Individual Jews are bidden to consult their rabbis. The pulpit rabbi may, if he so wishes, consult other rabbis whom he considers more halakhically knowledgeable and/or more sens…
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