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Correspondence

March 1985

Exchange with R. Jacob J. Schacter about Rabbinic Commandments (1985)

General Jewish Thought Practical Halacha
Background Information

This exchange with Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter, one of Rabbi Lamm’s successors at The Jewish Center, concerns a lecture by Rabbi Lamm on the theme of rabbis establishing protective boundaries around the mitzvot.

Background Information

1. R. Jacob J. Schacter to R. Lamm

1. R. Jacob J. Schacter to R. Lamm (March 19, 1985)

1. R. Jacob J. Schacter to R. Lamm (March 19, 1985)

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Dear Rabbi Lamm: First I would like to congratulate you on your excellent presentation of your talk dealing with "The Nature of Man..." as given last night at Albert Einstein. I am an alumnus of Yeshiva College (class of '58) but unfortunately have not had the opportunity to take your Jewish Philosophy course. There were some questions that I should have liked to have raised in reference to your talk but, due to the nature of the audience, felt that an honest and complete answer might have been offensive to non-Jews present. I would therefore like to present these same questions in this letter. If it is possible and not too much trouble for you I would appreciate it if I could receive a reply or, if you would prefer, speak to you personally concerning these matters. I have been confronted by these and similar questions by Gentiles I work with or with whom I am friendly and have had to give them an answer which was non-offensive to them but yet within the framework of orthodox Judaism. However, irrespective of any answer I give to them I am genuinely interested in these matters for my own understanding.In your talk you mentioned the of the in reference to the creation of and then also stressed that all men, regardless of race or creed are equal in the eyes of Judaism. You also mentioned that a person who save׳; the life of another person is considered as if he had saved the lives of the entire world. In reference to both of these examples is it not so that a Jew, having the duty of being a , is considered above the non-Jew andthat the second example applies to such too, what is the traditional Jewish attitude towards a Christian who does believe in but of course with modifications which we find unacceptable? As has been said by a great Rav the Gentile cannot be put in the same categoty as the pagan who worshipped his idols. Please do not misunderstand me - I am not placing them on the same level as that of the Jew. I fully realize that this cannot be done.One …
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Letter from R. Jacob J. Schacter about Delivering Rebuke (1983)

Dear Dr. Lamm: Regarding your shiur Wednesday night on הוכח תוכיח, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I checked the Sefer Hamitzvot (מ"ע ר"ה) and there, too, found your “two dinim.” First, Rambam presents the classic הוכח תוכיח (parts 2 + 3 of the pasuk, as you explained), and then adds: “ונכנס בציווי הזה” … which seems to be a reference to the first mitzvah (parts 1 + 2 of the pasuk), also part of הוכח תוכיח . I’ve enclosed two translations of the Sefer Hamitzvot. Thanks again, JJ Schacter.
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נחום חביבי, את חטאי אני מזכיר היום על שאיחרתי לאשר קבלם ספרך הנפלא "הלכות והליכות" ונכתב ינערך בטטו"ד. חקרת וענייתי ומלאתי את אשר אהבה נפשי, חיבור מלא וגדול, והיו לי רגשי "קנאת סופרים" שמותרים בתורה ע"פ הש"ע, כי לו יהא גם חלקי בתוך מפיצי חידושי תורה כמוך. ואולח עוד חזון למועד אחרי שאברך ברוך שלא עשני אב"ד (לפי הנהגת ר' יעקב עמדן שמעולם לא שמש כרב). בספר יש כמה פרקים שהייתי מעונין בהם במיוחד, ותרשה לי להוסיף הערות אחדות כנינך קטנטן משלי על דבריך.
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