Exchange with Louis Stern about R. Soloveitchik's View on Cornea Donations (1968)

1. Louis Stern to R. Lamm (Apr. 23, 1968)

1. Louis Stern to R. Lamm (April 23, 1968)

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April 23, 1968

Dear Rabbi Lamm: I want to compliment you upon your various very interesting articles in "Jewish Life.” I take the liberty to ask your opinion as to whether Orthodox Jews are allowed to donate their corneas after 120 to the Eye Bank, so that Jewish blinds can be possibly sighted. Many years ago while I was during the summer in Luzern (Switzelrand) I had the great pleasure to meet Rabbi Jung at the Luzern Synagogue and I assume your opinion coincides with his.

Self addressed stamped envelope is enclosed for your kind reply, for which I thank you in advance.

Sincerely yours,

Louis Stern

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Exchange with Dr. Herbert Friedman about the Jewish View of Non-Jews and Autopsies (1967)

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 …

General Jewish Thought Practical Halacha

Exchange with R. Felder about Halacha of Sending Publications to Subscribers on Shabbat (1969)

שלום רב וברכות לידידי הנעלה הרה"ג מוהרר"ג פעלדער שליט"א, אחדש"ת, שמחתי לראות פניו לפני שבועיים באספת הסתדרות הרבנים ולדרש בשלומו. יודע אני שמע"כ עמוס עבודה, עבודת הקודש, ומ"מ הנני מרשה לעצמי להוסיף עליו, כי הדבר נחוץ וכל הדבר הקשה בענינים כאלה יביאון אליו. השאלה הראשונה היא לענין מ"ע לבעלי כלכלה, אלה העוסקים ב"סטאקס". המ"ע יוצא מדי שבוע ושבוע, והוא נשלח בדואר מקנזס בכל שבת. כנראה שהמו"לים הם נכרים. השאלה – אם מותר להצטרף כקורא-קונה למ"ע זה. השעלה השני' היא ב

Practical Halacha

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

Dr. Lamm: Re: your shiur on Thurs. which I thoroughly enjoyed.

General Jewish Thought Practical Halacha