Home Home / Letter from R. Riskin about "A Hedge of…

Correspondence

Apr. 16, 1966

Letter from R. Riskin about "A Hedge of Roses" (1966)

Shabbat Marriage & Sexuality Biographical Material
View The Text

This content is currently available in its original PDF format. As we expand the library, we plan to add a text version as well.

RELATED CONTENT

Article

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human condition and a deep concern for human dignity.Whereas some may see halakhic restrictions as merely arbitrary or outdated, I sought to illuminate the human wisdom embedded in Divine law – not to substitute one for the other.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

Correspondence

Letter from R. Haskel Lookstein about "A Hedge of Roses" (1966)

Dear Norman: Thank you very much for sending me a copy of "A Hedge of Roses." I am looking forward to reading it and I am confident that it will fill a hitherto unfilled void (no pun intended) in this vital area of Jewish life. Best regards to the family and my best wishes to you for a happy and Kosher Pesach. Very cordially yours, Haskel Lookstein.
Biographical Material

Correspondence

Letter from R. Joseph Lookstein about "A Hedge of Roses" (1966)

My dear Norman: Thank you very much for the complimentary copy of your delightful little book, "A Hedge of Roses." I just read about half of it upon arrival, and I am sure that I will finish the rest of it in the next day or two. My compliments to you on the substance, on the style, and on the purpose. It will fill a great need and do much to advance the institution intended. Congratulations, and a very happy and kosher Passover to you. Very cordially yours, Joseph H. Lookstein.
Biographical Material