Letter from R. Sherer about Reactions to "Torah Umadda" (1995)

This letter from Rabbi Moshe Sherer, Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel, responds to a concern raised by Rabbi Lamm about Yonason Rosenblum’s sharp critique of Torah Umadda in The Jewish Observer.

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Dear Rabbi Lamm:

Thank you for your note with a copy of a letter that (redacted) of (redacted) sent to The Jewish Observer regarding Yonason Rosenblum's critique of your book Torah Umadda, which appeared in that publication several years ago.

I thereupon looked into the exchange between the letter-writer and the author. I learned that thus far a total of four letters passed between them, resulting in a meeting of the minds and an acceptance by Rabbi Rosenblum of the need to clarify, in the pages of The Jewish Observer, his characterization of your approach to the potential for sanctity of Madda.

I too feel that the expression used by Rabbi Rosenblum was unfortunate and unfair, and I am pleased that he will correct the matter in a forthcoming issue of The Jewish Observer. Believe me, knowing Rabbi Rosenblum, he too would not purposely do something dishonest.

I appreciate your bringing this to my attention.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Moshe Sherer

President

MS:pr

Enclosure

P.S. I am enclosing an exchange of correspondence between him and Rosenblum, which I don't think you saw.

Exchange with R. Teller about His Review of "Torah Lishmah" (1990)

Dear Rabbi Lamm שליט”א, Enclosed please find my review of your book. I do not know if they will be running it in the initial edition of the paper. Sincerely, Hanoch Teller ALMOST two centuries have passed since the death of Rabbi Hayyim of Volozhin, Tora genius and leader of the Lithuanian Tora community and Jews everywhere. His greatest legacy, as so marvellously articulated by Dr. Norman Lamm in a translation of his Hebrew book by the same title, was his commitment to Tora Lishma, Tora for Tora's sake.

Biographical Material

Letter to Dr. Sprecher about "Torah Umadda" (1990)

Dear Milon, Your very warm and supportive letter was a source of genuine consolation to me, בבחינת מועט המחזיק את המרובה, and the fact that it came on top of your telegram leads me to respond the way the colleagues of רבי עקיבא did at the end of מכות, namely, נחמתני נחמתני. I’m sorry you didn’t have my phone number; after these many years I was forced to resort to an unlisted number because of harassing calls at all unearthly hours by some of our local קנאים. Should you ever want to reach me (for happy reasons, I trust), try me at 212-496-6321. I’m delighted with your reaction to my Torah Umadda. It is my אני מאמין and therefore all the more meaningful to me to read your response—including the one caveat you included. I remember discussing with you the Rambam’s personal attitude, and I owe to you the mention of one of his letters where he speaks of his frustration at not being able to study מדע. Thanks again—I’m glad that after all these years our ideological development has led us in essentially the same direction. Your remarks about תורה לשמה are very well taken; I refrain from any lengthy reaction because I’ve elaborated on the theme in my Torah Lishmah. I cannot discern from your letter if you have the book or not; if not, please let me know at once and I will be delighted to send you a copy immediately (the English version that came out earlier this year; the Hebrew is out of print and the English is updated). I had very little time, in this difficult period, to study your two מאמרים in depth—just enough to marvel at both the level of לומדות and sophistication and the time you set aside for learning, considering your academic and research preoccupations. Forgive me the personal tribute, but you were always one of the prime models I had in mind when thinking, talking, or writing about תורה ומדע. While I haven’t had time to more than glance at your essay on מלכיות, זכרונות, ושופרות, I did peruse with a bit more attention your piece on אמן. נהניתי מאוד מכל המאמר,…

Prayer Torah Umadda Biographical Material

Letter to Dr. Shatz about Their Friendship and His Review of Torah Umadda (2010)

Dear David: Over this past Shabbat I read through the article you published about my work in the most recent issue of the Torah u-Madda Journal. My intellectual – approved, emotionally expressed – reaction, all my feelings put together, are contained in one word: WOW! David, that you did this for me, and without even checking as to whether I wanted it, came to me by surprise and for which I am profoundly grateful to you. We have known each other for many years, and despite the warm feelings I have had for you and your family, what you did is far more than I ever expected or deserved of you. It is a special token of our friendship that makes me so proud that it was you who volunteered this tribute and now intensifies my feelings of camaraderie and respect for you as a person, a scholar, and above all, a true friend. May the Almighty grant you many more years of advanced scholarship, more admiration from your colleagues and both teachers and students. My warmest regards to your wife, brother, and sister, and all of you who have made of your parents such successful practitioners of parenthood.

Biographical Material