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December 31, 1963

Meeting on Eruv with R. Feinstein (1963)

Eruv
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Memo on Meeting with Rabbi Aaron Kotler and Rabbi Jakobovits in Lakewood (1962)

We appeared in the succah of Rabbi Kotler at 12:30 p.m. He immediately proceeded into a "shiur" on the laws of eruv for about one hour. He would not allow us to interrupt him and divert him from his dissertation. He was anxious to prove in every way the fact that there was a clear prohibition on the eruv, in fact a "safek d'oraita." Upon questioning, he admitted that he barely glimpsed at all into the literature printed in "Noam" and the other writings of Rabbi Kahhar. As a matter of fact, his conclusions were almost exclusively based upon a reading of the polemics between the "Mishkenot Yaakov" and the "Beth Ephraim."We then shifted the matter to more practical considerations. I emphasized that we were not being driven to an Eruv by irate laymen who insisted upon it. Rather, that we want it for the sake of Sabbath observance - and here we presented to him, once again, our entire rationale. I pointed out that the opinion of the general public was that the older rabbis and especially the Roshe Yeshiva were always intent upon adding-er prohibition upon prohibition. Rabbi Kotler countered by accusing them of being Hatskalim." I repeated that, fortunately or unfortunately, this breed hardly exists any more and that, furthermore, I was quite in agreement with the mood of the public.Here was a case where with equal effort sources could be found to grant permission foran Eruv and make life more liveable for Orthodox Jews, but that those who had theauthority seemed to delight in saying "no." Rabbi Kotler was clearly unshakeable in his conclusion, and at the same time unmistakably apologetic and on the defensive in hispresentation, He protested that his hand was forced by other gedolim in Israel andEngland in the natter of the New York board of Rabbis, and that he had specificallydecreed that that "issur" not be publicized.would not need a man of the stature of Rabbi Kotler to devise ways of issuing aprohibition on the Eruvj even lesser light could accomplish that. We had h…
Eruv

Note

Memorandum Concerning the Eruv (1962)

This past Tuesday, I heard that the Agudath Harabbanim had planned a meeting for Wednesday in which they were to discuss the Eruv. Rabbi Jung, Rabbi Lookstein and I contacted a number of people in order to ward off any unpleasant possibilities. Rabbi Jung spoke to Rabbi Kotler and informed him that any adverse decision by the Agudath Harobbanim would stand to benefit only the Conservative and Reformed. Rabbi Kotler's reaction was not quite clear to Rabbi Jung. Rabbi Lookstein spoke to R. Henkin who seemed to waiver back and forth. Mr. Finkelstein had...Mr. Finkelstein had R. Perotinsky speak to R. Henkin, who agreed to the publication of his announced decision, but wanted to add the fact in print that in view of the Agudath Harobbanim’s position against the Eruv,he would not take the responsibility upon himself. When R. Perotinsky informed R, Henkin that it was too late for any such additions, he seemed to agree that we should go ahead as is. I called R. Feinstein. He emphasized that he was not one of the "matirim," but when I pressed him closely far his views, he replied that whereas he was not one of those mentioned, he was also not #to be counted amongst the "os^rim." He maintained that he stands by his written decision, to wit, that whereas he cannot participate in the commission, those who do pennit the Eruv have sufficient grounds on which to thatbase their decision, and /^ therefore they can be relied upon, except that a "ba/al nefeh” should assume additional restrictions upon himself. He clearly and directly told me that he would not sig! any announcement of "issur.”On Wednesday morning I called Moe Feuerstein in Malbin asking him to intervene with R. Kutler, i.e. not to come to the meeting. He told ne that Samson R. Weiss had more influence on R. Kutler. Dr. Weiss called R. Kutler and informed me that R. Kutler would want, or a delegation of those on our side, to appear and present Aour arguments. When I called R. Cohen of the Agudath Harobbanim asking th…
Eruv

Assorted

Minutes of Midtown Rabbis re: Eruv - Meeting 1 (1962)

In attendance: Rabbi L. Jung, Rabbi J. H. Moistein, Rabbi H. Lookstein, Rabbi R. Oettinger, Rabbi I. Jakobovits, Rabbi R. Reichel, Rabbi N. Lamm. The meeting was devoted exclusively to the question of the eruv. Rabbi Lamm reported on his contacts with Rabbi Teitz, who entered the picture on behalf of the Agudath Harabbanim as a result of an editorial in Hapardes. The gist of the report was as follows: Rabbi Henkin and Rabbi Feinstein both seemed to be wavering. Rabbi Henkin is completely determined to qualify his consent with the provision of be-sha’at ha-dechak. This is to be accompanied, according to Rabbi Henkin, by a number of items spelling out the nature of the provision. On the day before the meeting, Rabbi Lamm, in the company of Rabbi Y. Besser and Mr. Abba Finkelstein, met with Rabbi Teitz, who implied that it would be unfortunate for the whole question to become involved in politics and that it would have been better to have announced the eruv without any consultation with his organization. Rabbi Teitz said that he did not know what had transpired at the Agudath Harabbanim meeting and that he would have to see the minutes later on. It was agreed that Rabbi Lamm would contact him and thus determine the course of future events concerning the eruv. After the report, Rabbi Moskowitz joined the meeting and answered the questions of the various rabbis. He indicated the desire to have at least ten rabbis of Manhattan – including those of our group – sign a statement of co-responsibility with him. This is primarily a moral issue, as he does not want to act solely in his individual capacity but desires the moral participation of others. It was decided that we would accede to his request. After discussion, it was decided to proceed on our own, announcing the eruv during the third week of June. The Hebrew announcement – which Rabbi Lamm read to the group from galleys corrected by Rabbi Kasher – would be printed and distributed to rabbis. In the Yiddish press, a st…
Eruv