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January 2, 1969

New Morality (1969)

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That the Western world finds itself in the midst of a continuing moral crisis is a self-evident fact which needs no documentation. We can repeat, with complete appropriateness to ourselves, the plaint of R. Haninah of Sepphoris: “Zimri was only one in his generation, and because of him 24,000 of Israel died – and we have so many Zimris in our generation!” The traditional moral restraints that have prevailed for centuries in Western civilization are crumbling, and Jews are not the least of those affected by the moral and spiritual rootlessness of our generation. Indeed, we probably feel the consequences of this massive displacement even more than do others, for the fulcrum of Jewish life and continuity has always been the family, and it is the family that is the first victim of moral delinquency. Nevertheless, for the sake of perspective, it is good for us to remember, in the course of our deliberations, that such anti-moral impulses are not new in history. Indeed, the statement of R. Haninah itself is indicative of moral laxity in third-century Palestine. There is considerable truth in a recent assertion that there is a permanent revolution against traditional Jewish sexual morality, but that the style and form and intensity of the revolt change in different historical epochs. What makes our contemporary problem more serious, however, is that one overriding fact which makes all the problems of the modern Jew so much more consequential: the world is smaller than it ever was. Communications technology has transformed the whole world into one little “shtetl,” and we can no longer hope to localize spiritual infections and pray that they will disappear without afflicting others elsewhere. A new somersault in morals in Hollywood, the revelation of novel escapades of perversion in London, an excitingly original style in mini-morals out of Paris, and fresh examples of the sexual itinerancy of celebrities in Italy – these are the pace-setters of moral degeneracy throughout…
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The New Morality and the Tradition of Periodic Abstinence (1969)

Let me begin by acquainting you with my bias. I am an Orthodox Jewish Rabbi and a teacher of Jewish philosophy. But while my frame of reference is quite particular, it is not, at least for the purposes of this lecture, going to be particularistic. Our problem, in this first lecture on the New Morality, is one of universal concern and especially the concern of those whose consciences and professional commitments inspire in them a feeling of responsibility towards society and its future. I will, therefore, attempt to keep theological issues to a minimum, whereas the same will not necessarily be true for the second lecture. In talking about my bias, I would like, meanwhile, to explain why I am late.Leaving on the American Airlines jet from LaGuardia, we were delayed 15 minutes because radar failed. Coming into Chicago, we had to wait ten minutes because the Delta plane before us blew its tires and had to be towed away. As a pulpit Rabbi, I naturally thought, in these two events, a symbol of a sort. The first one indicated that if you don’t have a fixed point by which to measure other events that are in flux, if you have no absolute values by which to judge the transient moves and ephemeral fashions of the day, you are in trouble, and you are open to disaster. The second delay meant to me that if you’re so rigid that there is no “give,” no feel, no flexibility, no air in your tires, then you have to be towed away because you cannot compete in life. These are the limits or poles of my bias and with this I begin.Bachelor moralityThe term, New Morality, generally covers two attitudes. The first one is identified with the name of the High Priest of this particular movement, Hugh Hefner — with his bible, Playboy, his new dispensation, his temples and priestesses and all the rest. It is fundamentally an exploitative view, one which regards women as essentially sexual objects. It demands of its communicants that they be “cool,” form no profound relationships, no involvements.…
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The New Morality under Religious Auspices (1968)

That the Western world finds itself in the midst of a continuing moral crisis is a self-evident fact which needs no documentation. Completely appropriate to our contemporary situation is the plaint of R. Haninah of Sepphoris: “Zimri was only one in his generation, and because of him 24,000 of Israel died — and we have so many Zimris in our generation!”[1] The traditional moral restraints that have prevailed for centuries in Western civilization are crumbling, and Jews are not the least of those affected by the moral and spiritual rootlessness of our generation. Indeed, we probably feel the consequences of this massive displacement even more than do others, for the fulcrum of Jewish life and continuity has always been the family, and it is the family that is the first victim of moral delinquency.[2]Nevertheless, for the sake of perspective it is good to remember that such anti-moral impulses are not new in history. The statement of R. Haninah itself is indicative of moral laxity in third century Palestine. There is considerable truth in a recent assertion that there is a permanent revolution against traditional Jewish sexual morality, but that the style and form and intensity of the revolt change in different historical epochs.³There are several strands discernible in the fabric of the current protest against traditional morality, that known as the New Morality. One of the most interesting aspects of this New Morality is the paradox of what is (by previously accepted standards) immoralism having its genesis in an excess of moral fervor. But this calls for some preliminary remarks. In speaking of the New Morality, we must distinguish between two layers. One is that associated with the name of **Hugh Hefner**, founder of that famous American institution known as the “Playboy Club.” This profitable commercial enterprise is accompanied by the exposition of a totally immoral “philosophy,” and made to appeal mostly to professional bachelors who prefer the pleasures of mar…
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