Dear Rabbi Lamm, Several months ago we got together at your office to discuss Modern Orthodoxy and some related issues. This followed my epistolary request to meet you in person and your gracious offer for the same. I wanted to follow up by saying thank you again and by sending you two items of interest. The first is a photo of the first page of the Rav’s letter to the secretary at the Maimonides School. Seth Faber didn’t have a photocopy of this page so I snapped a copy using my Palm device. The image isn’t the best but it shows the Rav, the Rav’s salutation and subject, and the early part of the text. The second item is a photocopy of the piece from Hedge of Roses that I had commented on. My difficulty with the piece is twofold. Firstly, the piece says that the woman’s sense of the holiness of her time far exceeds that of a man. I don’t know how such a thing can be known. But I also don’t know why it is necessary to create a context out of the matter. It should say that I do recognize the era in which this was written and the temptation to address the cries of feminism in such a manner – not that I agree with the approach. Secondly, and most importantly, the piece suggests that the purpose of mitzvahs is to counter our deficiencies. Mitzvahs do function in part in this way (Rav Hirsch on Vayikra). But mitzvahs also engage a pre-existing kedushah. We see this principle in Yevamos 5a where the Gemara discusses the presence of a specific commandment obligating Cohanim to shave their heads if they are struck with leprosy. The Gemara says that the extra push is needed because Cohanim have extra kedushah. We see in general that spiritual growth obligates a person in additional mitzvah related activities, not less. Indeed, the Zies Ra’anan (Magen Avraham) says that men are obligated in positive time-bound commandments because they have a stronger yetzer tov than women do (Commentary on Yalkut Shemoni, Shmuel 1:1). The practical ramification of all this is twofold. Firs…