Dear Norman: Zei mir mochel 100,000 mohl for my long silence! I am burdened with work beyond description. I did take off time to read your very interesting essay on the "Fifth Amendment" and it was a relief to me know that the Rabbinate did not ruin you – Halvai Veiter! Please believe me when I tell you that I am profoundly impressed by your good judgement and erudition: Torah V'hochmah bemokom echod. I am glad that "Judaism" has accepted it for publication and I hope you will be able to supply me with a reprint thereof. Of course, it should be sent to another publication. Please insist on obtaining reprints from the Ketuba article; it is important that such material should get wide distribution which is otherwise lost in the periodical "runs". The same goes for the Judaism article. As to the She'lah concerning Birchat Kohanim which I would not want you to offer to Pardes, it is at present difficult for me to advise. I would like to check with some Israeli publications and let you know later about it.Meanwhile, I am closing with the satisfaction that I am to have more and more naches from you.Do let me hear from you.Yours, Jacob I Dienstag

Dear Rabbi Lamm: Let me congratulate you upon your fine study published in the last issue of Judaism. I am happy to learn that the day by day duties of the rabbinate have not completely displaced your inclination to study. Keep it up. Very few rabbis manage to pay proper attention to both. May I also use this opportunity to thank you for your telegram congratulating me at the occasion of my receiving life tenure. It was very thoughtful of you and I appreciate it very much. Regards to your charming rebbitzen and to your entire flock. Rabbi Isaac Klein

Dear Rabbi Lamm, Thank you very much for your letter of March 7th. I am glad to know about your article on the principle of self-incrimination, and I greatly appreciate your kindness in sending me a copy. This is an area in which I have wanted light, and I am sure that you will provide it for me. Very truly yours, Erwin N. Griswold, Dean

Dear Norman: I read your article ”The Fifth Amendment And Its Equivalent In The Halakhah”, appearing in the recent issue of ”Judaism”. I not only read the article but re-read it. I tell you in all sincerity, without embellishments and exaggeration, that the article is brilliant and shows that you are not only a remarkable student, but also possess a keen incisive mind. Your article was not only very interesting, but very timely. I need not tell you that the problems of the Fifth Amendment are now before the Courts and will be with us for a long time to come. Only yesterday, our Apellate Division of the Supreme Court, Second Department, handed down a decision with respect to confessions. The decision referred to Section 395 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the State of New York which, insofar as it was pertinent to the case under review, reads as follows:”A confession of a defendant whether in the course of judicial proceedings or to a private person, can be given in evidence against him <hh> but is not sufficient to warrant his con-fession without additional proof that the crime charged has been committed.”You will observe the safeguard which the Legislature es-tablished to prevent the very things you mention in your article. The confessions referred to are voluntary con-fessions because forced confessions are thrown out and not considered by the Courts. Your article, too, disregards forced confessions. In all my years of reading law, I have neveT’ come upon a more lucid exposition of reasons fb r dis-regarding statements of self-incrimination.I congratulate you on your splendid efforts. I extend to you, Mindella and the baby my best wishes for a Hanny pesach.Sincerely,

Dear Rabbi Lamm: I read your article on The Fifth Amendment in Judaism, and found it uncommonly suggestive. I congratulate you on a penetrating analysis. Yours faithfully, W. O. Douglas

I take the liberty of sending enclosed for your perusal a reprint of an article I recently published and which you might find of interest. It concerns a comparative study of the principle of self-incrimination in Constitutional Law and Talmudic Law, and an explanation of the latter from the point of view of psychoanalysis. As you will notice, I have quoted from or referred to your works a number of times. May I be favored with a reply containing some of your comments and reactions? Thank you most kindly. Sincerely, Rabbi Norman Lamm

Dear Dr. Lamm: I have read your article about the difference between the restrictions on confessions in the Constitution and in the Halachah. In addition to being quite informative, the article also has what I believe to be considerable publicity potential. For example, it stirs in me several questions, the answers to which might be publicity "dynamite." 1. In view of the Halachah's rejection of the right even to confess "voluntarily," would it be fair to say that you, as a prominent rabbi, do not believe that a Jew accused of a crime should confess it to the police or anyone else even if he wants to?Would it be fair to conclude that you do not believe any confession should be used as evidence in a court of law?In light of current developments in the field of law enforcement, would you be willing to declare publically that, morally, the police should be denied the right to seek confessions from suspects even if, as they claim, only a confession could provide the necessary evidence to bring them to justice?I’m sure you can appreciate that your answers to these questions could make an enormous impact, and if you believe it would be advisable to do so, I wonder if I could see you after you return from Camp Morasha to determine whether we can develop publicity about your point of view.SincerelyArthur OshinsDirector of PublicityAO:bh

Dear Father Crehan: I was enormously delighted by your letter. I did not know that in this busy city of ours there was anyone left with his humor intact! The Tradition magazine was sent to you at my request, but the solicitation for a subscription was automatic and certainly not by my request. Please, therefore, do not consider the tragic choice between Life and Tradition. My colleagues tell me that Tradition should reinforce Life and not supplant it... All best wishes. Cordially yours, Rabbi Norman Lamm

Dear Rabbi Lamm: Although we may have been contemporaries at Yeshiva, I am not certain that we have ever met. I graduated from the College in 1947. As you are probably well aware, an article of yours on the Fifth Amendment and Halakhah was cited by Chief Justice Warren in a footnote to the famous Miranda case. I have been interested for a long time in the problem of confessions in criminal cases and particularly where Jewish law has application.I am interested in obtaining a copy of your article, and I wonder whether you have any reprints or copies available. If there is any expense involved, please let me know or if you have a copy that I might be able to Xerox I would certainly appreciate it.I am a subscriber to Tradition and have enjoyed reading your articles, and look forward to seeing the one on the Fifth Amendment.By the way do you know of any articles on capital punishment and Talmudic law? I would appreciate any help you can give me.With kindest regards to you and to Rabbi Jung, my former professor and a man I greatly admire.Sincerely,Earl KleinEK:ff

The John LaFarge Institute proposes a series of conversations on the ecumenical and interreligious aspects of the controversy over the "Blaine Amendment" to the New York State Constitution. 1) January 18. Invited to participate are: George A. Kelly, Secretary for Education, Archdiocese of New York; Msgr. Edgar P. McCarren, Secretary of Education, Rockville Center Diocese; Msgr. Eugene Molloy, Superintendent of Schools, Diocese of Brooklyn; Mr. Charles Tobin, Jr., Secretary, New York State Catholic Welfare Committee; Mr. Jeremiah Buckley, National Executive Director, Citizens for Educational Freedom; Mr. Lawrence X. Cusack; Rev. Charles Whelan, S.J., Associate Editor of America, Professor, Fordham University Law School, Assistant Director, The John LaFarge Institute; Mr. James O'Gara, Managing Editor, Commonweal; Mr. Charles W. Carruth, Editor, The Catholic News; Mr. Patrick P. Scanlan, Managing Editor, The Tablet; Msgr. Richard H. J. Hanley, Editor, The Long Island Catholic; Dr. Dumont F. Kenny, President, York College of the City University of New York; Mr. William R. Consedine, Director, Legal Department, U.S. Catholic Conference; Dr. John V. Connorton, Greater New York Hospital Association; Rev. John B. Sheerin, C.S.P., The Catholic World.2) January 25. Those to be invited will include certain members of the foregoing group. Also Dr. John C. Bennett, President, Union Theological Seminary; Dr. Robert V. Lynn, Auburn Professor of Religious Education, Union Theological Seminary; Dr. Robert C. Dodds, Director of Ecumenical Affairs, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.; Dr. Dean M. Kelley, Director, Commission on Religious Liberty, National Council of Churches; Rev. Michael H. Murray, Executive Council, Joint Urban Program, Episcopal Church Center; Prof. Robert Cross, Columbia University; Mr. Herbert Wornum, General Secretary, Religious Education Association of the U.S. and Canada; Dr. Wayne H. Cowan, Managing Editor, Christianity & Crisis; Dr…