Even Rav Soloveichik, no hardliner, drew this line — including at the cost of hearing the shofar.
Q. I thought that it is allowed to enter a Reform Temple as long as they are not doing a service there. On Sukkot, I went in with a lulav and etrog to be “mezakeh the rabbim” (benefit the masses)- and teach them about that mitzvah. Is this wrong?
Shalom,
Rav Y. D. Soloveichik was definitely considered one of the more liberal Torah giants in America of the last generation, yet even he prohibited entering a Reform Temple, even if it meant not hearing the shofar on Rosh HaShana (a Torah obligation!). The idea is that there can be no religious legitimization given to a movement which unfortunately doesn’t believe in the eternal Torah, and many of their “rabbis” don’t even believe in G-d. It must be clarified to all (including those that attend or potentially may do so) that even if they are Jewish, their practice is simply not Judaism. Although your intention was admirable, the halacha is that one shouldn’t perform a mitzvah through doing an aveira (wrongdoing), and almost always, the end doesn’t justify the means. There are plenty of other places (almost anywhere!) and ways to teach others about the beauty and depth of mitzvot. On the other hand, Rav Soloveichik did allow meeting together with reform leaders regarding community and national issues, and the obligation to love them, as all Jews, obviously applies.
With Love of Israel, Rav Ari Shvat
Leave a Reply