The advertisement I published last week, “Open Letter to my Modern Orthodox Leadership” (November 5, 2020), certainly elicited many responses, mostly positive feedback from readers who felt the letter brought up a central issue in our communities, i.e., why aren’t Modern Orthodox communities growing in their religious observance?

בר מינן was any intent to attack or show any lack of respect for our rabbinical leadership. I also did not want to express an opinion on our rabbinical leadership’s response to the corona pandemic.

Rather, I asked a simple question. In light of the corona pandemic, where we saw our rabbinical leadership so willing to use its halachic authority to enforce public health measures, why is that same leadership so reluctant to use that authority to enforce Halacha, i.e., Hashem’s law? If congregants are so willing to obey the dictates of our rabbis regarding physical dangers, why wouldn’t our rabbinical leadership become vocal in their enforcement of Halacha?

It is my hope and prayer that my letter will continue to foster constructive dialogue in our communities and, b’ezrat Hashem, bring more growth and closeness to Hashem Yitbarach.