Archeology v. Religion

There has always been tension between archeology and religion. Archeology opposes many of the stories in the Torah.  As Ahad Ha’Am (Asher Tzvi Ginsberg) writes it is irrelevant whether the stories in the Torah happened, the fact is that those stories form the fundamentals of the Jewish tradition, irrelevant of where the truth lies. Nevertheless, the orthodox world does not agree with his analysis and understanding regarding the truth of the Torah. 

Recently, Israeli Archaeologists have found the remains of Avraham Avinu and his wife Sara’s house, belongings and tent, which was open on all four sides. Initially, this was embraced by the orthodox world, however, since the discovery of Sara’s garb a rift has developed in the Jewish world. After much examination of the clothing archaeologists are now claiming that Sara’s dress finished half way down her thigh, not even within a ‘tefach’ of her knee. While this has been embraced by left wing orthodoxy, the more conservative groups within Judaism cannot fathom that Sara Imaynu would go against a God given commandment of dressing modestly especially when immoral idol worshippers were roaming the desert.  

Does anyone understand the connection?

When interviewed, Rabbi Elyashiv Baskinovitch stated, “archeology is fraudulent and the Zionist army is behind these counterfeiting measures to undermine true Torah Judaism.”  He furthered his point by saying that it is a known fact that “Sara received the best shidduch at the time, Avrohom, and she would have never been set up with him if her skirt was too short. Simply, she was an ‘adele maidel’.”

In response to this, Rabbi Channan Amit stated that “modesty is relative to the way other women dressed in society.” Furthering his argument, Amit emphasized that the Torah would not have written about pregnancy, relationships and concubines if women’s dresses were too long. As Lot said to Avraham “the longer the dress gets, the frummer the girl, the frummer the girl the more asexual she becomes.” This statement is truer today than ever before.

Unfortunately nothing will change. Artscoll and Feldheim will still publish their books on halacha, which demands that girls have to wear masks due to the laws of modesty. Sara’s mask has not been found. 

Shulchan Aruch HaChadash

I have decided to re-publish the Shulchan Aruch. It sounds unnecessary since the Haredim already have a monopoly on the publication of religious books, however I can offer something they cannot, a haskomoh which embraces modernity and gives over a relevant message. When one opens the this new publication of the Shulchan Aruch the song 'The Times they are a-Changin' by Bob Dylan will play. 

An adapted version of the lyrics are below.

Come gather ’round people

Wherever you roam

And admit that the Torah

Around you have grown

And accept it that soon

You’ll be drenched to the bone

If your Torah to you is worth savin’

Then you better start changin’ or you’ll fry out like a blaze

For the times they are a-changin’

Come rabbis and scholars

Who prophesize with your pen

And keep your eyes wide

The chance won’t come again

And don’t speak too soon

For the wheel’s still in spin

And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’

For the loser now will be later to win

For the times they are a-changin’

Come students, teachers

Please heed the call

Don’t stand in the doorway

Don’t block up the hall

For he that gets hurt

Will be he who has stalled

There’s a battle outside and it is ragin’

It’ll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls

For the times they are a-changin’

Come zaide and booba

Throughout the land

And don’t criticize

What you can’t understand

Your sons and your daughters

Are beyond your command

Your old road is rapidly agin’

Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand

For the times they are a-changin’

The line it is drawn

The curse it is cast

The slow one now

Will later be fast

As the present now

Will later be past

The order is rapidly fadin’

And the first one now will later be last

For the times they are a-changin’

I understand this is dangerous ground, nevertheless if halacha does not continue to grow and adapt many of the youth will become disenfranchised and fail to see the beauty of Judaism.