<HTML>I have had the 'pleasure' of teaching both subjects. Teaching Sota at
Pelech (Orthodox High School for girls) or at my present school (IASA - a
secular school) brought loud protests and heavy criticism. Teaching at
Hartman (Orthodox High School for boys), no one even murmured - I'm not
sure which reaction I preferred. At both schools where protests were
aired, I explained that in my view in the event of a suspicious husband,
the Sota ritual can alleviate those suspicions and the Mishna does seem to
suggest that in the event of the woman being innocent their household will
be blessed. That explanation didn't go down too well with the girls who
found it highly immoral for a woman to have to be dragged thru such a
humiliating ceremony just because her husband is jealous. I conceded that
they have a point, despite the fact that the Mishna does seem to put in
some safeguards against 'stam' suspicion. I did add that in my opinion
this text (tora and hazal) seems to reflect other times and other norms of
society - which is more or less my point in teaching 'eved knani'. The
question here is do Hazal believe in slavery, as long as it isn't our own
people? It would seem to be that they do. Does that mean that Hazal were
wrong or does this mean that they were trying to adapt Tora principles to
a certain time and society, whose norms have changed?
I do believe, and it is important for me to emphasize in class, that in my
opinion hazal were radical for their time - against the background of
Roman society - and I would expect hazal of today to be similarly radical.
So we are back to the subject of "hazal in their time" vs. "hazal eternal
infallibility". I opt for the former view, understanding 'nishtanu
ha'tevaim' to mean, that the circumstances in which the p'sika was made
have changed. I am of course aware of the problematics of such an approach
for the Orthodox community, but when there is a conflict between what I
perceive to be the truth and the politics of Orthodoxy, I believe in
I'yov's statement 'ki lo le'fanav hanef yavo' (Ch. 13, 16). Of course
within an educational environment we have to be aware of all of Shwab's
commonplaces, which include the community, so there are different ways of
saying things, more or less forthright. I also believe in the principle of
'ha'naar ba'asher hu sham' (let sleeping dogs lie?) but when the subject
is raised I think it should be bravely addressed.
Shmuel Afek
Israel Arts and Science Academy
Melton Centre for Jewish Education</HTML>
