<HTML>A. I certainly agree with Jonathan Marvin that one should always examine
the comments of Chazal and the Meforshim before teaching a text. Indeed,
in my letter I referred to comments by both Ibn Ezra and Chazal. My
comments tended more to the comments of Ibn Ezra than others. Is that
improper?
B. Rav Yair Kahn came to the mistaken impression that I was denying the
greatness of the Avot in favor of Eisav and Yishmael. Nonsense, I was
simply saying that the greatness of the Avot does not eliminate the
understanding of pshat to indicate their rare flaws. It is also nonsense
to assume that I think that the selection of the Avot by Hashem was
randomly done. What I did indicate is that I think it is wrong to use
unethical means to achieve Hashem's plan. It is precisely because I
understand the importance of schar ve'onesh in the Torah that I pointed
out that, according to the text, both Yaakov and Rivka appear to be
punished for their behavior.
Rav Kahn also makes the point that the Avot must have had extraodinary
characteristics in order to be chosen by Hashem. Of course, I agree,
although I acknowledge that I am unable to read Hashem's mind, so to
speak, and therefore I don't always know why Hashem chose somebody - is it
because of something they've already done, or are yet to do? Is it because
of their faith? Their wisdom? Unless the text makes an explicit reference,
I don't know. For example, concerning Avraham the text explicitly talks
about his faith (Gen. 15:5) and his care for strangers (Gen. 18). However,
the text does not say that for this Avraham was chosen for revelation in
Gen. 12.
C. I am sorry that Yisroel Frankforter apparently thought that I was
confusing such illuminaries as Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi with people
who live in 1999. Rather, I was referring literally to certain current
trends in Orthodoxy.
Unfortunately, instead of focusing on the substantive comments I made
(does the pshat of the Torah support my interpretation, or not?), the
above gentlemen focused on the question of whether or not I have the right
spiritual standing to give the interpretation I did. If that be the case,
then I affirm the following (among others): I believe that the religion of
Torah calls upon us to seek truth.</HTML>
