Between the Lines

The appointment of an orthodox rabbi in Dallas, Texas, to a chair of medicine is something which will give food for thought to many.

It has been generally accepted that rabbis in America are not rabbis in the actual sense of the word. This assumption is partly due to the fact that many American rabbis are too anxious to play a role which does not at all fit in with their calling.

It is for this reason that very few rabbis in America enjoy the respect which their position deserves. When rabbis, instead of preaching Jewish religion, indulge in political speeches, they may see their names in the Monday paper, but they are hardly cementing the contact between them and the Jewish community.

WHAT DO RABBIS DO?

It has often been remarked that the American rabbi of today does actually nothing except prepare his Sunday sermon. Questions have been asked: What are the rabbis doing with their free time?

And surprise has been expressed as to why rabbis are devoting so much of their public speaking to Christian, rather than Jewish subjects. why are they always so much in praise of Christianity? Why are the majority of them dabblers in politics rather than spiritual leaders?

FOLLOWING THE RAMBAM

The rabbi in Dallas who has been appointed Professor of Medicine shows that not all rabbis in America are spending their time on work which the average layman considers unimportant. This orthodox rabbi has followed the way of the Rambam, of Yehuda Halevi, of other prominent Jewish scholars of the Golden Age, who have combined religion with medicine and whose memory is still alive among Jewry.

Jewish history knows many cases where Jewish spiritual leaders were the best medical men. These theologians, having much spare time, devoted their time to medicine, considering it an important supplement to religion. The Dallas case is only an illustration of how the theory of combining religious with medicine stands good even in our modern times.

RABBINATE NEEDS DEFINITION

The appointment of the Dallas rabbi to a medical faculty must not be interpreted to mean that every rabbi should study medicine. It must, however, serve as a lesson to many rabbis as to what they can do with their spare time. Naturally, one can argue that when a rabbi reaches a stage where he is acknowledged a good doctor, he will prefer to practice medicine rather than remain in the pulpit. This argument, if given, will only prove that the American rabbi of today is making religion his profession not out of conviction but because he cannot choose any other profession.

The American rabbi of today who #nds it his duty to issue all sorts of unnecessary public endorsements, who does anything for the sake of publicity, who is not particular about the actual duties of his calling, is not doing much justice to the rabbinate in its traditional sense.

It would perhaps be best for the rabbis themselves if they called a convention to define exactly what the functions of a rabbi are in our present times. The average member of a congregation would then perhaps know what his rabbi should and shouldn’t do.