Re: Fw: Kol Isha

[Alex Lubet <lubet001...>]

>In a message dated 2/17/01 11:04:30 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>shirona (at) bellatlantic(dot)net writes:
>
>>So I'm questioning here.  I'm questioning the origin of Kol Isha. I'm
>>questioning the motives behind it.  Were they about power? The male ego?  
>>Is this any different than the general oppression of women by men?  I want
>>the source. 
>>
>
>
>Shirona, my whole point is that in your initial post, you were not
>questioning anything. You were condemning sight unseen a system of belief,
>the details of which you yourself express ignorance. That is not questioning.
>That is wholesale rejection of deeply held religious beliefs of your
>CO-religionists, who I think are entitled at least to the benefit of the
>doubt that their 2000 year old system of jurisprudence painstakingly derived
>in a fair manner. The questions you ask in this post, on the other hand, are
>very important, and you have every right to ask them. In fact if you wish to
>email me privately, I would be happy to discuss with you my take on the
>problems you bring up. The only reason I won't do that on the list is because
>I feel it would make my beliefs the issue, as opposed to respect for a group
>of Observant Jews and the Torah that they observe.
>
>With deep respect,
>
>Jordan Hirsch

With all due respect, I have yet to read anything I regard as 
disrespectful of anyone on this thread.  Being fiercely critical of a 
code which one regards as demeaning is hardly disrespect.

One often hears the complaint of having one's remarks taken out of 
context.  However, there are many positions that cannot possibly be 
improved regardless of context.  Obvious, for many on this list, Kol 
Isha is one, and not a trifling matter.  When a position is taken 
that is so obviously going to offend, one should anticipate a strong 
response and not infer from that response that disagreement equals 
disrespect.




-- 
Alex Lubet, Ph. D.
Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music
Adjunct Professor of American Studies
University of Minnesota
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Minneapolis, MN 55455
612 624-7840 (o)
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612 624-8001  ATTN:  Alex Lubet (FAX)