A Public Apology to Rabbi Dr. Slifkin

Injuring somebody's pride is no laughing matter

The honorable Slifkin family coat of arms

On Thursday, I posted a comment on Rationalist Judaism that aroused the ire of the good Rabbi Dr. It was in response to the following statement from Rabbi Slifkin aimed at myself:

Honestly, I don't think that HGL actually puts any thought into what he writes. He just spouts whatever pops into his head. (That's probably also why he's too afraid to use his real name. Doesn't want the accountability.)

Understandably, I took great offense at that remark, and so I fired back the following comment:

Apparently, as we see from the example of yourself, using your real name is no guarantee of being held accountable!

You can get away with spewing nonsense all day long, like "Relationship with Hashem is just fluffy spirituality" or "Torah doesn't practically protect because there are attacks on shuls" or "Tosafos thought centipedes had asymmetric legs because Aristotle though men have more teeth", and none of your cronies hold you accountable!

To which Rabbi Slifkin bravely retorted:

Ok. That's it. I don't care if you insult me, but I've had enough of you distorting what I say, and not even putting your name to it. Banned.

Oh vey! I can’t even describe how devastated I was. I mean, Rationalist Judaism is my favorite site in the world. It’s like taking away insulin from a diabetic. Or cocaine from a crackhead. Or meth from a meth addict. I immediately started suffering withdrawal symptoms. My hair and teeth fell out. My skin turned pale and clammy. My heart palpitated. I suffered shortness of breath. You see what you did, Rabbi Slifkin?! How dare you!

But then I realized that it’s not about me. It’s about him. I committed the gravest offense possible. I wounded the rabbi’s pride. Quite seriously. And like a wounded lion, he lashed back with a vengeance, valiantly stomping on the “ban” button (although I’m sure it was with the characteristic British stoicism, like he gracefully maintained- “I don't care if you insult me”).

But why was Natan’s ego so damaged? It can’t just be that one comment.

Just a few years ago, there was nobody calling out Natan’s nonsense (all the other anti-Slifkin blogs had been long defunct, I’m sure out of sheer exasperation and disgust), and people talked about the opinions of “Rabbi” Slifkin with a straight face, as if his “rationalism” represents a serious stream of thought in Torah (hint: it doesn’t). Along came HaRav Mecharker and his blog Irrationalist Modoxism, that I am honored to be a contributor to, and exposed the so-called “rabbi’s” total ignorance of basic Torah sources and hashkafa as well as his lack of reasoning ability. Position after position of his, that he had written hundreds of posts about over the years, were deconstructed, and like Terach’s idols, smashed to smithereens. And all of the sudden Natan was on the defensive, furiously denying that he made such statements, complaining that these very explicit and repeated positions of his, that are the very core of his ideology, are “misrepresentations” and “distortions”¹ And to add insult to injury, all his friends have turned their backs on him. All he has is an eclectic group of unabashed atheists who root for his every post, every one of which just so coincidentally lines up with their views.

I therefore fully admit my wrongdoing. My ban was totally justified, and I offer my heartfelt apologies to the Rabbi. May he find it in his heart to forgive me.

1. While of course he has no problem at all constantly and flagrantly distorting the opinions of his chosen enemies, the chareidim.