Rabbi Melamed
Rabbi MelamedHar Bracha

Rabbi Eliezer Melamed on Thursday addressed issues relating to the halachic view of Reform Jews.

Rabbi Melamed sought to address controversy which emerged from his statements whereby Reform and Conservative prayer at the Western Wall should be accommodated for as the demand increases, and that halacha-observing Jews need not feel sorry that these groups come to pray at the Western Wall but rather should "feel happy that more Jewish brothers are connecting to the place of the Temple and want to pray to their father in Heaven."

He discounted the assertion that Reform and Conservative might be considered heretics whom it is a mitzvah to fight against. The label "heretic," he said, specifically refers to certain Christian sects which "acted with evil intentions to eradicate the Jewish people from the world."

"The Reform, in contrast, and to an even greater degree the Conservative, want to maintain their Jewish identity. Further, sages of the previous generation headed by Rabbi Kook wrote that the severe category of heretics has been nullified."

Regarding the claim that the Reform are considered "wicked ones" upon whom the mitzvah of loving one's fellow Jew does not apply, Rabbi Melamed stated that "The Mitzvah of loving one's fellow Jew also applies to the wicked."

This is why, he explained, "we pray to eradicate sins, not sinners."

As to the claim that if the rabbi really knew the extent to which some of the Reform are sinners and even support those who seek the destruction of the State of Israel, he would not see them as brothers, he said "I know the reality, and I know that there are Reform Jews who support the haters of the State of Israel, and precisely because of this I more appreciate and love those who immigrated to Israel and those who visit the Western Wall. And in any case, even those who have become very far from us - as long as they desire some brotherhood with us, it is a mitzvah to reach out to them and hope that they will reach out to us back. We are all brothers and sons of Hashem."

As to the claim that Reform Jews should be treated with love while the movement itself should be fought, he said "The opposite is true. The leaders and representatives are more committed to their Jewish identity and to their people, and thus deserve to be respected even more and not less. In addition, this division is not understood by most of the Jews who are members of the Reform, and even Conservative, movement, who are closer to us. When they hear that they are fighting their leaders and representatives and say their movement is not Jewish, they understand that the religious have expelled them from all of Israel. Thus, the talk of boycotting the movement and its leaders effectively uproots the commandment to love Israel, which is a great principle of the Torah."

Regarding the claim that the Reform act to change the Jewish and religious character of the state, the rabbi said that while "we do have a great disagreement with them," that argument "must be conducted with manners, and not in the style of boycotts, wars and violence, both because this is proper from an ethical perspective, and because it helps more from a public and educational perspective."

As to the claim that the Reform encourage assimilation and therefore are an enemy of the Jewish people, the rabbi said that Reform mixed marriage ceremonies did not stem from a desire to encourage assimilation, but rather from a reluctance to exclude Jews with non-Jewish partners from the community.

"Of course it is forbidden to agree to mixed marriages," he said, "but it cannot be asserted that [the Reform] encourage assimilation."

Regarding the claim that great rabbinic authorities of previous generations had written about the dangers of Reform, the rabbi said that it was important to note when, and the specific context in which, these words were written. "When this principle is forgotten, one errs in the words of halacha."

As to the claim that it forbidden to give a Torah to the Reform out of concern that it will not be read from according to halacha and because the Reform do not dress modestly before it, the rabbi said that all Jews are commanded to observe all the mitzvot and, while it is forbidden for a Jew who does not observe Shabbat to write a Torah, such a person is still commanded to hire a scribe to write one for him.

"How much more so is it permitted and commanded to give them a Torah scroll when they want to read from it."