Seymur Sigel - Seymour Siegel

Ravvin Seymur Siegel
Shaxsiy
Tug'ilgan	1927 Nyu York
O'ldi	1988
Din	Yahudiylik
Millati	Amerika
Katta post
Ordinatsiya	Amerikaning yahudiy diniy seminariyasi
Oldingi xabar	Yahudiy diniy seminariyasi professori
Hozirgi post	AQShning Holokost yodgorlik kengashi ijrochi direktori

Seymur Sigel (1927 yil 12 sentyabr - 1988 yil 24 fevral), ko'pincha "me'mori Konservativ Yahudiy ilohiyotshunosligi "amerikalik edi Konservativ ravvin, professor Axloq qoidalari va Teologiya da Amerikaning yahudiy diniy seminariyasi (JTS), 1983-1984 yillarda Ijrochi direktor Amerika Qo'shma Shtatlari Holokost yodgorlik kengashi,"^[1] va uchta Amerika prezidentining maslahatchisi, Richard Nikson, Jerald Ford va Ronald Reygan.^[2]

Siegel 41 yil davomida JTS bilan aloqada bo'lgan, avval talaba va keyinchalik o'qituvchi bo'lib, Ralf Simonning axloq va ilohiyot bo'yicha professori bo'lgan. kafedra do'sti va ustozidan keyin, Ibrohim Joshua Xeschel, bu holatda. U 1973 yilda prezident Richard Niksonning inauguratsiya marosimida ibodat qilgan holda siyosiy konservatizmning ochiqchasiga chempioni bo'lgan, ammo ba'zida liberalizm bilan bog'liq diniy sabablarning kuchli kurashchisi, masalan, tayinlash ayol rabvinlarning. Uning obzorida, Nyu-York Tayms din yozuvchisi, Ari L. Goldman, Seymur Siegelning yozuvlari "ayol ravvinlarning ordinatsiyasi uchun eshikni ochishga yordam berdi" deb yozgan.^[1]

Hayot va ish

Seymur Siegel tug'ilgan Chikago, Illinoys, qatnashish Chikago universiteti (B.A., 1958) va Ibroniy diniy kolleji bakalavriat o'qishlari uchun, keyin esa pul ishlash Rabbin ordinatsiyasi va ikkalasi ham Magistrlar va Doktorlik yilda Ibroniy adabiyoti JTS-da (M.A., 1951; DHL, 1960), Nyu-York shahrida.^[3] U JTS-da Dinshunoslik va axloqshunoslik professori sifatida qoldi va yillar davomida turli vaqtlarda boshqa lavozimlarda ishladi, shu jumladan Rabbinlar maktabi talabalari dekani ("Registrator") va Gerbert H.Leman dekan yordamchisi. Axloq instituti.^[4] 1973-1980 yillarda u yahudiy qonunlari va standartlari bo'yicha qo'mitaning raisi bo'lib ishlagan Rabbinlar assambleyasi (RA). U shuningdek xizmat qildi Konservativ yahudiylik mafkurasi bo'yicha komissiya- keyinroq qayta nomlangan, Konservativ yahudiylik falsafasi bo'yicha komissiya- 1988 yilgi hujjatni ishlab chiqargan, Emet Ve'Emunah: Konservativ yahudiylik tamoyillari bayonoti.

Siegel "yahudiylarning yaqin oilasi va jamoasida" o'sgan, chunki "yeshiva ta'limi uni pravoslav ravvin yoki talmudikshunos bo'lishga tayyorlagan. Ammo Chikago universitetini tugatgandan so'ng u konservatorlar harakati tomon tortishgan. do'stlari, Samuel Dresner va Volf Kelman uni Heschel bilan o'qishga undashdi. "^[5]

O'qituvchi sifatida Zigel ko'p jihatdan o'z vaqtidan oldinda edi. U 1960-yillarning o'rtalarida, jiddiy tadqiqotlar sohasi deb hisoblanmasdan oldin Xolokostni o'rganishni o'rgatgan va u ayniqsa tibbiy axloqshunoslik va umuman diniy axloqshunoslik sohasida kashshof bo'lgan. U o'qitish sinf bilan chegaralanib qolmasligi kerak, deb hisoblagan va Xeshelning "yahudiylar umumiy jamiyat qanday ta'sir ko'rsatishi mumkin bo'lsa ham, umumiy jamiyatga ta'sir qilishi mumkin bo'lgan jamiyat haqida tasavvurga ega ekanligi to'g'risida" fikrini o'rtoqlashdi.^[2] Ushbu e'tiqodlarni amalda qo'llagan holda, u Amerika tijorat korporatsiyalarining birinchi axloqiy maslahatchilaridan biri bo'lib, jamoatchilik bilan aloqalar firmasining axloq qo'mitasini boshqargan, Ruder Fin va xizmat qilish Bioxatarlar Gigant farmatsevtika konserni qo'mitasi, Hoffmann-La Roche.^[6] Ushbu lavozim doirasida u rekombinant DNK tadqiqotlarida ko'rsatmalar ustida ishlagan.^[7]

Siegel yahudiy diniy seminariyasida axloqshunoslik va ilohiyotshunoslik professori sifatida Amerika Qo'shma Shtatlari jamoatchiligiga xizmat qiladigan umumiy davlat xizmatchisi bo'lish uchun juda katta mas'uliyatni his qildi va yahudiylik ta'limotini tushundi. yahudiy xalqiga xizmat qilgan vaqt, Rabbinlar Assambleyasining yahudiy qonuni va standartlari bo'yicha qo'mitasining raisi sifatida.^[8]

Taniqli olim Jeykob Noyner Siegel JTSda uning "Talmudning eng yaxshi o'qituvchisi" bo'lganligini eslaydi.^[9] va bir necha ravvinlar Siegelning Talmuddan tortib yahudiy qonunlari va yahudiy tasavvufigacha bo'lgan klassik yahudiy matnlarining keng doirasini "to'liq nazorat qilishini" yuqori baholadilar.^[10] qiyin masalalarni aniq va ravshan tushuntirish qobiliyati bilan birga. U "yahudiy diniy seminariyasining eng ko'p qirrali va har tomonlama bilimdon olimi" deb nomlangan.^[10]

JTS-dagi lavozimlaridan va RA bilan ishlashidan tashqari, Siegel tashrif buyurgan katta ilmiy xodim sifatida xizmat qildi. Kennedi bioetika instituti da Jorjtaun universiteti (1976-1977); da tashrif buyurgan olim Woodrow Wilson xalqaro olimlar markazi (1981), Vashingtonda, DC; a Xastings markazi Do'stim; va Oliy ta'lim dinlari jamiyati a'zosi.^[11] Shuningdek, u 1982-1983 yillarda yagona ruhoniy sifatida xizmat qilgan^[12] ustida Tibbiyot va biotibbiyot tadqiqotlarida axloqiy muammolarni o'rganish bo'yicha Prezident komissiyasi, ushbu komissiyaga Prezident Ronald Reygan tomonidan tayinlangan. Bundan tashqari, Siegel ko'plab tashkilotlarning direktorlar kengashlarida, shu jumladan Yahudiy milliy xavfsizlik ishlari instituti (JINSA) va Yahudiy nashrlari jamiyati (JPS) va ko'plab jurnallar va davriy nashrlarning tahririyat kengashlarida, shu jumladan Bu dunyo va Konservativ yahudiylik.

1951 yilda JTS kansleri Lui Finkelshteyn Martin Buberning AQShga olti oylik ma'ruza safari uchun birinchi safarini uyushtirdi. Finkelshteyn Siegelni JTS-da bo'lgan vaqtida Buber va uning rafiqasi Polaynning boshlovchisi sifatida tayinladi. Zigel ularni Idlevild aeroportida kutib oldi (hozir Jon F. Kennedi xalqaro aeroporti ) 1951 yil 1-noyabrda.^[13] Yigirma to'rt yil o'tgach, Nyu-Yorkdagi Buberni xotirlash marosimida Siegel uchta ma'ruzachidan biri bo'ladi, jumladan protestant ilohiyotchisi, Pol Tillich.^[14]

1962 yilda Siegel topishga yordam berdi Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano, Lotin Amerikasi Rabbonlari seminariyasi, yilda Buenos-Ayres, Argentina va Nyu-Yorkdagi ushbu seminariya bilan JTS o'rtasida yozni o'tkazib, Talmud, ilohiyot va axloq fanlari bo'yicha darslarni o'tkazib, "munosabatlarni mustahkamlashda muhim rol o'ynadi".^[2][3] Seminariyani tashkil qilishda yordam berish uchun Buenos-Ayresga o'n haftalik safaridan so'ng o'tkazilgan matbuot anjumanida u argentinalik yahudiylar jamoatining qo'rquvi haqida gapirdi. antisemitizm u duch keldi. Uning so'zlariga ko'ra, "... ishonchli manbalarning ta'kidlashicha, [Argentina hukumati rasmiylari antisemitizm hujumlarini kim amalga oshirayotganini bilishadi va hanuzgacha ularni hibsga olish choralarini ko'rmaganlar". U AQSh hukumatini Argentinadagi demokratik institutlarni mustahkamlash uchun qo'lidan kelgan barcha ishni qilishga undaydi va u erdagi Rim-katolik cherkovi antisemitizm xurujlariga qarshi rasmiy pozitsiyani tutmaganidan xavotir bildirdi. "Buenos-Ayresda bo'lganida Isroil kemachilik liniyasining pulemyot bilan o'qqa tutilganiga guvoh bo'lganini aytgan ravvin, bu kabi hujumlar o'ttiz yildan ortiq vaqtdan beri davom etayotgan antisemitizm harakatlarining takrorlanishidir".^[15] Siegel ispan tilini yaxshi bilar edi va Nyu-Yorkdagi ba'zi siyosiy kampaniyalar paytida Nyu-Yorkdagi ispan guruhlariga ispan tilida nutq so'zladi. Yuqori G'arbiy tomon. 1965 yilda, qachon ispan tilidagi konservator ibodatxona Argentina va boshqa mamlakatlar uchun bosilgan lotin Amerikasi, Siegelning ibodatlaridan biri - yahudiylarning bayrami uchun Sukkot, Chodirlar - kiritilgan.^[16] Ibodatxonasi - asl ispancha tarjimasi paydo bo'lganidan beri yahudiy ibodat kitobining ispan tiliga birinchi yangi tarjimasi Ferrara, Italiya, 1552 yilda - ning loyihasi edi Lotin Amerikasi ofisi Butunjahon ibodatxonalar kengashi. Kengashning boshqa ispan nashrlari orasida tarjimasi ham bor edi Yahudiylarning parhez qonunlari, Siegel va uning hamkasbi Ravvin Samuel Dresner tomonidan yozilgan.^[17]

1960-yillarda, ravvinlar, jumladan, RAda bo'lganlar orasida yahudiy-nasroniy muloqotiga kirish yoki kirmaslik to'g'risida qizg'in bahs-munozaralar bo'lganida, Siegel "biz muloqot qilishimiz kerak" deb qat'iyan ta'kidlab, uning ahamiyati uchun kuchli ovoz edi. Bundan tashqari, u nasroniy seminariyalarida dars bergan birinchi ravvinlardan biri edi.^[18] 1967 yilda, dinlararo dialog haqidagi bahslar yuqori darajaga ko'tarilganda, ba'zi ravvinlar xristian va yahudiy rahbarlari uchun "ilohiyot" emas, balki "ijtimoiy adolat" masalalarini muhokama qilish o'rinli bo'lishi mumkin degan pozitsiyani egallashganida, Sigal yana bir bor diniy muloqot foydasiga kuchli pozitsiya. Uning yozishicha, bunday muloqotlar "bugungi kunda tashvishli muammolari xristianlar va yahudiylar uchun zudlik bilan dolzarb bo'lgan dunyoda", "ijtimoiy muammolarni muhokama qilish uchun" dinga tushmasdan "birlashish mumkin emas". Va bundan tashqari, "diniy rahbarlarning barcha mavzularda muhokama qilish maqsadida uchrashishlari kulgili bo'lar edi".^[19] Keyinchalik, 1984 yilda, yahudiy-nasroniylarning ko'pgina doiralarida dialoglar rivojlangandan so'ng, Zigel o'z vaqtidan oldin, bunday muloqat Islomni, hattoki undan ham ko'proq "G'arb dinlari" deb ataladigan dinni o'z ichiga oladi deb umid qilganini aytdi. Yahudiylik, nasroniylik va islom, aksariyat hollarda dunyodagi boshqa dinlarni, shu jumladan Osiyo va Afrikadagi dinlarni "achinarli darajada bexabar" bo'lganlar, muloqotda ham birlashish imkoniyatlarini rivojlantirishi mumkin edi. Siegelning ta'kidlashicha, din ko'pincha urushda kuch bo'lgan bo'lsa-da, ikkita asosiy sababga ko'ra tinchlik uchun kuch bo'lishi mumkin: birinchidan, kelajakdagi tinchlik payg'ambarlarining tasavvurlarini saqlab qolishi mumkin; ikkinchidan, chunki din o'zlari bilan milliy chegaralar va irqlardan ustun bo'lgan tasavvurni olib kelishi mumkin edi, shuning uchun boshqalar bilan "shaxslar" ni aniqlash imkoni paydo bo'ldi.^[20] Boshqa tomondan, u dinlararo dialog va hamkorlikning kuchli tarafdori bo'lganida, dinlar o'rtasidagi farqlarni kamsitmaslik yoki xiralashtirmaslikdan ogohlantirdi. Yahudiy-xristian munosabatlarining bir masalasiga murojaat qilib, u shunday deb yozgan edi: "Ikki ahd - yahudiylik va nasroniylik - abadiylikda uchrashadigan ikkita parallel chiziqqa o'xshaydi. O'sha vaqtgacha biz bir-birimizdan ajralib turamiz, lekin bir-birimizni hurmat qilamiz va sevamiz. "^[10]

1960-yillarning o'rtalarida u Nyu-York yahudiy dunyosining ba'zi nuroniylari, ularning oilalari a'zolari va maxsus odamlarni jalb qilgan "West Side Chevre Shas" ning Nyu-York shahridagi Yuqori G'arbiy Sayd Talmud tadqiqot guruhining asoschisi edi. mehmonlar. Guruh har hafta, kuni uchrashdi Shabbat, yahudiylar shanbasi, uch o'n yil davomida, ishtirokchilarning uylari orasida aylanib yurishdi. Ikki yil davomida Siegel Vashingtonda, AQSh Holokost yodgorlik kengashi Rabbi bilan bo'lgan Devid Vayss Halivni guruhni boshqargan, ammo aks holda, tashkil etilishidan Sigelning o'limigacha u guruhni boshqargan. Guruh har yili o'tkazdi Tikkun Leyl Shavuot sessiya (yahudiylarning kechasi davomida butun kecha o'qish Shavuot festivali ), Siegelning uyida. Ushbu guruhdan tashqari, u JTS talabalari uchun haftalik shanba-ertalabki Shabbat tenglik ibodat marosimini o'tkazdi, chunki JTSda tenglik xizmati o'tkazilmadi (ibodat qilishning barcha jabhalarida erkak va ayol talabalar teng ravishda qatnashgan). Sevgi bilan "Siegelniki Shtiebel, "o'qish va ibodat qilish uchun ishlatiladigan" kichkina uy "uchun Yiddish tilidan kelib chiqadigan bo'lsak, bu talabalar ibodat qilish, birgalikda o'rganish, Siegelning uyida ovqat pishirishdan zavq olish vaqti edi (u o'zining oshpazligi, o'zining shanba kuni ixtisosligini tayyorlagan, xushtor, guruh uchun) va uning ashulasi (u musiqani yaxshi ko'rar va "qadimgi konsert yozuvlari" yoki eski "Hasidik zavqlari" ning "notasini mukammal ijro etishi" mumkin).^[10]

1967 yilda Siegel yahudiylar jamoatini (va yahudiylarning e'tiqodini) AQSh homiysi bo'lgan dengiz floti tomonidan chaqirilgan tarixiy konferentsiyada qatnashadigan yagona ravvin sifatida namoyish etdi. Chaplains boshlig'i, AQSh dengiz kuchlari, va AQSh dengiz osti kuchlari qo'mondoni, AQSh Atlantika floti, oddiy xizmat mavzusida. Eng yaxshi sharoitlarda, AQSh dengiz flotidagi ko'plab ofitserlar va dengizchilar ruhoniylar doirasidan tashqarida, ammo dengiz osti kemalari suv ostida qolishlari va deyarli abadiy diniy qo'llab-quvvatlashi mumkin bo'lgan har qanday odam bilan deyarli aloqasiz bo'lishiga imkon beradigan yangi yadroviy suvosti texnologiyasiga ega. ekipaj uchun qancha miqdordagi oziq-ovqat mahsulotlarini saqlash mumkinligi omil edi), yangi diniy yordam masalalari ko'tarildi. Natijada, dengiz kuchlari konferentsiyani odamlarni yotqizish usullarini o'rganish uchun chaqirdi - harbiy "oddiy rahbarlar" yaxshiroq o'qitilishi, tayyorlanishi va ibodat qilish imkoniyatlarini ta'minlashdagi rollarini qo'llab-quvvatlashi yoki boshqa diniy talablarni qo'llab-quvvatlashi mumkin tayinlangan ruhoniylarning yo'qligi va hatto ular bilan bir necha oy davomida aloqa bo'lmagan taqdirda ham. Shuningdek, konferentsiya doirasida har bir e'tiqod guruhining diniy qarashlari muhokama qilindi ekumenik va dinlararo ibodat.^[4] Konferentsiyaning maqsadi "POLARIS dengiz osti kemalarida ishlab chiqariladi, ammo keyinchalik butun dengiz flotida amalga oshiriladi" eksperimental yondashuvni ishlab chiqish edi.

Zigelning din, ta'lim va siyosat bilan bog'liq bo'lgan ko'plab faoliyati uni butun dunyoga olib bordi. Urushga qarshi faol sifatida qatnashgan vaqtidagi Vetnamga dastlabki tashrifidan farqli o'laroq, u keyinchalik Prezident Niksonning iltimosiga binoan 1967 yilda Moskvaga safar qilib, paket va shaxsiy xabar etkazib berdi. Llevellin Tompson, AQShning Sovet Ittifoqidagi elchisi.^{[iqtibos kerak ]} Koreysda tug'ilgan yapon professori bilan do'stligi natijasida, Jeykob Teshima, Heschelning doktoranti, u Yaponiyani sionistik tarafdorlari guruhiga taqdimot qilish uchun Yaponiyaga bordi, Makuya. Siegel Teshimaning 1977 yildagi doktorlik dissertatsiyasini taqqoslash o'quvchilaridan biri edi Zen buddizm va Hasidik yahudiylik.^[21]

Zo'r yozuvchi Siegel yuzlab maqolalarning muallifi va "Konservativ yahudiylik va yahudiy qonuni" va "Xudo konservativ yahudiylik ta'limotida" nomli ikkita kitobning muharriri bo'lgan. Uning asarlari diniy qonunlar haqidagi ilmiy maqolalardan tortib, juda ko'p xilma-xil edi, ayniqsa uning ilohiyot va axloq bilan aloqasi jihatidan, shu jumladan biotibbiyot axloqi va Holokost teologiyasi, u birgalikda yozgan jamoat qo'llanmasiga kashrut, Yahudiylarning diniy parhez amaliyotlari, uchun Birlashgan Sinagog,^[22] va o'qituvchilar uchun qo'llanma ("kontseptsiya masalalari" bilan shug'ullanadigan) diniy maktab uchun ibodat kitobi, Yahudiy ibodat qilganda. U 1981 yilda JTS Eternal Life teleserialida qatnashgan va "Qo'rquv kunlari: ularning ahamiyati va dolzarbligi" mavzusida taqdimot qilgan. O'lim paytida u uchinchi kitobni yozgan edi, Yahudiylar nuqtai nazaridan tibbiy axloq qoidalari.

Siyosiy konservativ va diniy liberal

Siyosiy chapdan siyosiy o'ngga

Zigel har doim siyosiy jihatdan faol bo'lgan, Gessel singari - din va e'tiqod amalda aylantirilishi kerakligiga ishongan. Ammo Siegelning harakatlari axloq va siyosat o'rtasidagi uzviy bog'liqlikka bo'lgan falsafiy e'tiqod bilan ham bog'liq edi:

... axloqqa bo'lgan qiziqishi birlamchi bo'lgan bo'lsa-da, uning siyosatga umumiy qarashlari axloqqa bo'lgan qiziqishi bilan aniq bog'liq edi. U rozi bo'ldi Aristotel ning fikri Siyosat (1253a va keyin yana 1278b yilda) "inson tabiatan siyosiy hayvondir". Talaba sifatida Leo Strauss Chikago Universitetida Ravvin Siegel siyosatni va ayniqsa siyosiy falsafani insoniyat hayoti bilan chambarchas bog'liq deb topdi. Rabbi Siegelning yahudiy axloqi, ilohiyoti, siyosiy falsafasi va siyosatiga bo'lgan noyob qarashlari 1960-yillarda 1980-yillarda hal qiluvchi davrda Amerika yahudiyligini shakllantirishga yordam berdi va muhim meros qoldirdi ....^[7]

1960-yillarda u tez-tez liberal maqsadlar tarafida bo'lib, anti-anti-partiyalarda qatnashgan.Vetnam urushi davomida mitinglar va yurishlar Fuqarolik huquqlari harakati shu jumladan Selma - Montgomeri yurishlari Alabamada, ikkalasini ham o'z ichiga olgan yurish Martin Lyuter King kichik va Ibrohim Joshua Geschel.^[23] Siegelning fikri shundan iboratki, yahudiylar fuqarolik huquqlari harakatida faol rol o'ynashi kerak, chunki "yahudiy xalqi duch kelgan xurofotga qarshi tarixiy kurash kamsitishga duch kelgan har qanday odamga nisbatan tabiiy xayrixohlikni keltirib chiqardi".^[24]1966 yilda The homiyligida "Yahudiylik va dunyo tinchligi" mavzusidagi konferentsiyada Amerika Sinagogasi Kengashi, u Vetnamdagi urushga qarshi qattiq gapirdi.^[25] Keyinchalik, 1969 yilda u to'qqiz amerikaliklar guruhi tarkibida Vetnamga sayohat qildi,^[26] qamoqxona sharoitlari va Janubiy Vetnam mahbuslariga nisbatan yomon munosabatda bo'lish ayblovlarini tekshirish. Ular qamoqxona nozirlari, buddist fuqarolar, talabalar, jurnalistlar, Janubiy Vetnam siyosiy rahbarlari va AQSh elchisi bilan uchrashdilar va suhbatlashdilar Ellsvort bunkeri, o'zlarining kuchli baxtsizliklarini ular ko'rgan va o'rgangan narsalari bilan ro'yxatdan o'tkazish.^[27] Shuningdek, u Sovet Ittifoqiga "birodarlarining dardini baham ko'rish" uchun eng qadimgi yahudiy amerikalik mehmonlardan biri sifatida tashrif buyurgan.^[10] AQSh yahudiylari jamoati Sovet yahudiyligini qo'llab-quvvatlash uchun safarbar bo'lishidan oldin.

Ammo, keyin Kolumbiya universiteti 1968 yilgi norozilik namoyishlari, talabalar kollej binolarini egallab olganlarida; ko'pgina liberallar orasida diniy kvotalarni qo'llab-quvvatlash kuchayganida; va "McGovern Demokratlar" tomonidan chap hukumatlarni qo'llab-quvvatlash deb bilganini ko'rib, Siegel "cheklanmagan liberalizm yahudiy huquqlariga tahdid bo'lganiga" ishonib, siyosiy o'ng tomonga o'tdi.^[1] Bundan tashqari, Siegelning Holokost saboqlari va unga diniy javoblar bilan olib borgan kurashi, liberallarning haqiqat hisobiga printsiplarga e'tibor berish uslubi sifatida qarashidan xavotirni kuchaytirdi. Uning yozuvlari unga chuqur ta'sir ko'rsatdi Emil Faxenxaym, yahudiylar bo'lgan Osvensimdan keyingi ilohiyot haqida gapirgan buyruq berdi kabi dushmanlarning tahdidiga qaramay, bu dunyoda omon qolish uchun Natsistlar, hatto bu "insoniyat qurbongohida yahudiylarning mavjudligini qurbon qilish" o'rniga o'z manfaatlari uchun harakatlar qilishni anglatsa ham.^[28] Siegel ushbu falsafaning liberalizmga qarshi qanday kurashganligini yozdi va ko'proq konservativ yondashuvni talab qildi:

Liberallar o'zlarini mavhum printsiplar bilan boshqarishga imkon berishadi, lekin ular aniq faktlarni e'tiborsiz qoldiradilar. Keyin Osvensim, Zigelning ta'kidlashicha, bunga yo'l qo'yib bo'lmaydi. Yahudiylar hech qachon "haqiqatni anglamaydigan ijtimoiy obodonlashtirish sxemalari va qonunni buzish yaxshi degani uchun qonunni bekor qilish tendentsiyasi" tuzog'iga tushib qolishmaydi.^[29]

Siegel uchun ushbu yondashuvning aniq misollaridan biri, yahudiy aholisi Holokost natijasida juda katta yo'qotishlarga duch kelgan paytda ham, aholining nolinchi o'sishini qo'llab-quvvatlashning liberal pozitsiyasi deb hisoblagan pozitsiyasidir. Binobarin, uning yozishicha, dunyo yoki ularning xalqlari ko'p sonli aholidan aziyat chekayotganini his qilgan shaxslar "o'zlari xohlagan o'sish cheklovlarini qo'llashlari" mumkin. Biroq, "juda ko'p" emas, balki "o'zlarining turlari" borligini his qilayotganlar "(masalan, olti million yo'qotilganidan keyin yahudiylar jamoati)" "Muqaddas Kitobning buyrug'iga amal qilishni afzal ko'rishlari mumkin, samarali bo'ling va ko'paying."^[30]

Bundan tashqari, u tashkil topganligini his qildi Isroil davlati, Qo'shma Shtatlar singari mamlakatlarda yangi erkinliklar bilan bir qatorda, "post-liberal" siyosat falsafasi va hattoki "post-liberal" ahd ilohiyotini ilgari surdi. Uning fikriga ko'ra, yahudiylar "kuchsizlik sharoitida" qadriyatlar to'g'risida gaplashib, g'oyalarni amalda tatbiq etish uchun hech qanday kuchga ega bo'lmaganda, liberal mavhum printsiplarga e'tibor qaratish kerak edi. Ammo endi yahudiylar "aniq haqiqat, shu jumladan siyosat haqiqati" bilan kurashishlari kerak edi - bu uning uchun bugungi kunda erkaklar va ayollarga ta'sir ko'rsatadigan qarorlarni e'tiborsiz qoldiradigan ideallarga asoslangan bahslardan voz kechishni anglatardi.^[31]

1969 yilga kelib, o'zining kuzatuvlari va mulohazalari natijasida Siegel o'zining ko'plab oldingi pozitsiyalaridan voz kechishni boshladi.^[32] 1972 yilda u an op-ed The New York Times uchun boshlangan: "Men hech qachon Respublikachilar partiyasidan prezidentlikka nomzodga ovoz bermaganman. Bu yil men Prezident Niksonga ovoz beraman".^[1] Ushbu tahririyat bilan Siegel o'zgaruvchan siyosiy sadoqatini e'lon qildi va uning ishtiroki tez orada unga "neo-konservatorlarning ravvinasi" unvonini berdi, "" kabi harakatning yirik mutafakkirlari bilan yaqin aloqalarni o'rnatdi. Irving Kristol, Maykl Novak va Norman Podhoretz."^[1] Keyinchalik u Maslahat kengashida ishlagan Respublika milliy qo'mitasi va "Amerika yahudiylari forumi" prezidenti sifatida^[33] ba'zi an'anaviy yahudiy tushunchalarini ko'proq konservativ siyosiy e'tiqodlar bilan birlashtirishga qaratilgan tashkilot.^[34] Shuningdek, u "G'oyalar: zamonaviy yahudiy fikrlari jurnali", "o'ng qanotli yahudiylar jurnali",^[25] siyosiy kampaniyalarida maslahatchi bo'lgan Jeyms Bakli, Richard Nikson, Jerald Ford va Perri Duryea.^[35]Respublikachilar rahbarlari orasida Siegelning ta'sirini Prezident Ronald Reyganning 1984 yilgi nutqida uning so'zlarini keltirishidan ko'rish mumkin B'nay Brit, amerikalik yahudiylar orasida e'tiqodga qaytish ularning hayotida ko'proq ma'no izlashning bir qismi sifatida, bu haqiqatni Reygan barcha kelib chiqishi turli amerikaliklarda ko'rgan, ular "kuch, tasalli va ma'no manbai" deb ishonishadi. "^[36]

U cherkov va davlatni qat'iy ajratish deb atagan narsaning o'zgarishini, buning o'rniga "diniy turar joy", asosiy diniy qadriyatlarni bir dinni boshqasiga ustun qo'ymasdan qo'llab-quvvatlashni va shu bilan birga diniy muassasalarni o'z ichiga olgan xususiy maktablar uchun hukumat yordamini qo'llab-quvvatlashni qo'llab-quvvatlaganini ta'kidladi. va yahudiy jamoasini maktabda ibodat qilishning "qadimgi an'analariga" qarshi juda qattiq turishdan ogohlantirdi,^[33][37] agar ibodatlar qamrab oladigan va neytral bo'lgan bo'lsa, bu pozitsiya ba'zan "xayrixoh betaraflik" sifatida tavsiflanadi. Masalan, u 1978 yilda yozgan:

Xulosa qilib aytganda, cherkov va davlatni "ajratish" uchun kurash o'tgan o'n yilliklarda yaxshi va yakka kurash bo'lishi mumkin edi. Endi yangi voqeliklar va oddiy aql-idrok bizni hukumatga Konstitutsiyaning dastlabki tuzuvchilari nazarda tutgan narsani qilishga imkon berishiga turtki berishi kerak: diniy asoslarga asoslangan umumiylikni yaratish, biron bir mazhab yoki e'tiqod jamoatiga ustunlik bermasdan.^[38]

Siegelning qarashlari siyosiy jihatdan konservativ bo'lib qoldi, ayniqsa Niksonni Makgovern ustidan qo'llab-quvvatlashi nuqtai nazaridan, Niksonning Isroilni qo'llab-quvvatlaganligi va Amerikaning Vetnamdagi ishtiroki haqidagi qarashlari - chekinish haqidagi murojaatdan g'alaba qozonishimiz kerak degan e'tiqodga o'zgargan "kommunistik tajovuzni yo'q qilish" uchun harakat^[39]- uning Heschel bilan uzoq yillik munosabatlari keskinlashdi. Siegel Nyu-York Taymsda Niksonni qo'llab-quvvatlovchi maqola yozgan ravvinlardan biri bo'lganida, Geshel ushbu "sobiq shogirdlarining qarashlari to'g'risida" g'azablangan "maktub yozgan edi.^[40] O'zaro munosabatlarda yuzaga kelgan keskinlik hech qachon yakuniy tanaffusga olib kelmadi va 1972 yilda Geschelning o'limi uchun qabriston xizmatini Sigel boshqargan.^[41]

Diniy chap

Biroq, siyosiy jihatdan konservativ mutafakkirlar va siyosiy rahbarlar bilan bog'lanishiga qaramay, Sigel ko'pincha "diniy liberallar" bilan bog'liq bo'lgan diniy sabablar tarafdori bo'lib qoldi. U har doim buni o'rgatgan Yahudiy qonuni va Yahudiy axloqi ziddiyatda bo'lgan, qonun axloqiy tamoyillar nuqtai nazaridan sinovdan o'tkazilishi, e'tiroz qilinishi va hatto "qayta baholanishi" kerak. U buni yahudiylarning diniy atamalari bilan aytganda, "The." halaxax [diniy qonunlar] doimiy ravishda qayta ko'rib chiqiladi aggada [qonuniy bo'lmagan matnlar]. "^[42] Boshqacha qilib aytganda, yahudiy ilohiyotchisi sifatida Evgeniy Borovits Siegelning fikrlashicha, Siegel "yahudiylarning tantanali marosimidan to'liq boshlanib, transandantal agadik maqsadni faqat o'zi his qilganidek chaqiradi". halaxax u bilan to'qnashdi "- ammo o'sha" to'qnashuv "sodir bo'lganida, Sigelning pozitsiyasi" yahudiylarning urf-odatlari bizni Xudo bizdan shaxs sifatida va jamoat sifatida bizdan istagan narsaga o'rgatadi, bugungi yahudiylarning burchini anglash mezonimiz bo'lishi kerak ".^[43]

Siegel a'zosi yoki raisi sifatida ishlagan Rabbinlar assambleyasi "s Yahudiy qonunlari va standartlari bo'yicha qo'mita (CJLS) o'n yildan ortiq. CJLS raisi sifatida uning rahbarligi ostida qo'mita bir qator muhim qarorlarni chiqardi, shu jumladan 1973 yilda ayollarni hisoblash mumkin bo'lgan qaror minyan Konservativ ibodatxonalarda ko'plab yahudiylarning ibodatlari uchun zarur bo'lgan an'anaviy kvorum. "Ilgari ayollarni chetlatish sabablari bugungi kunda o'z kuchini yo'qotdi", deb yozgan u.^[35] Siegel "rezolyutsiya uchun kurashga rahbarlik qilgan" degan matbuot bilan.^[44] Harakatning aksariyat olimlari aynan shu qaror bilan o'n yil o'tgach, ayol ravvinlarni tayinlash uchun qaror qabul qilish uchun asos yaratdi, deb hisoblashadi. Siegel shuningdek, Konservativ harakatning qaroriga mualliflik qildi abort, deb yozish homila "insoniy o'lchovga ega" va uni himoya qilish kerak, ammo onaning sog'lig'i uchun emas, balki jismoniy yoki ruhiy jihatdan. Onaning sog'lig'i homilaning "potentsial hayoti" dan ustun bo'lganligi sababli, yahudiylik abortga ruxsat beradi Uning abort qilishning joizligi haqidagi qarashlari qonundan boshlangan, ammo uni qo'llashda sezgirlikni talab qilishni o'z ichiga olgan. Bir yozuvchi o'z pozitsiyasini quyidagicha bayon qilgan edi: "Zigel talab bo'yicha abort qilishga qat'iy qarshi ... [lekin] abort qilishga imkon beradi juda zarur bo'lgan holatlar. "^[45]

1979 yil Nyu-York jurnali "Nyu-Yorkdagi eng qudratli ravvinlar" haqidagi maqolada ko'pchilik uning siyosiy konservatizm va diniy liberalizmning g'ayrioddiy kombinatsiyasi deb ta'riflagan:^[35]

Rabbi Siegel yahudiylarning konservatizm tomon siljishi va liberallashtirilgan diniy urf-odatlar, masalan, ayollarni ravvin sifatida tayinlash va ularni an'anaviy ravishda erkaklarga qo'shish kabi tashviqotlarida hech qanday ziddiyatli narsa ko'rmaydi. minyan, o'n kishilik ibodat kvorumi.
1960-yillarning oxirlarida Chikagodagi yoshligidan Demokratik partiya siyosatiga aralashgan Ravvin Siegel uchun chuqur siyosiy umidsizlik davri bo'ldi. Doktor bilan fuqarolik huquqlari namoyishlarida yurish. Martin Lyuter King kichik, qora tanli siyosatchilar irqiy kvotalarni talab qila boshlaganlarida u o'zini orqaga tortdi. The Kolumbiya Universitetidagi tartibsizliklar U ko'cha bo'ylab joylashgan seminariyasida guvoh bo'lgan va McGovern Demokratlari tomonidan chap qanotli hukumatlarga nisbatan akkomatsionalistik falsafa deb hisoblagan narsa ravvin Siegelni "siyosiy liberalizmni avtomatik yahudiy reaktsiyasi sifatida qayta ko'rib chiqishga majbur qildi". "Demokratiyaning ildizlariga qarshi hujumlar oldida liberalizmning zaifligi aniq bo'ldi. Yahudiylarning shaxsiy manfaatlari ko'proq konservativ pozitsiyani talab qildi."

Axloqiy realist

Oxir oqibat, Siegel siyosiy o'ng va diniy chap tomonga o'tishi haqidagi savolga realizm:

Liberal siyosiy fikrlashning xato xatosi - bu muammolarni real bo'lmagan nuqtai nazardan ko'rish tendentsiyasi. Haqiqiy va mazmunli siyosiy tanlovni amalga oshirish uchun kerakli alternativalar emas, balki haqiqiy alternativlar o'rtasida tanlov qilish kerak. Siz haqiqiy variantlardan birini tanlaysiz; tasavvur qilinmagan yoki idealizatsiya qilinmaganlar .... Demak, yanada realistik axloqshunos liberallarning zamonaviy shiorlaridan tashqari boshqa variantlarni qidiradi. Xuddi shu narsa bizni halaxlik muammolari bilan bog'liq. Bu aniq emas halaxic [Yahudiy qonunlari] me'yorlari, ammo bu qonunning asosiy maqsadi bo'lishi kerak, ammo haqiqatan ham yahudiy diniga rioya qilish kerak derek haShem (Rabbimiz yo'li), la'asot tzedakah umishpat (solihlik va adolatni amalga oshirish).^[46]

Uning sobiq shogirdi ravvin Richard Freundning so'zlariga ko'ra, "... Siegelning axloqiy realizmni shakllantirishdagi eng katta ta'siridan biri bu Reynxold Nibur edi,^[7] va Zigel ham, Nibur ham "o'zlarining diniy, ijtimoiy va siyosiy hayotlari va asarlarining barcha sohalarida idealizmdan realizmga o'tdilar, aniq qirqinchi va ellik yoshga kirganlarida va ikkalasi ham" Amerika "deb nomlanuvchi falsafa maktabidan muhim saboq oldilar. pragmatizm."^[47]

Siegelning idealizm va realizm aralashganligini uning Isroil davlatiga munosabatida ko'rish mumkin. U Isroilning ishonchli himoyachisi edi, ammo "tenglashtirishdan bosh tortdi hozirgi Isroil davlati Injil bilan Va'da qilingan er."U Isroilga nisbatan har ikkala o'ta pozitsiyani tanqid qildi: jamoat forumida davlatga hujum qilishdan tortinmaganlar, sun'iy yahudiylar vatanining g'oyasini" sionist bid'at "deb belgilashdi; va bu hech qachon bo'lmasligi kerak deb ta'kidlaganlar. tanqid qilindi, chunki u Xudoning irodasi doirasida yaratilgan:

"Sionist bid'at" uchun minnatdor bo'lishimiz mumkin. Bu yahudiy tanasi va yahudiy qalbini saqlab qoldi. Bu yahudiylarning avtonomiyasini va yahudiylarning ijodkorligini yaratdi. Ammo bu qutqaruvga olib kelmadi .... Men uni mamnuniyat bilan kutishim kerak. Ammo bu masihiylik da'vosini qo'zg'atganda xavfli bo'ladi.^[10]

AQSh Holokost yodgorlik kengashi

O'sha paytda AQSh Holokost yodgorlik kengashining ijrochi direktori bo'lgan ravvin Seymur Siegel (o'rtada) Oltinchi flot qo'mondoni, vitse-admiral Edvard Martin (o'ngda) va oltinchi flot kapeleni yordamchisi bilan uchrashmoqda Arnold Resnicoff (chapda), AQSh dengiz floti oltinchi flot kemalarining AQShda yillik ishtirokini muhokama qilish Holokost qurbonlarini xotirlash kunlari. USS Puget Sound, Gaeta, Italiya, 1984 yil.

1983-1984 yillardagi Qo'shma Shtatlardagi Holokost yodgorlik kengashining ijrochi direktori sifatida (ushbu lavozimni egallagan ikkinchi shaxs) u AQShning eslash va yodga olish harakatlarini tashkil etish ustida ish olib bordi. Holokost orqali Amerika Qo'shma Shtatlari Holokost yodgorlik muzeyi shu jumladan, targ'ibot va ta'lim dasturlari va Holokost qurbonlarini xotirlash kunlari (DRVH). Ikki yillik direktor lavozimidan keyin u Kengashda qoldi,^[48] ammo aynan shu lavozimda bo'lganida u muzeyni yaratish uchun mablag 'yig'ish bo'yicha muvaffaqiyatli harakatlarni boshladi.^[49] Bundan tashqari, u direktor lavozimida bo'lganida, u kabi guruhlar bilan juda qiyin muzokaralarda qatnashgan (ba'zilari esa qarama-qarshiliklar). Romani, ularning sonidan qat'iy nazar, Holokost muzeyini rejalashtiradigan kengashda ularning jamoalaridan hech kim yo'qligiga qarshi chiqdi. lo'lilar o'sha davrda o'ldirilgan.^[50] U, shuningdek, Holokost ma'lum bir voqea sifatida esda qoladimi, birinchi navbatda yahudiylarni nishonga oladimi-yo'qmi, shuning uchun u genotsidning yovuzligini eslab, antisemitizm bilan yoki katta "universal" so'zlar bilan bog'liqligi to'g'risida bahsli masalaga to'xtaldi. Bu erda, u "haddan tashqari" emas, balki ikkalasi ham tanlov ekanligini aytib, haddan tashqari narsadan qochdi:

Muhtaram raisimiz Komissiyaning (hozirgi Kengashning huquqiy salafi) hisoboti, Elie Vizel Prezidentga taqdim etilgan bo'lib, quyidagicha ta'kidlangan: "Xolokostning universalligi uning o'ziga xosligidadir: voqea aslida yahudiydir, uning talqini universaldir".

Ushbu bayonot Kengash ishining falsafasidan xabardor. Loyihalashtirilgan Holokost muzeyi yahudiylarning fojiasi bilan bog'liq. Bu insoniyat tarixida noyobdir. Biroq, barcha muhim voqealarda bo'lgani kabi, inson hayotining universal jihatlarini yoritib beradi. Yahudiy qirg'inini tafakkur qilish orqali odamning insonga nisbatan g'ayriinsoniyligi haqida ba'zi tushunchalar paydo bo'ladi.^[51]

1984 yilda Siegel Amerika harbiylarini DRVH dasturlariga qo'shish to'g'risidagi qarorni faol qo'llab-quvvatladi. Oltinchi flot kapellaynining tavsiyasiga binoan, ravvin Arnold Resnicoff, Siegelning sobiq talabasi, u sayohat qilgan Gaeta, Italiya, Resnicoff bilan uchrashish va Vitse-admiral Edvard Martin, qo'mondoni Qo'shma Shtatlar Oltinchi floti. Siegel ko'magi bilan ular 1984 yilda DRVH marosimini bortda rejalashtirdilar USS Puget Sound (AD-38), Oltinchi flot flagman, AQSh dengiz kuchlari kemasida bo'lib o'tgan birinchi Holokostni xotirlash marosimi.^[52] Marosim paytida admiral Martinning o'zi asosiy ma'ruzani qildi. Vetnamda besh yildan ko'proq vaqt davomida harbiy asirlikda bo'lgan Martin, Holokostning vahshiyligi va yovuzligidan omon qolgan, shu bilan birga bu da'voni va hatto "amrni" qabul qiladigan erkaklar va ayollarga qoyil qolgani haqida gapirdi. yaxshi kelajakka bo'lgan ishonchni va umidni ushlab turish. Bundan tashqari, u er yuzidagi biron bir hukumat inkor eta olmaydigan "ajralmas huquqlar" haqida gapirdi.^[53]

Yahudiy qonunlari va standartlari bo'yicha qo'mitaga murojaat qilish (CJLS)

Konservativ ibodatxonalarning ayollarni minyanga qarab hisoblashi to'g'risidagi 1973 yildagi qaror atrofidagi ommaviylik, harakat a'zolari tomonidan uning sud jarayoni va qarorlariga ko'proq qiziqish uyg'otdi. Bitta yozuvchi aytganidek:^[54]

Minyan qarori atrofidagi jamoatchilikka bo'lgan qiziqish konservativ rahbarlarni CJLSning konservativ oqimga nisbatan ko'proq qarorlarini qabul qilishga majbur qildi. RA amalga oshirilgan harakatlarning dayjestlarini e'lon qildi kashrut, ayollarning roli to'g'risida va boshqalar Shabbat va festivallar. 1977 yilda u muhim esselar to'plamini nashr etdi, Konservativ yahudiylik va yahudiy qonuni, Seymur Siegel tomonidan tahrirlangan Elliott Gertel, "Konservatorlar harakati ichida haqiqatan ham yahudiy qonunlari falsafasi yo'q" degan tushunchani bekor qilish.

Siegel CJLSga raislik qilgan davrda har bir konservativ ravvin qo'mitaning qarorlaridan yoki ushbu qarorlarning jamoat a'zolari uchun, xususan, ayollarning huquqlari va majburiyatlari sohasidagi qarorlarining kengroq bo'lishidan mamnun emas edi. 1976 yilda Rabbinlar Assambleyasining yillik anjumanida CJLSni qayta tuzish va uning ko'lamini ko'p jihatdan cheklash to'g'risida qaror qabul qilingandan so'ng, kelishmovchiliklar boshiga keldi.

Qarorni qabul qilganlar, JJLSning qarorlari "har bir ravvinning o'z jamoatidagi diniy vakolatiga putur etkazdi" deb da'vo qilishdi.^[55] Qarorni mag'lub etishga chaqirishda Siegel mahalliy ravvin har doim yahudiy qonunchiligi bilan bog'liq masalalarda, shu jumladan individual jamoat minyan shahrida ayolni hisoblashi to'g'risida qaror qabul qilishda yakuniy hokimiyat bo'lishini aytdi, ammo qo'mita a crucial role to play in the legal process. When the resolution was defeated, he said that, "The voice of the delegates confirms the role of our committee in interpreting Jewish law."^[56]

Eventually, however, opposition from the religious "right wing" of the Conservative movement, unhappy with Siegel's position that ethics must eventually trump even prior Jewish law, would result in a replacement for Siegel as Chairman of the CJLS.^[57]

Presidential inauguration controversy

Siegel was not afraid of controversy, whether it related to his position as Chair of the CJLS or to his personal decisions, when he felt he was in the right. In 1973, for example, when he was invited to be one of four prominent theologians^[58] to offer prayers at the Presidential inauguration of Richard Nixon, he created a stir by announcing that he would include the Talmudik blessing for a king in his prayer. Although the U.S. President is not a king, he is the davlat rahbari with tremendous power and responsibility, Siegel explained, and—as other Conservative leaders, including Vulf Kelman, asserted, "throughout Jewish history, rabbis and other learned Jews have recited these blessings when they have called upon or received kings, governors, and other high civil officials," because "according to Jewish traditional practice and precedent," they "may be recited whenever one is in the presence of someone who holds chief executive office in a political sovereignty."^[59] Siegel did explain to his detractors that he would offer the blessing "in a special way." He would begin the prayer by addressing God with the traditional Hebrew words for, "Blessed Art Thou"; switch to English, for, "O Lord our God, King of the Universe"; and then conclude in Hebrew with the traditional words of the blessing, "who has given of Thy glory to flesh and blood."

However, as the New York Times reported, this "special way" was "not 'special enough' to forestall criticism for his choice of blessing, or for his participation in a ceremony carried by loudspeakers, radio, and television, on the Jewish Sabbath."^[60] To accommodate what was for some a religious prohibition of turning on anything electrical during the Jewish Sabbath, the White House had the microphones for the ceremony turned on the afternoon of the previous day—with a military guard in place to ensure they would not be accidentally switched off.To avoid riding on the Jewish Sabbath, Siegel stayed in a nearby hotel, with a military aide escorting him back and forth to the ceremony. Additionally, the White House provided him with kosher food both for his hotel room and at the luncheon following the ceremony, something they also did for the parents of Genri Kissincer, who were also religiously observant.^[61]

Religious Authority and Spokesperson

Despite the occasional controversy, within the Conservative movement or within the larger Jewish community, it was rare for an issue to be discussed in the press that included the views of religious leaders without including an interview with Siegel, who was known as someone who could explain complicated issues in an understandable way. For example, when the Jewish community was divided over decisions of the government of Menaxem boshlanadi regarding settlements in Israel, Siegel was quoted widely to explain the differing views of the Jewish community:^[62]

"There are three different groups in the Jewish community. The first group is in total agreement with the Begin Government and resents any criticism. Another group is the people who are just opposed to the present Government -- some are more dovish, some are more hawkish."
"It is the "middle group," as he terms it, that Rabbi Siegel feels represents the majority. "People think in some instances Begin is making a mistake, but are hesitant to criticize because open criticism might harm the interests of Israel," he said. "They could be swayed either way, depending upon how unwise a policy appears."
He added that however much these three groups differ in opinions on specifics, they are all firmly "under a tent of intense pro-Israel sentiment."

Similarly, he could explain religious positions to interfaith groups. For example, when he made the statement that "Israel is salvation, but not redemption," Christian theologians understood his position as one close to their view of "signs of the Kingdom," opening up possibilities of dialogue and understanding.^[63]

He was frequently quoted for Jewish views in the area of tibbiy axloq, able to give clear answers, even in complicated areas. For example, in the debate on continuing or ceasing medical treatment for terminally ill patients who are suffering, he said,"It is the individual's duty to live as long as he can, but if a person is destined to die soon, there is no obligation to prevent that death from happening."^[64] Regarding in-vitro fertilization, at a time when many religious leaders were voicing concerns, he said, "When nature does not permit conception, it is desirable to try to outwit nature. The Talmud teaches that God desires man's cooperation." ^[65] On the issue of "fetal experimentation" after late term abortion, some doctors believed that experiments should be allowed for "the greater good," arguing that the subjects of their experiments (called "infants" or "premature babies" by those who opposed the experiments, and "fetuses" by those in favor) would not survive in any case. Siegel disagreed, testifying in 1975 before National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects, urging the Commission to recall the results when Nazi physicians ignored the sanctity of individual lives to serve what they saw as a greater good for mankind:^[66]

Experiments for the `good of medicine' or for the sake of the `progress of knowledge' are not automatically legitimated, if they cause harm to people now, because someone in the future might benefit. What comes in the future is what the Talmudic literature calls `the secrets of the Almighty. This does not mean that we have no responsibility toward the future. However, we have a greater responsibility to those who are now in our care.

The position that the life "before us now" must take precedence over possible "future good" was part of his view that a "bias toward life" must come first, because of the "indeterminacy of the future."^[67] However, the concept of "a bias for life" was one that also gave foundation to his writings on other subjects, including his explanation of the view that suicide is an act that we must regard with compassion, but ultimately, reject as forbidden: "Suicide is a final and dramatic statement of an approach to life which a people professing a faith in the goodness of God and the goodness of life cannot condone."^[68]

Siegel's concept of a bias for life "summarized his ethical realism and was incorporated into some final statements of House of Representatives reports.^[69] His approach to difficult questions based on idealism and faith tempered by realism and pragmatism made him such a frequent spokesperson for those who understood that faith could contribute to modern questions and debates:

[Siegel] maintained that Judaism, and the Western ethical tradition in general, should recognize human life as valuable and worthy of respect whether bachadonda, at the end of the aging process, or at the point of death. He was not opposed to abort, inson tajribasi yoki evtanaziya. He was opposed to the present tendency to carry out these actions indiscriminately as a matter of public policy without proper and prudent scrutiny by qualified ethical personnel.^[70]

Teologiya

Transforming the World

Siegel, like Heschel, saw the Jewish concept of transforming the world, as partners of God in ongoing creation, as central to the Jewish vision of faith—a concept that today would be linked to the term, tikkun olam, "mending" the world. In part, it was this vision of humanity's challenge to change what we inherit that stood in tension with his belief in preserving or "conserving" the past. Bringing these ideas to the natural world around us meant maintaining a great respect for the world in which we live, but understanding that there is a difference between respect and "reverence," if reverence for the world somehow implied that it was sinful to change it. So, for instance, he wrote and spoke frequently of our responsibility to transform the world as we inherit it, so as to "improve the human estate":

According to Siegel, Jewish theology begins with the belief in God as the creator of the world. The fact that God created the world gives it meaning, purpose and value. The fact that it is created desanctifies the universe. The heavens declare the glory of God, but they are not God. In paganism, the gods inhabit nature; therefore, man's greatest goal is to conform to nature, not to transform it. The biblical God is above nature, and therefore man is to be a partner with God in the work of creation.^[71]

This belief in humanity's challenge to transform and "outwit' nature for the sake of progress in terms of "the human state" was a recurrent theme in Siegel's writing and thinking. In 1987, when the Catholic Church issued a strong condemnation of procedures such as sun'iy urug'lantirish va ekstrakorporal urug'lantirish, Siegel wrote that, "The Jewish idea about all this is directly opposite to that of the Papa.... Jews believe we have to use nature to outwit nature . . . use it in order to correct problems, to remove disabilities, to increase human happiness." ^[72]

It was this belief of Siegel's that led him to take a stand as the only member of the President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical Research who did not sign a petition to Congress—widely circulated and signed by leaders of a number of U.S. faith groups—asking that it ban genetic experiments by scientists "that might change human characteristics passed along from one generation to its successor.".^[12] Taking a stand against the petition, he restated his belief that, "The biblical writers see man's role not merely to conform to nature but to improve it, if possible." For that reason, "genetic research should be encouraged, not met with cries of alarm."^[12]

Defining Conservative Judaism

Tradition and Change

For many years, Siegel taught courses at JTS on the history and theology of the Conservative movement, stressing that the word "conservative" had to be understood in the way it was used in British politics: that the push should be to "conserve" the traditions and decisions of the past as much as possible, changing only when there was an overriding reason—usually an overriding ethical reason—to do so. He believed that in Judaism, as in conservative political theory, "when it is not necessary to change, it is necessary not to change."^[73] As a 1988 issue of Konservativ yahudiylik, dedicated to Siegel as "theologian and teacher," put it, his philosophy of Judaism included the idea of: Change not for the sake of change, but for the sake of an ethical outcome.^[71] Siegel wrote that:

"The first aim of Conservative Judaism "is konservant, and seeks to validate and promote the observance of Jewish law. This first aim goes back to the founders of the movement. Zecharias Frankel, the founder of the Positive-Historical school, and Schechter, who proposed the idea of Catholic Israel, saw as their main goal the need to defend the halaxax [Jewish law] against the attacks of the reformers."

But, as noted above, Siegel believed that the push to preserve or conserve the laws we inherit cannot be undertaken as if we have not also inherited aggadah, the wealth of Jewish teachings that come to us in the form of writing focused on morals, ethics, values, and even dreams. This inheritance, no less valuable and no less "commanding" in his eyes than the legal teachings, must be considered in any religious struggle to understand how we are to act to make the world better, to "mend" or "repair" its flaws. And so, his view was that ethical principles must challenge our understanding of the law, and aggada must challenge us to reconsider and even, sometimes, reevaluate, halaxax—but to do so carefully, and in a measured way.

The reason to reevaluate Jewish halakhic/legal positions on questions could result from a number of reasons, including new scientific findings that add to humanity's knowledge. So, for example, when there no longer seemed to be any doubt that smoking was a primary cause of lung cancer and other medical problems, Siegel believed that it could no longer be permitted in terms of Jewish law. Quoting the Bible verse, Deuteronomy 4:15, "Be very careful about your lives," he said that smoking "is contrary to a divine commandment to preserve the health of your body and spirit." In addition to speaking out as an individual, Siegel was a supporter of a Rabbinical Assembly resolution that condemned smoking as a "violation of Jewish law," urging individuals to stop, and supporting the idea of smoking bans in public places—the first major Jewish religious body to take such a position.^[74]

Within the framework of this philosophy—one that begins with an effort to conserve or preserve the past, and yet accepts not only the possibility but also the responsibility of change when it was ethically mandated—Siegel developed five fundamental principles of Conservative Judaism: (1) covenantal theology; (2) the "nature of man" (expressing our humanity through our decisions and our lives); (3) the process of history; (4) the Jewish people as a bearer of revelation; and (5) the principle of "social change"—that the best and most authentic change is gradual and organic, not revolutionary.^[71]

Although Siegel may have been attacked as being "too liberal" by some, and "too conservative" by others, he himself argued that he was taking a "centrist" position in terms of the "tradition and change" inherent in Jewish law, rejecting both the extreme that believed no change was possible, and the opposite extreme, that considered that change was almost a good in and of itself. In fact, he was sometimes described as being part of the group that included Lui Finkelshteyn, Heschel va Maks Kadushin," occupying "their traditional middle position of respect for the law but wide latitude for differing interpretations."^[75] In fact, Siegel often argued that the "bulk" of Conservative Jews were centrists, "accepting deliberate and reasoned change," even though critics of the movement often seem to speak in terms of "left" and "right."^[76]

An Understanding of God

Writing about the understanding of and encounter with God in Conservative Judaism, Siegel wrote that traditional Jews frequently speak ga God, and even argue with God, but very rarely agree haqida Xudo.^[77] All writers about God recognize, he wrote, "the experience of the Divine as Quvvat," and that the human response to such an encounter or awareness is the fear and trembling that the Protestant theologian Rudolph Otto deb nomlangan mysterium tremendum. However, Siegel contended that God must be more than power, and our response—our encounter with the Divine—must be more than fear or awe. In "God in the Teachings of Conservative Judaism," he collected writings of some of the leading teachers and thinkers of the Conservative movement, describing their understanding of God as primarily one of five overlapping and complementary visions: (1) the Helping God; (2) the Dialogic God; (3) the Feeling God; (4) the Saving God; and (5) the Hidden God.^[77] Ultimately, he wrote, our experience with God depends on our experience with life, and our identity as human beings:

In all of the five currents we have described, we start with man. We try to understand the type of being we are. We strive for perfection and God helps us. We find our true being in dialogue--with God the Eternal Thou, responding and calling to us. We sense the Ineffable--and God is the reality behind all reality, who is concerned with us and suffers with our failures, and rejoices in our achievements. We are threatened with meaninglessness--and God relates to us, saving us from the dead-ends of life. We find men capable of the most unspeakable deeds--and therefore we must address the Hidden God so that we can help Him bring about the redemption.
Thus the idea of God is related to the idea of man. And the scholars in Conservative Judaism have struggled to find the essence of God's meaning so that we can learn more about our duties as men and women, and above all, as Jews.

Konservativ harakat

Siegel remained a firm believer in Conservative Judaism, both in terms of its vision—that is, its philosophical and theological underpinnings—and in its strength as a movement, especially in terms of its rabbis. He accused critics of mistaking "discussion and debate" for a "split" within the movement, writing that leaders, including the members of the Committee on Jewish Laws and Standards, respected the views of their colleagues, "even when they disagree with them." "This kind of give-and-take," he wrote, is not a sign of a 'dilemma' or 'demoralization' -- but of vigor and life."^[76]

However, he spoke out regarding the need to strengthen the level of observance on the part of the laity:

If we are to abide by the principles informing the Conservative Movement, we must work harder to develop interest in, and commitment to, Jewish law in our communities. We cannot be effective interpreters of the law unless there is a partnership with the people trying to observe it. It is a difficult task that has been undertaken -- to renew and to retain, to conserve and to progress.^[78]

Rabbis' Rabbi

Siegel was a scholar and an activist, and he was a frequent speaker and a prolific writer. He worked with numerous Jewish and Christian leaders of his day, including Will Herberg, Uilyam Sloan tobut, Mordaxay Kaplan va Reinxold Nibur.^[7] However, in addition to his classes, books, articles, and his numerous religious and political pursuits, he was well known as a "rabbi's rabbi," available and accessible to his students and colleagues.

In a book dedicated to Siegel and to Moses Zucker by Rabbi Byron L. Sherwin, a former student, the dedication describes Siegel in a way that many of his past students might have done:^[79]

Over a period of 26 years, until his untimely death in February 1988, Rabbi Seymour Siegel taught, guided, nurtured, and encouraged my studies. It was he who introduced me to many of the texts and methodologies of study that have preoccupied most of my teaching and scholarship. He initiated me into the study of the complexities of Jewish theology, the problems of Jewish ethics, the labyrinth of Yahudiy tasavvufi, and the perplexities of Holocaust studies. In many ways he inspired and enabled me to research and write this book.

From his office at JTS or from his home, Siegel responded to questions on Jewish law, ethics, and sometimes just requests for personal advice, by phone or by mail, from rabbis throughout the world. Conservative movement theologian Nil Gillman speaks of Siegel as a "beloved teacher of theology and Talmud, who exerted a significant religious influence on generations of students."^[80] As his obituary put it, "For many rabbis, he was the final authority on religious law."^[1]

Memorials and Remembrances

Around the country, a number of institutions and organizations have created scholarships, lectures, and special programs in Siegel's memory. The UJA-Federation sponsors a Rabbi Seymour Siegel Scholarship to select graduate students interested specifically in the field of Jewish education or synagogue life. There is an annual JTS scholarship for a graduate student, and an annual memorial lecture at Sent-Lourens universiteti. The St. Lawrence University Seymour Siegel Archives houses his personal and professional papers, which the university purchased in 1988 from the Siegel estate.^[81]

Da Dyuk universiteti, olma mater of his late brother, Allen Siegel, there is an annual lecture on legal and medical ethics, in addition to a fellowship in his name. Shuningdek, yillik ham mavjud Rabbi Seymour Siegel National Moot Court Competition—an intercollegiate event open to law students from all major law schools, that is coordinated and administered by Duke University Law School, and is focused on the area of medical-legal ethics.

Adabiyotlar

Tashqi havolalar

• Video: 1973 Presidential Inauguration for Richard Nixon, including Siegel's prayer (type in "Siegel" in search box to go directly to prayer)., shuningdek C-spanli video (note: in C-Span video, Siegel begins prayer at 6 minute 45 second mark, but most of prayer is cut off in video).]
• Video: Seymour Siegel, Quest for Peace lecture: "The Lessons of History and the Problem of Evil," 1984, on UC Irvine Library site, "Quest for Peace: Perspectives on the Human Condition."
• 1949 photo: Seymour Siegel, Abraham Heschel, and Samuel Dresner.
• Selected readings from Siegel's works
• Siegel's position on the religious prohibition of smoking.
• Siegel's eulogy for Mordecai Kaplan, Sh'ma, 14/263, Dec 9, 1983.
• Siegel, remembering Will Herberg, in "Modern Age, A Quarterly Review," Vol 26, Number 3-4, Summer/Fall, 1982, linked on FirstPrinciplesJournal.com, First Principles:ISI Journal.
• Siegel's memorial article for Reinhold Niebuhr, American Jewish Yearbook, American Jewish Committee, NY:1972, pp605-610.