Rabbi Lamm Addresses 200 Plus Students in Year's First Dorm Talks

On December 20th Yeshiva University President Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm spoke to a capacity crowd in the Morg Lounge during this year’s inaugural Dorm Talks. At the talks, Rabbi Lamm addressed two topics selected the prior week by a student committee: the growing popularity of Rav Shlomo Carlebach’s brand of chassidus and its effects upon the Jewish world, and responsibility in reporting when writing for The Commentator, with the newspaper being the primary representative of the undergraduate voice.

Rabbi Lamm prefaced his remarks about Charlebachian chassidus with an introduction into the background of chassidus itself, mainly delving into two issues. The first highlighted the approaches of classic leaders of the chassidic movement, stressing the internalization of chassidic aspects within a person, while refraining from exaggerating one’s motions in public, so as not to cause a Chillul Hashem.

The second highlighted issue was that of Hishpastus Hagashmiyus, literally the undressing of one’s physical self for the purpose of reaching higher spiritual levels, the goal of chassidism. In this discussion, Lamm urged those with chassidic tendencies to use moderation, and those who tend to shy away from chassidic methods yet who may be interested in those methods, to use their spare time developing a deeper understanding of the daily liturgy and to reach higher levels of kavana, intention, in their davening.

As for Rav Shlomo Carlebach himself, A’H", Rabbi Lamm had only high praise for both the man and his single-handed efforts to create a renaissance within Jewish music this century. Rabbi Lamm did warn Carlebachian followers of two negatives, however. Lamm explained that if an individual had kavana only when davening with Carlebachi tunes, then that person was in a serious religious quandary, and should take the time to ensure that he/she has the proper kavana even without the nigunim. The other problem Lamm addressed was the stereotypical nature of the Dorm Talk scenario primer. Rabbi Lamm felt that the scenario labeled fellow students. This same notion was later mirrored by Steven I. Weiss, and Rabbi Lamm reiterated his disgust for labels within the student body.

The second topic of the evening ended on a tense note, but began with Rabbi Lamm offering a simple philosophy. When reporting, and even when criticizing the administration, writers should not cross the line of outright gall. Rabbi Lamm mentioned that while he was a student he himself criticized the administration in the newspaper, yet he did it with the proper respect, something which he feels current writers may sometimes lack.

In this discussion, Rabbi Lamm stated that criticism is in-and-of-itself not inherently evil, and that he even encourages criticism, if done with the correct intentions. Lamm went on to address a reporters responsibility as Jews and B’nai Torah, explaining that all people are deserving of a basic level of respect, as all people are created b’tzelem elokim, in God’s form. Moreover, Lamm urged students to think about the issues involved before openly criticizing anyone, for even a shred of doubt calls into account the halakha of hevai dan et kal adam l’chaf zechut: judging people, and their actions, for the better. Rabbi Lamm pointed out that this is a halakha, not just a nice thing to do, and an obligation upon everyone, especially those at the helm of a public medium.

Rabbi Lamm offered a solution to reporters, suggesting that writers should merely allude to wrongdoings by others rather than striking the issue head on, a principle inconsistent with a writer’s responsibility as a journalist and reporter.

The evening grew tense as Commentator Editor-in-Chief Alex Traiman broke Rabbi Lamm’s "ground rules," by addressing a recent issue rather than merely alluding to a worldly problem. Traiman commented on The Commentator’s disappearances from their normal places throughout the campus, asking Rabbi Lamm for his opinion about these disappearances. Rabbi Lamm outrightly refused to discuss the issue explaining the issue had already been settled. Rabbi Lamm then turned harsh, reiterating that reporters must do their jobs with the proper respect, later charging Traiman and co-editor Aaron Klein to always make double and triple sure he and his staff are representing student opinion at all times.

Commentator columnist Yishai Fleisher later questioned Lamm as to why he would not discuss the issue, mentioning that he took it as an affront to the student body, stating administration members purposely removed the most powerful student voice on campus when outsiders arrived on campus. Rabbi Lamm then grew slightly irate, stating once again that the administration had already sent a letter to the governing board of The Commentator along with a check to reimburse the paper for lost issues. Lamm then went on to state that he would not get down on his knees and bow his head and beg for apology as he was afraid of creasing his prowess. After a short interruption, giving Rabbi Lamm a chance to calmly collect his thoughts, he replied to Yishai with a slightly evened temper and professed to the two hundred plus students, exactly how hard the administration works for the students. Rabbi Lamm referred to himself, acting at times as a mendicant when asking potential donors for funds. He followed this with a quasi-apology to the students for the occurrences.

Overall, the students enjoyed the discussion and the opportunity that Dorm Talks presented for the students to have a direct discussion with Rabbi Lamm, often a mysterious figurehead.