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Tuesday, March 29, 2005

His royal Majesty, the Rabbi

Elsewhere, two bloggers I like a lot, are arguing that the rabbi must be the ultimate authority in a shul. RenReb, for example, says her husband should be entitled to veto the songs that are played at a Purim party; MoChassid, too, thinks the Rabbi's word is law and goes so far as to suggest that Modern Orthodoxy is in collapse, because the Modern Orthodox shul Rabbi does not normally receive such deference.

I disagree.

The men and woman who make up the membership of a shul are adults; and as adults (adults who are paying the bills, no less) they have the right to any sort of religious experience they desire. If they with to grow, that's their option; if they wish to stagnate, that, too, is their prerogative.

The hired Rabbi's obligation it to facilitate their religious desires and to give them the sort of shul they want.

If he isn't willing to do this, he should find another position.

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