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<font size="-1"><font face="Arial">From what I understand, YCT has
given Yadin Yadin smicha to only one person: Zev Farber. He is also
the coordinator of the Vaad HaGiyur of the IRF (the Open Orthodox
rabbinic group) and a board member of the IRF and Yeshivat Maharat.<br>
<br>
R' Avraham Gordimer wrote the following article on Cross-Currents:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2013/07/21/torah-min-hashamayim-a-reply-to-rabbi-nati-helfgot/">http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2013/07/21/torah-min-hashamayim-a-reply-to-rabbi-nati-helfgot/</a><br>
<br>
It contains lengthy citations from material Farber has published online
(and I apologize for not according him his title, but given that what
he has written, I don't see how it's possible to do so truthfully), in
which he denies the historicity of Avraham and Sarah, denies that
shivtei Yisrael were in fact common descendents of anyone, denies Torah
miSinai...<br>
<br>
According to one of the comments on this page:<br>
<br>
</font></font>
<blockquote><font size="-1"><font face="Arial">It should be noted that
Dr. Farber’s Academic Bible studies at Hebrew U, at which point he had
already rejected the traditional understanding of Torah min HaShamayim
(by his own admission), took place BEFORE he entered YCT.</font></font><br>
<br>
<font size="-1"><font face="Arial">In other words, his holding of
these views, which was readily known, was not an impediment to his
being accepted in the YCT program, nor was it an impediment to his
receiving two semichot from them.</font></font><br>
<br>
<font size="-1"><font face="Arial">Although Dr. Farber’s “real”
beliefs about Torah min HaShamayim were not known to the Orthodox
public until now, they were certainly well-known at YCT both before he
was accepted and prior to their bestowing him with semicha.</font></font><br>
<br>
<font size="-1"><font face="Arial">I believe that both YCT and Dr.
Farber need to be more transparent about this.</font></font><br>
</blockquote>
<font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><br>
Whether this is true or not, as their sole dayan, the fact that YCT and
IRF and Yeshivat Maharat have not distanced themselves (let alone
condemned as apikorsut) these positions makes me wonder how anyone can
justify continuing to include these institutions, and in fact the
entire Open Orthodox movement, under the label of Orthodoxy.<br>
<br>
I know we have some people on this list who are sympathetic to OO, and
I'd honestly like to hear how what appears to be kefira b'ikkar can be
justified by them. Shtika k'hoda'a, and the shtika in this case is
striking.<br>
<br>
Lisa<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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