The Orthoprax Rabbi and The Legitimacy of Struggling

I was introduced to a fascinating new blog thanks to Harry Maryles. This new blog is the work of a rabbi who calls himself "The Orthoprax Rabbi". The author is an ordained Orthodox rabbi with a pulpit position, and here comes the catch - he no longer believes in God or in the halakhic system. Essentially, he is a closeted atheist who is using his blog to discuss the topics that he has been thinking and pining over for an untold amount of time. As I was reading through the comments to his postings there was a consistent thread of people viciously attacking his integrity and his intellectual depth.

I do not want to add to the chorus line of rebuke of this individual. First of all, from a halakhic perspective one should only offer rebuke when the recipient is in a place to be able to hear it. It is far from apparent to me that this individual is looking for rebuke or that any offerings of such will resonate in his heart and mind. What I do want to discuss is the legitimacy of struggling with faith and the validity of doubt.

We as a community need to be able to create space for people to express concerns and struggles with Torah and halakhah. In many places it has practically become taboo for someone to think critically and wrestle with their emunah. This is true for the average community member but of course even more true for those in rabbinic positions. Rabbis must have colleagues and professional organizations that they can turn to for guidance and support. It is essential that every rabbi has his own rabbi that he can lean on; someone to call their rebbe. No individual and certainly no rabbi should be stigmatized for struggling and grappling with Torah.

I do believe there is a critical distinction though between those rabbis who are struggling and those who have definitively become convinced of a path that is contrary to halakhah. There are few things more disheartening to a community than discovering that their rabbi does not practice what he preaches. It is unethical to deceive one's community and a rabbinic position is not like any other job. Rabbis, and all clergy for that matter, are hired to represent and embody their faith and to teach and inspire others in that faith. A rabbi who has become absolutely convinced that faith in God is erroneous and that their particular faith is utterly misguided should and must resign his position at once.

In the end of it all, my heart truly goes out to The Orthoprax Rabbi. The challenges he is facing and will come to face in the future as he reveals himself to his community and to his family are going to be tremendous. It is truly commendable that he is now grappling with his new reality post-belief and demonstrates genuine integrity. I may not agree with his conclusions but I respect the quest for self that he has engaged in.