Zoo Rabbi Talks about Heresy and Obligations to Maintain a Community's Stability A packed audience at Yeshiva University’s Furst Hall was treated to a candid and informative discussion with Rabbi Natan Slifkin on February 7. Slifkin, a prominent educator and author, lectured and fielded questions on the topic of “How to Not Become a Heretic.” In his presentation, Slifkin’s drew upon his experiences in 2005 when several prominent right-wing Orthodox leaders banned his books, calling them works of heresy.

The event was sponsored by Stern College for Women’s Torah Activities Council and TEIQU. Slifkin is known affectionately as the “Zoo Rabbi” for his popular articles and books that explore the interaction between Torah and Zoology, Cryptozoology and Evolution. He is the author of works such as The Challenge of Creation, Man and Beast, and The Camel, the Hare and the Hyrax. The speaker marshaled sources from the Talmud, Maimonides and Gersonides to demonstrate that there was never a concrete set of beliefs to which Jews must subscribe. But, as Slifkin pointed out, that does not mean that some, specifically Maimonides, did not try to establish a set of theological values. “Rambam broke from the world view of Chazal in the sense that for Rambam, Judaism was all about belief,” said Slifkin. “Rambam wrote that the intellectual life was all that counts. For him, Judaism was about perfecting the intellect and merging with G-d. However, as great as he was, not everyone accepted Rambam’s Thirteen Principles of Faith." In modern times, what some within the Orthodox community consider heresy occurs, in Slifkin’s terms, when someone “expresses a belief in such a way that it undermines the stability of the community.” Slifkin connected this to his own works that identify Talmudic sources that are inconsistent with modern science’s denunciation of spontaneous generation and the belief that the Earth orbits around the Sun. “Each community is going to have its own set of specific beliefs and some individuals felt that I undermined the integrity of their community,” said Slifkin. Co-President of TEIQU Shani Gross ’12S, introduced the speaker, listing his accomplishments and involvement within the larger Orthodox community. She also expressed her thanks for Slifkin’s candor and honesty, from which she hoped the audience would benefit. Another student organizer of this event could not agree more. “Rabbi Slifkin has a unique vantage point for understanding how contemporary Jewish society uses the word heresy,” said Racheli Ratner ’12S, founding co-president of the Al Pi Darko Society for Future Jewish Educators. “I think that this is an important lesson for YU students to learn, especially as they navigate the interface of Judaism and the modern world during their formative years at Yeshiva.”