<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;" lang="HE">מוצאי שבת קודש פרשת וארא, תשע"ה&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;" lang="HE">כבוד הרב עזרא, שלום</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;" lang="HE">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Calibri Light', sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Calibri Light', sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Thank you for adding your voice to this important conversation. The </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;" lang="HE">ריבוי הקולות</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Calibri Light', sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"> on this subject is crucial and will help further our mutual goal of </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;" lang="HE">להרבות קדושת ישראל</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Calibri Light', sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;" lang="HE">מינאי ומינך תסתיים שמעתתא</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Calibri Light', sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I appreciate your review of the issues. As for the substance of your critiqe: </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">האמת אגיד</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, I am a little surprised. Your criticisms are based on some glaring misunderstandings. You misquote some of my arguments and misconstrue others.&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I will try to respond to them briefly, </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">על ראשון ראשון ועל אחרון אחרון</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1) You critique me and R. Fox for changing the conversion process without first gaining "majority" approval. At the conclusion of my teshuva I explicitly say that my psak is contingent on it gaining rabbinic acceptance. As a matter fact, I make the very same argument you made: that providing a giyoret a less than optimal conversion will end up hurting her more than helping her.&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2) Regarding the Ramban, there are two mistakes in your presentation of my argument. A) I did not say that according to the Ramban geirus requires Beis Din once, for kabbalat mitzvot. His opinion is that you need the presence of Beis Din twice, once at the kabbalat mitzvoth, prior to the tevilah, then again at the tevilah. His chiddush is a nuanced twist. He claims that the role of Beis din at the tevilah is not to effectuate the tevila per se. He thinks that they have to be there because there is a need for a second round of kabbalat mitzvot, which has to happen parallel to the tevilah. &nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This brings me to my second critique of your response. B) Chas ve'shalom for me to suggest that Rav Ovadya Z"L missed an obvious Ramban on the sugya. That is not what I said at all. All I was suggesting is that this particular diyuk that I pointed out in the Ramban, (that beis din&rsquo;s presence at the tevilah is required to administer another round of kabbalat mitzvot, not for the actual immersion), was perhaps overlooked by Rav Ovadya.&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">If we want our pesika to be taken seriously, we have to acknowledge the nuanced methodological differences of our primary poskim. Rav Ovadya is a sinai, but not so much a </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">עוקר הרים</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">. It is not at all disrespectful to argue that he perhaps overlooked a diyuk in a Ramban.&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">3) It seems to me that you misunderstood the thrust of my first argument (the&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">לכתחילה</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;argument). I am not relying&nbsp;here&nbsp;on the&nbsp; </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">בדיעבד כשעת הדחק דמי</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;" lang="HE"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">idea. Rather, I argue that even if such&nbsp;a concept would not have existed in&nbsp;halakha&nbsp;we still would have been able to be lenient in our case.&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The reason I think we can&nbsp;be&nbsp;meikil&nbsp;here is because this is not your typical&nbsp;leketchila, where you need a real&nbsp;di&rsquo;eved&nbsp;to be&nbsp;meikal. Given the way this opinion is formulated by the Rishonim (</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">הכי עדיף טפי, מצוה מן המובחר</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">),&nbsp;it is rather obvious&nbsp;that this&nbsp;leketchila&nbsp;is unique in the sense that it is only a &ldquo;soft&rdquo;&nbsp;leketchila&nbsp;requirement. Therefore, since this is only a &ldquo;soft&rdquo;&nbsp;leketchila&nbsp;requirement, we can be&nbsp;lenient&nbsp;whenever we are presented with mitigating circumstances.&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In my opinion,&nbsp;the problematics with&nbsp;tevilah&nbsp;post the D.C. scandal satisfies the standard of mitigating circumstances&nbsp;required in this case,&nbsp;thereby allowing&nbsp;us&nbsp;to rely on a&nbsp;be&rsquo;di&rsquo;eved approach.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Finally, after quoting R. Schachter extolling the value of gadlus be'Torah I was expecting a definitive proof against our arguments. Instead I was disappointed and also confused.&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">You quote the Shach who says that a proper conversion requires a tevilah that is done </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">כראוי</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">. I honestly fail to see how this has anything to do with our topic. To argue that </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">כראוי</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> is somehow taking a stand on a specific debate in </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">רסח</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> is a </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">מעייל פילא בקופא דמחטא</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> and </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">לענ״ד</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> proves nothing whatsoever.&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;" align="right"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">בידידות ובהוקרה,</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;" align="right"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">יששכר כ"ץ </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;" align="right"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;" lang="HE">ראש מחלקת התלמוד בישיבת חובבי תורה</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: &quot;Calibri Light&quot;,sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>Thank you Rabbi Katz for listening to my shiur and for taking the time to reply. &nbsp;</p> <p>To briefly respond to the points you make:</p> <p>I dont think the diyuk you made in the Ramban is so nuanced that a Sinai would have missed it. &nbsp;If anything our respect for gedolei haposkim of the previous generations leads us to think that when we locate a source on the sugya and think they may have missed that source- we are supposed to carefully reanalyze that source. &nbsp;It is more likely that we are mistakenly analyzed a source than it is that one of the acknowledged gedolim overlooked the same source. &nbsp;Without going into detail on this Ramban, which I chose to treat only summarily in this shiur, the analysis you present on this Ramban is far from compelling. &nbsp;I must add that the debate between Sinai and Oker Harim is ongoing and one may not favor a particular posek over other poskim based on their derech halimud. &nbsp;</p> <p>Shulchan Aruch clearly understands Tosafos to be an ordinary lechatchilla. &nbsp;Although some Rishonim use a weaker formulation, we must contend with the way Shulchan Aruch formulated the din.</p> <p>I am not sure what you refer to when you mention Rav Schachter extolling the value of gadlus baTorah. &nbsp;I did not quote Rav Schachter on this point, as it is blatantly obvious that a Gadol has a broader scope of Torah than an ordinary learned person. &nbsp;</p> <p>I have no idea why reference to a complete sugya found in Tosafos and other rishonim and cited lhalacha by the Rama and expounded upon by the Shach is disappointing. &nbsp;Shach referes to YD 268 which means the halacha of a beis din being present at tevilla. &nbsp;His position was so understood by Misha Berura 199:4 and I am aware of no competing explanation of the Tosafos. &nbsp;</p> <p>Bivracha</p> <p>עזרא יאיר שברץ</p> <p>ראש ישיבה בישיבת רבנו יצחק אלחנן</p>

<p><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: right;">רב עזרא היקר,</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right; direction: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;" lang="HE">אחדשה"ט כראוי וכיאות.</span><span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It's </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;" lang="HE">מעייל פילא בקופא דמחטא</span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> because the Mishna Berura says nothing that's pertinent to our debate. He says that a geirut </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;" lang="HE">כראוי</span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> requires tevilah in front of a Beis Din. I don't know of anybody who says otherwise. We all agree that conversion requires a Beis Din. We are disagreeing on the application; what's the halakhically appropriate way to fulfill that requirement. On that, the Shach and Mishna Berurah say nothing. That is why I am baffled. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right; direction: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;" lang="HE">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right; direction: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;" lang="HE">בהוקרה,</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right; direction: rtl; unicode-bidi: embed; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;" lang="HE">יששכר</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>