Tonight at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, several speakers and many Jews gather for the release of The Challenge of Creation: Judaism’s Encounter With Science, Cosmology, and Evolution, an update of an earlier book by R’ Natan Slifkin, whose entire works were banned by leading ultra-Orthodox rabbis in the past couple years for their assertions of science that seemed to disagree with a literal reading of Genesis. There are probably around 120 people in attendance.
R’ Tzvi Hersh Weinreb is the evening’s first speaker.

The following are all accurate quotes, but there may have been other things said between the sentences.

First of all, sholom. We know that of these two values, sholom and emes, peace and truth, shalom is superior in many ways.
This is not a debate, this is not for polemics…for those who disagree with this book, who feel it shouldn’t have been published…are entitled to their opinions and are entitled to debate these issues.
We want to see kavod ha’briyos, respect for others.
Emes…the capacity to question, to ask what, why, and wherefore. Our nevi’im, our avos, Moshe Rabbeinu, did not refrain from asking question. To look on questioning with disdain is definitely contrary to the spirit of yahadus.
We hope to restore some of the damage in these sectors. One of those sectors is called chozrei teshuvah, ba’alei teshuvah…part of what has opened them up is the ability to debate…many of them, unfortunately over the past two years have been disillusioned, have been set back in their search because they hear that certain topics are not open for discussion.
The second sector is our youth. “Alienated youth” is a term that I prefer. Youth are feeling alienated, they’re feeling that their questions are not being addressed.
I was speaking with a teenager…who told me…when I was 16…and these questions began to interest me, I was given an approach…that scientists don’t know what they’re talking about…but now, I can’t accept those answers.
Third sector. Those who’ve educated themselves in universities…and been exposed to the wonders of science. And yet…we are all men and women of faith. And how many people do I know and you know who walk around not with one head but two, feeling almost compartmentalized, almost schizophrenic…because they appreciate all the teachings of science, and Torah.
I’d like to conclude by reasserting a vision of yahadus…that is not mine, is not new, but needs to be reasserted in our times, more clearly. Some of us had the benefit to hear this articulated by Rav Soloveitchik…that science is a way in which one can grow closer to God. A vision of a world of Judaism that follows in the footsteps of men…the Rambam himself. A tradition that demands that we study physics, chemistry…in order to draw closer to God. And they saw this not as a compromise…they saw it as the sine qua non, the only way, to draw closer to God.
Emes v’Shalom Ahavu.

Rabbi Gil Student, same caveats as for Weinreb apply, though his full prepared text will appear on the Internet:

Given these bans, who do we think we are to come here tonight to celebrate the launch of this book?
Almost two years ago R’ Elyashiv launched a ban against the works of R’ Slifkin…so why am I here?
The lion has roared, who will laugh here not fear?
Every posek routinely finds his work challenged by his colleagues. Reb Elyashiv’s rulings are disputed by his colleagues. If other poskim who routinely rule on life and death…disagree with this ban, then of course this ban is not universally binding.
It should be clear that poskim have the right, and if they do, then people have the right, to disagree.
Two parts:
1) Do the books that were banned contain any heresy?
2) If they don’t contain any heresy, do they present any theological danger?
Both serious questions.
When the ban on the books came out, a prominent rabbi…told me that he didn’t think the ban was prohibitive. I think he meant…[cites a Talmudic passage in which one rabbi’s prohibition of something to someone may not be reversed by another]. Why? Two opinions: When someone goes to a rabbi and asks a question of this nature, and the rabbi rules, it as if this person is taking a neder, a vow. Either out of respect for this rabbi, or because it’s a neder.
Respect would apply whether the first rabbi said it’s kosher or assur. So there’s a dispute over whether if a rabbi says something is mutar, another can say it is assur.
Each of the books had an approbation. So is another rabbi allowed to come and say it’s not permissible?
My point is that there is a chacham shehitiru on these books. Whether these books contain heresy is at most a machlokes.
We’re following the chachamim shehitiru.
There are three answers, that was one.
Second answer is both more obvious and more difficult. While the entire Orthodox community agrees on a broad array…there are disagreements…we need to seek advice from our own rabbinic authorities. A Satmer father with questions about the education of his daughter will not go to a Modern Orthodox authority.
The same applies to what we’re talking about tonight.
If you’re not going to go to Reb Elyashiv about your education, you should probably not be going to him about these books.
I do not consider myself part of the ideological community that issued the ban, and I suspect that nobody here is part of that community.
Third answer is a matter that I think has become increasingly unpopular, but that I think should have more value. The morah d’asra, the leader of the local community. The local rabbi was the final authority in that community. He understood the needs of the community. He understood the impact of a leniency or a stringency for that community. For better or worse, that’s no longer the case. It is possible that this is just an organic change of our community…whether that’s good or not, I don’t know. But those are on matters of halacha. This is a matter of faith.
There are communities for which the books are dangerous, and there are communities for which the ban is dangerous.

R’ Natan Slifkin, and again the same caveats:

What I want to speak about…is the cover of the book. A lot of work went into this cover. Skeleton of Tyrannosauraus Rex.
Two reasons why I put a dinosaur on the cover:
All of the distinguished authorities who were ruling that my books weren’t acceptable…weren’t presenting an alternative. That’s why I wanted to put a dinosaur on the cover, because there are objective realities out there that raise questions.
Evolution. Fossil record. [Progression of the fossil record toward evolution of whales from land animals]. The fact is you do have these fossils, and evolution does provide an understanding of why these things exist.
Heard a story of a child who came home crying and told his mother, “my rebbe said that goyim made dinosaurs, but I know that Hashem did.�
One of the reasons I put a dinosaur on the cover was to say, yes, this physical evidence is out there.
Second reason is this: it’s a scary picture. The concept of dinosaurs are scary, and issues of science and Torah are scary. This book is not for everyone. For people who never learned science…it’s not for them. People who don’t have these questions, have no interest in these books — or at least they had no interest before the books were banned.
I don’t plan to sell this book to everyone. If you feel uncomfortable with this cover…then the book is probably not for you. For people who are not afraid of dinosaurs, but are intrigued by that…I hope that this book will be of help.

Question: If we know the names of those rabbis who banned the book, why aren’t you being more forthcoming with the names of those who permit the book?
Student: Ask your own rabbi, that’s really the answer.
Question: What issue remains to be resolved between science and Torah as far as evolution. Slifkin: After the publication of my book? None.
Question: Intelligent design.
Slifkin: There are great theological problems with intelligent design, and it might border on heresy.

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