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B'nei Noach - A Decade Later
November 1997
Reader Response

The following ViewPoint Response has been edited to protect the privacy of the responder.

". . . I came across your web site a week & a half ago. Since then I've excitedly recommended it to many people, Jews and Gentiles alike. I opened today to your new location and read your "ViewPoint" for "Bnei Noach - A Decade Later...." I AM EXTREMELY OFFENDED, INSULTED, and INFURIATED BY THIS ARTICLE!!!!!!

After spending so much time building up Torah, the Oral law, and "the Rabbis", how can you "cut the hand that feeds you" like this?!! The laws of Bnei Noah are extremely obscure as it is. In addition, due to centuries Jewish of persecution, this has not been a subject for practical learning. It's only due to the Rebbe's call over the last decade or so that ANY attention has been given to this subject! You should immediately withdraw this article and replace it with a lengthy apology!!!!!

I understand and respect your desire to fulfill the 7 laws to the utmost degree. However, to insult like this is completely out of line and goes against EVERYTHING you stand for!!! What where you thinking?! To evoke a response?! This article evokes ridicule and antagonisms to what appeared to be an outstanding institution!!!! There are many ways to delve into the halachas of the 7 laws w/o making this an insulting and derogatory PUBLIC propaganda!! Do you know the seriousness of PUBLICLY speaking Lashon Hara (slanderous speech)? The Chofetz Chaim list some 32+ BIBLICAL prohibitions that are transgressed from speaking or communicating Lashon Hara! GET THIS ARTICLE OFF THE WEB IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!"

CB"N's Response:
It was not the intent of my ViewPoint article to grievously offend the Orthodox Jewish community. As I had hoped, we did generate a response with the article, albeit a not-so-favorable response. After a series of calm and rational email communications between us, we resolved the difficulties perceived by this individual, and reworded or deleted the few offending sentences to the mutual satisfaction of both parties.

Did I change my opinion? No. Did I rephrase those sentences which lead to a misunderstanding of Chavurath B'nei Noach's position with Orthodox Judaism? Yes. Will I change my opinion or wording for anyone who disagrees with my ViewPoint? No, not necessarily.

I am sincerely pleased to make the acquaintance of this individual. We both learned from this experience. In fact, he later wrote and said: "Arguments l'shaim she'maiyim (for the sake of Heaven) leave the 'debaters' heated but w/ mutual respect. I definitely feel that this encounter has increased my respect for you and your organization. The main factor was how you approached the situation w/ open-mindedness..."

After all has been said and done, we arrived at a win-win solution which benefited both parties and left the message unchanged. As the Ish Gamuz would say, "Gamzu le'Tovah!" (This, too, is for the best!)

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November 1997

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