when he laments the state of the Rabbinate today
I get different reactions from otherwise like-minded, intelligent, frum people. One person asked me "when will he take his yarmulke off already?, this shande." He's an "alter apikores." Another guy applauds RAS's bravery and tells me that he (RAS) writes what we think. Then of course the OTDers stand up and cheer, but that's just יניקת החיצונים in my humble opinion. They could care less what Rabbis do now, they're out to have a good time and no pipe-smoking Rabbi with an old blue shirt and scraggly beard will tell them otherwise, no matter how brilliant he is. But closer examination of his words tells us that all he's saying is that he wants Rabbonim to care more for their respective flocks. This isn't a מאי אהני לן רבנן rant after all. No call to allow this one and that one to be מותר לבא בקהל or to marry. No call to make broad changes to Halacha just to conform with the times. It's simply a call for a little more compassion. A helping hand. A shoulder to cry on, if you will. Don't shoot the messenger.
