The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave a weird reprieve, but little hope of ultimate success, to New York officials who want to negate the religious freedom of Yeshiva University in New York City. Alas, it is just such reprieves that give lower courts and public officials, along with Democratic presidential administrations, encouragement to keep violating religious liberty and harassing believers.

In recent years, the high court has issued a long, long line of decisions or court orders favoring the free exercise of religion, as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Most observers expected that trend to continue when the full court considered a request for an emergency order to put on hold a New York judge’s ruling against Yeshiva. Instead, on narrow procedural grounds, a 5-4 court majority refused to grant the “hold” order, meaning Yeshiva for now must comply with the New York judge’s ruling.