Tuesday, December 24, 2024

The Avos erred

 Bereishis Rabbah (63:10) . AND THE BOYS GREW . R. Phinehas said in R. Levi's name: They were like a myrtle and a wild rose-bush growing side by side; when they attained to maturity, one yielded its fragrance and the other its thorns. So for thirteen years both went to school and came home from school. After this age, one went to the house of study and the other to idolatrous shrines. R. Eleazar b. R. Simeon said: A man is responsible for his son until the age of thirteen; thereafter he must say, ' Blessed is He who has now freed me from the responsibility of this boy.’

RSR Hirsch (Bereishis 12:10-13)  And there was famine in the land The story that opens with these words is puzzling at first glance. Abraham left the land destined for him; he did not trust God, he raised and provided for himself even in the land of Zion. It also  appears at first glance, that he endangered the moral well-being of his wife in order to save his own his soul! It is not even in our power to settle all the questions, even if forced to conclude according to Ramban's opinion: "Know that Abraham, our father, committed a great sin Inadvertently, he brought his righteous wife into a moral dilema because of his fear lest they kill him,... also his departure from the land that was commanded about because of the famine, an iniquity which he sinned, etc.,  His answer does not resolve all our difficulties. . However you should know that the Torah does not present the great men of Israel as ideals for the purpose of perfection; It does not say about anyone: "Here before me is the ideal, in this man the divine has become man!" In general, it does not present the life of any person as an exemplary life - so that we can learn from him what is good and what is righteous, what we do and what we do not do. If the Torah wants to draw us a figure, so that we can learn from its example, then it does not show a human being, whose foundation is dust and ashes, but the Holy One, blessed be He, presents Himself as an example.RSR Hirsch (Bereishis 25:27) And they grew up - Nowhere did our sages refrain from revealing weaknesses and errors, small or large, in the deeds of our great forefathers. And precisely by doing so, they glorified the Torah, and glorified its lessons for all generations. Also here one of their comments implies to us that the source of the deep contrast between the grandchildren of Abraham was not only their innate qualities but was also the consequence in their improper education. While Yakov and Esav were children, their innate hidden differences were ignored and they received the identical education.  They seemed to have forgotten the great principle of educations “Educate the youth according to his unique nature” This means that education needs to be adjusted according to the unique nature in order to influence his future behavior so that it produces purity and a consistent Jewish conduct as well as the same Jewish commitment. This means that the education must be individualized and thus is different for different people. Consequently they must be educated uniquely with an eye to the future. By placing both Yakov and Esav on the same bench and teaching them in an identical manner for deed and thought, it is guaranteed that at least one will be ruined. Yakov sat and internalized the flow of wisdom in his desire for spiritual growth. In contrast Esav sat there looking forward to the day he would be able to reject this ancient wisdom. This is the natural consequence of treating them the same and ignoring their actual nature which is repelled by this approach. If their parents Yitzchok and Rivkah had paid attention to their uniqueness. If they had asked initially asked themselves what are Esav’s underlying strengths? What is the best way to implant the desire to serve G-d. If they had done this than Esav would not have become a mighty hunter but rather a mighty Servant of G-d. So in truth, despite all their innate differences, Yakov and Esav remained twin brithers in their spirit and life.  From the beginning the sword of Esav was joined with the spirit of Yakov in a unique covenant. Who knows how different the future might have been if Esav was raised properly? But it is a mute point and never happened. When these youth grew up it was revealed to all, that despite coming from the same womb and growing up and being educated together, they were entirely different by nature and deed.

RSR Hirsch (Bereish 25:27) And they grew up - Nowhere did our sages refrain from revealing weaknesses and errors, small or large, in the deeds of our great forefathers. And precisely by doing so, they glorified the Torah, and glorified its lessons for all generations. Also here one of their comments implies to us that the source of the deep contrast between the grandchildren of Abraham was not only their innate qualities but was also the consequence in their improper education. While Yakov and Esav were children, their innate hidden differences were ignored and they received the identical education.  They seemed to have forgotten the great principle of educations “Educate the youth according to his unique nature” This means that education needs to be adjusted according to the unique nature in order to influence his future behavior so that it produces purity and a consistent Jewish conduct as well as the same Jewish commitment. This means that the education must be individualized and thus is different for different people. Consequently they must be educated uniquely with an eye to the future. By placing both Yakov and Esav on the same bench and teaching them in an identical manner for deed and thought, it is guaranteed that at least one will be ruined. Yakov sat and internalized the flow of wisdom in his desire for spiritual growth. In contrast Esav sat there looking forward to the day he would be able to reject this ancient wisdom. This is the natural consequence of treating them the same and ignoring their actual nature which is repelled by this approach. If their parents Yitzchok and Rivkah had paid attention to their uniqueness. If they had asked initially asked themselves what are Esav’s underlying strengths? What is the best way to implant the desire to serve G-d. If they had done this than Esav would not have become a mighty hunter but rather a mighty Servant of G-d. So in truth, despite all their innate differences, Yakov and Esav remained twin brithers in their spirit and life.  From the beginning the sword of Esav was joined with the spirit of Yakov in a unique covenant. Who knows how different the future might have been if Esav was raised properly? But it is a mute point and never happened. When these youth grew up it was revealed to all, that despite coming from the same womb and growing up and being educated together, they were entirely different by nature and deed

14 comments :

  1. Interesting, Rav Hirsch was very daring.
    Did he reflect on how reform may have started?

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    1. Yes, in his commentary at the very beginning of Bereshis. He calls it "Up to date Judaism" and goes to town on it.

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  2. I'm surprised they allow Rav Hirsch's seforim in yeshivos considering this comment is a massive condemnation of the moder yeshivah system.

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    1. He's tolerated, that's about it

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    2. Not so much tolerated as revised. It's made very clear, even by the Washington Heights folks, that TIDE was a hora'as sha'ah just for his generation so his philosophical and hashkafic writings are of historical interest only. On the other hand, his Chumash is definitely all over the place in Hebrew.

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    3. Yeah, the entire Torah is horaas sha'ah , but now that we have a totally open society and totally closed hareidi world, can't risk practicing Torah anymore

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    4. There's an element of inconsistency too.
      TIDE was a hora'as sha'ah because of the threat of Reform. It no longer applies today because they're not a threat.
      Okay, "Learn don't earn" was a hora'as sha'ah because of the Holocaust. It no longer applies today because the Torah world has been rebuilt.
      Oh no! You can't say that!

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    5. are you the same as Garnel, or an imposter who has "turned the tables"?

      TIDE was in Germany, when it was the most modern European nation. There was also the Hildsheimer seminary in Berlin, which was even more modern than TIDE.
      Rav David Tzvi Hoffman was not accepted by Rav Hirsch, however, he was also asked to remove his kippa when he was at the Hirsch seminary, because it made the teachers of secular studies feel uncomfortable. Woke Frankfurt



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    6. There is only one Lord Garnel Ironheart!
      The problem the Chareidi community has always had with TIDE is that Rav Hirsch was one of their own. He separated his community from the general community because they weren't frum enough for him. He fought Reform with a passion. But then he came up with TIDE. Now, TIDE is meant for Chareidim. It's the UO version of TuM. Ravs Hildesheimer and Hoffmann were not accepted into Rav Hirsch's circle because their version of frumkeit, the initial MO, was way too weak for him.

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    7. Anyone familiar with the writings of Rav Hirsch understands that his approach was not a horas sha'ah. Rav Schwab reached that same conclusion as well despite some Gedolei Yisrael telling him otherwise.

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    8. The teachings of Rav Hirsch on TIDE and how to relate to the umos haolam are more relevant now than ever. It is tragic that so many fail to internalize or practice the truths that he taught.

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    9. SR Hirsch
      Hildsheimer
      David Zvi Hoffman
      Y.Y. Weinberg
      J.B Soloveitchik
      E Berkovits

      Of the above, Only Rav Hirsch is accepted by the Chareidim, and only begrudgingly. They make the same kind of excuses as they do for the Rambam, that his modern views were only for that time and special circumstances. Even Hirsch himself begrudges Rambam for his philosophy, although he himself was influenced by Hegel.

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  3. I just remembered we used to discuss nittel here over the years
    Another strange custom.

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    Replies
    1. It's another example of a practical behaviour being turned into a holy custom with deep mystical roots because Chasidim can't understand that Jews sometimes just do things for regular reasons.

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