tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309929059139673041.post8306741297696154978..comments2024-03-28T02:08:17.990+02:00Comments on Daas Torah - Issues of Jewish Identity: Jews were a primitive and uncultured peopleDaas Torahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07252904288544083215noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309929059139673041.post-83091355809263867282022-02-28T22:25:19.669+02:002022-02-28T22:25:19.669+02:00Poverty and benumbing adversity has a way of clari...Poverty and benumbing adversity has a way of clarifying one's thinking and allowing one a better perspective of life by forcing one to foocus on their basic needs.<br /><br />Rabbi Dovid Eidensohn has often told me of the conditions he encountered when he went to learn in Lakewood. At seventeen years of age he was, I think, the youngest student there of Reb Aharon zt"l. The Yeshiva building, a former hotel, was in disrepair and not far from being unusable.<br /><br />In fact, Rabbi Eidensohn has informed me that this was the accepted way of Torah learning in Europe. He told me of a student in Europe that had to skip eating Erev Yom Kippur. Then he fasted on Yom Kippur. After Yom Kippur he went to a home to ask for a meal and was refused. He complained about having not eaten for two days and I think was given food. This is recorded in a Sefer written later by the student.<br /><br />For years, I have been trying to establish a Yeshiva where we vountarily and artificially survive under stark living conditions. All I have ended up accomplishing is living this way myself.<br /><br />I love it. People ask me if I wouldn't like to improve my lot in life. Sure. But even if I win the lottery tomorrow I hope I would continue with the privation.Joseph Orlowhttp://www.journalinginamerica.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309929059139673041.post-41693889730037000112022-02-28T22:23:29.646+02:002022-02-28T22:23:29.646+02:00The problem is that being overly frum is also dang...The problem is that being overly frum is also dangerous, and the Yerushalmi makes this point, based on Koheleth. Rambam also in Hilchot Deiot.<br />Not only is secular knowledge shunned these day. Even torah knowledge is selective, in in the Yeshiva world. A Rav I knew was once mocking the lack of actual Chumash study nowadays, as all the focus was on Gemara and halacha. When i asked him "what about the Nach?" - all he could say was "well nobody learns that !"<br /><br /><br />How can we be a learned people if we censor our own greatest Holy Books?Kalonymus HaQatannoreply@blogger.com