10:18 PM
Gil Student
by Joel Rich
Harav Meir Soloveichik Shlita (or anyone with access to him) - Now that the West Wing is going live, will you have any recorded shiurim for me to review??
Even if you’ve read the Rav’s description of the uniting of generations in his classroom, eino domeh kria l’shmia – a must listen but if you had the opportunity to be in his shiur and didn’t take advantage of it, be ready to klop al cheit (hmmm – who could he mean?).
Analysis of sources on importance of Amen and Yihei shmei rabba. Cautionary note on amen parties (me – perhaps the saying of amen bkol kocho “works” as a byproduct of a prayerful life rather than as an incantation).
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Introduction to halacha. He takes side of Moshe getting process not all the halachot. Also takes (what I call pshat approach based on IIUC R’Tzadok) position that in Tanach times focus was on Navi/revelation vs. Rabbi/study of halacha (everyone wanted to be a Navi, not a Rabbi like now : ). Perushim redefined approach!
Last in the series discussing M.O. halacha – define? R’Rackman says doesn’t exist – R’Moshe (I’d call engaged Yeshivish) is close enough. Rabbi S. Berman says it means to go back to sources and look “beyond” last 400 years (e.g. Kol Isha). R’M Shapiro on woman aliyot – not accepted not due to technical as much as clothed in Conservative language.
If R’Moshe had said could drink stam yenam and Conservative said no in our day – would you believe? Yes. Would you do? Yes. If Conservative said could treat goy on Shabbat and R’Moshe said no, would you believe? Yes. Would we do? No. Why? Not technical reasons but perceived authority.
Perhaps M.O. halacha is local in nature (not everything gets kicked upstairs) but they haven't carved out a distinctive process.
R’YBS tribute to Joseph Gruss – partnership between religious leadership and true baalei batim (Yosef was the first) – baalei batim have a sense of responsibility to the Klal, are pragmatic/practical decision makers and have heart.
Child raising philosophy – (my summary) to allow children to succeed you must allow them chance to fail. Parents shouldn’t use gimmicks (e.g. guilt) – interestingly, he mentions of Rebbeim not using gimmicks (e.g. guilt) [or as one parent told me his child’s rebbi in Israel told him – we only really have a few months to fix them so we do what we need to do].
Very strange story (to me) at the end lauding a parent who changed the family minhag of eating in the sukkah on shmini atzeret to be consistent with what his child’s rebbi told the child.
Machshava vs. halacha specialists and those rare individuals who can do both. Count emunah as a mitzvah or not? and why? Perhaps it is a mitzvah but don’t list because it’s “more important”.
Is emunah a background for the mitzvoth or transformational for implementing the rest of the mitzvoth. R’MR’s (AIUI) take is need a symbiotic relationship in that can’t have mitzvot without emunah (if no mitzaveh then no mitzuveh) but emunah must be informed and deepened by mitzvot.
Discussion of relative priorities when yishuv eretz yisrael and kavod av v’em collide.
Hebrew – Discussion of whether drought was Eliyahu’s idea or HKB”H’s. If the latter, perhaps there was an issue of Eliyahu’s language implying that it was under his control [Ki im ifi dvari] (me – like the mlachim with Lot). #3-Discussion of 2 differing approaches to avodat hashem – Eliyahu and Ovadyah and the interplay between them.
Lessons of circles (we’re all inside and equal in many ways). Machol shel tzadelikim (end of Mesechet tannit) represents infinity of joy.
Interesting tshuva from R’Moshe regarding amount of discomfort that would exempt one from a positive commandment based on the 20% loss rule (broad shoulders)! Major source is gemara dealing with arba kosot.
Focus on Rambam’s definition as preparation for Shabbat. R’YBS quoted on similarity to preparation for prayer – both as preparing to meet HKB”H (thus Rambam’s use of Shabbat hamelech rather than hamalka).
Do you face the doors or the west at Boi Bshalom?
Gan Eden? Chatan im Hakalah? Bottom line (aiui) couple needs consistency of vision and constancy of purpose (transmitter of mesora).
Not his usual section of the jungle (movie reference – Lonely man of faith) We don’t daven any more with prisat capaiim because it was adopted by idol worshippers. Lot’s of R’YBS on tfila. Kiddush hachodesh and smicha were only in eretz yisrael because (perhaps) this is ikkar of klal yisrael (see gemara horiyot).
Hachana and post mitzvah elements are important in addition to the mitzvah itself. Schar mitzvah bhai alma leka? Perhaps “reward” is intrinsic (mitzvah gorreret mitzvah) or perhaps it’s not for mitzvah but for hachana.
College? The usual TUM, TUP and TIDE arguments and the usual practical issues. No one answer – it’s a function of your personal mesora and history , but whichever way you go, try to be mindful of the negatives and deal with them.
Good general discussion of underlying prohibition of going to secular courts and practical bet din issues.
Continuing series. Why do eidim violate Shabbat for Kiddush hachodesh? Perhaps pikuach nefesh (if don’t get moadim right all will suffer). Question: If two are learning and see the new moon, do you testify or assume someone else does?
