9:36 PM
Gil Student
by Joel Rich
R’Yuval Cherlow’s internet sh”ut (in the 6 figures) – some analysis of pros (accessibility, anonymity) and cons (little detail, little connection)… My take fwiw – “your old road is rapidly aging…for the times they are a-changin” and a further fwiw “your sons and daughters are beyond your command” is true even for us – but they are not beyond our loving transmission of a beautiful mesora.
Don’t waste Time!!(me-it's our most valuable resource.)
(1) pragmatic – you never know how much you have left; (2) how you use your time reflects your priorities (Rich’s marginal time theorem); (3) kdushat Yisrael is linked to appreciation of time.
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I’d appreciate it if some of you would listen to this shiur and give me your thoughts on the question raised and answer given – it’s only about 25 minutes and easily can be sped up.
Discusses reconciling the spectrum of Talmudical sources (meaningless through meaningful). Explains Ramchal’s Kabbalistic approach as well as sheilat chalom and shu”t min hashamayim. [ me – how about just saying different members of chazal had different approaches?] FWIW I go by the “holchim achar hapeh” approach (ie, we make our own destiny).
Analysis of 3 tshuvot - R’YY Weinberg on stunning animal prior to Shechita, R’Meisels on ransoming one boy which will cause another’s death and R’Ambramsky on remarriage after the holocaust. Question on the ransom question story – when is a posek permitted to refuse to answer a shailah?
Different codification approaches discussed as well as role of responsa versus role of codes.
Interesting insight – perhaps Shomronim set up phony signals not to confuse the populace over rosh chodesh but to undermine the authority of Sanhedrin.
Interesting insights – (1) perhaps the shnei seifim (2 thresholds) remark was to Achav to choose between Jezebel and Ovadyah; (2) Eliyahu’s speech at Har Hacarmel was also to counteract (Tikun) his original statement (ki im bdvari) and clarify it was all from Hashem.
Discussion of evolution from Yikum Purkan (first for benefit of Rabbis, then others) to special misheberachs for specific events. Not everyone was in favor (especially for Shabbat) but “everyone does it” so what can you do. Particular focus on choleh.
Rashi and the Rivash on the status of Jews forced to convert. Thesis – Posek’s psak reflects social/historical reality (P.S. did you know that the Rivash was forced to convert?)
Response to reform movement by Maharam Shick. Tshuvot based on “everything and nothing” (IIUC R’Mintz’s way of saying “meta issues”). Eventually (and this continues till today) more focus on defining who is within the camp, give up on those not.
Kavod/Oneg/Simcha requirement (?) during that awkward time of chol hamoed (is it chol? moed?).
Tfilah should have (or lead to) both anavah (humility) and bitachon (trust) which can then turn HKB”H’s rogez (anger) into rachmanut (mercy).
Does mishaneh mpnei hashalom (“white lies”) make truth hutra (not applicable) or dchuya (pushed off); and the implications there of.
Historical facts? R’Moshe was offered positions when he arrived in U.S. at both YU and TV but wouldn’t accept because they were run by baal batim. Became “posek hador” (but not for Chasidim) because of ability and availability. Shailot on interfaith dialog (none – strong language on church); teaching in conservative school (ok but then can’t teach in a Yeshiva at the same time) and treating non-yid on Shabbat (ok – in olden days all people accepted different rules for members, now not.)
His take – psak is a function of time, place and whether to draw a line. R’Moshe draws a line (or circle) and is tough on the line but lenient within the circle.
Generally interesting history, you may never eat eggs again after listening to this shiur!
Rabbi Mandel is an old friend who I’ve never met. Great discussion on defining a mesorah and the turkey issue. Avnei Nezer holds that halacha is like R’Yehoshua ben Levi that ability to breed defines whether the birds are of the same mesorah (problem – Rambam and S”A don’t quote this). Further you can breed some strange looking birds from ones which are kosher and all agree these are kosher. Also once there’s a mesorah we don’t go back to check origin. Good discussion of Orthodox Union policies on this issue.
Qualitative (farbrent) and quantitative (keep on praying) is important. Go to chachamim (I wish he had expanded on this) but in the end realize it’s all up to us (and our inner circles). Link to emunah – all is divine providence. Hashem wants us to pray and to change. Fairly standard mussar on prayer.
Very interesting history of Kaddish. Discussion of why Aramaic (his reason – Kaddish drabannan was used to include a freestanding Aramaic torah translation by the Rabbi as part of tfila).
The first mention of the R’Akiva/dead soul/Kaddish story doesn’t appear until machzor vitri (1000+ = very, very late), R’Mintz posits it was created to justify an already existing minhag of kaddish – as survivors (many who converted) searched for a rationale for their survival and used Kaddish as a reason (for the survivors to say to elevate the dead; and give meaning to their survival).
Big plugs for YU, Bar-Ilan, not being afraid to ask questions, taking on leadership and the Jewish Philosophy of Life.
The Tur states that women started saying the bracha sheasani krtzono on their own initiative, he justifies as tziduk hadin!
Later attempts at changing words, volume and reinterpretation to make it more palatable to modern sensitivities.
