10:10 PM
Gil Student
by Joel Rich
Please note-TIM shiurim are available at: http://www.torahinmotion.org/store/prod_search.asp
She-nir'eh et nehamat Yerushalayim u-binyanah bi-mherah ve-yamenu
Kol Tuv
Joel Rich
Short shiur with focus on the need for kabbalat mitzvot in geirut (has anyone seen anything official from KJ/OU/RCA on Ivanka?). Money quotes 1) “This is the famous tshuva of R’Chaim Ozer that many people rely on in these cases. The general assumption of the more recent poskim is not to accept this Tshuva. Yes, R’Chaim Ozer was the Gadol Hador, however, there are other tshuva’s we don’t accept of his” [me – reminds me of my mom’s famous absence note (IIRC – after cutting shiur – the big D gave me the wink and nod – to go to the UN protest in ’67) – “please excuse Joel for not being in school yesterday as he was unable to attend”]. 2] Growing up I remember I was modern orthodox you see which meant at that time you didn’t need hashgachot you just looked at the ingredients and if everything looked OK, it was good” [me – when was this? Everyone did that – what hashgachot existed to any large extent in the U.S. prior to the 60’s?].
Major source R’MF and anan sahade; (we – testify) that he didn’t mean it if we see by his actions (how immediate? You make the call – if you’re a bar hachi).
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Excellent philosophical insights to R’YBS. Ish Hahalacha (Book) focuses on man but where is HKB”H in the story? On this basis, life would be a pure behavioral (MO or charedi) focus, but only an “intellectual game” (me – as it seems to be to many). Uvikashtem Misham (originally Ish Haelokim) adds mans’ search for HKB”H (R’YBS didn’t think there was a great demand for this later published work which is one of the reasons it remained unpublished for 30 years). Secular studies a part of this search.
R’YBS wasn’t interested in proofs of HKB”H (post-Kantian) and they limit your concept of HKB”H. When man can’t reach him, he looks for us.
Love and fear of HKB”H in halacha and hashkafa – we imitiate HKB”H knowing we can never close the gap. We try to imitate him by becoming part of a community of torah study – In action, thought and emotion (me – imho lots of people pick one almost to the exclusion of others)
Lesson of Sodom/bed medrash (make everyone one size) [me – foolish conformity is the hobgoblin of small minds]. Authoritarianism (because I said so) encourages conformity, demonizes those that speak truth to power and limits access to power. We should resist and not support those who delegitimize our approaches. (Hmmm – IIRC I saw a call for a boycott of Eidah hashgachot).
What’s the deal with the Yissocher/Zevulen relationship? Well worth listening for some basic issues.
Do you need to make a tnai (condition)? Does it need to be a shutfut (partnership)? Does the supporter share in the learner’s reward or does he get the normal reward for assisting another in doing a mitzvah. [me – and who is HKB”H’s local accountant?]
R’M Feinstein understood it as a true complete partnership.
Can you really transfer reward between people? R’AW understands the zchut kria (reward for reading) Tehillim when someone else needs assistance, is not the same as prayer but rather when you do a mitzvah your tfilah is more accepted (i.e. it’s not tied to the zchut of the mitzvah!)
R’AW views the Yissocher/Zevulun reward relationship as zevulun being credited “kilu shneihem lomdim” (as if they were learning together) – like teacher/student relationship – HKB”H has plenty of credit to allocate! (much like some sales compensation programs).
Good aliyah mussar – HKB”H never forces aliyah (see 2-1/2 tribes, Bavel…). I strongly agree with his ruminations on too much focus on the individual and not enough on the tzibbur (not only is it wrong, it’s counter productive for the individual). Also follows R’YBS’s ruminations on religious parties perhaps being counter-productive.
More mussar and stories at the beginning (perhaps since the status is really minhag , and it involves $, chizuk is needed). Lot’s of practical shűt (e.g. if you return a lost object that you didn’t halachically need to, do you both owe masser? What about Yeshiva students supported by parents?….)
Prayer – purpose is to get close to HKB”H; the answer is secondary at best. Very nice drasha based on Avraham Avinu. He mentions a movie, I’m guessing it was girls praying that Gaza communities not be evacuated, his question is what did they do the next day, after the answer wasn’t what they wanted.
Current issue – youth who view everything as black and white, no pragmatism. Some times just have to accept the ratzon hashem.
An interesting lesson on Ruth, converts and being with HKB”H within a community. Some insights from paintings and woodcuts (not visible on the audio).
Mourning and repentance on Tisha B’av as seen by R’YBS. Make a negative into a positive! (hmmm – Yom Kippur and sins and repentance from love – a consistent worldview from R’YBS).
Examination of status of Rosh Chodosh – includes minhagim (some still do these) of a special meal (seudah), visiting one’s Rav and not doing mlacha (labors?). Nice insight from R’YBS on simcha in beit mikdash by Karbanot.
Knai lcha chaver (get a friend) – Many commentaries understand this as someone to increase your Torah learning, others in the more general nature.
Contradictory sources on having one rabbi or many? Perhaps difference is teacher for logic vs. for knowledge. R’MT feels you need to be grounded in a primary approach before trying out others.
Middle of 3rd chapter the individual begins to introspect. Provides guide from low point when one encounters suffering – moving back to communications with HKB”H.
During the second temple did they commemorate Tisha B’av? Rashi, Rambam on whether the existence of the beit mikdash was the deciding factor. If not, what would be? Interesting insight from R’Moshe Soloveitchik on the language of the Rambam perhaps requiring no baseless hatred and the concomitant hashrat shechina (divine presence).
Importance of getting along with each other. Interesting comment at the end concerning democracy when you have halachic opinions on both sides – not sure that everyone would agree.
Summary of rules on hashgacha including women, mirtat (fear), Yotzeh V’nichnas (not full time), tmidi (full time), Chshad (suspicion).
Differing opinions on what will happen in messianic times (Rambam isn’t the only opinion!).
Good history of such movements up through current times (Hameivin Yavin).
