Insight and Reflection

In the previous posts, I identified the Moadot, as being a very special case of generational development in time. All species on Earth develop in time- in a bodily sense. The tree gathers rings, the vegetable and animal fullness of body or physical function. It is man alone, as a mind or Tzelem Elokim, that develops through attaining  abstract knowledge.

The process of developing as a mind, requires insight into observations. It is through scrutinizing the nature of insight, that we can understand the specific function of moadot, in catalyzing human development. To illustrate the nature of "insight" let us consider the interesting case of the recent Israeli Nobel prize winner in Chemistry, Dan Shechtman.

Dr Schectman was blessed with a unique insight into Chemical structure, an insight so fundamental, that it contradicted accepted notions of science. As might be expected, Schectman's insight was not initially met with encouragement and support, quite the contrary. As reported in the press:

"I told everyone who was ready to listen that I had material with pentagonal symmetry. People just laughed at me," Shechtman said in a description of his work released by his university.

For months he tried to persuade his colleagues of his find, but they refused to accept it. Finally he was asked to leave his research group, and moved to another one within the National Bureau of Standards, Shechtman said.

He returned to Israel, where he found one colleague prepared to work with him on an article describing the phenomenon. The article was at first rejected, but finally published in November 1984 - to uproar in the scientific world. Double Nobel winner Linus Pauling was among those who never accepted the findings.

"He really was a great scientist, but he was wrong. It's not the first time he was wrong," Shechtman told reporters Wednesday.

What is particularly interesting about Dr Schectman, is that his battle to share his insight in physical science, brought about another, perhaps even more fundamental reflection upon the challenge the human social system imposes upon the process of attaining knowledge. The reality is that every new insight forces humility upon the scientific community. Much as man pays lip service to the notion that his "knowledge" is but a model of the laws of nature, people stake their reputations and grant money, on current thinking. It is extremely difficult to give up the security of the tried and "true" model, for the new. Schectman seems to have taken this lesson to heart, his great insight in Chemistry and subsequent battle, have resulted in a distinct maturity of outlook. Over time, his reflections on his personal journey, have left lasting impressions. A deep regard for humility in thought and the need of every individual for his fellow man

"The main lesson that I have learned over time is that a good scientist is a humble and listening scientist and not one that is sure 100 percent in what he read in the textbooks," Shechtman, 70, told a news conference Wednesday at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel.

Fresh off Wednesday's announcement that he will receive the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the Technion's Dan Shechtman was forthcoming in sharing the honor. "I think this is a great day for me, of course, but also a great day for the country," he said at a press conference.

The prize does not belong to him alone, he continued. "There are thousands of scientists that research the subject I developed, and I'm sure they all see the prize as an achievement for themselves as well, and indeed they deserve it."

Generations

The previous post stated that the Torah has a specific perspective on the relationship of time, to life.The general principle of time as Halacha views it, is a cyclical process in which generations of individuals come to maturity ultimately replacing the previous generation. In the story of Creation the Torah shows that this framework of time is composed of units of "days" and "nights" , resulting from the relationship of Sun to Earth.

The ongoing accumulation of nights and days become periods or "seasons" of life and death of individual lifetimes which merge into each other in changing generations. This process of ongoing maintenance of the various species through seasons and changing generations of individuals is called "good".

(Gen 1: 14-18)
14 And God said: 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth.' And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; and the stars. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. 

The framework of time, in which seasons result in generations of individuals attaining maturity and then old age is seen in all species on Earth- vegetable, animal and in man himself.

Vegetable

11 And God said: 'Let the earth put forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit-tree bearing fruit after its kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth.' And it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 

Animal

24 And God said: 'Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind.' And it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth after its kind, and the cattle after their kind, and every thing that creeps upon the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 

Man
26 And God said: 'Let us make man in our Tzelem, and our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.' 27 And God created man in His Tzelem, in the Tzelem of God created He him; male and female created He them. 28 And God blessed them; and God said unto them: 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creeps upon the earth.' 31 And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. 

It is in this sense of time, seasons composed of the days, years and seasons of maturational process of generations, that we must understand the statement of T'filla. Man is a mind- a Tzelem Elokim. As a mind, man attains maturity through a growing knowledge and its application in a successful life. The seasons, years and days measure a process of knowledge, in which generations of individual men and women, express their learning and education in an ongoing life of Halacha. This maturational process involves a number of stages, that are intimately connected- Kedusha of mitzvot, immersion in Torah, happiness, satiation, purity of heart and finally true service. 
                                                                       
                                                           Elements  of Human Development                                                  #1

  קדשנו במצוותיך 
#2          
ותן חלקנו בתורתך,
     #3         
ושמח נפשנו בישועתך 
#4        
ושבענו מטובך, 
  #5        
וטהר ליבנו 
#6       
לעובדך באמת

What these 6 elements of human maturation are, will be discussed in the next post.

Its about time

Though the 10 days of Teshuva have concluded and we are in the midst of Sukkot, my mind still lingers on the themes of RH  as well as Yom Kippur.

But is this lingering I experience, there by design? Is there a shared conceptual framework that justifies extending the themes of RH/ Yom Kippur into Sukkot? Or is my lingering upon RH/ YK merely happenstance, born of the very magnitude of the Yomim Noraim and their proximity in time to the next Holiday which happens to be Sukkot? 

If we reflect upon the T’fillot of these respective holidays, RH/ YK and Sukkot we will see that they are both expressions of a shared framework. In fact, all the moadim are component elements of one unified framwork. The essential theme of Tfillat RH, which is shared with all Moadot, is the request that Hashem realize an ongoing process that the lifestyle of Mitzvot is intended to bring about.
מו  ברכה אמצעית של ראש השנה, בערבית ושחרית ומנחה:
אתה בחרתנו מכל העמים ורצית בנו מכל הלשונות, וקידשתנו במצוותיך וקירבתנו מלכנו לעבודתך; ושמך הגדול והקדוש, עלינו קראת.  ותיתן לנו ה' אלוהינו, את יום טוב מקרא קודש הזה, את יום הזיכרון הזה, זכרון תרועה באהבה--זכר ליציאת מצריים.  אלוהינו ואלוהי אבותינו, יעלה ויבוא . . . כי אל מלך רחום וחנון אתה.  אלוהינו ואלוהי אבותינו, מלוך על כל העולם כולו בכבודך, והינשא על כל הארץ ביקרך, והופע בהדר גאון עוזך על כל יושבי תבל ארצך; ויידע כל פעול כי אתה פעלתו, ויבין כל יצור כי אתה יצרתו, ויאמרו כל אשר נשמה באפו, ה' אלוהי ישראל מלך ומלכותו בכול משלה.  קדשנו במצוותיך ותן חלקנו בתורתך, ושמח נפשנו בישועתך ושבענו מטובך, וטהר ליבנו לעובדך באמת ודברך אמת וקיים לעד.  ברוך אתה ה', מלך על כל הארץ, מקדש ישראל ויום הזיכרון.

What is this process intended by all mitzvot?  What is the particular role of RH / YK and Sukkot in the process?
The answer to these questions comes from re-examining the notion of time. Halacha views time as the underlying framework underlying all the mitzvot and moadot specifically. How do we understand this unique perspective on time? We will deal with this issue in the next post.

Tefilat Rosh Hashana- Parable of the Vineyard #1

In the Tefilla of Rosh Hashana, there is an extension of the 3rd beracha, HaKel Hakadosh. The extension emphasizes the Kingship of Hashem, that will be revealed in its complete form at the time of Mashiach. The true nature of this manifestation of Hashem's Kingship at the time of redemption, is captured by pasuk 16 in Yeshaya Chapter 5. טז וַיִּגְבַּהּ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, בַּמִּשְׁפָּט; וְהָאֵל, הַקָּדוֹשׁ, נִקְדָּשׁ, בִּצְדָקָה.
This pasuk is part of one of the most famous passages in Yeshaya, the "parable of the vineyard". This section, along with its message for Rosh Hashana, is worth our attention at this time of 10 Yimei Teshuva.

ישעיהו פרק ה

א אָשִׁירָה נָּא לִידִידִי, שִׁירַת דּוֹדִי לְכַרְמוֹ:  כֶּרֶם הָיָה לִידִידִי, בְּקֶרֶן בֶּן-שָׁמֶן.  ב וַיְעַזְּקֵהוּ וַיְסַקְּלֵהוּ, וַיִּטָּעֵהוּ שֹׂרֵק, וַיִּבֶן מִגְדָּל בְּתוֹכוֹ, וְגַם-יֶקֶב חָצֵב בּוֹ; וַיְקַו לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲנָבִים, וַיַּעַשׂ בְּאֻשִׁים.  ג וְעַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב יְרוּשָׁלִַם, וְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה--שִׁפְטוּ-נָא, בֵּינִי וּבֵין כַּרְמִי.  ד מַה-לַּעֲשׂוֹת עוֹד לְכַרְמִי, וְלֹא עָשִׂיתִי בּוֹ:  מַדּוּעַ קִוֵּיתִי לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲנָבִים, וַיַּעַשׂ בְּאֻשִׁים.  ה וְעַתָּה אוֹדִיעָה-נָּא אֶתְכֶם, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-אֲנִי עֹשֶׂה לְכַרְמִי:  הָסֵר מְשׂוּכָּתוֹ וְהָיָה לְבָעֵר, פָּרֹץ גְּדֵרוֹ וְהָיָה לְמִרְמָס.  ו וַאֲשִׁיתֵהוּ בָתָה, לֹא יִזָּמֵר וְלֹא יֵעָדֵר, וְעָלָה שָׁמִיר, וָשָׁיִת; וְעַל הֶעָבִים אֲצַוֶּה, מֵהַמְטִיר עָלָיו מָטָר.  ז כִּי כֶרֶם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִישׁ יְהוּדָה, נְטַע שַׁעֲשׁוּעָיו; וַיְקַו לְמִשְׁפָּט וְהִנֵּה מִשְׂפָּח, לִצְדָקָה וְהִנֵּה צְעָקָה.  {פ} ח הוֹי, מַגִּיעֵי בַיִת בְּבַיִת--שָׂדֶה בְשָׂדֶה, יַקְרִיבוּ:  עַד אֶפֶס מָקוֹם, וְהוּשַׁבְתֶּם לְבַדְּכֶם בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ.  ט בְּאָזְנָי, יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת:  אִם-לֹא בָּתִּים רַבִּים, לְשַׁמָּה יִהְיוּ--גְּדֹלִים וְטוֹבִים, מֵאֵין יוֹשֵׁב.  י כִּי, עֲשֶׂרֶת צִמְדֵּי-כֶרֶם, יַעֲשׂוּ, בַּת אֶחָת; וְזֶרַע חֹמֶר, יַעֲשֶׂה אֵיפָה.  {ס} יא הוֹי מַשְׁכִּימֵי בַבֹּקֶר, שֵׁכָר יִרְדֹּפוּ; מְאַחֲרֵי בַנֶּשֶׁף, יַיִן יַדְלִיקֵם.  יב וְהָיָה כִנּוֹר וָנֶבֶל, תֹּף וְחָלִיל וָיַיִן--מִשְׁתֵּיהֶם; וְאֵת פֹּעַל יְהוָה לֹא יַבִּיטוּ, וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו לֹא רָאוּ.  יג לָכֵן גָּלָה עַמִּי, מִבְּלִי-דָעַת; וּכְבוֹדוֹ מְתֵי רָעָב, וַהֲמוֹנוֹ צִחֵה צָמָא.  יד לָכֵן, הִרְחִיבָה שְּׁאוֹל נַפְשָׁהּ, וּפָעֲרָה פִיהָ, לִבְלִי-חֹק; וְיָרַד הֲדָרָהּ וַהֲמוֹנָהּ וּשְׁאוֹנָהּ, וְעָלֵז בָּהּ.  טו וַיִּשַּׁח אָדָם, וַיִּשְׁפַּל-אִישׁ; וְעֵינֵי גְבֹהִים, תִּשְׁפַּלְנָה.  טז וַיִּגְבַּהּ יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, בַּמִּשְׁפָּט; וְהָאֵל, הַקָּדוֹשׁ, נִקְדָּשׁ, בִּצְדָקָה.  יז וְרָעוּ כְבָשִׂים, כְּדָבְרָם; וְחָרְבוֹת מֵחִים, גָּרִים יֹאכֵלוּ

I will sing to my beloved, a song of my Beloved regarding His vineyard. My beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful field. He fenced it and cleared out its stones, planted it with choice vines . He built a tower in its midst, and carved out a winepress for it; He expected it to bring forth fine grapes, but it brought forth worthless ones. 

“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, please, between Me and My vineyard. What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done ? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth fine grapes, did it sprout worthless ones?”

“And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; and break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned or dug, but there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain on it.” For the vineyard of Hashem Tzevakot is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His garden of joy. He hoped justice, but behold, oppression; for tzedakah, but behold, a cry for help.

Woe to those who join house to house; they add field to field, as if they alone dwell in the midst of the land! In my hearing Hashem Tzevakot said, “Truly, many houses shall be desolate, great and beautiful ones, without inhabitant...

Woe to those who rise early in the morning, only to begin their quest for liquor; who continue until late at night, till wine inflames them! The harp and the strings, the tambourine and flute, and wine are in their feasts but they do not observe the operations of the Lord, nor consider His handiwork. This is why my people have gone into captivity, for lack of knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst... People shall be brought down, each man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. Hashem Tzevakot shall be uplifted in judgment, the Holy God shall be sanctified by righteousness. Then the lambs shall graze in normal fashion, from the devastated places of the fat the true natives shall eat.

(The translation is my own, a correction of www.enduringword.com, based upon the mefarshim). 

Next post, summary and questions.

Post Tisha B'av discussion #3: Modern Day Movements

Mrs Adler
This is not a new thought but seems even clearer in the light of our discussions.  Both Chasidus as an 'organized' movement revolving around messianism and mysticism, and the more liberal movements which reject the divinity of Torah are the result of imperfect attempts to bring Judaism into the modern world.  In both cases there is a rejection of the perceived status quo as being insufficiently persuasive in light of 'modern' rational thought, archeology, science, 'Biblical Criticism', or whatever system is thought to be most ascendant at that moment.  Both extremes want to salvage what they consider to be the essence of Judaism.  But Chasidus reverts to mysticism, more of a Christian approach that since none of this is really rational anyway, it can only be believed using a system that is essentially emotional and non-rational.  The more liberal movements similarly reject the possibility that Torah is rational and can stand up to modern scrutiny.  But their answer is to only keep those things that seem to make sense to them.

My Answer
What you are saying is exactly the opinion of the Rav, in his 5 lectures. In the lecture, the Rav points out that it is an absolute fundamental that the Torah, as a Wisdom from the Creator, be applicable in all times and places.

The Rav goes so far as to state that this notion is the 14th Ikkar, adding one to the 13 of the Rambam. Another approach is to say that the idea is intrinsic to the 9th Ikar that the Torah is immutable and will never be changed or replaced.

In either event, the denial of this Ikar, on the left by Reform and the right by the "new ghetto" is a Kefirah in the Ikkar and is the source of untold misery.

With a proper refocusing of Modern Orthodoxy on Yesodei Hatorah and a rational view of Mitzvot as taught by Rambam, we can move  past this difficult phase of our Emancipation.

Post Tisha B'av discussion #2

Mrs Adler 

To what degree do you think that the objections of Israeli Jews toward Orthodoxy are found in adherents of the more liberal Jewish movements in America?  I could see some of your analysis (about typical Israelis who believe in G-d but cannot deal with the 'magic' that they see as part of Orthodoxy and thus reject Orthodoxy) applying to some American Jews.  It is not a perfect fit because there are some American Jews who actually could buy the magic but do not want to be burdened with the lifestyle - but it seems to me that serious adherents of some of the liberal movements have fled Orthodoxy because of what they see as an anti-rational, anti-historical, anti-reality perspective.

My Response

I agree with you, the issue is really more of a post emancipation issue than an Israeli issue. After all these generations we are still struggling to deal with the fact that the secure walls of the ghetto have fallen down.

The ghetto walls provided a secure home which screened the reality that people were keeping a traditional form of halachic activity without very much scrutiny of the Philosophical basis of that activity. As the ghetto walls have come down, we are paying a very severe price for continuing that unreflective approach to Judaism in all communities all over the globe.

 

 

Post Tisha B'av discussion

Mrs Adler's questions

#1

So to apply this to the American political system - the danger of identifying as a 'Democrat' or a 'Republican' is that you might fall prey to the belief that any man-made system has all the answers, forgetting the limits of human control, and forgetting G-d and thus potentially forfeiting the opportunity to really find the correct path by applying true wisdom principles.  That would be true of any 'knee-jerk' emotional reaction to a political problem.

 

#2

 

But even so - could one by accident be following the 'better' of existing paths, even though the process of getting there is not ideal?  Perhaps you follow a political ideoligy because that is what most Jews do, or it is what your parents did.  Is it not still possible that it might be the more sensible path even though you have not adopted it due to true examination of its principles.  

 

#3

 

And where does patriotism fit into this?  Surely there is a role for that somewhere.  America is not perfect because it is the product of human endeavor - but it is so far superior to so many places.  What is the place for hakorat hatov here?  

 

#4

 

I also have a lot of questions as to how we should approach Eretz Yisrael as American Jews.  So many Jews assume that there is an inherent kedushah to the land which I assume might be part of the more dangerous aspect of religious Zionism.  What do you think about that?

 

My Response

 

#1 

 

 Yes, the idea of Geula includes having a healthy skepticism toward all nationalism. Healthy skepticism does not mean that we deny the unique accomplishments of the USA however. The founding principles of our country are a historic accomplishment and should be treasured as such. We should moderate our appreciation however, with an expectation that the USA, like any human system, will still have limitations Geula via the Torah is the ultimate solution to.

A very important basis of growth that Ralbag points to in Kohelet is opening one's mind to other approaches. Republican's would do well to seek out the weakness in their approach that democrats are stronger in. The reverse is certainly true as well. This is the hallmark of the true leader, finding the common ground that enriches all approaches and removes their extreme limiting character.

 

#2 

 

There are certainly better and worse non Jewish approaches, as there are better and worse Jewish ones. One may indeed fall on better and worse approaches by accident. The son of Avraham, Yitzchak, was in a vastly better situation than any of the sons of Haman. To truly grow however, one must use free choice in moving beyond ones first education, whatever the source of that education might have been, even Yitzchak and Avraham Avinu.

#3

 

 The better the principles of the country one is in, the more one should appreciate that country. One has a duty to work together with fellow citizens to bring out the best in our country in all matters that relate to our shared wellbeing. In matters of Religion however, we strongly endorse the separation of church and state and are against Missionary activity of any kind, Jewish or non Jewish.

#4

If we properly define Kedusha, there is no problem with saying their is an intrinsic Kedusha to Israel. The problem arises when we view Kedusha as a mystical force, rather than a category of existing things. Kedusha refers to an entity that is distinct from others in some important way. We say Kiddush on Shabbos to distinguish its unique character as a time. Israel is unique as the designated place of redemption where the principles of Torah will ultimately be expressed in a truly free human civilization.