B"H
A discussion with Hillel directors and college students circa 1960
By Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe
The Torah must apply just as well to our present-day problems as it did to the issues faced by our ancestors in the desert (and must not change in order to have application to the present).
The verse in the Torah referring to man being created in the Divine image, betzalmeinu kidmuseinu [in our image, in our likeness] has numerous aspects of interpretation. One of them is that the human was made to resemble his Creator by consisting of opposite extremes and yet being a complete entity. The human consists of flesh and skin, blood, etc., which come under the jurisdiction of the five senses. Yet when one speaks of his love and friendship for another, he does not refer to his physical person but to his character, personality and spiritual attributes, which are the extreme opposite, in that these things cannot be touched, seen or heard. This integration of extremes in the human is referred to by the word betzalmeinu, indicating a likeness to the Almighty who is the ultimate unity. . . . The Almighty does not desire opposing forces and nations to fight one another, but rather to make peace and live in unity. . . . Similarly, it is through the temptations of the physical body that the soul reaches perfection.
Question: How would you define Judaism in a nutshell?
Answer: Your question is reminiscent of the ger in the Gemara [convert in the Talmud] who asked Hillel a similar question.
The essence of Judaism is that Judaism is not abstract and detached from life, nor is it limited to a certain portion of human activity or irrelevant to his environment. If he is a true Jew, it must permeate his whole being 24 hours a day, and concern all of his activities. He must believe in G‑d Almighty as an absolute unity, which excludes all possibility of something outside of Him. He must accept G‑d as the Creator of the universe not only at the moment of creation, but in every moment afterwards as well. If he were to think that G‑d was the Creator only then at the time of creation, but now the world exists on its own merits and that things happen by coincidence—this would be the opposite of unity. If you accept the first postulate of Unity, that the world is constantly maintained by Him, then every one of us fits in the general pattern of the universe. You must do everything in a certain manner, for otherwise it would confuse the system of the universe. There is a divine pattern for each of us, and each act brings us a step further in the right direction—towards our mission in life.
One student: You said that we should make religion part of our daily lives. However, some of us feel that we cannot accept religion completely. Is there any value in compromise? For example, eating kosher but not to wear a hat.
Answer: Nobody is perfect. "There is no tzaddik [righteous person] on earth that has never sinned." Even the most righteous is lacking in some aspect, yet this doesn't impair the good that he does perform. Every mitzvah gives him additional power to continue.
Same student: I meant a permanent compromise. That he is not interested in fulfilling some precepts at all?
Answer: Let him do as much as he can today—tomorrow he will try to fulfill even more. Or maybe the day after tomorrow. G‑d has infinite patience. But why postpone till tomorrow what you can do now?
Another student: I come from a small community and never had a good Jewish education. I find the Reform too simplified and liberal, but I cannot follow the Orthodox services. What shall I do?
Answer: You are young, and you have before you all the
time in the world to learn even more than those who already have a Jewish education. It is stated in Avos: Lo alecha hamelachah ligmor—you are not expected to learn everything at once. A little bit each day, as long as you are on the right track. Start with Chumash [Pentateuch], Kitzur Shulchan Aruch [abridged Code of Jewish Law] in English, Ein Yaakov [a compilation of homiletics and stories from the Talmud] in English. Avoid the complacency of thinking that you have achieved the summit; rather know that you have more to strive for tomorrow, and G‑d will give you strength.
My major objection to Reform and Conservative Judaism is that they compromise their ideals. They make it easy for you to achieve the summit, and then they say you need strive for no higher. Orthodoxy says you must strive to become a little bit better each day. The stories in the Bible and Talmud apply to every era. Rabbi Akiva was 40 years old and had to support a family, and yet started with [teaching] alef bais [the Hebrew alphabet] and became one of the greatest rabbis of all times. This teaches us that if you set your will to it, you will achieve it.
Read the Entire Question and Answer Series with the Rebbe >> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=32E0C3C9A0165EBCDB7DABC344DCE005&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
>>>> THIS WEEK'S FEATURES >>>>
MARKING THE COMPLETION OF DAILY STUDY CYCLE
Starting from the End
One should search for ways to bring another Jew to the study of Maimonides' Mishneh
Torah. One way is to celebrate the conclusion of Mishneh Torah...
WATCH >> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=6E7CC94F011C4274E418860D18E6025D&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
Daily Study of Maimonides' Works (By Dovid Zaklikowski)
Every individual is commanded to study the entire Torah, a goal not within reach for most people. However, it <i>is</i> possible to study the whole Torah as compiled by Maimonides.
>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=303AE81E34B32F5A1FB74FDA10CC8D5C&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
WEEKLY TORAH READING
The Rules of Judgment and Constructive Critisicm (By Mendel Kalmenson)
Are there any rules to constructive criticism?
>> http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=150909131C015E95FA23B4B1B1351899&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
** Enjoyed this email? Please help us continue sharing the
study of Torah and Jewish traditions:
Dedicate or sponsor an email to mark your special occasion!
Please click here: http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=CC3F6EF3E639FCCBEC1F89C427CD3993&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
Please click here to make a donation to Chabad.org:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=5F4AB6A1002570BE1C1D8D7055F9F601&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
** Important Tip: In order to guarantee that your Chabad.org subscription
emails continue to be delivered to you, please make sure to add our
address, subscriptions@chabad.org, to your address book, or "whitelist"
it in any spam filters or spam programs you may have.
** Manage your complete subscription profile online: Subscribes,
unsubscribes, address changes, vacation holds, and more. Register here:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=48D410E95D980452424C919B289DC288&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2&emailpk=_191360_1826535@
** To subscribe to more Chabad.org email lists please click here:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=DFBB0DFE9C2C0E1AAB8E044166FE720E&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
** To be removed from this email list please click here:
http://www.chabad.org/unsub.asp?i=5AF469836754813020704EB0FDF0EA23D664AA71F104B40B448FECF9BA0A15AF
If you would just like your email suspended and resumed at a later
date, please let us know here:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=BE01E0C968ED7038E76849E26276CFD7&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2&email=yurochkadrugach.yurochka@blogger.com
** You are subscribed to the "TheRebbe.org" email list as:
yurochkadrugach.yurochka@blogger.com. If your e-mail address is changing
please send us your new email address here:
http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=128CEA111CEC0A201AC3D1EE59EAC993&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2&email=yurochkadrugach.yurochka@blogger.com
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Chabad.org
Chabad Lubavitch Media Center
770 Eastern Parkway * Brooklyn, NY * 11213
Web: http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=5997A2CE08DA63CBD9CD67D2FB31FB3C&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
Feedback: http://link.Chabad.org/go.asp?li=27A8DAAF53FCFDEF438939154FB384EA&ui=F8C16ABBBCDB72AD0024EE2F647D78D2
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий