The problems with the Enlightenment were noted almost as soon as it began. The solution is not clear because the weakening of faith in the Catholic Church seems to have been a major factor(or The Major Factor). Yet the Catholic Church does not seem so great today.
What the Middle Ages had that we lack is the synthesis between Faith and Reason.
What Lithuanian yeshivas have done is to not reject the Middle Ages nor that unique approach that existed then of combining faith with reason.
Modernity has either fanatical faith without reason, or fanatical reason without faith.
In the Litvak [Lithuanian] Yeshiva world, two things stand as foundations: Rishonim [Mediaeval authorities] and Musar [books of ethics written by Mediaeval Authorities].
[I should admit, I have trouble understanding Rishonim. I always find it much better for myself to see what later people (Achronim) wrote about the Rishonim. This began for me right away as soon as I came to learn in yeshivat Shar Yashuv. I find, I never understand Tosphot until I look at the Maharsha, Rav Shach, or Reb Chaim Soloveitchik's school and then look at Tosphot. Same with Musar. I found traditional books of Musar to be incomprehensible until I looked at the disciples of Reb Israel Salanter. In fact, whenever God grants to me the privilege of opening up a Gemara, usually the first thing I do is to look at the Maharsha and Maharam from Lublin before anything else.]
What the Middle Ages had that we lack is the synthesis between Faith and Reason.
What Lithuanian yeshivas have done is to not reject the Middle Ages nor that unique approach that existed then of combining faith with reason.
Modernity has either fanatical faith without reason, or fanatical reason without faith.
In the Litvak [Lithuanian] Yeshiva world, two things stand as foundations: Rishonim [Mediaeval authorities] and Musar [books of ethics written by Mediaeval Authorities].
[I should admit, I have trouble understanding Rishonim. I always find it much better for myself to see what later people (Achronim) wrote about the Rishonim. This began for me right away as soon as I came to learn in yeshivat Shar Yashuv. I find, I never understand Tosphot until I look at the Maharsha, Rav Shach, or Reb Chaim Soloveitchik's school and then look at Tosphot. Same with Musar. I found traditional books of Musar to be incomprehensible until I looked at the disciples of Reb Israel Salanter. In fact, whenever God grants to me the privilege of opening up a Gemara, usually the first thing I do is to look at the Maharsha and Maharam from Lublin before anything else.]
