5.9.15
The insane religious world tries to pervert the Torah to be pantheistic. At a certain point I tired of seeing this and feel it is time to object.
I am not very happy with any make things in this world to be divine. In the Torah only God is Divine and not people and not things. One major aspect of Torah is that God is One. This is in fact maybe the most famous aspect of Torah. As the Rambam explains this it means not just that he is not more than one but also he is not a composite.. He has no ingredients on the label.. He is not composed some kind of divine substance. And since he is not made of any Divine substance, nothing can be the same substance as God.
So it is not just pantheism that I am not happy with. Though pantheism might be the most extreme example of trying to make things out to be divine. But even more limited attempts I am un-pleased with. For example claiming people's souls are Divine. This blurring of the boundary between God and Man annoys me. We are not God and are unlikely ever to be God at any future date.
I don't know about you but I see this being attempted in all kinds of sneaky ways, all the time.
It is very often attempted with some group of people. If you are part of some group, then you can see how there is is an attempt to claim that that group is Divine. The leaders might use different terminology than how I am putting it here. But once you are aware of this, you can see through the cloud of words to see their major point. Maybe it is good for some people's self esteem to think they are God.
Often the insane religious world say the "Jewish soul is a portion of God." [חלק אלוה ממעל] This is a kind of idolatry.
Others may pervert the Torah in different ways to make it more in accord with what they want it to say. But this issue seems to me to be worthy of attention.
It started with a loop hole. Kabalah. Whilst the kabalah of the Zohar, the Ari and the Remak is monotheistic, still the basic approach of condensation of the light, people have tried to claim implies pantheism. When you confront people with this mistake they start to play word games.
So it is not just pantheism that I am not happy with. Though pantheism might be the most extreme example of trying to make things out to be divine. But even more limited attempts I am un-pleased with. For example claiming people's souls are Divine. This blurring of the boundary between God and Man annoys me. We are not God and are unlikely ever to be God at any future date.
I don't know about you but I see this being attempted in all kinds of sneaky ways, all the time.
It is very often attempted with some group of people. If you are part of some group, then you can see how there is is an attempt to claim that that group is Divine. The leaders might use different terminology than how I am putting it here. But once you are aware of this, you can see through the cloud of words to see their major point. Maybe it is good for some people's self esteem to think they are God.
Often the insane religious world say the "Jewish soul is a portion of God." [חלק אלוה ממעל] This is a kind of idolatry.
Others may pervert the Torah in different ways to make it more in accord with what they want it to say. But this issue seems to me to be worthy of attention.
It started with a loop hole. Kabalah. Whilst the kabalah of the Zohar, the Ari and the Remak is monotheistic, still the basic approach of condensation of the light, people have tried to claim implies pantheism. When you confront people with this mistake they start to play word games.
4.9.15
When considering what yeshiva to join one can get deflected.
This is not all that different than if one is considering whether to go to Harvard for a business degree or some hick town, no name, liberal arts collage.
Why should this make a difference when all one wants is to learn Torah? The difference is in ones children.
This is because while in the secular world the difference between Harvard or a liberal arts collage is mainly about career, in the yeshiva world the difference is in terms of the "Shiduch."
You go to the Mir Yeshiva in Brooklyn , or Chaim Berlin, whether you will get a good shiduch is not the issue, but your children will.
This is because the Shiduch is the hidden fulcrum that everything revolves on in the frum world.
It is the hidden world of Shiduch dynamics that no one yet has mapped out.
But a few major rules are:
(1) Good families look for good families.
(2) When a good family has a bad apple then they look for a baal teshuva to unload him or her onto.
(3) If you are however a baal teshuva and obey the rules, your children will be offered good shiduchim. [But you won't.]
There are many many more rules but these are few.
Some of the rules have to do with character. A woman who has been divorced and spends most of her mental energy on trying to show and prove to everyone that her husband was bad man will give her own children such a bad name that no one in their right mind will every offer to her children a decent shiduch. People associate bad character with bad news.
Some of the rules have to do with names of families. And some rules have to do with what yeshiva one is apart of.
What is important to know here and why i bring this up is simply this. If you are part of a good yeshiva--don't walk out. Don't leave the Mir to join some no name kollel.--or any so called kollel for that matter. Better to be part of an authentic yeshiva even as a nobody, than have a big kollel check that takes you away from an authentic Torah institution to some trash bin.
Some of the rules have to do with situation awareness. This is what fighter pilots needs when they go into combat. They need a 3-d image of what is going on around them.
The enemy is other yeshivas that try to convince you that they are top tier. Don't fall for that common trap.
This is because while in the secular world the difference between Harvard or a liberal arts collage is mainly about career, in the yeshiva world the difference is in terms of the "Shiduch."
You go to the Mir Yeshiva in Brooklyn , or Chaim Berlin, whether you will get a good shiduch is not the issue, but your children will.
This is because the Shiduch is the hidden fulcrum that everything revolves on in the frum world.
It is the hidden world of Shiduch dynamics that no one yet has mapped out.
But a few major rules are:
(1) Good families look for good families.
(2) When a good family has a bad apple then they look for a baal teshuva to unload him or her onto.
(3) If you are however a baal teshuva and obey the rules, your children will be offered good shiduchim. [But you won't.]
There are many many more rules but these are few.
Some of the rules have to do with character. A woman who has been divorced and spends most of her mental energy on trying to show and prove to everyone that her husband was bad man will give her own children such a bad name that no one in their right mind will every offer to her children a decent shiduch. People associate bad character with bad news.
Some of the rules have to do with names of families. And some rules have to do with what yeshiva one is apart of.
What is important to know here and why i bring this up is simply this. If you are part of a good yeshiva--don't walk out. Don't leave the Mir to join some no name kollel.--or any so called kollel for that matter. Better to be part of an authentic yeshiva even as a nobody, than have a big kollel check that takes you away from an authentic Torah institution to some trash bin.
Some of the rules have to do with situation awareness. This is what fighter pilots needs when they go into combat. They need a 3-d image of what is going on around them.
The enemy is other yeshivas that try to convince you that they are top tier. Don't fall for that common trap.
3.9.15
Rav Elazar Menachem Shach and the seventh year--Shemitah
The Rambam in Maasar Sheni I: 5 and I:6 says we go by the time of picking the estrog.
And also an estrog coming from year 6 to 7 is liable in maasar.
[The second law seems to indicate that we go by time of ripening. But we know that can not be true because of what the Rambam just wrote.]
I mentioned before that I have a way of understanding the rambam. But regardless of how anyone understands the rambam the fact is he is saying the same estrog will be liable in the seventh year laws and maasar/tithes also.
How is it possible to be liable in maasar for what is הפקר? Rav Shach answers it is not הפקר. Fruits of year 7 are not הפקר. If it would be then anyone could take it. That is is is not owner-less. Rather its owner is all Israel.
I have away of understanding Rav Shach. I would like the present the basic problem and my answer.
The problem is this. I don't care why the fruit of the seventh year is not liable in maasar. I only care that it is. So while it is true the fruit of the seventh year is not הפקר owner-less still it is not liable in maasar because of a different verse that tells the Jewish people to leave the fruit of the 7th year open for all.
My answer is this: The Torah does tell us that the fruit of the 7th year is not liable in maasar. True But for what period is the Torah talking? For trees it has to be talking about the period from Tu Beshevat to Tu Beshevat because that is the seventh year for the fruit of the tree as far as maasar is concerned. It is that 7th year fruit alone that the Torah is telling us that it is not obligated in maasar.
I hope this is clear. For after all rosh hashhana for trees is tu beshevat, not rosh hashanah as far as maasar is concerned.
________________________________________________________________________________
The רמב''ם in מעשר שני א:ה א:ו says we go by the time of לקיטה the אתרוג.
And also an אתרוג coming from year ששית to שביעית is liable in מעשר.
I mentioned before that I have a way of understanding the רמב''ם. But regardless of how anyone understands the רמב''ם, the fact is he is saying the same אתרוג will be liable in the ביעור and מעשר also.
How is it possible to be liable in מעשר for what is הפקר? He answers it is not הפקר. Fruits of שביעית are not הפקר. If they would be, then anyone could take them. That they are not הפקר. Rather their owner is all ישראל.
I have away of understanding רב שך. I would like the present the basic problem and my answer.
The problem is this. I don't care why the fruit of the שביעית is not liable in מעשר. I only care that it is. So while it is true the fruit of the שביעית is not הפקר, still it is not liable in מעשר because of a different verse that tells us to leave the fruit of the שביעית year open for all.
My answer is this: The Torah does tell us that the fruit of the שביעית year is not liable in מעשר. True But for what period is the Torah talking? For trees it has to be talking about the period from ט''ו בשבט to ט''ו בשבט because that is the שמיטה for the fruit of the tree as far as מעשר is concerned. It is that שביעית year fruit alone that the Torah is telling us that it is not obligated in מעשר.
I hope this is clear. For after all ראש השנה for trees is ט''ו בשבט, not א' תשרי as far as מעשר is concerned.
And also an estrog coming from year 6 to 7 is liable in maasar.
[The second law seems to indicate that we go by time of ripening. But we know that can not be true because of what the Rambam just wrote.]
I mentioned before that I have a way of understanding the rambam. But regardless of how anyone understands the rambam the fact is he is saying the same estrog will be liable in the seventh year laws and maasar/tithes also.
How is it possible to be liable in maasar for what is הפקר? Rav Shach answers it is not הפקר. Fruits of year 7 are not הפקר. If it would be then anyone could take it. That is is is not owner-less. Rather its owner is all Israel.
I have away of understanding Rav Shach. I would like the present the basic problem and my answer.
The problem is this. I don't care why the fruit of the seventh year is not liable in maasar. I only care that it is. So while it is true the fruit of the seventh year is not הפקר owner-less still it is not liable in maasar because of a different verse that tells the Jewish people to leave the fruit of the 7th year open for all.
My answer is this: The Torah does tell us that the fruit of the 7th year is not liable in maasar. True But for what period is the Torah talking? For trees it has to be talking about the period from Tu Beshevat to Tu Beshevat because that is the seventh year for the fruit of the tree as far as maasar is concerned. It is that 7th year fruit alone that the Torah is telling us that it is not obligated in maasar.
I hope this is clear. For after all rosh hashhana for trees is tu beshevat, not rosh hashanah as far as maasar is concerned.
________________________________________________________________________________
The רמב''ם in מעשר שני א:ה א:ו says we go by the time of לקיטה the אתרוג.
And also an אתרוג coming from year ששית to שביעית is liable in מעשר.
I mentioned before that I have a way of understanding the רמב''ם. But regardless of how anyone understands the רמב''ם, the fact is he is saying the same אתרוג will be liable in the ביעור and מעשר also.
How is it possible to be liable in מעשר for what is הפקר? He answers it is not הפקר. Fruits of שביעית are not הפקר. If they would be, then anyone could take them. That they are not הפקר. Rather their owner is all ישראל.
I have away of understanding רב שך. I would like the present the basic problem and my answer.
The problem is this. I don't care why the fruit of the שביעית is not liable in מעשר. I only care that it is. So while it is true the fruit of the שביעית is not הפקר, still it is not liable in מעשר because of a different verse that tells us to leave the fruit of the שביעית year open for all.
My answer is this: The Torah does tell us that the fruit of the שביעית year is not liable in מעשר. True But for what period is the Torah talking? For trees it has to be talking about the period from ט''ו בשבט to ט''ו בשבט because that is the שמיטה for the fruit of the tree as far as מעשר is concerned. It is that שביעית year fruit alone that the Torah is telling us that it is not obligated in מעשר.
I hope this is clear. For after all ראש השנה for trees is ט''ו בשבט, not א' תשרי as far as מעשר is concerned.
_______________________________________________________________________________
הרמב''ם (במעשר שני א: ה א: ו) אומר שאנחנו הולכים לפי הזמן של לקיטה לאתרוג. וגם אתרוג שמגיע משנה השישית לשביעית חייב במעשר. העובדה היא שהוא אומר את אותו אתרוג יהיה חייב בביעור ומעשר גם. איך אפשר להיות חייב במעשר למה שהוא הפקר? רב שך עונה שהוא לא הפקר. פירות השביעי אינם הפקר. אם הם היו, אז כל אחד יכול לקחת אותם. אלא שהם לא הפקר. יש להם בעלים. הבעלים שלהם הוא כל ישראל. אני רוצה להציג את הבעיה הבסיסית והתשובה שלי. הבעיה היא זו. לא אכפת לי למה הפירות של השביעית אינם חייבים במעשר. אכפת לי רק שזה עובדה. אז הגם שזה נכון שהפירות של השביעית לא הפקרים, עדיין זה לא יהיה חייבים במעשר בגלל פסוק אחר שאומר לנו לעזוב את הפירות של השנה השביעית פתוחים לכל. התשובה שלי היא זו: התורה אומרת לנו שהפירות של שנה השביעית אינם חייבים במעשר. נכון. אבל לאיזו תקופה מכוונת התורה? לעצים היא מדברת על התקופה מט''ו בשבט לט''ו בשבט כי זה שמיטה לפרי העץ. זה הוא תקופת השנה של השביעית שהתורה אומרת לנו שבפירות אינם מחויבים מעשר. אני מקווה שזה ברור. לאחרי כל ראש השנה לאילנות הוא ט''ו בשבט, לא א' תשרי
הרמב''ם (במעשר שני א: ה א: ו) אומר שאנחנו הולכים לפי הזמן של לקיטה לאתרוג. וגם אתרוג שמגיע משנה השישית לשביעית חייב במעשר. העובדה היא שהוא אומר את אותו אתרוג יהיה חייב בביעור ומעשר גם. איך אפשר להיות חייב במעשר למה שהוא הפקר? רב שך עונה שהוא לא הפקר. פירות השביעי אינם הפקר. אם הם היו, אז כל אחד יכול לקחת אותם. אלא שהם לא הפקר. יש להם בעלים. הבעלים שלהם הוא כל ישראל. אני רוצה להציג את הבעיה הבסיסית והתשובה שלי. הבעיה היא זו. לא אכפת לי למה הפירות של השביעית אינם חייבים במעשר. אכפת לי רק שזה עובדה. אז הגם שזה נכון שהפירות של השביעית לא הפקרים, עדיין זה לא יהיה חייבים במעשר בגלל פסוק אחר שאומר לנו לעזוב את הפירות של השנה השביעית פתוחים לכל. התשובה שלי היא זו: התורה אומרת לנו שהפירות של שנה השביעית אינם חייבים במעשר. נכון. אבל לאיזו תקופה מכוונת התורה? לעצים היא מדברת על התקופה מט''ו בשבט לט''ו בשבט כי זה שמיטה לפרי העץ. זה הוא תקופת השנה של השביעית שהתורה אומרת לנו שבפירות אינם מחויבים מעשר. אני מקווה שזה ברור. לאחרי כל ראש השנה לאילנות הוא ט''ו בשבט, לא א' תשרי
I wanted to talk about speaking the truth at all cost. The thing is that this comes up in Musar.
speaking the truth has power. It is the one thing that can save a person from all is enemies and troubles.
This should be taken with keeping in mind that many people do not speak the truth. Or they leave out things that change the significance. If you do commit yourself to speaking the truth you still need to be careful to stay away from liars.
is when a person is surrounded by darkness the way out towards the light is by holding to the trait of speaking the truth at all cost. In ch. 66 he refers to speaking the truth as a way of being saved from evil people.
speaking the truth has power. It is the one thing that can save a person from all is enemies and troubles.
This should be taken with keeping in mind that many people do not speak the truth. Or they leave out things that change the significance. If you do commit yourself to speaking the truth you still need to be careful to stay away from liars.
is when a person is surrounded by darkness the way out towards the light is by holding to the trait of speaking the truth at all cost. In ch. 66 he refers to speaking the truth as a way of being saved from evil people.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)