There are different kinds of diversity.

To me it seems that President Trump is getting things back on track. Not just that but also there is a significant fact that a lots of Americans voted for him. That seems to suggest that Western Civilization is not lost.

"The squabbling is mainly over diversity. Diversity was the catalyst for the creation of leftist thinking - motivation is hatred of the white race." Missey


I think: There are different kinds of diversity. One kind brings everything up. The other kind brings everything down.

Therefore it is impossible to say diversity is good. Everything depends on who is diverse.

Musar would perhaps have been a good idea.]

The way to learn Torah that I was taught in Shar Yashuv [Far Rockaway, NY] was to not spend time on introductions. Rather the approach was to get into Gemara and Tosphot.
That approach apparently helped me a few year later when I was accepted at the Mir in NY.
This went against the grain and desire of most of the new students that were more interested in introductory material.

My impression is that that approach [of Shar Yashuv] was correct. And that is what I think applies to anyone.

The degree this was taken in Shar Yashuv was in fact even more Litvak than most other Litvak places in that they did not learn Musar. And there was a general disapproval of signs of overt devoutness.

[Looking back however I think a drop of Musar would perhaps have been a good idea.]

State of Israel

My original idea of  coming to Israel was based on the Ramban--[Rav Moshe ben Nahman]. He counts settling in the Land of Israel as a positive commandment. That means an obligation.
The importance of settling in Israel is also brought by the Rambam.
The question that was not clear at the time was: how does one look at the State of Israel? I had not really looked at the question at all. There is also the point that many people have made about the establishment of the State is what is called "The beginning of the Redemption." And that seems perfectly valid to me.

[The idea of the "Beginning of the Redemption" has to do with the coming of a new level of consciousness into the world.]
But the political aspect seems to have been needed in order to have a state at all. One can over-do the importance of a state as Hegel does. But you can also under-do its importance.

One can list the abuses of a Hegelian state as was the USSR, but also not notice that without the USSR there were also terrible abuses that the USSR came to correct.
Same with the State of Israel. All human good and flourishing requires a state. Without a strong state, everyone would be easy prey to criminals.

The kind of state that Israel is now is now closer to the USA form of government.
[In any case, I am not in Israel now, but I feel that if God would have mercy on me and help me to get there again, I would like to never leave there again.]

[In one house where Jews were staying in the time of the last czar, they had made a tunnel under their house--a mile long and reinforced with bricks. That is how terrified they were.]


It seems to me that the whole question is can I gain enough appreciation to decide to get to Israel and stay there once and for all and never leave again.

music for the glory of God

U-100 E Flat Major This is a midi file You might notice the quarter and then an eight. I would not use this idea unless I had seen it in the Renaissance. [I saw this idea in two pieces from the Renaissance.]

[Again I have to apologize that I can not turn this to mp3 ]

V-1 a Midi File

V-2

V-3

learning Torah and good deeds

Between Everyman  and Musar there are many of the same points. No one is disagreeing that one's portion in the next world depends on good deeds. However  Everyman does not think knowledge goes with one to the next world.

[What defines good deeds however is all too clear. When people want to know the right thing to do, the answer is usually clear. If not, there is an idea of asking God directly for guidance.]


In Musar however learning Torah [i.e. Gemara in depth and Musar] have a value beyond the grave.
Furthermore you can see in medieval Musar that gaining wisdom all and in itself is part of good deeds. In fact, in the Yerushalmi Gemara it is considered that every single word of Torah is equal to all the commandments.

And wisdom in itself is considered a separate category than learning Torah. You can easily miss this point in most Musar books unless you are looking for it. But in מעלות המידות it is explicit.

Also as is well known in Litvak Yeshivas in NY there is the whole subject of לשון הרע כנגד כולם -that slander nullifies all of one's good deeds.

[However this emphasis on not speaking slander seems to be mainly in Musar Litvak Yeshivas. I mean there are Litvak yeshivas which do not emphasize Musar;- and  not speaking slander is not thought to be a major subject. In fact, that is a good argument all by itself to have Musar in yeshivas.]

Everyman will one day have to give an account of his life.

The world to come does not get enough press. You can go through your whole day and not think about it once. You and I can completely forget about it as if it was completely irrelevant.

The trouble is that it is not clear upon what it depends.
A play from the Middle Ages brings out the urgency of the issue.
God calls to Death and Death comes and declares:
 ''Lord, I will in the world go run over all, And cruelly out-search both great and small; Every man will I beset that liveth beastly, Against God's laws, and dreadeth not folly: He that loveth riches I will strike with my dart, His sight to blind, and from heaven to depart, Except that alms be his good friend, In hell for to dwell, world without end.''

Everyman says: "Though I be a sinner most abominable, Yet let my name be written in Moses' table"

And he adds: "For fair promises men to me make; But, when I have most need, they me forsake"


But nowadays it seems largely forgotten.

To some degree I imagine I was always aware that I will one day have to give an accounting. But when I first began to think more seriously about it was when I read the Musar book (אור ישראל) of a disciple of Reb Israel Salanter [Isaac Blazer].

So upon what does the next world depend? Good Deeds. Acts of kindness.

Temple Mount. In terms of law I generally think it is OK to depend on any opinion in the rishonim

I am not sure why the Ramban [M. ben Nahman] [not the Rambam] is ignored when it comes to the question of entering into the area of the Temple [in Yerushalaim].  His opinion is stated in tracate Avoda Zara 52b.

It comes up concerning the subject of holiness of body קדושת הגוף. That is there are things like a sacrifice that can not become חולין secular. There are other things that become secular if one puts money in their place. An example is if one puts aside his lot or some object for the use of the Temple.  That can go out to be secular if one put money in its place. The question over there is the altar. It is there that the Ramban states his opinion that the Temple itself went out to be secular.

[Thus the people that go up to the Temple Mount at least have the Ramban to depend on. I vaguely recall the Raavad has a similar opinion.]

[Years ago I was definitely aware of the Raavad but not the Ramban.]

In terms of law I generally think it is OK to depend on any opinion in the rishonim.