I saw in the Litvak study hall a book that has excerpts of talks by Rav Shach. Sometimes they seem very insightful but it seems a little much on the religious side. And the religious side can be for me confusing. After all Kant said that when one tries to apply reason to the realm of the thing in itself, contradictions are inevitable,
So my approach is to try to learn Gemara and to live according to the laws of Moses, but to avoid the religious world which is contrary to that ideal--though they certainly imagine that they are in accord with it.
Involvement with the religious world is usually disastrous. The reason is though they believe they are keeping Torah, they are in fact doing the opposite.
But to try to understand the reason for this just gets one involved in a realm where reason can not go. (But I venture to say to the religious, their emphasis on ritual makes them superior in their own minds) The best thing to do is to be a mensch -a decent human being.
So my approach is to try to learn Gemara and to live according to the laws of Moses, but to avoid the religious world which is contrary to that ideal--though they certainly imagine that they are in accord with it.
Involvement with the religious world is usually disastrous. The reason is though they believe they are keeping Torah, they are in fact doing the opposite.
But to try to understand the reason for this just gets one involved in a realm where reason can not go. (But I venture to say to the religious, their emphasis on ritual makes them superior in their own minds) The best thing to do is to be a mensch -a decent human being.
