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Nov. 4, 1963

Letter to Dr. Philip Birnbaum about His Doctoral Thesis and Jewish Center Lecture (1963)

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Letter to Dr. William Brickman about His Articles on Jewish Religious Education (1963)

Dear Bill: Thank you very much for sending me the series of short articles on Jewish Religious Education which you prepared for the University of Notre Dame. My major reaction is one of admiration for your ability to condense so much significant information into so short a space. I found them most interesting, and if anything else of the sort issues from your pen, please be sure to send it on to me. Best regards, Sincerely, Rabbi NORMAN LAMM
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Letter to Dr. Grinstein about Addressing Challenges in Jewish Philosophy Courses (1965)

Dear Dr. Grinstein: I have discussed with you a number of times the problem of my two classes at T.I. and have done some soul-searching myself these past few weeks. Of the two courses I give, the first one (i.e., the one for seniors) is usually more difficult and more advanced. It is the one into which I put my greatest energies and efforts. Yet, I am always most disappointed by the results. First, it is a required course, and hence I have many students who are not really interested in the subject matter. Second, since this is essentially a senior class, quite a number of students are absent from four to six lectures during the second semester when they are student-teaching. This is normally disruptive of class work, but especially so in a course for which there are no textbooks available.My preference is that this senior class be declared an elective, and not be a required course. Furthermore, I would want to have my other course, i.e., Philo 51-52, declared a prerequisite or at least a co-requisite for the advanced course. Frankly, if it were possible I would also want to limit enrollment in the advanced course to those with whom I can confer beforehand.The reason for this, in addition to the above, is that I am profoundly disturbed to find the lackadaisical spirit that prevails amongst so many students, and that lead me to feelings of disappointment and frustration in my own efforts at teaching.I beg of you to consider the above and, when you can find the time, perhaps we can discuss it at some greater length.Warmest personal regards,
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Letter to Student with Advice about Pursuing a Doctorate in Jewish Studies (1974)

My dear [redacted]: Please forgive me for the delay in responding to your two letters. They were sent to me at Yeshiva University, and for a number of reasons I have not been in school for several weeks. I read the material with considerable interest. You certainly seem to be an unusual person, and I admire your ambitiousness and pluckiness – and the ethical sages of Israel always considered zerizut as an enviable trait. In keeping with your request, I am mailing your material back to you.Now, to the point of your request: my professorship in Jewish philosophy at Yeshiva University is effective in the undergraduate schools. I therefore do not sponsor any doctoral dissertations, and it is not within my competence to award doctorates in my field. Unfortunately, therefore, I am incapable of helping you in this respect.Since you have confided in me so many details about your career and scholarship, as well as personal matters, permit me to react in an equally personal way, and I trust you will take my words in the very genuine spirit they are intended. I can very well understand that after having spent a lifetime striving for a certain goal, namely the doctorate, you should feel disappointed and frustrated that it still proves elusive. Nevertheless, for one who has such a wide background in Jewish learning and in classical wisdom, I wonder what a man of such erudition would say about the personal problem. In other words, if you divide yourself into two people — one with your scholarship and wisdom of experience, and the other the man who failed to achieve a specific goal which has value only in the eyes of certain segments of society — would not the first say to the second something of this sort:"Take my advice and look at things with a broader perspective. Status symbols are evanescent, they have no ultimate meaning, and therefore do not deserve to become a source of anxiety for a thinking man."Once again, forgive me for my temerity in suggesting this inner conversat…
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