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November 7, 1946

Letter to the Editor of The Commentator about Maintaining the Yeshiva Element in YU (1946)

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Yeshiva University in the World Today (1965)

YU not only institution, also idea and symbol. Synthesis. The modern Orthodox Jew as expression of this educational philosophy. Not a comfortable proposition. Synthesis, living in two worlds at same time, always has concommigant tension. Therefore, never complete success. Tension revealed in famous story of early Rosh Yeshivah, who walking through the then new halls of Yeshiva College one morning greeted other faculty members who passed by: Good morning. Dr. Churgin, Dr. Revel, Dr. Mirsky, Dr. Belkin... then said to an student nearby: "Vos iz dos, a Yeshiva oder a hospital?"Origins: Medieval Spain Yeshiva of Rabbi Reines. Idea of Rav Kook on the sacred and profane having mutual roots in theholy of holies , and function of holy to sanctify profane, and all profane as the not — yet — holy. S.R. Hirsch — as follows, shortly.YU began as high school ( 1886) worked up to thirteen schools plus four high schools (in addition to the present one on tha Pacific Coast); more than 6,660 students, 1200 faculty.But more than double curriculum. Three great ninteenth century interpretations of a principle of Judaism are incorporated in Yeshiva. The principle is from Perek: the study of Torah is beautiful with derekh eretz.S.R. Hirsch — the educational — cultural interpretation.R. Hayyin of Volozhin — the intellectual - metaphysical interpretation.The Hasidic interpretation, which is the practical-existential.S.R.H. — Incorporated in student studying in Yeshiva and at same time, Yeshiva College, Stern College, the high schools.Hayyim of Volozhin — incorporated in Riets, and Kollel.Hasidic, with emphasis on out-going, practical effects of education, in schools such as TIM, TIW, Medical School, Social Work.Emphasize J.S.P. personal stories about Jeff Tillman and his questions about tfillin in afternoon.Thus too: CSD — educational servicing of synagoggues such as educational servicing NCSY youth groups, place rabbis.Has transformed American Judaism. Imagine American Jewry without YU.No…
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Correspondence

Letter to Judith Lamm about Attending YU and the Dual Curriculum (1977)

My dear Judith: I plead not guilty! I always answer my letters, or at least almost always, and if I did not answer your last letter it is probably because I never received it. If in fact I did and failed to answer your letter, then it is purely because of my impossible schedule rather than because of neglect. Yes, Judith, life for me now is “that hectic.” (As for my “moving mountains,” maybe I am and maybe I am not, but if I am – those darn mountains have a way of reappearing again and again!) I would not be worried about the reports of some of the Stern girls that they have too many required courses. They seem to forget that this is part of the price you pay for a dual program. There are, after all, a certain minimum number of requirements in any college, and when you add the required courses for Judaic Studies, it is true that that adds up to a great deal. But then, a dual program is expected to be more difficult than a normal college program. Some of their criticisms are correct, however, and I have assigned a special Presidential Planning Commission to reinvestigate the whole University, and this week they are giving me their final reports. I have high hopes that beginning next September a great many changes will begin to take place and will ultimately improve the quality of Stern as well as the rest of the University. I think that Stern is the only solution for you if you do not go to Israel. Frankly, I think you would be better off in New York even if you could go to Israel, not because I do not love Israel but because for you, in my estimation, this would be the right place to be at the right time. You will find faults, but then what institution or person is perfect? Of one thing you may be sure, and that is that we are trying to be as good as we possibly can, and the kind of enthusiasm you bring to your studies as well as to your general academic and personal experience will help in no small measure in attaining the goals that we have set for Stern. In a wo…
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Correspondence

Letter Sent to the Editor about The Jewish Observer Critique of R. Lamm's Torah Umadda (1995)

In this letter, I would like to bring to light a particularly disturbing passage in a back issue of the Jewish Observer. More importantly, I would like to relate to you a conversation that I had with Reb Ely Svei about two weeks ago regarding this topic. In the March 1992 issue, an article appeared entitled “Torah U’Madda – the Book and its Ideology: a Critique” by Rabbi Yonasan Rosenblum. In this review, Rabbi Rosenblum presents a strong criticism of the book and the views presented therein. I would like to quote a specific passage from the article: “So great is the value of Madda for Dr. Lamm that the distinction between it and Torah finally blurs altogether: ‘So long as we continue to learn Scripture and Oral Law, to acquire new knowledge and to refrain from forgetting what we know, then the study of the sciences and humanities is, in effect, the study of Gemora and thus a fulfillment of the study of Torah’ (p. 165). ‘This conclusion leads him to entertain seriously such questions as: Should one recite birkhat hatorah on entering the chemistry lab? May one study calculus all day and thereby fulfill his obligation of Talmud Torah?’ (pp. 163–64).”
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