Present: Dr. Lamm, Dean Rabinowitz, Rabbi Rosenfeld, Dr. Schiff, Dr. Tannenbaum. Rabbi Rosenfeld will serve as chairman pro-tem and Dr. Schiff as secretary pro-tem. TTP recruitment will be a major goal of the Principals Conference, which will take place on November 13. Proposed arrangement with Bernard Revel Graduate School, as put forward by Dean Rabinowitz in a letter to Dr. Hoenig: consensus – not desirable at this time. Changes in Erna Michael College: (a) more serious attitude; (b) no more admission with advanced standing – individual course exemptions to be granted infrequently (e.g., Israelis into advanced Hebrew); (c) regular attendance required (unlike Yeshiva College), with administrative follow-up to ensure compliance with regulations; (d) change in degree offering. Three students are current candidates for full enrollment in TTP: one advanced, two freshmen.Discussion as to means of reaching more potential students. Possibilities:a) Meeting with principalsb) Direct communication with best graduates selling program as an honors program offering "fellowships.*Page 2Erna Michael College Advisory Council - Minutesc) Visits to high schools by Dean Rabinowitz patterned after Rabbi Faivelson of TIW.d) Ads in high school papers, student councils.e) Radio program appearance.f) NCSY media.Status of Advisory Council was discussed.Dean Rabinowitz is to seek cla

Jud. St. 41 should remain essentially as it is. Jud. St. 75, "Introduction to Hasidic Literature," requires prerequisites of Jud. St. 41 and a working knowledge of Hebrew. The course aims to acquaint students with primary sources of Hasidic literature, progressing from simpler to more complex passages filled with biblical and rabbinic allusions, Kabbalistic terms, Hasidic exegesis, and wordplays. Students should be able to translate and annotate texts. Selected works include: Tzava'at Ha-Rivash and Keter Shem Tov (Besht), Likkutei Moharan and Sippurei Ma'asiyot (R. Nahman of Bratslav), Degel Mahaneh Ephraim (R. Moshe Hayyim Ephraim), Noam Elimelekh (R. Elimelekh of Lizhensk), Kedushat Levi (R. Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev), Toledot Yaakov Yosef, Tzofnat Pa'aneach, and Ketonet Passim (R. Yaakov Yosef of Polnoye), Tzidkat Ha-Tzaddik (R. Zadok of Lublin), Benei Yissaschar (R. Zevi Elimelech of Dinov), Tanya, Derekh Mitzvotekha, and contemporary ma'amarim (HaBaD), Maggid Devarav le-Yaakov and Likkutim Yekarim (R. Dov Ber). Standard biblical, Talmudic, midrashic, and kabbalistic reference works are expected. A graduate-level course, "Major Ideas of Hasidism" (Jud. St. 700-level), requires Jud. St. 75 and knowledge of Hebrew. It explores core Hasidic themes through original sources and contemporary scholarship, comparing Hasidic and Mitnagdic thought, Kabbalah, and Sabbateanism. Topics include immanence and transcendence, devekut, avodah begashmiyut, gadlut and katnut, zaddikism, yeridah and aliyah, sweetening of judgments, prayer, thoughts and emotions, Torah lishmah, mystical themes, love and fear of God, evil and the yetzer, and eschatology. Primary sources: Tzava’at Ha-Rivash, Keter Shem Tov, letters of the Besht, Darkei Yesharim (R. Menahem Mendel of Peremyslyany), writings of R. Pinhas of Koretz, Toledot Yaakov Yosef, Ketonet Passim, Tzofnat Pa’aneach, Porat Yosef (R. Yaakov Yosef), Maggid Devarav le-Yaakov and Likkutim Yekarim (R. Dov Ber), Pri Ha-Aretz (R. Menahem…

Difference between Jew and Gentile according to HaBaD — Gentile has no נפש אלוקית. Identify the five souls according to HaBaD, and describe the lower three. How does RSZ answer the question: How is it possible to command love of God? What are the two definitions of "revelation" according to RSZ? Remember to include questions on my article of The Letter of The Besht. FROM RABBI POLLAK'S LECTURE: 1. Matching: R. Hayyim Halberstam of Sanz -- Divrei Hayyim. 2. Controversies in which above was involved: renting דtore to non-Jew for Shabbat; machine Matzohs. 3. The strongest influences on above: the ”Seer” of Lublin, and R. Naftali of Ropschltz. 4. Above was the source of religiousness zealousness for Hasidim in Galicia and Hungary. For final exam in May 1975 -- responsible for assigned readings in Minken, IN PRAISE, SCHOLEM, my TRADITION article on the letter of the BESHT, the entire B series, all notes, lectures of Fleer, Pollak and Mlndel, I also taught them the concept of בינוני from the Tanya, Chapters I, II, XI, XII. Emphasize that a major difference between Bratzlav and HaBaD is: former is geared to אמונה, latter to ratio; former holds that anyone can become a Zaddik, latter holds that צדיק וטוב לו is one who is born with a propensity to extirpate evil if he tries hard enough, and only that kind of person can become a Zaddik (paradoxically, the more democratic Bratzlav had no successor/good enough to follow R. Nahman, whereas the elitest HaBaD formed a dynasty!) For final — Minkin, Shivhei HaBesht, Wiegel pg. 3-81, my lectures and guest lectures.

Answer all questions in your exam booklet (Minkin) 15 points. 1. Which city became the symbol of the Hasidic movement during the life of the Besht? a) Brody b) Shnipishok c) Lizhensk d) Mezeritch e) Mezhibozh. 2. The highest form of Kavvanah is: a) complete abandonment of self b) knowing the meaning of the words c) love of God. 3. R. Dov Baer is also known as: a) Rabbi of Lemberg b) "Preacher of Mezeritch" c) the Kohen of Polonnoye. 4. A contributing factor to the success of R. Dov Baer was that: a) Kahal was dissolved at that time b) the Gaon had died c) R. Gershon of Kutov went to Palestine. 5. Give the name of a volume of utterances of R. Dov Baer collected by R. Solomon of Lutzk: a) Likkutei Amarim b) Ketonet Passim c) Noam Elimelekh.Who was considered Hasidism's literary master?a) R. Dov Baerb) R. Jacob Josephc) R. Gershon of Kutovd) R. Nachman of KossowR. Jacob Joseph was a:a) philosopher and theologianb) innovator and teacherc) polemicist and TalmudistR. Gershon of Kutov was:a) the son of R. Adam Baal Shemb) one of the Sages of the Kloyz of Brodyc) a student of the author of Shaagat AryehR. Shneur Zalman was the author of:a) Shulhan Arukhb) Arukh Hashulhanc) neither of the aboveResidents of Vilna were shocked when the Gaon died becuase:a) R. Shneur Zalman died the day afterb) R. Hayyim of Volozhin refused to succeed himc) Zealous Hasidim celebrated his deathRabbi Avigdor of Pinsk was:a) the first Sephardi follower of Hasidimb) a saintly reclusec) an informerWho was in charge of the distribution of charity funds to Palestine?a) Abraham of Kaliskb) Beshtc) AvigdorThe fact that more has been written about R. Nahman of Brazlav than about all other Hasidic leaders proves:a) that he impressed himself upon the modern mind as the most originalb) his eminence as a theologianc) that he restated the Besht's principles in philosophical idiom.What inconsistency was found in R. Nahman's character?a) he was indifferent, while teaching enthusiasmb) he was ignorant, while pr…

הבחינה הזאת עשוייה משני חלקים, וכל חלק עולה מאה נקודות. החלק הראשון הוא על ההרצאות, והשני – הקריאות. חלק ראשון: כתב כל התשובות רק במחברת. 1. הגדר או זהה בקיצור נמרץ. 30 נקודות. א. שיריים ב. אפרים דיינארד ג. טבילת עזרא ד. טלוסט ה. כשאחד הוא לבוש או כסא לשני ו. ר' מנחם מנדך מפרמישלאן ז. צפנת פענח ח. מסירת החשבה אל הרבי ט. ספר הויכוח י. הכת 2. ענה על שתיים משאלות אלה. 30 נקודות. כתב בס"ה לא יותר מעמוד אחד. א. מהו סולם הערכים של החסידות לפי בעל "צמח צדק"?

The form I have followed for this academic year of 1975-6 is to give my lectures at the beginning of the first semester, and thereafter to have them do the various kinds of work. What we finally settled on was for each one to attempt a kind of satire written by C.S. Lewis in the Screwtape letters, and then I assigned one research project over the whole year, and one Hasbarah paper for each semester. For the second semester, I invited as many guest lecturers as I could, people who had or were working on books in the field. For the second semester, I had invited Meir Schiller (a young Hasid working on a book), Emanuel Rackman, Joseph Telushkin, David Bleich, and possibly Yaakov Jacobs of the Jewish Life. Note the following items that ought to be revised or added to the course: 1. Instead of Hasbarah, be open and use the word, "apologetics." 2. In writing about Apologetics, reference should be made to some of the greatest Christian Apologists, such as C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Belloc, Arnold Lunn (the Catholic). 3. Perhaps I should concentrate more, especially during the first semester, on what others have done. Perhaps assign readings in C.S. Lewis, or Xerox parts of him, from his other works in addition to the Screwtape Letters. The same holds true for three other writers mentioned above. I also should use some of the Orthodox and even non-Orthodox Jewish writers, and criticize their works objectively (include Avigdor Miller, who fails to criticize modern civilization, but just ridicules it instead). 4. The major works of the above apologists are as follows: a) the problem of pain; mere Christianity (these first two are probably his best); the great divorce; the pilgrim's regress (the last two are in the nature of fantasies); and the Screwtape Letters. b) Chesterton: Orthodoxy (a real classic); St. Francis of Assisi. c) Belloc: The French Revolution. d) Lunn: Now I See (his best work); Is Christianity True? Books by the above can be obtained, if unavailabe in New…

I talked to the Rav today and told him about my very serious concerns about the ideological and cultural-educational dilemma in which we find ourselves, pressured by the obscurantism of the Right and the ignorance of the Left. He too is depressed by all this. He feels that those people who are letting their children grow up under this obscurantism are producing cripples and they will live to regret it. He is deeply disturbed by the fact that some of our students, in an attempt to be super-pious, actually develop a foreign accent in their English, are culturally illiterate, and have no knowledgeof Western culture. He believes it is wierd, etc.I told him that merely being critical of a situation for which we are responsible is inadequate. I asked him to think creatively and programmatically about what strategy we have to adopt in order to change the situation. He promised to think about it and I told him I would get back to him at the end of June or sometimein July.In addition, I asked him to speak out on these issues both to the RY's and also in his class as frequently as possible. He agreed.

In conversation with one of my associates at Yeshiva University, I recalled two incidents that made a profound impression upon me. It is worth putting them on paper for my own use at some later time. In the early 1960s, when I was participating in the leadership of the drive for an eruv in Manhattan, I first approached the Rav to solicit his opinion. We were sitting in the luncheonette across from the Main Building, and I told him of my plans and asked if he would approve. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “To tell you the truth, I don’t know Hilkhot Eruvin. But why wait for me? Study the matter well, and after you feel you have enough information on the subject, make up your own mind and act accordingly.” It so happens that later he did study the matter, and probably came to a negative conclusion on the question of the eruv in Manhattan, but that is irrelevant. What is important is that he encouraged my intellectual independence. Some months later, after we proclaimed the eruv and the Agudas HaRabbonim objected, under the leadership of the late and much-lamented Rabbi Aharon Kotler, Rabbi Immanuel Jacobovits and I went to see him in his home in Lakewood. He was very gracious, and his response to our queries was, “But I don’t know Hilkhot Eruvin...” I compare the two stories. Both men were possessed of a high degree of intellectual integrity. They were not afraid to say that they did not know. But there was one difference between them: the Rav encouraged me to intellectual independence as well as integrity – to make up my own mind and act accordingly. No such encouragement came from Rabbi Kotler, whose sense of authority would not permit such openness.

R. Chaim of Volozhin criticized the Hasidic emphasis on kavanah (intention) over action, warning that it could lead to neglecting halakhic requirements – such as praying after the prescribed time or, absurdly, eating matzah on Chanukah. He similarly rejected the Hasidic interpretation of Torah lishmah as mere devekut, arguing that such a view could reduce Torah study to endlessly repeating Psalms or a single page of Talmud, contrary to the intellectual demands of halakhah. He distinguished between three types of Torah shelo lishmah: antagonistic study (lekantair), study for prestige or gain, and a neutral category motivated by habit. These debates reflected deeper worldview differences: the Hasidim saw Torah lishmah as a path to emotional attachment to God, while the Mitnagdim championed Torah study for the sake of knowledge. This divergence also shaped their notions of “double consciousness”: for the Mitnagdim, it meant maintaining Torah awareness even during business affairs, while Hasidim like R. Nachman of Kosov sought to retain devekut even in the midst of social activity.

Bachelor of Hebrew Literature, and such other degrees or certificates as the school may from time to time award. That all the diplomas and degrees afore said conferred by the said College shall perpetually be awarded by, and as a part of the program, of the Erna Michael College of Hebraic Studies. That in the main lobby of the building in which the Erna Michael College of Hebraic Studies is now located or wherever the Elina Michael College may be relocated in the future, YESHIVA shall, at its own cost and Expense, erect and maintain a sign or plaque which shall identify the said College as aforesaid. The size, type of lettering and detailed wording of such sign or plaque to be mutually agreed upon.(f) That all brochures, catalogs, prosoec- tuses, letterheads, periodicals, monographs, publicity releases and announcements, or other literature of any nature pertaining to, or issued, or published, or release, by the College, shall in perpetuity carry the name of said College as the ELL MICHAEL COLLEGE OF HEBRAIC