Finish introduction chapter by referring to current problems, using my Orthodoxy & Character essay written for Hollander. End by tying up the whole chapter as an “apology.” Chapter II – FREEDOM. Question of character as based on freedom. Refer first to Maimonides and emphasis on rational powers – say he’s representative of all Judaism – and show how we oppose both contemporary trends. Chapters 3 and 4 – take up as much of footnotage into text as possible. Chapter 5 – end tying to MAIMONIDES. Use him as first of three examples of Jewish characterology. Chapter 6 – CHABAD. Describe Tanya’s characterology. Use Teitelbaum, Glitzenstein. Look for fundamental principles that can serve as characterological fundamentals – or typology – as in Maimonides. Chapter 7 – HAZON ISH. Use my notes, and expand on my references to him in introduction chapter. Use his own Emunah u’Vitachon, etc., and Kalman Kahana.

"Bad News – Disguised": A committee was appointed to investigate the educational system in a certain town. They did their work and came up with a report: Everything is good – the teachers are good pedagogues, the curriculum is excellent, etc. Only two things are lacking: a candle and honey. No one knew what it meant, except for one wise man: עס איז פינסטער און ביטער – "It is dark and bitter.""Jewish Survival; Longevity" An old Jew comes into an insurance company for a life insurance policy. He is told that it is impossible because he is too old. “How old are you?” He answers: 101. “Why, that is impossible – we never give insurance to people of that advanced age.” “But you gave my father an insurance policy just last week!” “Really? And how old is he?” The answer: 142. The agent goes and checks his files, and discovers that it is indeed correct. “All right,” he says, “we can do so, but you've got to come for a physical next Tuesday.” The old man replies: “Sorry, I can't make it.” “Why not?” “Because my grandfather is getting married on that day.” “How old is he?” The answer: 173. “And he really wants to get married at that age?” “Not really – but his parents are pressuring him…”State of Israel Rabbi Maimon used to say: “For 2,000 years Jews prayed for a Jewish state – and it had to happen to me!”

Nahum Goldmann (The Jewish Paradox, 135) tells of having to approach Schaeffer, West Germany's Finance Minister, for 20 million marks for Israel, when he was told that he could give him only 20 minutes. He told him the following story: One day a beggar comes to see the famous Baron Anschel Rothschild. The butler tells him that the Baron can't see him. "Tell the Baron I only want a single word. You stand behind me, and if I speak another word, throw me out." So the butler passes on the message, and the highly intrigued Baron has the beggar brought in. He steps forward and says, "GeMaRa." "What does that mean?," the Baron asks. "Gut Morgen, Reb Anschel." The Baron starts to feel amused. "What do you want," he asked. The beggar answers, "GeMaRa." "And that means?" "Gib Munze (or: Mezuman), Reb Anschel." The Baron burst out laughing and gave him a hundred marks, but the other man doesn't budge. "Is there something else?," the Baron asked. He answers "GeMaRa." "And how does that translate?" "Gib mehr, Reb Anschel."**AGE; PHYSICAL CONDITION**(Heard from Rackman at ZIN Convocation; Gave to Washington Heights Community leaders at Pre-Commencement Breakfast June 6, 1985)Man driving horse and wooden wagon in Jerusalem is hit by a large truck that backs out of alley, waggoner injured, horse lying bloody, wagon smashed and wood hits dog who lies in puddle of blood on sidewalk. Police come, man taken to hospital. Several months later in court, waggoner appears with cast on leg, cast on arm, therapeutic neck brace, and insurance company denies his claim.Reason: Policeman has record that when he approached him at scene of accident he said, "Oh, I'm fine, don't bother with me at all, I'm perfectly all right."Judge: "Whom are you trying to fool with the cast and therapeutic brace? You yourself said that you are fine."Waggoner: "It's true that I said it, but it is not true that I was fine."Judge: "Then why did you say you were O.K.?"Waggoner: "Well, when policeman saw that the horse…

Several months ago, well before the Siyyum Ha-Shas celebrating the conclusion of the Daf Yomi, I asked Rabbi Charlop to make private and discrete inquiries from Agudath Israel whether Yeshiva University would be invited to join in the commemoration. He told me that the answer was negative. I then asked him for more details, and he referred me to Rabbi Parness, who made the inquiries. I today called Parness and got the following information: Some time before Passover, he called up Rabbi Moshe Sherer of Agudath Israel, who said that he did not want to give a rash decision, but his first impression is that it will be difficult because it would incite his own kana'im. He would consult his lieutenants and get back to Parness.On Choi Hamoed Pesach, he told Parness that he consulted with them, and this time the answer was negative again, not because of the kana'im, but because of political reasons. Sherer had many obligations to many personalities who were much more identified with Agudath Israel, and he could not ignore them and give me a seat on the dais (apparently that was the nub of the whole negotiation: a seat on one of the front two rows in Madison Square Garden).Parness himself believes that the major reason was the kana'im. ו Parness tells me that the chief antagonist to Yeshiva and myself is Rabbi Svei of Philadelphia, and that unquestionably if he had I come and seen me he would have left abruptly.

Representative "Tip" O’Neill, former Speaker of the House, tells (at Hanukkah Dinner 1986) that in the 1950s he was invited to visit Ireland, his ancestral home, for the first time. In Cork, they showed him around town to all the famous historic places. Then they pointed with pride to the hospital. He asked why a hospital was so special – after all, every city has one. They told him the story of how it was built: Years before, Henry Ford had also paid his first visit to Ireland, his ancestral home. In Cork, a delegation came to his hotel room and asked him for a contribution to build a hospital. He gave them a check for $5,000. The next day the Daily Express ran a headline, “Henry Ford contributes $50,000 to hospital.” They then came to visit him the next day, and he was terribly upset. They apologized for the mistake, and said they were quite willing to have the Daily Express run a retraction the next day and say that he only gave $5,000 – whereupon, he asked for the $5,000 check back, tore it up, and gave them a $50,000 check on one condition only: that they engrave the following legend over the entrance of the hospital – “I came amongst you, and you took me in – Henry Ford.”