Torah im Derekh Eretz: Where Do We Go From Here? (1984)

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Torah and Derekh Eretz: Where Do We Go From Here? - Summary (1984)

It’s puzzling that Hirsch and his thought weren’t accorded full study at Yeshiva until now, since YU is, in many ways, a fulfillment of Hirsch’s vision. Hirsch was one of the true giants of Jewry. He tried to formulate a Jewish humanism, a “synthesis” under the slogan of “Torah im Derekh Eretz.” I have never been pleased by either formulation, "Torah im Derekh Eretz” or "Torah u Mada." "Torah im Derekh Eretz” seems to be too broad. The Talmud uses this phrase to refer to anything from business to manners to conjugal relations. It does not specifically describe the world of culture. "Mada,” particularly in modern Hebrew, refers to the natural sciences, and is too narrow. Culture is far greater than science alone. "Hokhma” is a better term. According to the medrash, "yesh hokhma bagoyim. " You can find it among the nations. Professor I. Twersky has shown that the Rambam refers to hokhma. even where the Gemara only used Torah. For example, in Makkot, the Gemara says that a father is patur for killing his son if he did it to educate him in Torah or a trade, since he was doing a mitzva. The Rambam adds hokhma. He considers it a mitzva to teach one’s child hokhma. We see that Torah is not synonymous with hokhma, and hokhma is not synonymous with umanul, trade. It is not the same as accounting, insurance, or computers. Both Hirsch and YU agree that Torah and Hokhma have a common divine origin. They represent the word of God and the world of God respectively. Both are created by divinity, and worthy of study and research. They both reach back to the goal of coming close to HaKadosh Barukh Hu. Of course, Torah is preeminent. Where Do We Go From Here? Whereas Torah is essentially fixed, culture (science, art, technology, philosophy) is constantly changing. The problematica for Hirschians in 1984 is not the same as for Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch in 1894. Strangely, Orthodox Jews today seem to be recoiling from the effort to live with the outside world. This is true in both E…

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Torah Umadda Speech (1992)

1. apolgy f treatg thme here/book. *TuM so self-evdt... Many/most yshvot except far Hasidic: nght collg; All – HS; halkhc diff'ce? *True, attackd mny reasns. But note, e.g.: *R. Hayym Brisker: totl rjctn M – evn lang/nwspprs... any ready forbd Eng tdy? *same tm: nt true w no precdnts! Evn in hal'c commy *Exs: הרמ"א התעניין גם בלמודי פילוסופיה, קבלה היסטוריה ואסטרונומיה. בספרו "תורת העולה" מצטט הוא בתמידות חכמים רבים במקצועות אלו, אע"פ שבנוגע לתורת חכמי האומות שאב את ידיעותיו מכלי שני. הוא מתיחס

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