[Avodah] . Re: R' Angel & Geirus Redux (Michael Makovi)

[Richard Wolpoe]

On Thu, Mar 20, 2008 at 4:36 PM, Meir Shinnar <chidekel at gmail.com> wrote:

> RMB
> >  REB even realized his argument was specious, which is why he had to
> >  mention the metahalachic concept of "eis la'asos" -- this must be done
> >  despite it violating the normal rules. I fail to see how this is an
> >  eis la'asos, as no one's relationship to Hashem is saved through it,
> >  "just" unity would.
>
> I don't have the time now to get into the debate.  However, the above
> paragraph summarizes a major problem and difference in perspective.
>
> The argument that the unity of klal yisrael does not affect one's
> relationship to hashem is, to my mind, quite startling - although,
> perhaps, reflective on an approach emphasizing the individual rather
> than communal perfection.



> Meir Shinnar
>


Psycho-thearapy was supposed to help people be more socialyl functional
human beings. At times it emphasizees a narcisstic self-reflection

Mussar -or at least basd mussar - falls preyto the same problem
The Torah was given to effect  a mamleches kohanim and Goy Kaddosh by HKBH's
own words and I am locked into an argument that Torah is about
self-prefection, an attidue probably first seriously considered by  RY
Salnter or his followers.

I have no qualms with RYS per se, jus the abuse of mussa to twist the
centrality of the kehal, khilla, Am, society etc.  The klal is a ubiquitous
theme in Yekke hashkafa in genral and in Hirsch in Particualr [see 19
letters!] but since it is not "politically correct" in America and in the
mussar movement to consider the peoplehood over the individual so it gets
white-washed

Now Vayikra CERTAINLY can be understood as suggsting that the nassi, the
kohen Gadol and the Sanhedrin should be into self-prefection, but that is
obviously due to their high office. The idea that the "amcha" should be
concerned with self-perfection over serving the klal is imho not a Jewish
hashkafa at all, more like Teddy Roosevelt's rugged individualism or some
monastic ideal associated with other religions who  praise self-denial.

-- 
Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe at Gmail.com
see: http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/
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