[Avodah] Rav Shteinman and Niagra Falls

[Joshua Meisner]

On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 11:54 AM, <efpasik at aol.com> wrote:

> Topical to the conversation here about Rav Hirsch, ztl, and the Swiss Alps,
> within the past year or so, the Jewish Observer had an article about a
> recent trip Rav Shteinman, shlita, made to various U.S. cities.  As his
> plane was flying over Niagra Falls, his travelling companions were looking
> out the window, and marveling at this great natural wonder.  They urged him
> to look out the window also.  Rav Shteinman was learning gemara, and he
> said, No.  They later asked him, Why?  He responded that it was a sheilah as
> to whether he could make a bracha on seeing Niagra Falls, and therefore, a
> sheila as to whether he could interrupt his gemara learning.
>
> Two different hashkafas.
>

Wouldn't R' Shteinman's actions be consonant with the ruling in Avos 3:9
regarding not interrupting one's learning to comment on natural beauty?
Granted, if my simple reading of the mishnah is correct, I'm not sure why
the ability to make a bracha would change things.

Joshua Meisner
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