[Avodah] More on Mitzvos and Iyun

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, April 12, 2007 9:19 pm, R Michael Kopinsky wrote:
: When Gemara is taught correctly, as not just a training of the mind
: but a tool in refining the person, a blatt Gemara really can be the
best
: mussar seder....

The problem I have is that many in the yeshiva velt explain Nefesh
haChaim IV to connect learning to sheleimus on a mystical level. One
needn't try to learn for the sake of refining the person, the
connection is innate in the nature of Torah.

I do not believe this is the NhC's intent for three reasons:

1- If RCV really believed that, how did he have R' Zundel Salanter as
a talmid?

2- It would also be a huge break from his rebbe. The Gra, in Even
Sheleimah (I do not recall where in Mishlei it is taken from) comments
on the comparison of Torah to water. Water helps one's plants grow;
but if one waters weeds, it helps them grow too.

3- RCV was too wise to advice a course that experimentally doesn't
hold up. We know many who learned well and didn't become paragons of
sheleimus.

Tir'u baTov!
-mi

-- 
Micha Berger             Spirituality is like a bird: if you tighten
micha at aishdas.org        your grip on it, it chokes; slacken your grip,
http://www.aishdas.org   and it flies away.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                            - Rav Yisrael Salanter