[Avodah] Gra and TuM

[Micha Berger]

I wrote:
>> The Gra would answer that for the one yad of math so learned, the
>> talmid is now capable of 100 yadayim of Torah.

>> And now we can  presume the usual back-and-forth about TuM has  occured,

RnTK objected:
> The Gra knew and used mathematics but I really don't think you can  
> legitimately claim him as an early exemplar of TuM....
> I would not even attempt to claim the Gra for TIDE, though I think
> doing so would be a little closer to the mark than TuM.

I didn't mean that the Gra's position necessarily was TuM, just that
mentioning that quote was bound to lead to a TuM discussion. However,
since RnTK raised the question...

TIDE and RYBS's version of TuM differ in two ways:

1- TIDE is about a fusion of Torah and the secular into a single
spectacular whole. RYBS spoke of dialectic tension and findin a harmonious
coexistence in a life of conflicting priorities and needs.

2- TIDE is a unity of Torah and hih culture. The focus is on refirnement
of the individual. TuM is academic, Torah and secular knowledge.

The Gra's position is a synthesis -- but of knowledge, not culture and
its refinement.

(RSRH's TIDE resembles Slabodka's gadlus ha'adam. Not identical,
but perhaps first cousins. Both lead the student to dress and comport
themselves according to the best of western standards.)

So I guess we should take TIDE's conjunction and TuM's noun -- the
synthesis of TIDE's and the M of TuM -- TIM?.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             None of us will leave this place alive.
micha at aishdas.org        All that is left to us is
http://www.aishdas.org   to be as human as possible while we are here.
Fax: (270) 514-1507            - unknown MD, while a Nazi prisoner