[Avodah] Derech Eretz Kadmah L'Torah

[Micha Berger]

Quoting myself, v4n36:
> I think this is a different usage of DE. I've identified what I
> believe to be three different usages:
> Yafeh TT im DE -- involvement in the outside world
> DE kadma laTorah -- midos and being a mentsh
> zu p'rishus DE -- proper usage of ta'avos gashmios (or at least one
> of them)

TiDE presumes a definition of DE that has to do with beingpersonally
refined. More like the usage I associated with DEKL.

My unifything theme is aretz, life in olam hazeh. Especially as
gemillus chasadim is developed by the Maharal on Avos 1:2 -- "gemillus
chassadim" is the perfection of one's relationship to other residents
of olam hazeh. (In contrast to avodah - one's relationship to the
Borei, and Torah - one's relationship with the sole resident of one's
mind, oneself.) And thus marital relations with full kavod given to
one's partner are the ultimate in DE, being the synthesis of actions
to build the physical world, enjoy the physical world, and bond with
another resident of that world.

And then in v4n395:
> Derech Eretz (as I concluded in v04n036) has three meanings that
> share the basic notion of knowing how to live in Olam haZeh
> ("eretz"). Avraham Avinu discovers HKBH by noticing the wonders of
> eretz, is mekareiv people, willingto associate with what he thought
> were three sand-worshipping idolaters. This is TIDE. He is mekareiv
> them how? By performing chessed -- DE in the sense of DE kadma
> laTorah. And he is given the b'ris milah -- DE as in the "perishus
> DE" of the haggadah.
...
> While TIDE looks at an external DE, including mentchlach because of
> its impact on others, mussar looks at DE as a means of improving the
> self.
> It therefore only centers about the chessed/mentchlachkeit aspect of
> DE. Mussar included an asceticism that doesn't jibe with the other
> uses of the expression "DE"...

> We discussed on Avodah the overlap between TuM and Chassidus, in the
> sense that Chassidus too utilizes the gashmi -- in some contexts.
> The tisch and the use of alcohol come to mind immediately. What
> they really share is an outsideness. The mountain and the field are
> very different -- one lifts the earth, the other glories in its raw
> G-dliness, but they are both ways to be outside the home.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv