[Avodah] kidesh and chol

[Eli Turkel]

If chol has no independent value, but is only something to be subdued
and conquered by Torah, why not simply sidestep the issue and ban all
chol? Make a Torah-only environment and be done with it. If TIDE is to
avoid irrelevancy, then chol must have value - there must be an
imperative to have im derech eretz and not Torah-only. Torah may be
higher than chol, but chol must have its own value if there is an
reason to have IDE.>>

I have seen several articles recently about the attitude of RYBS towards
secular studies. Interestingly among the large amount of material that has been
published there is no dsicussion by him about secular studies though he heavily
quotes nonJewish scholars. In fact in some personal conversations he stressed
more the learning of humanities than the sciences.

The general consensus seems to be that he felt that chol can be used to
increase our knowledge and appreciation of kodesh. If a concept of
Hegel (for example)
can be used to better explain a gemara then use it. He probably would not
approve learning humanities for its own sake . Of course the sciences
are different as
they can be used to improve life.

-- 
Eli Turkel