[Avodah] Daas Torah Rerere...redux - Pesachim 112a

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Micha Berger asked:

> Isn't Rashi saying that a TC who spends his time with texts
> lacks the knowledge of what's going on in the society in
> question to be a good leader?

He *might* be saying that.

I'd prefer to think that he's saying that it's a shanda (a shame, a pity) to live in a town where the chachamim get themselves dirty with politics. Better to leave that to the askanim, who are in frequent contact with the chachamim, and know when to refer something to their attention.

I *do* understand that it is okay (recommended, even) for the chachamim to have regular jobs, and not just collect a kollel check. But there are other jobs more suited to them.

Let's also remember that R' Akiva told these things specifically to his son. As far as I know, they are not normative halacha, nor did R' Akiva try to make them normative. Perhaps by quoting him, the Gemara itself is trying to make it normative, but who knows? Perhaps the average person SHOULD live in a city whose leaders are chachamim?

>From R' Samuel Svarc:

> Does this then follow to your assertion that TC lack the
> inherent knowledge about the world's realities, or is RZS
> correct that it means the day to day affairs need to be taken
> care of by baalie baatim while the decisions can (and I add,
> should be) made by TC? I tender from "Ten li Yavne v'Chachamiehu"
> your assertion is refuted, and we see plainly that the TC (and
> only the TC) had the insight to realize the true realities and
> the wisdom to actually implement it.

I think you might be conflating two different issues, namely the day-to-day affairs and the Big Questions.

Indeed, when Rav Yochanan asked, "Ten li Yavne v'Chachamiehu", it was a critical point in our history, and a lesser person probably would not have had the foresight to choose those priorities. But that does not mean that Rav Yochanan was running the day-to-day affairs. If he was, then please correct me. But in general, it is sufficient that the chachamim be available to get involved with politics only when necessary.

Ben Gurion went to the Chazon Ish. And this happened even though the Chazon Ish did not go into politics. Imagine if someone had suggested that the Chazon Ish should go into politics, because (to paraphrase RSS) the Chazon Ish (and only the Chazon Ish) would have the insight to realize the true realities and the wisdom to actually implement it. Would we have been better off? I think not.

Akiva Miller

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