[Avodah] History?

[Rich, Joel]

I was struck by these 2 views of history. It would be interesting to consider where on the spectrum we as individuals and communities fall out.
KT
Joel Rich





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http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/4815/features/until-a-hundred-twenty/

Why these particular texts?  How should one study them?  Lewis gives specific answers, some of them in a chapter of his book titled, "Why Study History?"  More generally, Lewis observes that those who will not confront the past "will be unable to understand the present and unfit to face the future.  A great responsibility, therefore, falls on historians," he says, "whose moral and professional duty it is to seek out the truth concerning the past, and to present and explain it as they see it.  I have endeavored to fulfill this responsibility."
<SNIP>
 And how does fulfilling the historian's duty help us "face" the present and future?  It is, of course, too soon to tell in any simple sense; but, although historians cannot predict the future, "there are certain things that the historian can and should do.  He can look at what has been happening and what is happening and see change developing."  By doing so, Lewis says, "he can formulate, I will not say predictions, but possibilities, alternative possibilities, things that may happen."
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Rabbi Shimon Schwab & Historic Truth

What ethical purpose is served by preserving a realistic historic picture? Nothing but the satisfaction of curiosity. We should tell ourselves and our children the good memories of the good people, their unshakable faith, their staunch defense of tradition, their life of truth, their impeccable honesty, their boundless charity and their great reverence for Torah and Torah sages. What is gained by pointing out their inadequacies and their contradictions? We want to be inspired by their example and learn from their experience... Rather than write the history of our forebears, every generation has to put a veil over the human failings of its elders and glorify all the rest which is great and beautiful. That means we have to do without a real history book. We can do without. We do not need realism, we need inspiration from our forefathers in order to pass it onto posterity.

Selected Writings (Lakewood, 1988)

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