[Avodah] Importance of Secular Studies for Torah Studies

Micha Berger micha at aishdas.org
Sun Jan 21 18:10:26 PST 2018


On Fri, Jan 12, 2018 at 05:28:31AM +0000, Rich, Joel via Avodah wrote:
: > The following letter appears on pages 94 - 95 of this week's Flatbush
: > Jewish Journal.
: 
: Which imho is a long way of saying that the dichotomy between religious
: and secular studies in many ways is a false one....

I think that overstates it. One can't follow the Torah without knowing
the real world to which to apply it. But one is the goal, and the other,
the means.

To quote the Tzitz Eliezer (from Harav Shimshon Rephael Hirsch: Mishnaso
veShitaso):
    The Torah, according to Rav Hirsch, is the force that gives
    form. Form, to Aristotle's thought, means a thing's essential nature
    -- in distinction to the substance from which it is embodied. Derech
    Eretz is merely the matter on which Torah works.

The function is determined by Torah. The essence is Torah. Secular
studies allow us to apply that Torah to more of the world. A means.

Tirau baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             "As long as the candle is still burning,
micha at aishdas.org        it is still possible to accomplish and to
http://www.aishdas.org   mend."
Fax: (270) 514-1507          - Anonymous shoemaker to R' Yisrael Salanter


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