[Avodah] R. Yhonason Eybeschutz on Secular Subjects

[hankman]

R’n T. Katz wrote:

In a message dated 4/23/2018 9:34:26 AM Eastern Standard Time, hmaryles at yahoo.com writes:?
Yes, the Torah commands us to learn Torah day and night, But as my Rebbe, RAS said, this Mitzvah can be fulfilled by simply reciting Kriyas Shema in the morning and the evening.
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Not that this is optimal....
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For the rest of us, we should follow and develop our strengths and serve God that way, while being Koveah Itim to fulfill the Mitzvah of Limud HaTorah....
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I agree with this. ?I am aware of the opinion that "vahagisa bo yomam velayla" can be minimally fulfilled by saying Shma. ?Despite this, it is not necessary for every individual to personally study math, geometry, algebra, physics, optics, astronomy, medicine, botany, zoology and chemistry. ?
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--Toby Katz

I would go well beyond that and possibly suggest that when done “the right way” that certain limudei chol” (read math and natural sciences) could be a  better and more efficient way of attaining emunah including drosh vachakor and yiras harommeimus and the  goal of understanding “beHai” boro osom, or the gevuros of masseh bereishis, the intricacies of the olam koton and the actual vast olom not to mention the numerous sugios in shas and halacha that require knowledge of the real world and it science (its understanding). I propose a thought for consideration, that while for some yechidim their level of Torah learning is sufficiently high that Torah is the best and most efficient path to attain these goals. Unfortunately for many (most) of us, our level of Torah havanah is not even close to that level and as a practical fact a more direct path to getting a start on these Torah goals is through studying the briah and its science put there by G-d in the maseh beraishis. Someone like the GRA whose level of Torah study most of us can not even begin to imagine would relegate his study of science to only when it was not in opposition to his limud of Torah (such as the B”HK etc) as the best manner (for him) of achieving this goal was through his limud of Torah. But for most of us to take this as also applying to our situation is wishful thinking. As many times as I learn parshs Bereishis, my havana of “beHai” boro osom has not really grown very much nor my level derosh vachakor. For us it may be a lekatchila outside the B”HK to set times for scientific study if done with the appropriate approach in support of our Torah understanding and growth in yira and emunah even when not just for parnasa.

Kol tuv
Chaim Manaster

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