<html>
<body>
The following is one small selection from the article at
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/29y7utt" eudora="autourl">
http://tinyurl.com/29y7utt</a> by Rabbi Simcha Feuerman. <br><br>
This article is not the first about some the negative aspects of Gedolim
books. Rabbi Aharon Feldman wrote about this topic in an article that
appeared in the Jewish Observer in 1994. Please see the article at
<a href="http://www.yutorah.org/showShiur.cfm?shiurID=704426" eudora="autourl">
<font size=3>http://www.yutorah.org/showShiur.cfm?shiurID=704426</a>
pages 213 - 214 for what Rabbi Dr. J. J. Schacter wrote about Rabbi
Feldman's comments. <br><br>
The following comments by Rabbi Feuerman were for me particularly
striking, because they relate to a famous story about one of my
"heroes."<br><br>
<i>Another one of the chinuch dangers of disconnection from feelings is
an estrangement from our gut instincts in favor of strict adherence to
technical ethical principles. This is an abandonment of what is
sometimes referred to as “the fifth volume of Shulhan Arukh”. No
system can function without using common sense to mediate and moderate
between the dictates and principles of the system and how to apply them.
<br><br>
Related to this point, I have noticed a strange phenomenon in regard to
certain inspirational stories. Typically, the story will go something
like this: So and so, a great sage, despite his high stature did an
amazing kindness for someone of lower perceived social status. For
example, we have the famous story about Rav Yisrael Salanter who went to
hold a crying baby on Yom Kippur eve during Kol Nidre, or the story of
how Rav Moshe Feinstein ran after a gentile delivery boy to make sure he
received his dollar tip. <br><br>
Of course these stories model acts of compassion and decency, and deserve
recognition. Sadly though, I fear there is a hidden and subtle
message of surprise being conveyed along with these stories, as they
suggest that basic human compassion and decency is an astounding ethical
feat. After all, who would not show the basic decency of giving an
expected tip, or who could be cold-hearted enough to ignore the cries of
a baby on Kol Nidre night -- or any night for that matter? So what
is the real message here? Either we are surprised to see great
people behave in a human and kindhearted manner, or we consider it to be
an act that only a true tzaddik<a name="_ednref5"></a> can achieve. [5]
Whichever message you choose, I submit for your consideration that this
kind of thinking is a product of a culture that has difficulty embracing
the full passion of its emotions when seen through the lens of Torah
thought. Because, in the light of stone-cold Torah analysis without
being informed by a sense of compassion, one might erroneously decide
that praying is more important than responding to the cries of an infant,
or that being sensitive to the needs of a poor delivery boy is
irrelevant. And indeed, halakha must trump emotions. However
no proper conclusion can be reached without consulting with all “five”
volumes of Shulhan Arukh. Our chinuch messages must take that
into account.<br><br>
<br>
[5] Echoes of this sentiment can be found in R. Kook’s words in Shemonah
Kevatzim 1:463, (translation mine):<br><br>
“The folk who live according to their instincts, and are not learned, are
actually superior in many respects to the learned folk. In
particular, their instinctive common sense decency and morality was not
corrupted by the intricate, wearying and too-clever burdens of
scholarship.” (I thank Marc B. Shapiro and the Seforim Blog for this
reference.)<br><br>
</i>There is much food for thought, at least for me, here.
YL<br><br>
<br>
</font></body>
<br>
</html>