Thank You for the Valium Dr. Bennett
After a full day of invectives back and forth between Bayit Yehudi and the Chareidi parties, Naftali has given us a Valium so that we can think peaceful thoughts of compromise as we doze off to sleep.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/164901#.URAd7h1LOTw
With Naftali talking like this, and Shas coming to the table to thrash out a deal, I am sure that Shas and Bayit Yehudi can come to a compromise on two subjects:
1. drafting Chareidim who are not Matmidim (full time Torah scholars). Matmidim will not be drafted in our lifetimes. On the other hand, the part time scholars can, at least part of their remaining time, serve their country in one capacity or another.
2. teaching Math and hard sciences in Chareidi schools. Forget about the softball sciences like anthropology and sociology, but with the rigorous proof of the scientific method, Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, and the Life Sciences etc., these sciences have increasingly come close to fitting the Torah like a glove and can be taught now without fears of kofrim (G-d deniers) destroying our emunah (faith). Truth is truth whether it is of the holy or the mundane world in which we live.
Approximately 20 years ago there was a film about dinosaurs called Jurassic Park. One of our dairies here in Israel started to put pictures of various species of dinosaurs from the film on the lids of their yogurts. Bada"tz then unceremoniously removed their hashgachah from the Dairy until these lids were once again free of pictures of dinosaurs. The Dairy quickly complied, but the international media picked up on the story, and turned this true event into making the Torah a laughingstock. We cannot complain about the media in this case because the sheer display of ignorance of the history of our world displayed by Bada"tz really happened. So the story was true. And it was a Chilul HaShem of the highest order and reduced the stature of our Holy Torah in the eyes of those in this world who seek the Truth. This nonsense has to stop. When over 20 years ago Dr. Gerald Schroeder released Genesis and the Big Bang and The Science of G-d, these issues should have been discussed so that hard sciences could then be taught in schools from a Torah perspective. Over 20 years later we are still hoping that the Chareidi public will help us glorify the Torah in the eyes of the nations. In ancient times it was our precise inter-calculation of the cycles of the moon and the planets (Talmud Shabbat 75a and Devarim (Deut.4: 5-6)) that glorified the Torah in the eyes of the nations. Over the last 400 years because of the rigor of the scientific method, we can finally add Physics, Chemistry, and Life Sciences to the list. Having massive demonstrations against against dinosaurs on yogurt lids diminishes the Torah in the eyes of the nations especially when they watch large crowds of black-hatted men protesting against the very historical existence of dinosaurs. Not just gentiles with a beer in their hands who watch the news were having a hearty laugh at the Torah's expense. Secular Jewish and gentile truth seeking scientists saw that footage and took vows to never take the Torah seriously. It is hard to do kiruv once such damage has already been done. It is time for a change.
UPDATE: It occurred to me that one might need help understanding the confluence between Torah and science. Here on the Aish HaTorah website is a classic piece by Dr. Schroeder on the first chapter of Genesis. But notice that without scientific literacy, one can't understand the subject matter and why it is important.: http://www.aish.com/jl/i/mn/48951136.html
A curriculum is waiting to be written to accomplish this goal. Hopefully we can take Bennett's Valium after a tortuous day of recriminations and get some rest. I do agree with Rav Eli Ben- Dahan on one issue in particular, though. Whoever called Bayit Yehudi a Home for Gentiles owes BY an apology.
I am also concerned that any agreement that Naftali Bennett and Eli Yishai (Shas) can compromise on will be vetoed by United Torah Judaism. One cannot assume that Shas and UTJ are of one mind on these matters. Most Sephardim live here in Eretz Yisrael. So the Torah in the Sephardi world is headquartered here in Eretz Yisrael. This is not true in the Ashkenazi world where it seems that most of the Chareidim here eagerly watch for what Gedolim in Brooklyn are saying. Until the focus is upon Yerushalayim as being the place from which the Torah emanates, I am not sure that they will stop spiritually wandering in the lands of our dispersion. At least if there needs to be an Asifah in a large stadium for the entire Ashkenazic world, put it in Teddy's Stadium next to Malcha Mall. It does not have to be in the home of Jets or Giants, Mets, or Yankees and Erev Rav Mayors either. (This goes for both New York and Chicago).
After years of trying to figure out why Shas was sensitive to the Disengagement evil of 5765 and why UTJ was not, it can finally be understood as the spiritual wandering of Chareidi Ashkenazic minds to the lands of our dispersion. If something gives economic benefit to Jews in New York at the expense of our survival here, decisions can be skewed to benefit Jews in the Diaspora by, let us say, pleasing the Saudis to lower the price of oil for their American Presidential friend, Gog ben Gog. This then frees up more cash to support their favorite institution here or there. It is a familiar trap where money triumphs at the indirect expense of lives here. The danger lies with making that place in galut a spiritual center that somehow eclipses Yerushalayim. The fact that Zevulan might "temporarily" live in Chu"l while Yissachar lives in Israel is not the problem per se'. It can be avoided by desiring Geulah more deeply and not the pleasures of the desert in Chu"l, desiring to be here even if one cannot fiscally make ends meet here, making Eretz Yisrael one's spiritual home and not by making Chu"l into Eretz Yisrael. In previous generations the latter choice was necessary because living here was impossible, but this really has not been the case for over 20 years now as the old line Bolshevicks have dwindled in number even if the Erev Rav exercises spiritual control here in other ways. I bring this up to make those aware to avoid this same trap again. Yet, this time, I confidently believe that those who enabled the delay in our Geulah by one Shmittah cycle will not be able to do so again. In this Shmittah cycle life in America is rapidly being directed more and more by a tyrant. When Obama declares Congress irrelevant, then it will be too late to leave with one's possessions. Derekh Hateva, America has completely lost its luster of freedom. Those who tripped up on the domestic friendliness of Gog ben Gog will be discounted as the freight train of Geulah depends on those who did not bring about the fiasco of 5765 and for those who have repented for that wrong. Maybe this time the same people will not repeat their error again even if the Geulah process for the Klal does not depend on it.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/164901#.URAd7h1LOTw
With Naftali talking like this, and Shas coming to the table to thrash out a deal, I am sure that Shas and Bayit Yehudi can come to a compromise on two subjects:
1. drafting Chareidim who are not Matmidim (full time Torah scholars). Matmidim will not be drafted in our lifetimes. On the other hand, the part time scholars can, at least part of their remaining time, serve their country in one capacity or another.
2. teaching Math and hard sciences in Chareidi schools. Forget about the softball sciences like anthropology and sociology, but with the rigorous proof of the scientific method, Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, and the Life Sciences etc., these sciences have increasingly come close to fitting the Torah like a glove and can be taught now without fears of kofrim (G-d deniers) destroying our emunah (faith). Truth is truth whether it is of the holy or the mundane world in which we live.
Approximately 20 years ago there was a film about dinosaurs called Jurassic Park. One of our dairies here in Israel started to put pictures of various species of dinosaurs from the film on the lids of their yogurts. Bada"tz then unceremoniously removed their hashgachah from the Dairy until these lids were once again free of pictures of dinosaurs. The Dairy quickly complied, but the international media picked up on the story, and turned this true event into making the Torah a laughingstock. We cannot complain about the media in this case because the sheer display of ignorance of the history of our world displayed by Bada"tz really happened. So the story was true. And it was a Chilul HaShem of the highest order and reduced the stature of our Holy Torah in the eyes of those in this world who seek the Truth. This nonsense has to stop. When over 20 years ago Dr. Gerald Schroeder released Genesis and the Big Bang and The Science of G-d, these issues should have been discussed so that hard sciences could then be taught in schools from a Torah perspective. Over 20 years later we are still hoping that the Chareidi public will help us glorify the Torah in the eyes of the nations. In ancient times it was our precise inter-calculation of the cycles of the moon and the planets (Talmud Shabbat 75a and Devarim (Deut.4: 5-6)) that glorified the Torah in the eyes of the nations. Over the last 400 years because of the rigor of the scientific method, we can finally add Physics, Chemistry, and Life Sciences to the list. Having massive demonstrations against against dinosaurs on yogurt lids diminishes the Torah in the eyes of the nations especially when they watch large crowds of black-hatted men protesting against the very historical existence of dinosaurs. Not just gentiles with a beer in their hands who watch the news were having a hearty laugh at the Torah's expense. Secular Jewish and gentile truth seeking scientists saw that footage and took vows to never take the Torah seriously. It is hard to do kiruv once such damage has already been done. It is time for a change.
UPDATE: It occurred to me that one might need help understanding the confluence between Torah and science. Here on the Aish HaTorah website is a classic piece by Dr. Schroeder on the first chapter of Genesis. But notice that without scientific literacy, one can't understand the subject matter and why it is important.: http://www.aish.com/jl/i/mn/48951136.html
A curriculum is waiting to be written to accomplish this goal. Hopefully we can take Bennett's Valium after a tortuous day of recriminations and get some rest. I do agree with Rav Eli Ben- Dahan on one issue in particular, though. Whoever called Bayit Yehudi a Home for Gentiles owes BY an apology.
I am also concerned that any agreement that Naftali Bennett and Eli Yishai (Shas) can compromise on will be vetoed by United Torah Judaism. One cannot assume that Shas and UTJ are of one mind on these matters. Most Sephardim live here in Eretz Yisrael. So the Torah in the Sephardi world is headquartered here in Eretz Yisrael. This is not true in the Ashkenazi world where it seems that most of the Chareidim here eagerly watch for what Gedolim in Brooklyn are saying. Until the focus is upon Yerushalayim as being the place from which the Torah emanates, I am not sure that they will stop spiritually wandering in the lands of our dispersion. At least if there needs to be an Asifah in a large stadium for the entire Ashkenazic world, put it in Teddy's Stadium next to Malcha Mall. It does not have to be in the home of Jets or Giants, Mets, or Yankees and Erev Rav Mayors either. (This goes for both New York and Chicago).
After years of trying to figure out why Shas was sensitive to the Disengagement evil of 5765 and why UTJ was not, it can finally be understood as the spiritual wandering of Chareidi Ashkenazic minds to the lands of our dispersion. If something gives economic benefit to Jews in New York at the expense of our survival here, decisions can be skewed to benefit Jews in the Diaspora by, let us say, pleasing the Saudis to lower the price of oil for their American Presidential friend, Gog ben Gog. This then frees up more cash to support their favorite institution here or there. It is a familiar trap where money triumphs at the indirect expense of lives here. The danger lies with making that place in galut a spiritual center that somehow eclipses Yerushalayim. The fact that Zevulan might "temporarily" live in Chu"l while Yissachar lives in Israel is not the problem per se'. It can be avoided by desiring Geulah more deeply and not the pleasures of the desert in Chu"l, desiring to be here even if one cannot fiscally make ends meet here, making Eretz Yisrael one's spiritual home and not by making Chu"l into Eretz Yisrael. In previous generations the latter choice was necessary because living here was impossible, but this really has not been the case for over 20 years now as the old line Bolshevicks have dwindled in number even if the Erev Rav exercises spiritual control here in other ways. I bring this up to make those aware to avoid this same trap again. Yet, this time, I confidently believe that those who enabled the delay in our Geulah by one Shmittah cycle will not be able to do so again. In this Shmittah cycle life in America is rapidly being directed more and more by a tyrant. When Obama declares Congress irrelevant, then it will be too late to leave with one's possessions. Derekh Hateva, America has completely lost its luster of freedom. Those who tripped up on the domestic friendliness of Gog ben Gog will be discounted as the freight train of Geulah depends on those who did not bring about the fiasco of 5765 and for those who have repented for that wrong. Maybe this time the same people will not repeat their error again even if the Geulah process for the Klal does not depend on it.
posted by Dov Bar-Leib at 2/05/2013 12:09:00 AM
3 Comments:
Some more insight from the Kingmaker. Who would have thought that Bennett would be the focus of trying to bring about a compromise between two warring factions (Yeish Atid and the Chareidim). There is a compromise which exists in dismantling the Galut atmosphere within the Chareidi parties without dismantling the kedushah of full or part time Torah studies. It is just that part time or no time Torah studies is not an excuse to avoid national service. Those whose craft is learning Torah FULL TIME should not be disturbed from their continuing studies AT ALL. The payment mechanism will be contracted directly with the State rather than through the various political parties indirectly from the State. This effectively removes learning Torah from its galut perspective without disturbing those who are learning Torah full time.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/164921#.URD6Kx1LOTw
And now Rav Shmuel Eliyahu of Tzfat is asking Shas for an apology on the "Bayit Yehudi is a Home for Gentiles" comment:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/164923#.UREY6B1LOTw
It is good to be in the camp of a real Gadol. The campaign is over. These kind of statements require an atonement.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/164936#.URF6xB1LOTx
Holy Moshe. I read the above story, and I have to ask myself that maybe I don't know how things work as a Knesset insider. Both Shas and a much smaller Bayit Yehudi sat in Netanyahu's government for the last four years. Did Eli Yishai ever talk to the leaders of Bayit Yehudi during all that time? Maybe they needed each other for a minyan and then broke out into a conversation? apparently not. better late than never.
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