Orthodox Lifestyle or G-dly Experience? Understanding the Goal and Rationales of Halachic Observance

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Date:
November 19 2020
Length:
48min 56s
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43
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845
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3

Venue: Michlala Michlala

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    1. Title: From Joe Klein's Dad
      Author: Harold Klein
      Reply
      Shalom Rabbi, Hopefully you remember me, Joe (Adiv) Klein's dad. I had the pleasure of interacting with you a few times at Netiv, come to a Shiur at Young Israel of Woodmere and now listen to you on YU Torah. I just finished hearing your "Understanding the Goal and Rational of Halacha." Very much enjoyed it and learned from it as well. It made me think of a few thoughts from (I may have spoke to you about me connection to him) Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and how some of his writings and life reflect your impactful talk. Remember, he comes from Chassidic Dynasty and lived a fully Halachic life as did most of the Rabbis at JTS during his time. Of course it did shift after Professor Lieberman and then Rabbi Finkelstein left, however because of that shift those affiliated with the Seminary at that time do not get their proper recognition in most of our circles today. That is another discussion. Maurice Friedman wrote a book called "You are my Witnesses - Abraham Joshua Heschel and Elie Wiesel." He tells that during his research and time with R. Heschel he became (as a man with no or little observance in his upbringing) connected to him and influenced by his (Heschel's) connection to spirituality and G-d and wanted to pursue more. So, Heschel sent him for a Shabbat to his first cousin the Novominsk in Brooklyn. Heschel was raised a good part of his early life by his uncle the Novominsk in Warsaw. Maurice Friedman came back enthralled, moved, enchanted wanting more. He asked Heschel that in pursuing this path would he need to do all the other stuff, Tefilin, full Kashrut, etc. Heschel's reply......."The only way to enter the holy dimension of existence, is through Halacha." One needs to pause to take that in, especially in the context of your talk Rabbi...............He writes elsewhere that "Halacha is the grammar of a Jewish Life." Another pause. Perhaps, if you give this talk again, reflecting on that last statement, I would like to share some of my rational in my journey to observance that of course included our family. In a Siyum I had a year ago on completing the Mishna Berurah I relayed the thinking of General William McRaven, the Navy Seal who organized Operation Neptune Spear, the operation that led to the elimination of Osama Bin Laden. The General gives talks and wrote a book based on the philosophy on the task (Halacha) of making your bed properly, in detail every day. Something they are required to do in the military. He shares that if you accomplish this you will; have a sense of pride, be motivated to do another task properly and by the end of the day you will come to realize that this one task done in adherence to your grammar so to speak will reinforce other actions and that little things matter. Doing the little things well leads to bigger things, more accomplishments..AND!...even if you don't have the best day, when you come home to a bed made properly, it is telling you that tomorrow will be better and it will provide continuity through that tomorrow. So, just wanted to share that with you as your Shiur re-sparked those thoughts in me. You concluded with a prayer, if I may share another thought of R.Heschel who also was extraordinarily committed to efficacy in prayer and said..."Halacha is a prayer in deed form." That to goes to some of the ideas your shared of Heart and Hands. Kol Tuv.
    2. Title: From Joe Klein's Dad
      Author: Harold Klein
      Reply
      Shalom Rabbi, Hopefully you remember me, Joe (Adiv) Klein's dad. I had the pleasure of interacting with you a few times at Netiv, come to a Shiur at Young Israel of Woodmere and now listen to you on YU Torah. I just finished hearing your "Understanding the Goal and Rational of Halacha." Very much enjoyed it and learned from it as well. It made me think of a few thoughts from (I may have spoke to you about me connection to him) Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and how some of his writings and life reflect your impactful talk. Remember, he comes from Chassidic Dynasty and lived a fully Halachic life as did most of the Rabbis at JTS during his time. Of course it did shift after Professor Lieberman and then Rabbi Finkelstein left, however because of that shift those affiliated with the Seminary at that time do not get their proper recognition in most of our circles today. That is another discussion. Maurice Friedman wrote a book called "You are my Witnesses - Abraham Joshua Heschel and Elie Wiesel." He tells that during his research and time with R. Heschel he became (as a man with no or little observance in his upbringing) connected to him and influenced by his (Heschel's) connection to spirituality and G-d and wanted to pursue more. So, Heschel sent him for a Shabbat to his first cousin the Novominsk in Brooklyn. Heschel was raised a good part of his early life by his uncle the Novominsk in Warsaw. Maurice Friedman came back enthralled, moved, enchanted wanting more. He asked Heschel that in pursuing this path would he need to do all the other stuff, Tefilin, full Kashrut, etc. Heschel's reply......."The only way to enter the holy dimension of existence, is through Halacha." One needs to pause to take that in, especially in the context of your talk Rabbi...............He writes elsewhere that "Halacha is the grammar of a Jewish Life." Another pause. Perhaps, if you give this talk again, reflecting on that last statement, I would like to share some of my rational in my journey to observance that of course included our family. In a Siyum I had a year ago on completing the Mishna Berurah I relayed the thinking of General William McRaven, the Navy Seal who organized Operation Neptune Spear, the operation that led to the elimination of Osama Bin Laden. The General gives talks and wrote a book based on the philosophy on the task (Halacha) of making your bed properly, in detail every day. Something they are required to do in the military. He shares that if you accomplish this you will; have a sense of pride, be motivated to do another task properly and by the end of the day you will come to realize that this one task done in adherence to your grammar so to speak will reinforce other actions and that little things matter. Doing the little things well leads to bigger things, more accomplishments..AND!...even if you don't have the best day, when you come home to a bed made properly, it is telling you that tomorrow will be better and it will provide continuity through that tomorrow. So, just wanted to share that with you as your Shiur re-sparked those thoughts in me. You concluded with a prayer, if I may share another thought of R.Heschel who also was extraordinarily committed to efficacy in prayer and said..."Halacha is a prayer in deed form." That to goes to some of the ideas your shared of Heart and Hands. Kol Tuv.
    3. Title: From Joe Klein's Dad
      Author: Harold Klein
      Reply
      Shalom Rabbi, Hopefully you remember me, Joe (Adiv) Klein's dad. I had the pleasure of interacting with you a few times at Netiv, come to a Shiur at Young Israel of Woodmere and now listen to you on YU Torah. I just finished hearing your "Understanding the Goal and Rational of Halacha." Very much enjoyed it and learned from it as well. It made me think of a few thoughts from (I may have spoke to you about me connection to him) Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and how some of his writings and life reflect your impactful talk. Remember, he comes from Chassidic Dynasty and lived a fully Halachic life as did most of the Rabbis at JTS during his time. Of course it did shift after Professor Lieberman and then Rabbi Finkelstein left, however because of that shift those affiliated with the Seminary at that time do not get their proper recognition in most of our circles today. That is another discussion. Maurice Friedman wrote a book called "You are my Witnesses - Abraham Joshua Heschel and Elie Wiesel." He tells that during his research and time with R. Heschel he became (as a man with no or little observance in his upbringing) connected to him and influenced by his (Heschel's) connection to spirituality and G-d and wanted to pursue more. So, Heschel sent him for a Shabbat to his first cousin the Novominsk in Brooklyn. Heschel was raised a good part of his early life by his uncle the Novominsk in Warsaw. Maurice Friedman came back enthralled, moved, enchanted wanting more. He asked Heschel that in pursuing this path would he need to do all the other stuff, Tefilin, full Kashrut, etc. Heschel's reply......."The only way to enter the holy dimension of existence, is through Halacha." One needs to pause to take that in, especially in the context of your talk Rabbi...............He writes elsewhere that "Halacha is the grammar of a Jewish Life." Another pause. Perhaps, if you give this talk again, reflecting on that last statement, I would like to share some of my rational in my journey to observance that of course included our family. In a Siyum I had a year ago on completing the Mishna Berurah I relayed the thinking of General William McRaven, the Navy Seal who organized Operation Neptune Spear, the operation that led to the elimination of Osama Bin Laden. The General gives talks and wrote a book based on the philosophy on the task (Halacha) of making your bed properly, in detail every day. Something they are required to do in the military. He shares that if you accomplish this you will; have a sense of pride, be motivated to do another task properly and by the end of the day you will come to realize that this one task done in adherence to your grammar so to speak will reinforce other actions and that little things matter. Doing the little things well leads to bigger things, more accomplishments..AND!...even if you don't have the best day, when you come home to a bed made properly, it is telling you that tomorrow will be better and it will provide continuity through that tomorrow. So, just wanted to share that with you as your Shiur re-sparked those thoughts in me. You concluded with a prayer, if I may share another thought of R.Heschel who also was extraordinarily committed to efficacy in prayer and said..."Halacha is a prayer in deed form." That to goes to some of the ideas your shared of Heart and Hands. Kol Tuv.

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