I just heard that Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi, Salo Wittmayer Baron Professor of Jewish History, Culture and Society at Columbia University, passed away today at 77. His book Zakhor is a classic in Jewish studies (a must read). Barukh Dayan ha-Emet.
Showing posts with label Torah U-Madda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Torah U-Madda. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi a'h
I just heard that Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi, Salo Wittmayer Baron Professor of Jewish History, Culture and Society at Columbia University, passed away today at 77. His book Zakhor is a classic in Jewish studies (a must read). Barukh Dayan ha-Emet.
Friday, July 04, 2008
Slifkin blog
As I (hope I've) mentioned before, me and my family are big supporters of Rav Natan Slifkin. He fought the good fight against the forces of intolerance and ignorance. And he now has a blog! Pic from a website about his book. Backpost finished 2009-12-06.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Torah-Science Sources
A major interest of my recent rabbinate is the interface between Torah and Science. This blog - by an unknown guy who calls himself "He Who Must Not Be Named" - has accumulated a crazy impressive list of sources and their quotes about the topic. It's under his entry Sources Indicating That Chazal Did Not Possess Perfect Scientific Knowledge and while it hasn't been updated in a few months, I use his work and I encourage him to write a book. I'll help!Pic from here. Backpost finished 8/21/07
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Orthodox Jewish Boxer?
Oy. See the New York magazine story about Dmitry Salita, a shomer-shabbat boxer.
On one side, as a Torah-U-Madda-nik, I am in favor of Orthodox Jews not be restricted by any profession. There's halakha for everything, according to my practical theology. Yet, there are certain professions I'd like to think are permanently off-limits (e.g. any of the sex-worker trade). Boxing is one of them (see the Noda Bi-Yehuda about hunting).
2009 Update: He's gotten more coverage in recent years. I still say oy.
Pic of Salita from here. Backpost finished 2009-12-08. I had just the link and the word 'oy.'
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg
Avivah Zornberg spoke in KJ last night and it was, as usual, awesome. There are very few living scholars who can successfully commingle Parshanut, Chasidut, Psychology, literature and all around insight and erudition like she can. The Chasidic rebbes of old could; my rebbe, Rav Ebner can. Good drash-based parshanut skirts very close to peshat. If anything, she and scholars like her are able to elucidate the probity and purpose of Midrash, demonstrating through their modern abilities that the rabbis of the Midrash were equal geniuses. The hacks and clowns who normally deal with Midrash either reduce their words to childish literalism or take Midrash as a literary license to kill.Two reasons why I'm a Zornberg fan: One is that she is a teacher. She loves to just sit and teach. She doesn't care if the crowd is small; she has no diva ego. The second is directly related: when she teaches, she innovates. She obviously looks at every class opportunity as a time to create new ideas and knowledge. She is the real deal.
Very few scholars on the circuit are like that. A way to tell if you're dealing with a real teacher is (a) the readiness to teach, even on short notice, and (b) the lack of what I called above the "diva ego." (Another scholar who has these laudable traits, for example, is Rachel Friedman of Drisha).
When I was the Torah U-Madda dude at YU, Avivah agreed to speak for us for a nominal fee. And she was extraordinary. It was not beneath her dignity to go down to Stern to teach to college students. Other speakers I arranged gave that impression (one in particular who till this day harbors ill will against me).
To sum up: Yay Avivah Zornberg.
Friday, June 25, 1999
Life in the Styx, June 25 1999 (Old Styx)
Hello Styx!
1. MAZEL TOVS
A. Mazel Tov to [named redacted]. Since this column was supposed to go out last Friday, I had already devised proposed names, as is the Styx minhag (I couldn't send it out due to an unavoidable bout of fear and loathing; and we all know that fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.)
Proposed Names:
B.-D. [Names Redacted]
2. PERSONAL: THE EXCUSE
I should apologize for a lack of writing recently. I injured a finger earlier in the week (in a method that is too stupid to relate) which makes typing painful. My computer, suffering from age, heat fatigue and obsolescence has been crashing like the Sudanese stock market . It's nearing 6 years old -- way too old, given the dog-years ages for computers -- and I plan on replacing it when I finally move out of this crime ridden slum.
3. JEWS: HOLIDAY ALERTS
Just want to warn everyone that the fast of the 17th of Tammuz is next Thursday, July 1, starting at first light (alot-ha'shachar) and ending at nightfall (tzeit ha-kokhavim). In New York, those times are 4:16 a.m. and 9:13 p.m. (sunset is 8:31) respectively. The three weeks starts a period of mourning, so get yer haircuts in. And a Sukkot reminder. Because by the time Sukkot comes around, all the summer supplies have been removed from the shelves, it's a good idea to buy the necessary outdoors equipment now (e.g. citronella candles).
4. STYX: STYXLIST CHART
As mentioned in the previous Styx, I have removed everyone's email address from my webpage.
But, due to improvements in atomic-age technology, I have placed the Styxlist in a chart. Now you can see what your nickname is as well as the real names of everyone who is, or has been, on the Styx in its nearly four years of existence.
If you lack time and/or the ability to see the chart, just ask me and I'll send along your information.
5. STYX: TABLE O'CONTENTS IMPROVEMENTS
Another public works project in production is that I'm adding improvements to the Table of Contents by putting in subject headings. I recognize that not many people have time to read the Styx; Lord knows that even I don't read it that often; and that people scan the table of contents for specific information -- like Mazel Tovs or my effervescent commentary on current events in Israel. The subject headings will allow easy reference to "news you can use".
Examples of headings:
6. PERSONAL: WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?
So, what am I doing this summer?
YU has a "June Zeman" which ends Friday, the 25th. After that I will be up in the Heights until I find an apartment on the East Side. Over the summer I will be still in shiur. Rav Yonasan Sacks -- a big Talmud-Hakham and anav who's a Ram in YU and a shul-Rav in Passaic -- will be "saying" shiur for the summer. I was in his shiur last summer as well and it was quite worthwhile. I hope to be finishing up my outstanding work in Revel this summer as well.
My first appearance at [name redacted] as rabbinic intern will be on Tisha B'Av. I'll be giving a shiur an hour before Mincha on Tisha B'Av afternoon. Topic to be determined; I am debating between either (a) the moral lessons we learn from the Talmudic/Aggadic passages about the destruction of the Temple, or (b) reading recipes aloud from the "Joy of Cooking"
I will be teaching two classes at [name redacted] as one part of my internic duties. One will be a parsha class on Shabbas. Naturally I am looking forward to that. The second class will be part of the shul's official adult education curriculum. I have not yet solidified a topic but I am tending towards the Laws of Chessed -- e.g. charity, hospitality, visiting the sick, etc. Commentary and suggestions are always welcome.
Next year I will be commuting up to YU by day (and by night I will don a cloak and fight crime under the code name "The Panda.") My required course-work will be lighter next year than it was this year which was such a demonic year that I officially will not recognize that it exists (it has taken three years but I finally have the First Lesson of RIETS knocked into my head: never take classes if you can avoid it).
In addition to the [name redacted] position, and finishing my rabbinic training, and finishing my masters degree from Revel, I will still be doing the Torah U-Madda project lecture series. You'll be hearing about that as usual.
I will also be spending considerable anguish and brain-power in trying to figure out what I will be doing with my life after I am ordained and kicked off the [Fellowship] gravy-train. Word on the street is that the city is hiring college-educated men for ditch-digging. But that's only one option.
7. DUNKIN' DONUTS ALERT
I am told by reliable authorities that the Dunkin' Donuts on East 85th is no longer under any form of hashgacha. I endorsed this establishment due to my unbridled horses for donuts. (Note to all you concerned health care professionals: I am a fan of the metaphysical nature of donuts more than the physical -- hence do not worry about my daily consumption of the high-fat treats, it is merely between 0 and 1).
However, there still is a Kosher Dunkin' Donuts in Manhattan. Informants reported this to me a few weeks ago and I have not yet confirmed it via personal experience, but there is information about it listed in the Shamash Kosher Database (which is good enough for me).
Better yet, the hashgacha is pretty reliable (Rabbi Aaron "Bud" Mehlman of Congregation Ohev Shalom on 85th Street between Broadway and West End). Here's the info from Shamash (with deletions and emendations from yours truly). [Data Redacted]
more later,
Shabbas!
Styx :]
- Mazel Tovs
- Personal: The Excuse
- Jews: Holiday Alerts
- Styx: Styxlist Chart
- Styx: Table o'Contents Improvements
- Personal: What Are You Doing Now?
- Dunkin' Donuts Alert
1. MAZEL TOVS
A. Mazel Tov to [named redacted]. Since this column was supposed to go out last Friday, I had already devised proposed names, as is the Styx minhag (I couldn't send it out due to an unavoidable bout of fear and loathing; and we all know that fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.)
Proposed Names:
- Korach (or "Baldy")
- Tzitz (or "Yatzeitz-Tztiz, from the flowering staff)
- Shekeid (or "Yigmol Shkedim", from the almonds)
- Tarzan (over the upcoming premiere)
B.-D. [Names Redacted]
2. PERSONAL: THE EXCUSE
I should apologize for a lack of writing recently. I injured a finger earlier in the week (in a method that is too stupid to relate) which makes typing painful. My computer, suffering from age, heat fatigue and obsolescence has been crashing like the Sudanese stock market . It's nearing 6 years old -- way too old, given the dog-years ages for computers -- and I plan on replacing it when I finally move out of this crime ridden slum.
3. JEWS: HOLIDAY ALERTS
Just want to warn everyone that the fast of the 17th of Tammuz is next Thursday, July 1, starting at first light (alot-ha'shachar) and ending at nightfall (tzeit ha-kokhavim). In New York, those times are 4:16 a.m. and 9:13 p.m. (sunset is 8:31) respectively. The three weeks starts a period of mourning, so get yer haircuts in. And a Sukkot reminder. Because by the time Sukkot comes around, all the summer supplies have been removed from the shelves, it's a good idea to buy the necessary outdoors equipment now (e.g. citronella candles).
4. STYX: STYXLIST CHART
As mentioned in the previous Styx, I have removed everyone's email address from my webpage.
But, due to improvements in atomic-age technology, I have placed the Styxlist in a chart. Now you can see what your nickname is as well as the real names of everyone who is, or has been, on the Styx in its nearly four years of existence.
If you lack time and/or the ability to see the chart, just ask me and I'll send along your information.
5. STYX: TABLE O'CONTENTS IMPROVEMENTS
Another public works project in production is that I'm adding improvements to the Table of Contents by putting in subject headings. I recognize that not many people have time to read the Styx; Lord knows that even I don't read it that often; and that people scan the table of contents for specific information -- like Mazel Tovs or my effervescent commentary on current events in Israel. The subject headings will allow easy reference to "news you can use".
Examples of headings:
- MAZEL TOVS = duh
- PERSONAL = for things about my life right now,
- NEWS = commentary about current events,
- JEWS = discussions about Jewish issues
- STYX = issues relating to the Styx and its construction [no title] items of frivolous or humorous content
6. PERSONAL: WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?
So, what am I doing this summer?
YU has a "June Zeman" which ends Friday, the 25th. After that I will be up in the Heights until I find an apartment on the East Side. Over the summer I will be still in shiur. Rav Yonasan Sacks -- a big Talmud-Hakham and anav who's a Ram in YU and a shul-Rav in Passaic -- will be "saying" shiur for the summer. I was in his shiur last summer as well and it was quite worthwhile. I hope to be finishing up my outstanding work in Revel this summer as well.
My first appearance at [name redacted] as rabbinic intern will be on Tisha B'Av. I'll be giving a shiur an hour before Mincha on Tisha B'Av afternoon. Topic to be determined; I am debating between either (a) the moral lessons we learn from the Talmudic/Aggadic passages about the destruction of the Temple, or (b) reading recipes aloud from the "Joy of Cooking"
I will be teaching two classes at [name redacted] as one part of my internic duties. One will be a parsha class on Shabbas. Naturally I am looking forward to that. The second class will be part of the shul's official adult education curriculum. I have not yet solidified a topic but I am tending towards the Laws of Chessed -- e.g. charity, hospitality, visiting the sick, etc. Commentary and suggestions are always welcome.
Next year I will be commuting up to YU by day (and by night I will don a cloak and fight crime under the code name "The Panda.") My required course-work will be lighter next year than it was this year which was such a demonic year that I officially will not recognize that it exists (it has taken three years but I finally have the First Lesson of RIETS knocked into my head: never take classes if you can avoid it).
In addition to the [name redacted] position, and finishing my rabbinic training, and finishing my masters degree from Revel, I will still be doing the Torah U-Madda project lecture series. You'll be hearing about that as usual.
I will also be spending considerable anguish and brain-power in trying to figure out what I will be doing with my life after I am ordained and kicked off the [Fellowship] gravy-train. Word on the street is that the city is hiring college-educated men for ditch-digging. But that's only one option.
7. DUNKIN' DONUTS ALERT
I am told by reliable authorities that the Dunkin' Donuts on East 85th is no longer under any form of hashgacha. I endorsed this establishment due to my unbridled horses for donuts. (Note to all you concerned health care professionals: I am a fan of the metaphysical nature of donuts more than the physical -- hence do not worry about my daily consumption of the high-fat treats, it is merely between 0 and 1).
However, there still is a Kosher Dunkin' Donuts in Manhattan. Informants reported this to me a few weeks ago and I have not yet confirmed it via personal experience, but there is information about it listed in the Shamash Kosher Database (which is good enough for me).
Better yet, the hashgacha is pretty reliable (Rabbi Aaron "Bud" Mehlman of Congregation Ohev Shalom on 85th Street between Broadway and West End). Here's the info from Shamash (with deletions and emendations from yours truly). [Data Redacted]
more later,
Shabbas!
Styx :]
Wednesday, October 15, 1997
Life in the Styx, vol. IV, no. 09 (Old Styx)
Hello out there in the Styx,
CONTENTS
To Moshe David Simon whose article about Megillat Esther FINALLY came out in Tradition magazine (vol. 31, no. 4 Summer 1997, pp. 5-27). The article is entitled , "'Many Thoughts in the Heart of Man...' Irony and Theology in the Book of Esther," (working title: 1001 Recipes with Maple Syrup). If you ask nicely, I'm sure Moshe will autograph your copy.
RAV ISADORE TWERSKY zt'l
Someone of Rav Twersky's stature deserves an adequate hesped (eulogy), and I am not one to give it. He held a special importance for the Boston community of which I have very little contact. But, being the son-in-law of The Rav Zt'l, I recognize that Rav Twersky had an effect on my community and my definition of Judaism even if for me it was indirect.
Rav Twersky's passing heralds the departure of an era when there were those who triumphantly embodied the synergies of the synthesis of the Torah and secular worlds. Torah U-Madda is more than just a cheesy slogan for me (and more than a job I now hold), I believe in its possibility to be the height of Torah existence. It is not a compromise but a confrontation, a struggle towards the complex goals that God intends us to achieve.
Rav Twersky and his generation were able to both understand and attain those goals in a manner that I fear my generation may not, at least in America. Although I am a committed Zionist, and believe that the only future for Jews is in Israel, I have also thrown my lot in the American community for now, and I fear for the vacuum of leadership here.
Rav Twersky was also a pre-eminent academician as well as a premium talmud-hakham, a shul rebbe and dynastic rebbe. His students are the leaders of my generation in the academic world. The conception of being a 'frum professor' was made possible by Rav Twersky. He may even have been the first.
I am going to be in Harvard for the last days of Sukkot and I am cowed by what condition I expect the community to be in. I also feel sorry for Rav Twersky's aveilim (mourners). The Jewish mourning practices contain a proper wisdom in the necessity for both an intense mourning period that gradually lessens over time in stages (1 day - 7 days - 30 days - 11 months).
However, an intervening yom-tov will obviate the rest of shiva (7 days) by counting as 7 full days of mourning. Since the burial was on Monday, the family will be able to mourn Tuesday and Wednesday before Sukkot starts. Then they will lose 7 days because of the 1st day of chag, then 6 more days of Sukkot when they cannot mourn, then another 7 days for Shmini Atzeret, then 1 day for Simchat Torah. By the time the holidays end, the family will have only 8 days left to even mourn for sheloshim.
I recognize that there is still wisdom in this system, but since I have not seen how it works out, I find that I still extend extra sympathy.
YOM KIPPUR IN OLD NASSAU
I had a blast at Princeton for Yom Kippur. YK has always been very good at school, but I had never really been able to 'enjoy' it (i.e. use the well-run and well behaved services for good use in personal repentance)
since I would normally have been gabbai-ing at the time. This time I was the guest "rebbe" and it meant I needed to concentrate on my speeches etc, but it was less minute-by-minute hassle.
[Next paragraph had too many personal names/connections, so the whole paragraph has been redacted]
I gave two drashot, Kol Nidrei and Neila, as well as a shiur on Friday night. (STANDARD PROMISE, PAY NO HEED) If I get my act together I'll write up my comments. The shiur, on the Book of Jonah, I thought was so kick-butt that I may try and write that baby up for a journal somewhere (maybe I'll get it printed in a couple o'years after I submit it, see above). [Historical note, as of 2013 none of this has happened, sigh]
What made YK even extra cool was the surprise appearance of an all-star cast of alums. First there was my brother [name redacted] who knows a good service when he sees it. But along for the ride was [name redacted] who was representing the Medallin Cartel, wait, no, uh, right, A. D. Little in a job fair on Friday afternoon and swung YK with us. Even more fortuitous was the appearance of [name redacted] who I hadn't seen for a heckuva long time.
It was a very easy fast (love Joy's cookin') and my legendary allergies were surprisingly docile. I think this confirms that I am just allergic to Washington Heights. After YK, Saturday night, I took the opportunity
of great weather to wander around campus and dig up the ol' nostalgia roots.
Whoa Baby did I ever. I was being smacked with high intensity nostalgia rays all night. I wandered around Mathey and the Grad College trying to reminisce and maybe slay a few demons (no such luck although I did injure a squirrel). Since the trip was getting to intense (flashbacks to Tet, Jimi Hendrix wailing in my subconscious) I decided to spend it as a characteristic Princeton evening: I made a 'Wa run for Herr's cheese
popcorn.
They changed the layout in the 'Wa dudes! I was so confused I almost walked out with some spaghetti-Os cuz, hey, when yer used to buying things in yer sleep you trust your memory of the store layout over any physical appearances (and you certainly can't go by smell in the Wa).
They expanded the deli counter (that night's special: the Fried-Lard Cheesecake Burger. On a taco) and relocated the Mac machine. Heathens!
I stayed till the next day in order to have a Yavneh Sunday: davening at 8:30, waiting around till 11:30 in a ravenous torpor, gorging on brunch, and then plundering the Princeton Record Exchange's trove of $3.99 CDs (that last part is my own variation).
[personal data redacted]
Have fun shakin' the lulav!
Styx :]
[Posted Oct 17, 2013]
CONTENTS
- CONGRATULATIONS
- HESPED FOR RAV TWERSKY
- YOM KIPPUR AT PRINCETON
To Moshe David Simon whose article about Megillat Esther FINALLY came out in Tradition magazine (vol. 31, no. 4 Summer 1997, pp. 5-27). The article is entitled , "'Many Thoughts in the Heart of Man...' Irony and Theology in the Book of Esther," (working title: 1001 Recipes with Maple Syrup). If you ask nicely, I'm sure Moshe will autograph your copy.
RAV ISADORE TWERSKY zt'l
Someone of Rav Twersky's stature deserves an adequate hesped (eulogy), and I am not one to give it. He held a special importance for the Boston community of which I have very little contact. But, being the son-in-law of The Rav Zt'l, I recognize that Rav Twersky had an effect on my community and my definition of Judaism even if for me it was indirect.
Rav Twersky's passing heralds the departure of an era when there were those who triumphantly embodied the synergies of the synthesis of the Torah and secular worlds. Torah U-Madda is more than just a cheesy slogan for me (and more than a job I now hold), I believe in its possibility to be the height of Torah existence. It is not a compromise but a confrontation, a struggle towards the complex goals that God intends us to achieve.
Rav Twersky and his generation were able to both understand and attain those goals in a manner that I fear my generation may not, at least in America. Although I am a committed Zionist, and believe that the only future for Jews is in Israel, I have also thrown my lot in the American community for now, and I fear for the vacuum of leadership here.
Rav Twersky was also a pre-eminent academician as well as a premium talmud-hakham, a shul rebbe and dynastic rebbe. His students are the leaders of my generation in the academic world. The conception of being a 'frum professor' was made possible by Rav Twersky. He may even have been the first.
I am going to be in Harvard for the last days of Sukkot and I am cowed by what condition I expect the community to be in. I also feel sorry for Rav Twersky's aveilim (mourners). The Jewish mourning practices contain a proper wisdom in the necessity for both an intense mourning period that gradually lessens over time in stages (1 day - 7 days - 30 days - 11 months).
However, an intervening yom-tov will obviate the rest of shiva (7 days) by counting as 7 full days of mourning. Since the burial was on Monday, the family will be able to mourn Tuesday and Wednesday before Sukkot starts. Then they will lose 7 days because of the 1st day of chag, then 6 more days of Sukkot when they cannot mourn, then another 7 days for Shmini Atzeret, then 1 day for Simchat Torah. By the time the holidays end, the family will have only 8 days left to even mourn for sheloshim.
I recognize that there is still wisdom in this system, but since I have not seen how it works out, I find that I still extend extra sympathy.
YOM KIPPUR IN OLD NASSAU
I had a blast at Princeton for Yom Kippur. YK has always been very good at school, but I had never really been able to 'enjoy' it (i.e. use the well-run and well behaved services for good use in personal repentance)
since I would normally have been gabbai-ing at the time. This time I was the guest "rebbe" and it meant I needed to concentrate on my speeches etc, but it was less minute-by-minute hassle.
[Next paragraph had too many personal names/connections, so the whole paragraph has been redacted]
I gave two drashot, Kol Nidrei and Neila, as well as a shiur on Friday night. (STANDARD PROMISE, PAY NO HEED) If I get my act together I'll write up my comments. The shiur, on the Book of Jonah, I thought was so kick-butt that I may try and write that baby up for a journal somewhere (maybe I'll get it printed in a couple o'years after I submit it, see above). [Historical note, as of 2013 none of this has happened, sigh]
What made YK even extra cool was the surprise appearance of an all-star cast of alums. First there was my brother [name redacted] who knows a good service when he sees it. But along for the ride was [name redacted] who was representing the Medallin Cartel, wait, no, uh, right, A. D. Little in a job fair on Friday afternoon and swung YK with us. Even more fortuitous was the appearance of [name redacted] who I hadn't seen for a heckuva long time.
It was a very easy fast (love Joy's cookin') and my legendary allergies were surprisingly docile. I think this confirms that I am just allergic to Washington Heights. After YK, Saturday night, I took the opportunity
of great weather to wander around campus and dig up the ol' nostalgia roots.
Whoa Baby did I ever. I was being smacked with high intensity nostalgia rays all night. I wandered around Mathey and the Grad College trying to reminisce and maybe slay a few demons (no such luck although I did injure a squirrel). Since the trip was getting to intense (flashbacks to Tet, Jimi Hendrix wailing in my subconscious) I decided to spend it as a characteristic Princeton evening: I made a 'Wa run for Herr's cheese
popcorn.
They changed the layout in the 'Wa dudes! I was so confused I almost walked out with some spaghetti-Os cuz, hey, when yer used to buying things in yer sleep you trust your memory of the store layout over any physical appearances (and you certainly can't go by smell in the Wa).
They expanded the deli counter (that night's special: the Fried-Lard Cheesecake Burger. On a taco) and relocated the Mac machine. Heathens!
I stayed till the next day in order to have a Yavneh Sunday: davening at 8:30, waiting around till 11:30 in a ravenous torpor, gorging on brunch, and then plundering the Princeton Record Exchange's trove of $3.99 CDs (that last part is my own variation).
[personal data redacted]
Have fun shakin' the lulav!
Styx :]
[Posted Oct 17, 2013]
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