thinkingjewish

“The Torah and the religion of Israel must be presented in the light of the most profound religious thought. Talmudic scholarship must be supplemented by careful study of the great Jewish thinkers, whether of the philosophical, ethical, or mystical traditions. Only thus can a point of departure be attained for a needed rejuvenation of religious thinking. Even the more recondite aspects of religious thought must be popularized, since naive theological conceptions are unacceptable even to the uneducated…Religious without sophistication is no longer viable”.

The Hasidic master, Rabbi Henoch of Alexander said: “The greatest exile is not to know that you are in exile”.

“For this matter of loving human beings is the love of G-d, may He be blessed, as well. For whoever loves the One loves all His handiwork that He has done. Therefore, when a person loves G-d, may He be blessed, it is impossible not to love His creatures; and if a person hates humans, it is impossible that he will love G-d, may He be blessed, who has created them. Likewise, the honoring of his fellow, who was created in the image of G-d, is considered to be the honoring of the Omnipresent”.

Maharal (R’ Judah Loew of Prague)

“Do you hear what they say in the heavenly academy? That to love your fellow Jew means to love the completely wicked just as you love the completely righteous”.

Chassidic master Rabbi DovBer, the Maggid of Mezeritch

R’ Nachman of Tulshin was asked: ‘Why do the Sages say that the minds of the learned (talmide chachamim) become more settled the older they become, and the minds of the ignorant become sillier and sillier with advancing age?’

‘Once, he answered, ‘I traveled abroad the wagon of a gentile driver who stopped at every tavern along the way to have a drink. We once passed the ruins of a one-time tavern. He halted, entered the broken-down building, and remained there for a long time. When he returned, I asked him, ‘All right! I can understand your wanting to visit a tavern for a drink, but why  did you go into the ruins?’

‘I went it’, said the driver, ‘to think about the old days, when this tavern was full of life, and to remember the first-class, strong whiskey they sold here’.

‘That story teaches us the difference between the wise talmidei chachamim and the ignorant. The ignorant waste their youth carousing and become addicted to following their desires. In old age, their bodies become ‘ruins’ and they cannot kick up their heels as thei did in the past. Then it is that they spend their time in fruitless longing. The wise, however in contrast, war against their desires while young, in order to serve Hashem. In old age, when the body is weak and the desires no longer have their former force, they are able to serve Hashem in peace an quiet; nothing troubles them”. (Avanecha Barzel 62)

“In seeking wisdom, the first step is silence, the second listening, the third remembering, the fourth practicing, the fifth teaching others”.

Rabbi Shlomo ibn Gabirol

“Seek what you need and give up what you do not need. For in giving up what you do not need, you will learn what you really do need”. 

Rabbi Shlomo ibn Gabirol

An interesting decision of one of the most enlightened Halacha authorities of our times.