tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2538613956927732696.post396506598357531909..comments2022-01-23T05:55:29.695-08:00Comments on Torah Over Easy - Insights into the Weekly Parashah: Karate Kid Kedushah - Reflections on Parashat Kedoshim 5776Torah Over Easyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17276727685158404418noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2538613956927732696.post-74833506508982734902016-05-12T15:38:07.710-07:002016-05-12T15:38:07.710-07:005/12/2106
Hi Rabbi,
As always, I enjoyed contemp...5/12/2106<br />Hi Rabbi, <br /><br />As always, I enjoyed contemplating your blog, Parshat Kidoshim 5776 (and the Karate Kid). <br /><br />You’re probably the first person ever to synthesize the Parshat via trombone, a genuine innovation in thought and analysis! <br /><br />I find it a new and interesting notion that the Ten Statements #1-5 are thoroughly interconnected. I was aware of the Gd-related significance of the five but never really thought of them as interconnected (BECAUSE ‘I am Hashem, your Gd’ you shall not… with each Statement dependent on the earlier and not simply as related but otherwise isolated mitzvah). <br /><br />I admire your perspective, that we’ve been ‘hard at it’ (steadily and steadfastly working toward Tikkun Olam). Sadly, it’s not clear to me that ‘we’ as a society are (or, I should put in the ‘positive’: It’s all too clear to me that ‘we’ as a society are not) working hard at it - after all, the rich grow ever richer and the poor ever poorer. The ‘we’ to which you refer is, as I see it, fellows like yourself, who are immersed in the study of and actively engaged in the pursuit of Tikkun Olam. I think there are far too few engaged in those pursuits. <br /><br />Rav Kook’s reaction to his critics is just as the Amidah instructs… ‘to those who curse me, let my soul be silent’. Why expend (waste) energy on those who all-too-likely are deaf and blind and close-minded to any defense one might possibly proffer. I just wonder if those deaf/blind/unthinking are a few, or are many, or are the overwhelming majority. I like to think that the overwhelming majority is just thoughtless and inattentive rather than malicious and malignant. <br /><br />Sadly, I think the ‘bad guys’ prevail all too often, even mostly, at least in this world (again, as evidenced by the rising tide of income and wealth inequality). But I still hold out hope for genuine justice (that is, ultimate ‘fairness’) in Olam Ha-ba. <br /><br />I was not aware of that intractable thorn at your side. I don’t as much blame the defamer (though I do) as I fault all those who listen to and, far worse, act on the defamation. I’ve had a bit of that myself in years past, but thankfully not so malignant or effective. I think your reaction is correct, it’s pretty much what I’d done (though more out of awareness that any protests and denials I might articulate would fall on deaf ears anyway but, thankfully, most of those with whom I did business did not lend any credence to those gossipmongers and defamers). It’s astounding that anyone takes such talk seriously – we, as Jews, have been assailed over the ages countless times by such egregious behavior (the ‘blood libels’ are an example – libeling us in direct contradiction of our most cherished values). <br /><br />In the lay business literature one common theme is, essentially, ‘woe to anyone who thinks he could rise above the malice’ (referring to office politics). I always thought that was a foolish and thoughtless – and pointlessly counterproductive – perspective. 'Rising above' seems the only rational reaction. <br /><br />Thank you for your insights!<br /><br />Best regards, <br /><br />Rony. rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08582469004658035533noreply@blogger.com