Monday, February 9, 2009

Sammy's question


Hello Rabbi Sacks,

I know I have only been in your Sunday shiur for a short time now and maybe I am just supposed to see this as we go along; but can you explain to me what you're trying to teach/give over to us in your shiur? For example, it seems like R' Pesach is teaching/giving over method of analysis and halachik intuition....what are you doing?

Thanks,
Sammy

Dear Sammy,

Thanks for your excellent question. I am trying teach a method of using torah as a tool to investigate our own interaction with our environment. Another way of saying that would be to say a derech of living rationally. Yet a third way would be to say a derech based upon a true and real good as opposed to fantasy.

Do you agree these three are all the same thing, just said in different ways?

Anyone else who wants to comment, please feel free to do so.
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3 comments:

  1. SamFebruary 10, 2009 at 4:57 AM

    I can see how the last two are the same, but not "using torah as a tool to investigate our own interaction with our environment." What part of that is a derech of living rationally? Is it the investigation?
    I can investigate my life and find that I am entrenched in fantasies and still just live a life based on fantasy...no?
    If what you mean by derech is that it's supposed to lead you to that type of life, then can you elaborate on how using the torah as a tool of investigation helps put us on that derech?

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  2. Rabbi Jonathan SacksFebruary 10, 2009 at 2:16 PM

    The investigation should show the realistic steps needed to gain a good life. But since a "good life" is a unique phenomenon of species man it needs to be investigated to be known and chosen. It is kind of like a doctor. How can you know what to prescribe yourself, if you havent investigated what you are as an element of Creation?

    א רְשׁוּת כָּל אָדָם נְתוּנָה לוֹ: אִם רָצָה לְהַטּוֹת עַצְמוֹ לְדֶרֶךְ טוֹבָה וְלִהְיוֹת צַדִּיק, הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדוֹ; וְאִם רָצָה לְהַטּוֹת עַצְמוֹ לְדֶרֶךְ רָעָה וְלִהְיוֹת רָשָׁע, הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדוֹ. הוּא שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה "הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאֶחָד מִמֶּנּוּ, לָדַעַת, טוֹב וָרָע" (בראשית ג,כב)--כְּלוֹמַר הֵן מִין זֶה שֶׁלָּאָדָם הָיָה אֶחָד בָּעוֹלָם, וְאֵין לוֹ מִין שֵׁנִי דּוֹמֶה לוֹ בְּזֶה הָעִנְיָן, שֶׁיְּהֶא הוּא מֵעַצְמוֹ בְּדַעְתּוֹ וּבְמַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ יוֹדֵעַ הַטּוֹב וְהָרָע וְעוֹשֶׂה כָּל מַה שְׁהוּא חָפֵץ, וְאֵין לוֹ מִי שֶׁיְּעַכַּב עַל יָדוֹ מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת הַטּוֹב אוֹ הָרָע. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁכֵּן הוּא, "פֶּן-יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ"

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  3. SamFebruary 10, 2009 at 8:39 PM

    Got it, thanks.

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