העורך Editor

I can do no better than to quote HaRav Shimshon R’phael Hirsch z’l (Collected Writings Vol. IV, pp. 259-260, quoted in the foreword to the English translation): “Truly, the happiest hours of my youth were those I spent attempting to identify with the mood and train of thought of one of the Psalms, to seek out the original thought that first inspired its writing and to find the central idea around which it is built. It was pure delight for me to see the structure of the entire Psalm with all its details emerging as a living unit, as it were, around the basic concept that forms its core…. Indeed, we must never think we truly understand a Psalm as long as we can view it only as a series of loosely-jointed verses and not recreate it in our own mind as a unified, harmonious whole. It is our task to delve into the basic thought underlying each Psalm and to meditate about it as the singer himself must have contemplated before choosing the precise words and sentences in their particular sequence of thought and perception. We should then endeavour to understand every sentence, every word and every literary nuance as we come upon them, relate them to the thoughts we have thus discovered, and accept each and every word in the text not only as well-chosen but as genuinely true and vitally necessary for the proper understanding of the ideals expressed therein.” I doubt that anyone has ever better expressed and formulated the correct attitude and methodology regarding reading and studying this unique Book.

One of HaRav Hirsch’s most important works is his commentary on T’hilim, which exists in both Hebrew and English translations from the original German. The English translation is excellent. I highly recommend studying T’hilim with this perush; it is unique and illuminating.

See the rest on Machon Shilo, here.

He’s a poor liar!

More sophisticated rabbis are better at concealing what they know to be true on the subject of ascending Har Habayis (Kareis! Killing Jews! Not a Mitzvah! and so on).

See responsa “Rishon Letzion” Part 1, p. 51. Yes, he forbids, of course (what else could he say, in his position, and with his father?!) but the cards in his hands aren’t a blur, if you know what I mean.

I have no more time to write, but there are several other examples of this politician (oops, I meant rabbi’s) surprising unartfulness.

Yes, they were related, respected one another, and studied together. But the Steipler, it seems to me, did not accept the Chazon Ish as his general Rebbe. There is a well-known letter by the Chazon Ish addressed to the Steipler Illuy, chastising him for using an oath unnecessarily in writing. The Rishonim must have had specific reasons for doing so, occasionally.*And “Sahadei Bemeromim” is an oath.

And yet, “Iggros Ureshimos Kehillos Ya’akov” (Part 1, page 71) records another letter containing “Sahadei Bemeromim”, dated year 5732.

*Note: The Chazon Ish did not say “The Rishonim could, but we cannot“, as Rabbi Elyashiv “explained” his decision to ban books purportedly repeating the views of certain Rishonim on matters of faith, see here.

A: Have you ever heard of politicians changing anything for the better?!

Overheard.

I quote from English Wikipedia:

Voice of Peace (Hebrew: קול השלום‎, Kol HaShalom) was an offshore radio station that served the Middle East for 20 years from the former Dutch cargo vessel MV Peace (formally MV Cito), anchored off the Israeli coast on East Mediterranean. Founded by Abie Nathan and the New York-based Peace Ship Foundation, the station broadcast almost continuously between 19 May 1973 and November 1993. The station was relaunched but solely as an online station in August 2009… The aim of the Voice of Peace was to communicate peaceful co-existence to the volatile Middle East.

… The telephone forum chaired by Abie Nathan called “Kol Ha Lev” (Voice of the Heart) and then Ma La’asot? (?מה לעשות, “What to do?”) was the only uncensored direct public dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.

The Voice of Peace was tolerated by the Israeli Government, as Abie Nathan was a personality in the country; however, the IBA was alarmed at its popularity and set up a state-run pop service, Reshet Gimel, in May 1976. Nathan was imprisoned on several occasions for violating laws forbidding contact with enemy states and the PLO.

Nathan decided to intentionally sink the ship in international waters on November 28, 1993, after promises of a broadcast license and mooring in Jaffa port failed, and he closed the station due to heavy losses and following the signing of the Oslo peace accords, which he assumed was validation of the station’s mission.