Comments for Scorchin Torah and Strange Thoughts http://scorchintorah.com Just another WordPress.com weblog Tue, 29 May 2012 17:17:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ Comment on About Avi Weinstein by Jesse http://scorchintorah.com/about/#comment-354 Tue, 29 May 2012 17:17:46 +0000 #comment-354 Ok thanks very much for your help.

]]> Comment on About Avi Weinstein by aviweinstein http://scorchintorah.com/about/#comment-353 Tue, 29 May 2012 15:34:52 +0000 #comment-353 The traditional volume of Sharre Orah is available in Sefarim stores, but you’ll find that the translation is so much longer that the pages don’t have much in common. Still. you should be able to narrow it down by zeroing in on the chapter that is being quoted and then estimating where in the chapter the quotation is from.

]]> Comment on About Avi Weinstein by Jesse http://scorchintorah.com/about/#comment-346 Thu, 17 May 2012 17:49:13 +0000 #comment-346 Hi Rabbi Weinstein

I’m learning from your translation of Sha’are Orah (which I find very helpful, thank you). I’m looking to find the original folio page numbers for the text though because I find them referenced in commentaries of other works in this way. Any help would be most appreciated.

Best wishes

Jesse

]]> Comment on When the Rabbi Lacks that “Je ne sais quoi” by aviweinstein http://scorchintorah.com/2012/05/08/when-the-rabbi-lacks-that-je-ne-sais-quoi/#comment-345 Tue, 08 May 2012 20:02:56 +0000 http://scorchintorah.com/?p=746#comment-345 I know. I call it the YCD syndrome. Younger, cheaper and dumber.

]]> Comment on When the Rabbi Lacks that “Je ne sais quoi” by Steve Kerbel http://scorchintorah.com/2012/05/08/when-the-rabbi-lacks-that-je-ne-sais-quoi/#comment-344 Tue, 08 May 2012 18:35:23 +0000 http://scorchintorah.com/?p=746#comment-344 Rav Avi,
I have been thinking deeply on this for a while, because there is a similar trickle down for all Jewish professionals now; in Federations, Schools, congregations, all over. I wrote to someone this week that in the Jewish community, 50 is the new 65. I have seen numerous colleagues lately had their positions advertised out from under them in favor of the anthem of change, or innovation (or whatever the next shiny object is labeled), as if someone with experience and wisdom can’t also affect change and offer leadership in the proper supportive environment. There is an ageism afflicting out national community (I sit on a national board of educators, so I do see a larger-than-local wave) and it isn’t only directed at Rabbis.

We have a lot of work to do, l’shem shamayim. Kol HaKavod.

]]> Comment on Lenny Bruce Would Not Understand Vanessa Hidary, and nor do I? by moon glough http://scorchintorah.com/2009/05/05/lenny-bruce-would-not-understand-vanessa-hidary-and-nor-do-i/#comment-246 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:05:40 +0000 http://scorchintorah.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/lenny-bruce-would-not-understand-vanessa-hidary-and-nor-do-i#comment-246 i agree with anonymous. the rabbi seems to living in a cultural cocoon.

]]> Comment on About Avi Weinstein by aviweinstein http://scorchintorah.com/about/#comment-244 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:57:36 +0000 #comment-244 Well Alex,
Welcome to scorchintorah! Y’all come back now!

]]> Comment on About Avi Weinstein by Alex Sagan http://scorchintorah.com/about/#comment-243 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:26:52 +0000 #comment-243 hi avi.

would you believe i found your blog by chance while googling to discern the fine points of b’shalom versus b’vracha?! you were the top hit.

kol tuv,

alex sagan

]]> Comment on Half Shabbat Data: This Just In by Benjamin E. http://scorchintorah.com/2011/06/29/half-shabbat-data-this-just-in/#comment-242 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 03:25:03 +0000 http://scorchintorah.com/?p=515#comment-242 I feel like to the extent it signals a crisis, it’s the result of Shabbos these days being so completely and primarily defined as “no electricity.” With that as the overriding experience of Shabbat, I can completely see how teenagers would be unable to frame texting as anything other than an incomplete form of Shabbat observance. I think R. Klapper’s got a very good point….

]]> Comment on Yaakov Herzog, Arnold Toynbee, and Balam by Martin Fogel http://scorchintorah.com/2011/07/07/yaakov-herzog-arnold-toynbee-and-balam/#comment-241 Sat, 09 Jul 2011 00:16:39 +0000 http://scorchintorah.com/?p=518#comment-241 Hi Rabbi Weinstein,

The question you asked about G-d’s permission is quite famous, the Vilna Gaon, among others, deals with it. His answer depends on a very precise look at the Hebrew, and centers on the difference in meaning between עם and את.

The word עם denotes being “with” not just in physical proximity to, but in spiritual or intellectual proximity. That is agreeing with and joining in with their goals. That is why nation is עם – a group of people who share the same goal not just the same location. The word את on the other hand just means in physical proximity.

Examine the verses. Verse 12 G-d says do not go with them (עמהם) i.e., do not join in their goal. Verse 20 , if they came to greet you go with them (אתם) that is you can accompany them physically, but do not join in their goal. Verse 21 Bilaam goes with them (עם), he joins and shares their goal. This is precisely what G-d told him not to do. Hence G-d’s anger at Bilaams direct disobedience.

I heard this from Rabbi Yisrael Reisman. Enjoy your posts and enjoyed your classes at the WebYeshiva. Gut voch

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