Re: What Jewish brains are good for

Don Levey <Don_SCJM@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
Micha Berger wrote:
Don Levey <Don_SCJM@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Micha Berger wrote:

But if the law is divine, we can punt on the change by trusting His
assurance that it exists and is a positive one. Then, when we notice
it happening, we can assess that change ourselves.

But my point is that while *a* change will occur, are you suggesting
that any change resulting from a meaning we humans attach to the Divine
Law would be the/a correct one?

I thought we're talking about change in the self caused by obeying
the law. Why is that necessarily tied to what we think the law is
about? It could be enhanced by such thoughts, but need not be.

Ah, here's part of our misunderstanding. The internal change I was
discussing was the result of assuming a certain meaning for the act
itself. For example, Moshe cited the 8 days of Chanukah as
(potentially) representing the days of creation, plus either the
pre-creation state or the current state.

Close, in the second hypothesis, the eigth day represents the
Future World.

If the transformation occurs because of committing the act *itself*,
regardless of any assigned meaning, I would argue that for the purposes
of this discussion that could be grouped with the effects of the act
itself. That is, it is not dependent upon any human-devised meaning
assigned to the act.

I'm not tha sure about the need for some "transformation". IIRC,
_you_ Don entered that into the discussion. While it may happen, if
it does, it's "gravy".

(I'm reminded of that scene in The Karate Kid where Daniel LaRusso finally
realized that Mr Miyagi wasn't simply using him as free labor, but was
teaching him Karate the way he himself learned -- by applying everyday
activities to a discipline. "Wax on, wax off." <g>)

Near and dear to my heart for a number of reasons, not the least of
which is that my elder son (and I) are both studying martial arts now.

As the verse in Exodus goes, G-d offered us the Torah and the Jewish
People responded, "We will do and we will hear". Doing comes first.

Understood. Additionally, part of what I'm saying is that if the law
*is* of directly Divine origin how much more meaning is needed?

Well, one would think He isn't being arbitrary, and therefore there is a
point to all that.

Sure, but I am assuming that almost by definition we would be unable to
understand it (or, at the least, that our understanding it isn't
necessary). I've been approaching the human-made hypotheses for these
laws. Again, to look at the Chanukah example, we can talk all day about
how the individual days might represent stages of creation, or days from
birth to Brit Milah, or a whole host of other things, but these all seem
to be human-devised guesses that seem to have little purpose beyond a
salve to our psyches.

That phrase "salve to our psyches" sounds like a put-down. I see it
as making us even more aware of G-d's Greatness and the Infinity of
the Torah.

As a parent, I have to ask: whatever happened to "because I said so"?

I said, many times. that our _basic_ reason for any mitzvah is
"because I said so". (Which is why Joel claims we left our brains
at the synagogue door).

All the rest is not "why" we do it, but gives us greater understanding
and meaning _when_ we do it "because I said so". Which is why I
called this thread "What Jewish brains are good for".

--
Moshe Schorr
It is a tremendous Mitzvah to always be happy! - Reb Nachman of Breslov
The home and family are the center of Judaism, *not* the synagogue.
May Eliezer Mordichai b. Chaya Sheina Rochel have a refuah shlaimah
btoch sha'ar cholei Yisroel.
Disclaimer: Nothing here necessarily reflects the opinion of Hebrew University
.

Relevant Pages

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