Notes from the Underground

1) The Sefas Emes (Emor 5632) asks: we learn in Pirkei Avos that one who is mekabeil ol Torah "ma'avirin mimenu ol derech eretz," implying that derech eretz is a burden to be gotten rid of. Yet on the other hand, we also learn in Pirkei Avos that "yafeh talmud Torah im derech eretz," that talmud Torah needs to be done in concert with derech eretz.  So which is it?  

I would have said that there is a difference between "ol derech eretz," and "derech eretz."  Some people are blessed (so I've heard : ) with jobs or secular interests that are enjoyable and give them a feeling or productivity; sometimes it is just a burden and a drain.  

The Sefas Emes draws a more interesting distinction between ol Torah and talmud Torah.  The letter is about the accumulation of knowledge; the latter is about accepting the limits of our knowledge.  Take a look.

2) The  gemara (Meg 31) writes that we have to read the tochacha in P Bechukosai before the end of the year (Shavuos is rosh hashana for new fruit) so that "tacheil shanah v'k'liloseha," that the kelalos of the year should come to an end.  How exactly does reading a parsha in chumash accomplish that?  If it was that easy then we should read a parsha about mageifa and bring Corona to an end!

Vanitzak el Hashem...vayishma Hashem es koleinu, va'yar es onyeinu.  Wasn't Hashem aware of our suffering in Mitzrayim before we cried out to him?  The Kozhiglover explains that there are two types of yisrurim.  There are yisurim we suffer because of hester panim -- Hashem kavyachol turns away and whatever our fate is b'derech ha'teva, that's what we get.  Those yisurim do not fully expiate aveiros.  There is another class of yisurim that we get not because of hester panim, but to the contrary, because Hashem is the one bringing the yisurim.  Those yisurim are a kaparah.  In galus Mitzrayim it was our davening to Hashem that transformed the yisurim of hester panim, yisurim because Hashem was ignoring us kavyachol, into "va'yar es onyeniunu," yisurim that were deliberately directed by Him, and therefore, an agent that lead to our kaparah and geulah.

If we think everything is b'derech mikreh,  without rhyme or reason, then there is no kaparah.   But if we read a parsha of tochacha and remind ourselves that that yisurim come because there is a Divine plan, that they are sent to wake us up and bring kaparah, then ultimately those yisurim will come to an end.

3) Your article of the day: Wired collects the data and makes the argument that schools should be open.  They quote one of the authors of a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine as saying, “What is interesting,” he continued, “is that even if children do get infected, they are less likely to transmit the disease to others than adults. We have not found a single instance of a child infecting parents.”