tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20173285.post114796332158488510..comments2024-03-25T09:43:27.402-04:00Comments on Divrei Chaim: Bitachon, reward and punishment, and shmitaChaim B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02231811394447584320noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20173285.post-8141403720468173682007-09-11T09:07:00.000-04:002007-09-11T09:07:00.000-04:00It is ridiculous that Shmita brings huge income to...It is ridiculous that Shmita brings huge income to Israeli enemies in Gaza and the Palestinian territories. Whatever are the religious overtones, they cannot excuse purchases from HAMAS voters. What do you think of Obadiah Shoher interpretating Shmita as charity obligation rather than agricultural rule? (Here, for example http://samsonblinded.org/blog/shmita-year-is-about-charity-not-agriculture.htm ) Anyway, I'll better buy from atheist kibbutzim than from Gaza.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20173285.post-1148004392334476932006-05-18T22:06:00.000-04:002006-05-18T22:06:00.000-04:00Take the ochel and leave the p'soles!Take the ochel and leave the p'soles!Chaim B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02231811394447584320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20173285.post-1147988764177411962006-05-18T17:46:00.000-04:002006-05-18T17:46:00.000-04:00I started reading the Chovas Hatalmidim when I was...I started reading the Chovas Hatalmidim when I was a bochur - and was thoroughly enjoying it - until I came across that mashal he gives about the poor man and the flower. That was it. It depressed me for literally a week. I never picked it up again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20173285.post-1147983710615972632006-05-18T16:21:00.000-04:002006-05-18T16:21:00.000-04:00I wouldn't quite put it that way, but ain hachi na...I wouldn't quite put it that way, but ain hachi nami, chassidus without a rebbe doesn't exist. However, aside from a handful of seforim (e.g. nefesh hachaim, shiurei da'as, a few others), I find you cannot find meaningful machshava of the maharal variety without dipping into chassidus. Mussar tells you to be a good boy and threatens fire and brimstone, but does not offer a complete system of understanding man's relationship with G-d. Have you tried Hachsharas Avreichim by the Piecezna? Most people read Chovas haTalmidim, but that is just part 1 - Hachsharas Avreichim is the real stuff, chassidis 101, and not too much about rebbes in there, only spiritual growth.Chaim B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02231811394447584320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20173285.post-1147981701723427372006-05-18T15:48:00.000-04:002006-05-18T15:48:00.000-04:00The charges were not leveled at you.Call me a Cyni...The charges were not leveled at you.<BR/><BR/>Call me a Cynic, but read between the lines. A substantial portion of the corpus of Chassidishe Torah is contrived to foster the Tzaddik-Chassid relationship. This piece is no exception.<BR/><BR/>Don’t get me wrong – I get a tremendous geshmak out of a home-run B’nei Yissaschar (l’mashal). That being said, I’m not deluding myself. The drashos they gave, the chiddushim they came up with…these people were in the business of keeping themselves in business. <BR/><BR/>(Dodges lightning bolt)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20173285.post-1147979635911594112006-05-18T15:13:00.000-04:002006-05-18T15:13:00.000-04:00I hear your complaint but deny the charges. As far...I hear your complaint but deny the charges. As far as I recall, I have not posted any tzadik centric pieces, through the N.E. is filled with them. He does not write here that the madreiga of bitachon w/o kashes is limited to the tzadik - it is accessible to any true ba'al bitachon. I was just adding that my feeling personally is that this is a high goal to aim for. I could rewrite this whole piece and convince you it came from the Brisker Rav (OK, maybe not that far : ) - 2 levels of bitachon, a hesber of how schar v'onesh works, etc. This is classic machshava stuff, not chassidus particular. That's usually what I try to glean from seforim like the N.E., not fire and brimstone or devotion to tzadikim.Chaim B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02231811394447584320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20173285.post-1147973745878161692006-05-18T13:35:00.000-04:002006-05-18T13:35:00.000-04:00This is not surprising coming from the ba'al "Tzet...This is not surprising coming from the ba'al "Tzetel Hakaton". That thing will scare the pants off of you.<BR/><BR/>In general, there seems to be a recurrent theme running throughout all the chassideshe torah you are ma'aleh on this mizbeach hablog: "The highest madreigos are incredibly lofty, beyond the reach of an ordinary, illiterate chassid. That being said, each and every person is a) incredibly holy anyway, and/or b) is not at fault for not being able to attain those heights. Now (wink, wink) get in touch with a Tzaddik."<BR/><BR/>I don't consider myself an uber-rationalist, but at some point this has got to disturb you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com