The Jew Vs. The World
How Much Do We Compromise? How Much Do We Resist?
- November 15, 2010
- |
- 8 Kislev 5771
Rabbi YY Jacobson
1583 views- 5Comment
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Dedicated by David and Eda SchottensteinIn the loving memory of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak ben Zalman Yuda Deitch and Alta Shula Swerdlov And in honor of Yetta Alta Shula, "Aliyah," Schottenstein
Class Summary:
We find contradicting perspectives on Jacob’s approach. Sometimes the Midrash and commentators seem to criticize Jacob for displaying subservience to Esau, going so far as to say that “Jacob awakened a sleeping robber,” and that it was his display of subservience that actually empowered Esau. After twenty years of working for Laban, Jacob begins his journey home, and now must confront the brother that he fled from so many years ago, Esau. Jacob chooses to initiate the meeting, and reaches out to Esau, sending messengers to ask for his favor and forgiveness. He also prepares an elaborate gift of herd after herd of sheep, goats, cows, donkeys, and camels. Then when Esau approaches Jacob shows him respect and humility, actually bowing down seven times.
But other times we find that great Rabbis learned and emulated Jacob’s example in their own dealings with non-Jewish authorities. Indeed, in the time of the Second Temple, the Rabbis advocated surrender to the Romans and felt that it would have even prevented the destruction. How are we to reconcile this? And today, especially after the establishment of the State of Israel, the question is as relevant as ever: Do we compromise, or do we resist? Do we accommodate and adapt, or do we hold strong unflinchingly? Do we seek the favor of the world in which we live, or do we disregard its opinion? When do we surrender, and when do we rebel?
This class will navigate this fine line between self-assertiveness and self-effacement, and define clearly when a situation calls for one and when it calls for the exact other. We will travel through some of the most historic eras of Jewish history: the times of King Achaz, the prophet Achiya Hashiloni, Rabbi Judah the Prince, and Rabbi Yochan ben Zakkai. We will see the decisions that were made then, and then, in hindsight, discuss the results.
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Rabbi YY Jacobson
- November 15, 2010
- |
- 8 Kislev 5771
- |
- 1583 views
Dedicated by David and Eda SchottensteinIn the loving memory of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak ben Zalman Yuda Deitch and Alta Shula Swerdlov And in honor of Yetta Alta Shula, "Aliyah," Schottenstein
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Michale -12 years ago
The Rebbe views for this topic
Here is the link to the Lubavitcher Rebbe views for this subject adapted by Eliyahu Touger in the book http://www.chabad.org/libra... />
Also you can hear audios produced by Rabbi Nissan Dovid Dubov, director of Chabad Lubavitch in Wimbledon, UK, http://www.chabad.org/multi...
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Elisheva -12 years ago
Marvelous!
I've been feeling a persistent disconnection from Hashem of late, and this essay has given me hope and
direction.....thank you.
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shmuel -12 years ago
dont agree
i dont agree with you. i have been buying flowers every shabbos, spend every penny of my wife, tell her i love her all day, do everything possible to make her happy. wake up early on shabbos and buy the challas and the shopping before work. babysit my 3 kids at night so she can go out whenever she wants. buy her dinner almost every night cause she does not cook even though we have no money. give into to every one of her demands. and i still get treated like garbage and get put down and dont get realations. and daven to hashem every day to make her realize what she has in a husband for over 8 years already and everyday it gets worse. so i feel like my davening is in vain. there are times that a woman is so stubborn no matter what you do for her she will never love.
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Anonymous -12 years ago
Re: dont agree
Dear Shmuel,
I am very sorry to read your comment. It seems that this is a unique and unusual situation, where after all you do for your wife, as you describe it, you receive in return only negativity. It must be very painful and I am deeply sorry. The question is, are there some underlying issues that have never been addressed or dealt with?
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Dr.S -12 years ago
Re: dont agree
Dear Shmuel!
It was so much pain to read your comment. I'll daven for you and your family. I think you should re-read this brilliant essay again and again. As I understood from your message, you are trying to fill empty vessels without finding the cruse of oil and they remain empty " no matter what you do". I'll copy & paste lines from R.Jacobson work and from your comment in parenthesis to explain:
Do you love people or do you love gossip? Do you love truth or do you love addiction? Do you love depth or do you love superficiality? Do you love justice and righteousness or do you love instant gratification and crave the transient? ( do everything possible to make her happy.) Are you attracted to your soul or are you drawn to externality or even promiscuity? ( babysit my 3 kids at night so she can go out whenever she wants. buy her dinner almost every night cause she does not cook even though we have no money)
The two primary emotions, or children, are attraction and rejection, since every existing emotion is either a form of attraction or a form of rejection (6). ( and i still get treated like garbage and get put down and dont get realations)
If boredom is the desire for desires (as Tolstoy put it in Anna Karenina), this soul can be described as genuinely bored. ( give into to every one of her demands.)
May be your wife is bored with your attempts?
“I’d rather die of exhaustion than of boredom,” a wise man once remarked. Indeed, the death that comes from boredom and apathy could be extremely painful.
The soul of a human being has been compared to a woman—a wife of G-d, as it were (5).
Stop Blaming Your Wife
http://www.chabad.info/inde... "Your wife is a good woman, therefore, you are the one who doesn’t want a beard, and your wife does according to your will http://www.chabad.info/inde... http://www.chabad.info/inde... Reb Reuven Dunin explains it all in the http://chabad.info/index.ph... />
Beis Moshiach Magazine
14 Cheshvan 5772 (11.11.2011)
I wish you to find your empty cruse of oil, to bring not only relief into your family but comlete simcha and nashas from children. Any positive memories from 8 years been together? Start from there. Suggestion- involve people and/or professionals to help in your situation.
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goldie -12 years ago
Thanks
Dear Rabbi,
Thank you sooo much for giving this over!!
Gut Shabbos,
Goldie
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Sonia -13 years ago
music before class on Devarim
Is it possible to find out the name of the chorus that is singing before class "Devarim 5770 - Why Is Israel Scared of the Truth_" It is out of this world hope to get their CD...
Thanks so much!
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