Interesting Posts and Articles #358

1) At the Seforim blog, Was Avraham a Lamdan?

Some time ago there was a discussion in cyberspace regarding whether the Avos kept all of the mitzvos. The discussion was started when a video on Youtube made fun of the idea, and a response to the video was published on the Hirhurim blog (here), as well as counter-response (here). I'd like to discuss some of the basic issues involved.

2) At Rationalist Judaism, Gedolim's edicts and Mishpacha.

"While we are not privy to all that's going on behind the scenes, we highly doubt the authenticity of this letter. Anyone who has ever attended a Yeshiva knows that a posek cannot and does not issue a ruling, much less a ban, unless he is presented with both sides of the story and carefully weighs the evidence before he issues a ruling. We know for a fact that this procedure was not followed in this case, since not one person from Mishpacha's Hebrew staff was summoned to Maran Rav Elyashiv's home to explain their side of the story."

It is a great (and funny) response. Read the post to see why.

3) At Kikar Shabbat, the following, in favor of forging Gedolim's signatures, from Rabbi Yitzchok Blumenthal:

"While it is true that it is forbidden to forge a signature, I absolutely maintain that we should not compare forging a signature on a private document like a promissory note with forging one for the purpose of helping the greater community. Forging private notes [even when justified] cannot be allowed because of the damage done thereby to the good and peace of the community. For that very same reason, forgery for the purpose of the peace of the community is appropriate and desirable."

Oy.

4) From the Rebbetzin's Husband, Wanted: An Experimental Yeshiva.

I was thinking about this the other day, when contemplating experiments yeshivot could perform in order to understand gemara better. Many passages of gemara rely on familiarity with physical realities we don't normally encounter, and these experiments would help us understand what the Rabbis were discussing.

5) Rav Soloveitchik speaks to Mental Health Professionals, 1978.


6) Rabbi Lazer Brody writes:

Is there hope for the autistic child? Eliahu HaNavi revealed a tikkun to a hidden tzaddik, the tzaddik revealed the tikkun to my beloved rabbi Rav Shalom Arush, and Rav Shalom revealed it to us. Read the whole Tikkun for Autism at Dr. Zev Ballen's Emuna Therapy blog.

An excerpt from that blogpost. After describing the tikkun:

There is an someone in our Yeshiva, Yeshiva Chute Shel Chesed, who has been following this procedure dutifully for 4 months and has seen an approximate 40% improvement in his autistic child. When Rav Arush told this to the hidden tzadik, the tzadik said that if this person will continue the Tikkun his child will be completely healed. 

Nevertheless, this is an extremely demanding procedure. It requires physical, emotional and spiritual preparation. Particularly one should not undertake to perform the tikkun when under pressure or strain. It is very important to do the tikkun with joy. If one is not able to do the tikkun with joy, it is better not to do it at that time. Do not underestimate the power of your regular hisbodidute to also bring about miracles.

Such shtuyot. Still, I suppose that there is some value, for the parents to think that they can do something for their child to help them in their condition. And it is not like they are using this as a replacement for what would typically be done for the child.

7) Here on parshablog, check out posts so far for parashas Yisro.