Comments on: Degrees of Separation: A Farewell to Yeshiva College http://www.kolhamevaser.com/2010/07/degrees-of-separation-a-farewell-to-yeshiva-college/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=degrees-of-separation-a-farewell-to-yeshiva-college The Jewish Thought Magazine of the Yeshiva University Student Body Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:08:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: ronaldeddy http://www.kolhamevaser.com/2010/07/degrees-of-separation-a-farewell-to-yeshiva-college/#comment-74471 ronaldeddy Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:19:15 +0000 http://www.kolhamevaser.com/?p=118#comment-74471 Yeshiva College known for Torah and the Truth of tradition. Yeshiva College known for Torah and the Truth of tradition.

]]> By: rejewvenator http://www.kolhamevaser.com/2010/07/degrees-of-separation-a-farewell-to-yeshiva-college/#comment-74469 rejewvenator Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:08:07 +0000 http://www.kolhamevaser.com/?p=118#comment-74469 I agree with your description of Adam the First and your comparison with Spiritual Man, though your description is itself contradictory (is the reason that the deeds are important the deeds themselves, or the fact that they connect you to something greater than yourself? You seem to want it both ways...) Where I sharply differ with you is your assertion that the academic world is the world of Adam the First, but the Beit Midrash is the world of Spiritual Man. Many academics enter the academy precisely because they have a lishma connection to their field of study. There are rules within academia that quantify its essential qualities, but the same is true of halacha. Academics are in pursuit of Truth, just like students of Torah. We must acknowledge that neither pole of your dichomoty is ideal. The quest for quantity can never be satisfied because of Man's limits and limitations. However, living just for quality can become isolating and self-serving too. Like with all of Judaism's teachings on the matter, in this too we constantly move from one to the other - climbing the mountain to experience revelation, then coming down the mountain and teaching, categorizing, and organizing that revelation into laws. I agree with your description of Adam the First and your comparison with Spiritual Man, though your description is itself contradictory (is the reason that the deeds are important the deeds themselves, or the fact that they connect you to something greater than yourself? You seem to want it both ways…)

Where I sharply differ with you is your assertion that the academic world is the world of Adam the First, but the Beit Midrash is the world of Spiritual Man. Many academics enter the academy precisely because they have a lishma connection to their field of study. There are rules within academia that quantify its essential qualities, but the same is true of halacha. Academics are in pursuit of Truth, just like students of Torah.

We must acknowledge that neither pole of your dichomoty is ideal. The quest for quantity can never be satisfied because of Man’s limits and limitations. However, living just for quality can become isolating and self-serving too. Like with all of Judaism’s teachings on the matter, in this too we constantly move from one to the other – climbing the mountain to experience revelation, then coming down the mountain and teaching, categorizing, and organizing that revelation into laws.

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