Has anyone else every struggled with the meaning of the end of Perek Ches of Tanya...
It explains that "Chachmos Umos Haolam" is far worse a Tumah than Devarim Betalim, etc. Other things contaminate only a person's Midos while this affects a person's Chabad.
I mean I could understand how learning about evolution or Greek Mythology might contaminate you. But what can be wrong with a innocent Limudei Chol? How can Science, History, and Psychology contaminate you that badly? (Let's leave learning how to read, write, and do basic math out of this discussion...)
Feel free to argue with the following:
Observe the differences between children that have learned Limudei Chol versus those that haven't. Putting all other factors aside, you can't help but notice the following: There is a certain beautiful Peshitus to a Cheder Child. No, I'm not refering to there being naive. I'm not talking about there not knowing who JFK was or how many states are in the USA. I'm talking about something much deeper.
Without Limudei Chol Elokus is BePshitus. Learning encounters no obstacles. Chassidshe ideas doesnt battle modern thought. Life can be lived on just one track.
A simple example: Mivtzoim. A bochur who never learned Limudei Chol can offer his 'Schora' without any apologetics or defensive statements. There is little embarrassment. There is no self-consciousness. There is purity.
Walking into an office of esteemed law firm is not scary at all. Asking a CEO to put on Tefilin comes as easy asking the Shoe-Shine boy do it. The 'velt' is not intimidating because the 'velt' has never been digested by him. Elokus bePshitus. Olamos Be'Hischadhus.
Limudei Chol brings about a differant pair of glasses. A prescription in which things must make sense. Parnasa=education. truth=logic science=fact The world becomes normal. We become crazy.
Sure, I'll still walk into the lawyers office on Mivtzoim. Only now I'm thinking to myself "this guy thinks I'm nuts..." Sure, I'll still celebrate Rosh Chodesh Kislev. Only now, I think to myself, "Does this Yom Tov really make a difference to us in 3 Tammuz times? Sure, I'll still learn Rambam. But I'll wonder how this fits with what I learned in science about spontenous generation.
Chassidshe feelings can still be there. But they'll have to be imposed on top of Veltshe Hanachos.
The pair of glasses...the prescription...the Chabad Sh'Binefesh has been tainted...
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11 comments:
k this is neat
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i agree
wow. u'r posts are all really incredible. i finish each one amazed and totaly in agreement. you write very well (even with your spelling mistakes!) and it's always so clear and enjoyable.
u pinpointed something very close to me. lately i've been starting to feel quite self-concious about Mivtzoim, Chitas on the train etc., and although it's not so much relevant to the learning chol/kodesh topic you wrote about, it clarified in me something very deep, - that bec. i'm so much more into the velt now(as i work in an office in the city), that's why suddenly i'm having such issues whereas in high school, where (although we learned chol) we were on a 'chassidishe high' and into the kodesh part of our learning, so i didnt have this struggle i have now.
there are actually, many sources where the Rebbe speaks about the importance of learning only kodesh - even for girls, at least until the age of 9. i think Detroit had a school like that for younger girls, i'm not sure, i dont know if it even still exists (if it did ever!) and in ch there is one.
I really appreciate hearing your feedback... Please pass on the site to others.
Chaya, Very true - it's not strictly Limudei Chol that can have this affect but general contact and exposure with the Velt. It's amazing how I've seen this in my life...
And the reverse is true as well - it could be possible (though not likely) to learn Limudei Chol without absorbing the Velteshe Hanachos...
But in the post, I was focusing on trying to understand Pshat in Tanya..
And I'll apolpgize in advance for spelling/gramar mistakes. As much as I want to produce quality posts on a regular basis, I'll be honest and admit that I dont plan on spending a large amount of time on any given post as I dont want this blog to take over my life!
But in the future, a spellcheck probabably isnt a bad idea...
science, history and psychology present a goyishe philosophy in such a subtle way, and in such a 'logical' way that it's hard to reconcile Torah- which requires emunah
i strongly suggest everyone take classes which use the same logistics, but totally destroy the foundation of their theories..for ex. the big bang, if you think about it, has no explanation.
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