Q&A: Passover and Miscellaneous Questions
Passover and Miscellaneous Questions
Question
Hello Rabbi Michi, how are you?
In two days I have the psychometric exam, I’m excited!
My questions are these:
1. How can one study Jewish law in depth besides the Biur Halakha / Shulchan Arukh with the commentaries? Do you maybe have some responsa that you would recommend?
2. In your opinion, is there any point in studying ethics books like Mesillat Yesharim, Orchot Tzaddikim, etc.? Or is it better to focus on one tractate?
3. You said that studying the Bible is unnecessary because you can extract anything from it anyway (still, these are the words of the living God—at least the Torah), so it doesn’t really say anything. Don’t you think the same applies to Maimonides as well? I’ve seen several places where he contradicts himself, and in my opinion it’s hard to derive a clear and unequivocal view from him.
And he also has some somewhat radical interpreters (like Professor Shalom Tzadik), so that you can easily derive from the Guide claims against providence (active providence at least), or that the creation of the world is a metaphor, etc. (Should I bring sources?)
4. Is there a halakhic prohibition against preachers taking money for their sermons? Or against paid Torah classes?
5. Do you have any idea when the concept of hishtadlut was invented?
6. What does the curriculum at the institute in the university look like?
7. If, for example, a person did the whole Seder, but reclined on his right side, does he have to do the Seder all over again?
8. I never understood Rabban Gamliel’s statement in the Haggadah: “In every generation a person is obligated to see himself as if he left Egypt.” And if I don’t? Then what? It’s hard for me to accept such an obligation because it feels binary—either you do or you don’t.
Thank you for your time!
Answer
Good luck.
It seems to me I already commented to you about piling different questions into one thread. It isn’t efficient, and I’m asking again not to do that. Technical questions about study programs and the like are better looked up online.
1. There’s no point in studying Jewish law through responsa. You invest a huge amount of time in a side question. You won’t reach halakhic knowledge that way.
2. I didn’t understand the question. There are two here. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t see great value in those books, but each person according to his own taste and inclinations. As for how many tractates to study, that depends on time, skill, and goals.
3. No. There is room for several interpretations even in Jewish law, but that doesn’t mean the learning is worthless. You definitely learn new things all the time. If you’re talking about books of Jewish thought (it seems to me Tzadik deals with his philosophical writings and not with Jewish law), that depends on your taste.
4. Strictly speaking, yes, but the common practice is to be lenient. Compensation for lost work time may be taken.
5. No.
6. Blonde with blue eyes. If you want to get to know her better, look on the institute’s website.
7. It has been ruled that a right-handed person who reclined to the right has not fulfilled the obligation. A left-handed person who reclined to the right has fulfilled it.
8. If not, then you haven’t fulfilled the obligation. That’s what Rabban Gamliel is saying.
Thank you for your time!