Reply To: What Yidden do on December 25th

Thank you, RT.

Those who disagree with the status quo are often attacked here, especially by the likes of Popa, who at least has the honesty and self-awareness to call himself “incorrigible.”

And Popa, having an opinion other than yours does not constitute am haratzus. Rabbi Norman Lamm called people like you “cavemen.” Ad hominem attacks on either side serve no toeles, and I am against personal attacks. Remember: Eleanor Roosevelt said that small minds discuss people, but great minds discuss ideas. I would hope to be able to take this to heart and keep my postings and real-life conversations focused more on ideas than petty gossip and lashon hara, which is not manly, nor constructive.

And regarding French. Knowing French helps when it comes to coming across “laz” comments that Rashi and Tosafot make in many different places. In the same spirit, I would like to learn Ladino, since many Ladino references are in the Shulchan Aruch (even knowing gastronomy helps learning halakha, like when the ShA talks about pashtida, a dish still made in the Near East and Maghreb), and Meam Loez is a Ladino work. Likewise, knowing Yiddish would be helpful in decoding Chassidus, and knowing Arabic would help me with some works of Rishonim. And German would help with Rav Hirsch and also academic texts.