Everything But Learning Torah Is Treif!

Even the C.R.??

(if yes what are you doing here?;])

So is this post. Do not eat!

Using the internet is assur!!

mods- point made, i too found it funny. but now it seems to be turning into taunting. is that muttar? can it close before it turns offensive and ppl start taking sides? please?

Not just that pasuk. His chevreh don’t like the rest of Tanach either.

theres nothing wrong with looking at tarfus just eating it

Naftush – perhaps part of the problem is that gedolim of old lived in an environment where leisure time was minimal if at all present, where hobbies were reserved for the rich, and where they weren’t asked to determine how their followers spent every last minute of their time.

As an aside, Some gedolim did have hobbies. My ancestor R’ Yom Tov Lipmann Heller the Tosfos Yom Tov we know was a posek, halachist, kabalist and wrote a magnificent commentary on the mishna. But most people do not know that he was a proficient astronomer and mathematician. He became well known for this over time and even drew the attention of non Jewish scientists.

The ralbag wrote books on astronomy and music theory as well. He has a crater on the moon named after him.

yichusdik: Did the Tosfos Yom Tov hold any academic positions as a mathematician? Several early acharonim held academic appointments in math and sciences.

Tell you what, Choppy. You do 1/4 the research on your ancestors as I have done on mine, including the Tosfos Yom Tov, and then you’ll have some standing to debate the issue with me. and besides, I didn’t say they weren’t used to advance Torah knowledge, only that they were not central pursuits of his, though they were interests – what can, in other words, be defined as a hobby.

Itchesrulik, not that I am aware of, though he did confer with Emperor Ferdinand and his scientists before he had a falling out and was imprisoned by Ferdinand.

It seems to be that most of the commenters here are less than 25yrs old, if that old.

Recreation, leisure and hobbies is and was always part of Avodas Hashem. Music from the time of the LEVIIM, running and jogging from Naftali and his tribe and boating, sailing from Zevulun crowd. Seriously our many gedolim were music composers, artists and poets. Isnt that leisure and recreation? As one who spend a few summers in camp bais yakov in ferndale, new york in the late 1970s (I know your grandparents werent even married then..LOL), the fierce daily and weekly RACKET BALL games that Rav Nisson Alpert ztk”L played against other Rabbonim (most still alive & physically fit)was super amazing, enjoyable and competitive. They all owned a good pair of sneakers and T shirts.

In Eretz Yisroel it is frequent for Rabbanim, Talmedei Chochamin to partake in heavy-duty tiyulim, with climbing, jumping and ending in a swim. In Slabodka and Europe, swimming was the most enjoyed sport and CHESS was played daily among talmidim and teachers. Have you see the pics of all the REBBE’s playing violin at hadlakos neiros? Woodworkcrafts (building shtenders, seferim shelves), silver smiths, and designing artistic windows for shuls was a hobby and parnassa. Horsebackriding, carriage treks were a knowledge of most. The interests (carpentry, silver designs, chess, swimming, horseriding) change with the times. Now it is basketball, tennis, keyboards & drums, jogging marathons, suduki, crossword puzzles & riddles, Settler & Card games.

Stop fooling yourselves and rewriting history into 24/7 sitting and shteiging. Its a new phenomenom, created just recently. There are yichidim who are dedicated to 24/7 schedule and they should be admired BUT not copied by others. Hashem gave us life, health, happiness and tremendous opportunities to find avenues to be an Aved Hashem through the physical, spiritual, emotional and artistic avenues. Find yours and excel.