Tikkun HaOlam

Tikun Haolam is what the Reform use to excuse every time they r”l repeal a portion of the Torah that no longer fits into contemporary Western values.

You are mistaken. It doesn’t say that “we should be tikkun haolam.” Its only a reason for several Takanos derabanan. They used this reason where they saw fit. We do not learn things from the reason of takanos, only the takanah itself applies to us.

While it is true that Tikun Olam is an idea that the Rabbis used to institute several decrees where they saw fit, I think we can learn something from it. We can learn that it is important for us to make sure that whatever we do to follow our G-d and the Torah, we cannot use it as an excuse to degrade anything else in the world.

There are several others, such as allowing a woman to remarry based on a single witness.

Charlie,

Tikun olam as referred to in maseches gittin has nothing at all to do with the krumkeiten of the reform. And much more to do with what it says in Alenu and preserving yidden. Not preserving manatees, nor tearing down jewish companies. Nothing of the sort that the reform and others who want nothing to do with the Torah would describe as “Tikun Olam”.

In fact the items included in the mishna is in direct opposition of how the Reforma and their ilk define tikun olom.

Marish is takanas hashavim, not necessarily tikkun olam.

You are correct (BK 94-95). Thank you.

And the Tikkun Olam in Pruzbul was not to save lenders. It was to make funds available for borrowers in pre-shemita years. If lenders can’t collect, they won’t lend in the first place.

“There is nothing radical in the holy words of chazal.”

To the contrary, there is EVERYTHING radical in the holy words of Chazal compared to almost every society in the world. Communal authorities were obligated to provide education, food, and health care for those who cannot afford it, and also to maintain public works. Women and slaves are to be treated as humans, not as chattel. A system of government is set up that is not biased towards the wealthy and powerful. And the rabbis themselves can make changes in the rules — the “Tikun HaOlam” in Gittin — when the rules are creating injustice. Some of this is directly from the Torah, but some are rabbinic decrees such as the mandate for schools from the time of Ben Gamla.

“Anyone who fiddles with chazal is radical.”

I was not fiddling, chas v’shalom.

“Tikun olam as referred to in maseches gittin has nothing at all to do with the krumkeiten of the reform.”

I didn’t say that it did! The Reform movement fails to appreciate the beauty and power of the Torah She Bal Peh and one of the best manifestations of these are those examples in Gittin.

“Who says that (Rabbi?) Dr. Hall was saying anything about reform?”

For the record, I am not a rabbi, but I did earn a Ph.D. The OP didn’t mention Reform. With their misuse of the term, we can forget that it was Chazal who first referred to “Tikun HaOlam”.

I just heard a Pierkei Avos shiur on Shabbos. The speaker said it means changing your immediate surroundings by making sure you conduct yourself properly (practice what you preach). If people see you conduct in the Torahdige manner, they will flock to you like a magnet!

Rav Elyashev shlita somehow tied in “tikun ha’olam” to allow reporting abuse when there is “raglayim la’davar”. Does anyone know how tikun ha’olam figures into this teshuva? (That also might go a long way in explaining what tikun ha’olam means.)