CS

Nomesorah, thanks for that letter, I never learned that before. However it seems The Rebbe was negating the idea that Rashbi passed on as one of true 24,000 students, which of course wouldn’t make historical sense. However I always understood that Rashbi passed away on Lag Baomer many years later, which The Rebbe doesn’t address there- he simply leaves it open ended by calling it his day Of celebration- which can be a euphemism for passing, or not.

“this is a gut vort. One hiluk: when Rabonim from 50-200 years ago write about this, it is about people who are abandoning Torah in favor of secular culture and knowledge.We here are mostly discussing Torah-observant Yidden adding knowledge of science or professions. This is a different issue.”

You’re right. I forgot that part of the perek when I cited it- that if the reason the person is learning it is to understand Torah better/ or to make a parnassa to serve Hashem (whoops I forgot that part) like the Rambam and Ramban, then it’s ok.

“Just to ponder: when gemora says – ein Torah b’goyim aval yesh Chochma b’goyim, why do they put these 2 things nearby, and how do they know about Chochma b’goyim? learned it and compared with their own studies?”

Some studied for the reasons above, and some came across It for example R Yehoshua who debated the philosophers of Athens.

However, the one Talmid chacham we know of, who knew a tremendous amount of Torah, but sang Greek songs etc. meaning he was interested in the culture itself and didn’t use it as a means to an end… well that’s Acher.

Sam your post reminded me of the recent chof ches Nisan asifa/ farbrengen. All the farbrengens I’ve attended have been led by Chabad people, and this time the speaker list included people who were clearly not Chava as well. I was a bit skeptical but also curious and I listened and I was blown away. The best speaker with the most powerful message for me on the topic of moshiach (since most of the others weren’t new) was Charlie Harari. He gave a mashal with a very powerful punch for the nimshal but the point was are we gonna allow ourselves to be content with the yetzer hara offering us security and a plane ticket to EY, and some money?

We’re so close! But do we want a better golus or actual geula? The others were really amazing as well but I found his presentation had a punch to it. Really great

Whether the Israeli government is dysfunctional or not is irrelevant. If it’s not a Torah government (led by moshiach), it’sa tragedy. EY is not just another place Jew can live- it’s Eretz HaKodesh!! And if it’s not treated that way then you feel golus even more strongly there.

Avira- agreed. But stam goyim are not idol worshippers, and I remember learning that goyim are not commanded on lyachado and so shituf is ok by them. I’m very sorry that I couldn’t immediately find the source (pretty sure it’s Rambam), but maybe one of the learned posters could find it.

Ujm that’s questionable (for goyim) as many hold they’re allowed to believe in shituf (which c would fall under)

Nomesorah
“The Rebbe was adamant that lag baomer was not the day rashbi died. ”

Source?

To the last few posters, some of you are reading half the sentence and others are dismissing. I was just quoting Tanya likkutei amarim, end of perek 8. Feel free to look it up.

AAQ
“Btw, Chofetz Chaim says that, yes, children in our times (1920s) are upset when parents tell them something, but Eliahu will come soon and will explain to children that parents have their best interest in mind and they’ll love their parents for their direction.”

I was never upset at my parents for what they told me- I just wanted to learn more to see if they were right/ make it my own.

Btw The Rebbes explanation on the above Gemara (in sotah right?) is that we can fulfill it in the positive- children will be chutzpadik by urging their parents to do more Torah and mitzvos than they were doing already, and that’s also what Rashi means when he writes “vheishiv lev avos Al bonim- Al yidei bonim.”

Yes The Rebbe didn’t say most goyim… check the quote.

I just looked up the notes to perek Aleph Tanya- where The Rebbe notes. It’sa bit different than what I wrote so here it is:

“When a Jew acts in a benevolent manner, he is motivated mainly out of concern for the welfare of his fellow. The proof of this is that were his fellow not to need his help, this would give him greater pleasure than the gratification derived from his act of kindness.

Concerning the nations of the world, however, this is not so. Their motivation is not the welfare of their fellow; rather, it stems from a self-serving motive—the desire for self-glorification, a feeling of gratification, and the like.

It should be noted that among the nations of the world, there are also to be found those whose souls are derived from kelipat nogah.33 Called “the pious ones of the nations of the world,” these righteous individuals are benevolent not out of selfish motives but out of a genuine concern for their fellow.”

Nomesora, how is it a theory, if it has multiple citations? Rashbi was nistalek while revealing tremendous secrets of Torah, and we’re celebrating those revelations which lead us towards geula (as is known the quote about the Zohar). But hey, if you find Lag Baomer Meaningful for other reasons, please share.

I forgot that The Rebbe chose Lag Baomer as a parade day to inculcate Jewish pride, and that’s another theme of the day today in Lubavitch.

Avira,
Interesting.
“And some yekkishe rabbonim quote the meiri. In their timw and piece, it was advantageous and it’s not clear how seriously they meant it. ”. I find this line of thinking dangerous because that could throw all of their Torah into doubt, (meaning if we know they paskened differently than what they would have, due to goyim.) is that what you meant?

“Back to lo sichanem; if we don’t go with the meiri, we have no shailoh;”

I’m pretty sure the Rambam holds it applies to akum specifically, at least that’s whati remember from fifth grade studying for chidon.

“I disagree, though, that stam goyim wish to make the world a better place. Many say that they do, but you of all people know what the Tanya says at the end of the first perek about chessed le’umim chatas, which is why I’m surprised at your stance on this issue.”

If you look up The Rebbes notes in lessons in Tanya on perek Aleph, he says (and I’m paraphrasing because I can’t look it up at the moment) that most goyim
today are chassidei umos haolam (although in the past, they didn’t) and my personal experience with the goyim I’ve interacted with is that they are looking to be good people and altruistically do kind things for others etc.

I would like to see the exact phrase and maybe I’ll post when I can, because chassidei umos haolam are determined by accepting upon themselves to do Sheva mitzvos, and because Hashem gave it to Moshe Rabbeinu on har Sinai. My instinctive understanding is that their souls now derive from klipas nogah, making altruism possible, but I’d have to look at it better

Nomesora,

I didn’t make it up, The Rebbe said it. See https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/1734395/over-10000-converge-on-the-lubavitcher-rebbes-ohel-for-lag-bomer-photos.html

What’sa theory

AAQ
“CS, depends on the college, major and how you pursue it.

If you choose a technical major in a local or online college, use CLEPs and yeshiva classes for electives, you are mostly studying livelihood-related subjects. Parents should be able to guide you around things you don’t need to listen.

If you are going for a liberal arts degree in a fancy college while living in a dorm, then you get a lot of problems inside and outside of the classes”

True there are differences. When I checked with my mashpia after marriage regarding the TTI program where you can use credits from Jewish higher educational schools, and learn specific classes at home, and then take tests, I was told that Rabbi Heller has said that TTI is not what The Rebbe meant when he was against college.

That being said, the Alter Rebbe discussing how one is metame his brain with learning secular knowledge unless he uses it for kedusha like the Rambam and Ramban. So it’s what to tread carefully with.

When I was in school the curriculum was as such that we had to read goyishe novels. Most times I was able to convince the teacher etc to let me read a Jewish novel and write on it instead. Twice they forced me to read their curriculum and I was thoroughly revolted. And these were approved books. Imagine the others. But when someone exposes themselves to such stuff on a regular basis they don’t even see the shikutz of it

AAQ as stated, I didn’t start this thread and would have been happy to post a several word answer. By
me it’s not speculation. It’s already knowledge as I already have a clear picture of what’s going on based on the sources I’ve learned. But that doesn’t need to be relevant to you necessarily unless you’re interested. It is really insider’s knowledge that only belongs to those who see The Rebbe as a tzadik and his words as Torah, which is something I have seen I cannot unfortunately expect from everyone. Which is why I have quoted other sources here.

Avira obviously kiddush Lubavitch does not replace kiddush Hashem. It’s in addition. Not everything that would be a Chilul Lubavitch is necessarily a chillul Hashem. Say, going to college. I don’t know. Anything The Rebbe said to do and a chossid disregards, and of course it’s much worse if it’s also a chillul Hashem cvs.