Reishit davar - I can't figure out how to write an e-mail in Hebrew so I ask your forgiveness in using English. That said, I would like to hear your collective opinions regarding a question that came up in class yesterday. It is a dsicussion that I might have talked to you about previously, but I do not have a good response yet, and would very much appreciate your input.
B'kitzur, we were talking about man's primary role in this world and I said that it was to live so that shem shamayim mitkadesh al yado. One student asked me that if an openly observant Jew would discover a cure for cancer, would I consider that a major kiddush Hashem. I said yes, it would be and cited the example of Professor Auman receiving the Nobel Prize and publicly making it known that he had to secure a different set of robes because the one's provided by the Norwegians had sha'atnez. That would be a kiddush Hashem for all Jews who would see someone who was makpid on mitzvos. Additionally, the fact that an observant Jew - thus one clearly identified as a Jew - was being given the Nobel Prize would also be a kiddush Hashem - perhaps to both the Jews and to goyim as well.
The student then asked me: If so, which would be a greater kiddush Hashem, for the professor to have reached the pinnacle of his field or for him remaining in kollel and learning?"
Clearly, the latter is true, but why?
What would have happened had the Chazon Ish decided to apply his extraordinary talents to medical research in cancer instead of his intense learning? Is it possible that a discovery of a cure might have resulted in a kiddush Hashem which might dwarf the Chazon Ish's contribution to halachah and learning?
I would appreciate your thoughts and of course any source material.
Abba
[Ed: Posted by Pete, on behalf of Abba]
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
רחל לא גומרת לדבר ואם לא הבנתם הכל אז אל דאגה גם אנחנו לא
סליחה על זוית הצילום המענינת פשוט צולם ללא ידיעת רחל בשעה 11 בלילה :)
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Sunday, May 03, 2009
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