Do you see yourself as a Gadol?

Do you see yourself as a Gadol?
The goal of the Diaspora Yeshiva is to make Gedolim - outstanding Torah personalities who are dedicated scholars and leaders capable of actualizing Torah values in this modern world. If you are seriously interested in finding out the meaning of in-depth Torah study, coming close to G-d, and developing your Jewish potential to the utmost, Diaspora Yeshiva has a place for you.

The Yeshiva offers a total program of traditional Jewish study, in a highly charged atmosphere of vibrancy and growth.

At least they are being honest. I think the goal is wacky. Who becomes a gadol, 1 in 10,000? Have they produced even one gadol? Sounds like a recipe for failure.  

Manalism in action

I ventured into three Manalist synagogues this Shabbos. Who are they? They are not Litvacks. The Vilna Gaon was a Litvack. He was a great Talmudic scholar, but he said the purpose of Torah is mitzvos (Even Shelaimah chapter on mitzvos) and the purpose of life is to fix one's middos. (Even Shelaimah Chapter One.) His primary educational philosophy was to educate the lad according to his way. (Artscroll biography) He said to study grammar. (Artscroll biography) He had vast secular knowledge and wrote many volumes on kabbalah. He said to learn Chumash, Navi, Midrash, Mishnah, and Gemara bikyus before you get into arguments. 

One must first fill himself with knowledge of Tanach, Mishna, Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds, Tosefta, Mechilta, Sifrem and all other baraisos. Then he should discuss and debate his learning with his colleagues. By studying in this sequence, one attains the splendor of Torah. One who changes this arrangement, however, and studies how to debate before knowing one Mishnah openly, will forfeit even the little Torah he heard in his youth. (Vilna Gaon, Even Shelaimah 8:2)

He said not to overload students. 

Just as in craftsmanship one should learn an honest and easy trade, so in Torah one should seek an easy area of study that will not tax his capabilities and lead him to stop studying. (Even Shelaimah 8:1)

That's a Litvack. Rav Meshualem Dovid Soloveitchik, son of the Brisker Rav, was a Litvack. He said that the purpose of life was to acquire yiras and ahavas Hashem.

The Manalists are the generation, mid to late 20th century, who started to push away mitzvos and middos for Gemara lomdus only. Just like the Zionists replaced Torah with land, the Manalists replaced mitzvos with Gemara abstractions. They took it a step further by pushing away mitzvos from their minds and living by the creed "nothing else matters," meaning nothing matters but Torah study, by which they mean Gemara lomdus on portions of a few yeshivish mesechtas. They believe in nothing but Gemara lomdus. I'm not sure if they all believe in God.

So, cut to the chase, each of these Manalist shiurim was unpleasant. Each rabbi was loud and dominating. They all threw out too much Hebrew for the crowd. They challenged the audience in confusing ways, setting them up for the wrong answers. There was the standard negativity, like one was talking about swimming during the 9 days depending on whether you swim for health or pleasure. He said cynically what they all say which is why does this question of reasons for swimming only seem to come up during the 9 days? Is that the only time anybody swims? We hear this every time a rabbi talks about the 9 days. It's cynical. At the end of each talk, the audience looked confused and beat up and seemed to look to the rabbi with greater awe - if you can call it that - really dependency.

So after Shabbos I watched a bit of my Steve Hassan - Jordan Harbinger interview about cults and Jordan talked about being in cult seminars where the leader would toss around illogical statements to confuse the crowd and leave them dependent on him. Steve talked about weakening people through sleep and other kinds of deprivation, beating them down to freeze and reframe them in the leaders image.

It was hashkacha that I saw this again because I believe it explained what I witnessed in the shiurim. I'm not saying that's all that went on in the shiurim, but it was part of it.

Now the shiurim don't have to be like this. The speakers don't have to be confusing or condescending. They don't have to speak in Yinglish. (I saw a note today from a Rosh Yeshiva that contained 25 non-linking/prepositional words and 10 of them were Hebrew or Yiddish.) And they don't have to run schools that fail to teach Hebrew. So it's not the religion, but it is the way it's practiced today in many places. 

That's not all. Twice in the last two days I interacted with Manalim on other matters. One I asked a shilah about a Gemara. I was stuck so I had no choice. His answer wasn't terrible, but it was inadequate and he liked it that way. He walked away at my point of confusion. Also it was given forcefully. He talked over me. He was, as usual, very dominating.

The other guy called to comment on a report I had prepared about something. His suggestions were good, but the delivery was intensely dominating. He just talked right over me and acted as if I had no choice but to implement his ideas. What's interesting is that one of these guys is from the Midwest and the other from Toronto. You'd think these would be more polite places, get along with people places. No matter, they were dominating, stiff necked interactions.

The religion doesn't force these guys to be like this either. You are supposed to be humble. You are supposed to honor people. But when your religion is Manalism, that's not going to happen.

Ohr Somayach Beginner's Program

Classes for beginners:

https://ohr.edu/shoresh/catalog.pdf

Hebrew, basic history, intro to halacha, intro to ideas including Chassidus, Mishnah, intro to the Talmud

This is what an introductory program should have. There are schools where you just open up a Talmudic mesechta and begin. No introduction is offered. No investigation into hashgafa is ever made in any formal way. Hebrew is not taught.

The Maharetz Chajes said, “The importance for a beginner in secular fields to have clear introduction is obvious, but it is even more important when studying Torah.” He cites the Yerushalmi (Shabbos 87a): “any Torah without a foundation is not Torah.” Says Maharetz Chajes, “That means Torah without an understanding of basic rules and concepts....” (Introduction to Toras Nev’im in Eidensohn, Daas Torah) 

However, watch out for their yeshivish propaganda. OS used to run a series of classes against Chabad and Modern Orthodoxy. Not just comments during other classes, but classes on those topics alone. I know guys who found themselves only via Chabad or MO or some combo of the two. It's incredibly improper for a BT school to condemn any Orthodox group. You just don't know what will work for a person. And becoming frum is so hard as it is. 

What's up with Meor?

https://meor.org/meet-meor/

Since 2005, MEOR has inspired thousands of the most promising Jewish students on leading U.S. college campuses and effectively engaged them in the discovery of their own heritage and identity. MEOR programming is provided on both private and public universities that are distinguished by their academic excellence and/or a sizable Jewish population.

compare to

https://www.lubavitch.com/chabad-of-arizona-reaches-out-to-everyone/

Chabad of Arizona Reaches Out . . . To Everyone - Lubavitch.com

3 Feb 2008 ... Rabbi Zalman Levertov who first brought Chabad to Arizona 31 years ago has decades of experience accommodating tourists in the Grand Canyon ...

https://www.jewishprisoner.com/

Jewish Prisoner, Reaching Out to Jews in Jail and Prison

Reaching Out does not judge. As followers of the teachings of the Chabad/Lubavitch Rebbe, namely to love each and every Jew, we help all Jewish men and women ...

https://www.timesofisrael.com/chabad-center-targeted-by-gunman-is-focused-on-reaching-out/

Chabad center targeted by gunman is focused on reaching out

29 Apr 2019 ... Chabad of Poway's website calls the synagogue a “popular center for Jews of all backgrounds who want to learn more about their Jewish roots,” ...

https://www.jewishmontana.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/2739289/jewish/Support.htm

Support - Chabad Lubavitch of Montana

Chabad of Montana serves the religious and the non-observant, the affiliated and non-affiliated, young and old and all in between. Chabad reaches out to all ...

Quite a contrast. Chabad seeks to help all Jews. Meor is after the most promising ones. 

What the heck is a most promising Jewish student? Most promising at what, at being Jewish? I don't think that's what they mean because who could measure such a thing? They must mean most promise of being a career success. And that's pretty weird.

Meor situates itself "on both private and public universities that are distinguished by their academic excellence and/or a sizable Jewish population." The latter type we can understand. But why would you want to be at schools distinguished by academic excellence? Mah Kesher? What's the connection to kiruv, to bringing Jews to Torah observance?

What's up with Meor? Strange. 

The necessity to study the Hebrew language

...I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to learn Hebrew in a professional manner. The first time I picked up a siddur to daven, I understood what I was saying. I can pick up a Hebrew sefer, read it and understand it better than many students who have spent years learning full-time. 

I think it’s absolutely crazy that baalei teshuvah should skip over acquiring this basic skill. I am convinced that by investing time in learning the language properly, the dividends will be well worth it, and everything else would become much easier. 

Q: This obviously bothers you very much. 

A: Yes, it bothers me a great deal. When I was living near Ohr Somayach, I spoke with many baalei teshuvah, and you have no idea of the feelings of inferiority and frustration engendered because of the deficiency in basic Hebrew reading skills. If a Jew can’t pick up a sefer and understand it, he will never feel truly at home in the Orthodox world. 

I think that people tend to forget that most baalei teshuvah will not remain in yeshiva for years and years. If they are not given the basic tools – such as Hebrew and a solid foundation in Chumash – they will lack the skills necessary to become committed baalei batim later in life, and will never reach their true potential. 

(Ben Ami as interviewed by Sara Soester. A Jew Returns Home, pp. 75-6.)

cults

Check out this interview on cults: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_FO84Y8F-k  (also here: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/steven-hassan-combating-cult-mind-control-part-one/) and part two of the interview: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/steven-hassan-combating-cult-mind-control-part-two/ Orthodox Judaism is not, in my opinion, a cult. But there are aspects of cults in different parts of Orthodox Jewish society as there are in different parts of every society. It helps to know the signs. 

Checklist for researching BT schools for men

Don't just go anywhere. I saw a comment recently that they are all good and it doesn't matter where you go. Ah, it matters where you go and they are not all good, certainly not all good for you. Research. Do your homework. 

Here are some subjects/issues to inquire about: