MountainEducator

How bout looking at THE learning vs. working Q this way. Sources to either way are in excess, so lets leave em out.

Although there are other reasons as well there is however an unanimus consensus on the following. The purpose of us being dropped down here below, is to connect to and serve Hashem. The way to connect to Hashem is thru finding HIM in Torah (thru learning his wisdom), thru Mitzvos, AND Bechol derachecha dei’eihu; everything else your doing should be in order to serve and connect to Hashem.

Now it is also unanimus that VeTalmud Torah Keneged Kulam.

Now comes the opinion (so please disagree):

…Keneged Kulam is for those that will actually be connecting to Hashem fully thru it. Sitting and learning 14 hours a day is a feat only a select minority are designed for. And those few should and must be supported to learn full time. The Rogathover should NOT go work!!

However the rest of us, you know the guys like us who are posting on YN, and all those serving time in kollel, getting burnt out and cooled in at regular intervals, should be serving Hashem in other ways. No you are NOT from the elite, but G-D loves you anyway. He derives tremendous satisfaction when you earn a honest parnassah, give tzedakah MORE then you think you can, attend shiurim even though your shot, help the struggling bocher down the block, and talk to HIM when your spending the time in shul.

He loves it. AND HE LOVES IT BECOUSE your not elite, your just a regular simple guy. A simple guy trying to find Hashem in a complicated world is REAL YIDISHKEIT

And of course there are those in the middle someplace.

So i’m presenting the new barometer for every thinking brain: “How is my day being spent?” “Whats MY level of productivity for G-D?” and the answer to these questions are the answer to YOUR personal Learning vs. working dillema

Gavra@work

If the ‘chumra’ is in order to be part of a certain society then i guess its not a halachic, or spiritual question, it’s now a social issue. AND as far as social questions go acceptance IS the #1 concern.

So if your kids are at stake, no question go ahead and DO THE REQUIRED SOCIAL NORM. Put on the peyos, grow that beard, change the havara, make sure your gartel is thick enough and don’t chas veshalom be seen eating OU.

Interesting thread.

Rav Yitzchok Horowitz AKA R Iche Der Masmid HY’D was a renowned Chabad chassid who was very friendly with Rav E.E Dessler (He is brought down In Michtav Me’eliyhu 4th volume in section of Tzimtzumim) was machmir to the extreme. Recently I came across first hand account of someone who listened in to conversation when R Itche came to his Rebbe The Rasha”b and asked for a Tikkun for 2 “aveiros”.

In short the story went that he was in some town for shabbos and he asked host to make sure the shochet checked the Chalif again before he shechted his chicken (Chumra). On shabbos they served him kugel which had chicken fat supposedly from HIS chicken, he asked they verify and they were mistaken. It was fat from a ‘regular’ chicken. He didnt eat it.

Later the local Rav, a great Yorei Shamayim came to visit, saw the kugel and asked what happened, he was told and the rav proceded to eat it.

R Itche cried to the Rashab that “it is known that a chumra one accepts upon oneself that he in not up to spiritually, internally, it brings him down a madreiga”. Being that the Rav did eat it he felt he needs to rectify the exessive chumra effect.

Taking Chumros to impress, that affects others, or to be ‘in’ is definatly not a inyan

MdLevine and YWN How about we make on shas. I think we can do it.

I had to spend shabbos in the hospital this week and the nearest shul was a local Chabad House. When they started Mussaf the Shaliach had everyone read Av Harachamim in english. What can I say, havent had such a real experiance in long time. There wasnt a dry eye.

At the kiddush they went around the table and everyone took upon themselves positive Kabalos.

As i read the various posts and comments, together with the pictures. I started feeling very small. If we look objectively, Hashkafos and backgrounds put aside (momenteraly, of course) these people were really doing what they believed.

They lost a sick child and then had another one who is in Eretz Yisrael, they overcame a state of %100 rightful self-pity and continued on to India. They kept strong. They kept on going. Happily.

He would shecht, she would Kasher. He went to prisons, she cooked forever. Cholov Yisrael didn’t exist and they only got milk flown in periodicaly when frum people brought some with them. He was a mohel, officiated at chassunas, and prepared and delivered shiurim. She would fly in by plane monthly to Mik, untill he built one HIMSELF. She nursed the many food poisened backpackers, and spoke words of emunah to those not yet faithfull. I imagine dealing with israeli backpackers and spiritual seekers takes a full time psyche. They were that too. They overlooked their own views (or maybe that WAS their view; to find the nekuda tova in all) to accept and make feel at home each and every yid. Litvish, Frei, Satmar, Bobov, Backpackers, Indian, Mexican, Israeli and everyone else you can’t imagine.

Hashem put us down here to accomplish. So when we witness Productivity and energy, it strikes a chord by all of of us. Now this positive energy and the energy from the mashgichim, who were positive accomplishing people, is hidden. It is our achrais to invigorate ourselves with their Koach; to give of ourselves to other yidden. To help the downtrodden near us, be it the lonely child, the bocher not succeeding in yeshiva, the lonely single, or the not yet tuned into Hashem.

When we will emulate them, their energy will live on… And so will ours…

link to reports from people who stayed by the Holtzbergs http://www.chabad.org/773914