So, the rules state that in order to nominate a fellow blogger I must blog about it. Now, the term "fellow blogger" is actually slightly problematic in this context, as I myself hardly do qualify as a blogger.
However, since:
1) There is nothing in the rules that states a minimum frequency of update.
2) In case of a tie breaker every vote counts.
And
3) Last but not least, my opinion, even if it doesn't hold much weight, is really just meant as a sign of gratitude towards the chosen blog, for providing thought provoking material on a regular basis.
I have decided to at least express my opinion.
This is no easy task as there are many many worthy candidates out there.
The verdict, after much deliberation, is that I'm gong to vote for Team Chana from the "curiousjew" blog.
Why?
Because she can split a hair with her keyboard, when it comes to making accurate definitions of complex emotions.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Rabbi Professor
When I was about thirteen years old my dream was to be both a world renowned possek and a nobel prize winning scientist at the same time. At some point it became clear to me that this was most likely impossible. On the one hand to become a leading possek I would need to devote myself almost entirely to Torah (the Netziv actaully makes this quite clear in his Mashiv Davar) while on the other the demands of developing a leading scientific career are not much different.
In the words of Nobel prize winning Robet Aumann (http://www.ma.huji.ac.il/raumann/publication.htm)
Actually I did a bit of soul-searching when finishing high school, on whether to become a Talmudic scholar, or study secular subjects at a university. For a while I did both. I used to get up in the morning at 6:15, go to the university in uptown New York from Brooklyn—an hour and a quarter on the subway—then study calculus for an hour, then go back to the yeshiva on the lower east side for most of the morning, then go back up to City College at 139th Street and study there until 10 P.M., then go home and do some homework or whatever, and then I would get up again at 6:15. I did this for one semester, and then it became too much for me and I made the hard decision to quit the yeshiva and study mathematics.Thid does not mean that it is impossible to live a life of Totrah u'maddah - only that it is not trivial.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Living the Dream
Just before we all go to vote...
Why I am voting for HaBayit Hayehudi
(Note: I am not officially affiliated with any party.)
I am usually not outspoken even on issues close to my heart. I respect
other people's opinions and understand that there may be more than one
legitimate point of view. At the same time the following post really
does come from the bottom of my heart. Sometimes the perceived gap between
my own point of view and the black hole into which we seems to be
gravitating mandates that I at least voice my own opinion. I don't even know if anyone will actually read this (before the elections), but I feel a need to get some
things off my chest.
I have a dream.
Since making Aliyah (with my family) in my early teens I have been educated primarily in Religious Zionist institutions. I feel strongly connected to this land, love the people in it and believe that if necessary (which I hope will not be) would give my life to build and protect it.
As a proud believing Jew I can not imagine not taking an active part in a process that has even a remote chance of being a stage in the Geulah.
Disillusionment and Disengagement.
The last few years have been quite difficult. It is easy to brush off the grievances and say (possibly even correctly) that just because the bad things happen doesn't mean we change our beliefs or our strategy. But something feels wrong. Our secular partners are not with us. Sometimes it seems that they downright hate us (at the very least they are scared stiff of us). How can we create a lasting and productive partnership with them?
Becoming part of a secular party to tactically succeed in achieving our nationalistic goals does not seem to me to be the answer. My dream is not the American Dream. It is not even the
dream of Yosef. It is so much more. Achieving positions of power and
even ensuring the continued welfare of the Religious Zionist
infrastructure is only a technicality. If this becomes our measure of success I'm afraid we are aiming too low.
On the personal level I admire the individuals who are poised to be Mekadesh Shem Shamayim through their work from inside the various secular parties. However, on the broader national level the these parties are not anywhere near holding up the flag of Torah and Ahavat Yisrael. There is no great Kidush Hashem in us joining them for practical materialistic purposes.
Isn't it better to collect the cream of our crop, our best and our finest role models, present them for all to see and say this is what a group of Torah Jews, Lovers of Medinat Yisrael, bringing Torah into the modern world, look like.
Join us!
That is my dream. It may be too early, I may be naive. There is however something curious about us
dreamers. We are not quick to give up. The bleaker things look the harder we will work to turn the dream into reality.
The wheels are in motion. We shall make this
happen. When it does, I shall be proud to have been a part of it from the beginning.
ברוך הוא א-לקינו שבראנו לכבודו והבדילנו מן הטועים ונתן לנו תורת אמת וחיי עולם נטע בתוכינו
Why I am voting for HaBayit Hayehudi
(Note: I am not officially affiliated with any party.)
I am usually not outspoken even on issues close to my heart. I respect
other people's opinions and understand that there may be more than one
legitimate point of view. At the same time the following post really
does come from the bottom of my heart. Sometimes the perceived gap between
my own point of view and the black hole into which we seems to be
gravitating mandates that I at least voice my own opinion. I don't even know if anyone will actually read this (before the elections), but I feel a need to get some
things off my chest.
I have a dream.
Since making Aliyah (with my family) in my early teens I have been educated primarily in Religious Zionist institutions. I feel strongly connected to this land, love the people in it and believe that if necessary (which I hope will not be) would give my life to build and protect it.
As a proud believing Jew I can not imagine not taking an active part in a process that has even a remote chance of being a stage in the Geulah.
Disillusionment and Disengagement.
The last few years have been quite difficult. It is easy to brush off the grievances and say (possibly even correctly) that just because the bad things happen doesn't mean we change our beliefs or our strategy. But something feels wrong. Our secular partners are not with us. Sometimes it seems that they downright hate us (at the very least they are scared stiff of us). How can we create a lasting and productive partnership with them?
Becoming part of a secular party to tactically succeed in achieving our nationalistic goals does not seem to me to be the answer. My dream is not the American Dream. It is not even the
dream of Yosef. It is so much more. Achieving positions of power and
even ensuring the continued welfare of the Religious Zionist
infrastructure is only a technicality. If this becomes our measure of success I'm afraid we are aiming too low.
On the personal level I admire the individuals who are poised to be Mekadesh Shem Shamayim through their work from inside the various secular parties. However, on the broader national level the these parties are not anywhere near holding up the flag of Torah and Ahavat Yisrael. There is no great Kidush Hashem in us joining them for practical materialistic purposes.
Isn't it better to collect the cream of our crop, our best and our finest role models, present them for all to see and say this is what a group of Torah Jews, Lovers of Medinat Yisrael, bringing Torah into the modern world, look like.
Join us!
That is my dream. It may be too early, I may be naive. There is however something curious about us
dreamers. We are not quick to give up. The bleaker things look the harder we will work to turn the dream into reality.
The wheels are in motion. We shall make this
happen. When it does, I shall be proud to have been a part of it from the beginning.
ברוך הוא א-לקינו שבראנו לכבודו והבדילנו מן הטועים ונתן לנו תורת אמת וחיי עולם נטע בתוכינו
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
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