TIDE WEBINAR: TORAH IM DERECH ERETZ FOR OUTREACH AND INREACH this Sunday, July 5, 2026, 3:00 pm EDT

 

Torah Im Derech Eretz: Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer part 2, Different Types of Societies

This was essentially the second part of the introductory material. Next time we get much more into tachlis.

Fathom Summaries (two parts, because we lost the connection and had to start again):

Meeting Purpose

To analyze Rabbi Dr. Isaac Breuer's philosophy on human purpose and societal structure.

Key Takeaways

• Human Purpose: Humans are driven by a neshama (soul) to "become," not just "be." This drive requires all actions to align with a higher, absolute purpose.
• Society vs. Organization: Society is a natural, dynamic entity defined by its members' wills. An organization is a limited, artificial construct designed to achieve a specific goal.
• Two Social Orders: Society can be structured by either a weak, consensual order (anarchy) or a strong, compelling order (law).
• The Role of Law: Law (Mishpat) creates a "synthetic" social body by compelling individual wills, giving society a new, unified character and direction.

Topics

Human Purpose: "To Become"

• Humans are distinct from animals, who only "are." The neshama (soul) creates a drive "to become," to accomplish a purpose beyond mere existence.
• This drive demands that all individual actions and goals (relative purposes) justify themselves against a single, absolute purpose.

Society vs. Organization

• The family is the paradigm for society: a natural, structured unit where members fulfill roles for a shared purpose.
• Society: A natural, dynamic entity defined by the broad array of its members' wills and relationships. Its order emerges from these relationships.
• Organization: An artificial, limited construct with a specific, narrow purpose. It curtails the diversity of a society.

Social Orders: Consensual vs. Compelling

• Society requires order to harness its members' wills and achieve its purpose. Breuer identifies two types:
• 1. Consensual Order (Anarchy):
• Based on universal agreement; compliance is voluntary.
• Rejects compulsion, believing it causes transgression.
• Creates only a superficial unity of similar individual desires.
• 2. Compelling Order (Law):
• A stronger, "synthetic" order that fuses individual wills into a new, unified social character.
• Requires an external authority to pronounce and enforce it.
• Its formal name is Mishpat (Law).

The Function of Law (Mishpat)

• Purpose: To arrange social life, not individual life.
• Focus: Regulates social interactions, not private actions.
• Exception: Law may examine individual intent (e.g., deliberate vs. unintentional) to determine social responsibility.

Meeting Purpose

To introduce the foundational concept of "vision" in shaping reality.

Key Takeaways

• Vision vs. Perception: A vision (what should be) is distinct from a perception (what is). Perceptions are derived from reality; visions are imposed upon it to shape it.
• The Self's Foundation: Vision is the self's core strength, enabling it to stand against reality's overwhelming flow. Without it, the self is negated, like an animal.
• Reality's Form: Reality is like water, taking the shape of the vessel. The self's vision is the vessel that gives reality its form and meaning.
• The Core Conflict: The human condition is the constant tension between what exists (reality) and what we want to be (vision).

Topics

The Nature of Law & Society

• Law is a compelling order that demands obedience regardless of consent.
• A society's discipline is stronger when it stems from inner belief, not just external force.
• The definition of law is formal and can apply to "organized evil" as well as good.
• Evil, error, and ugliness are valid, albeit negative, phenomena within their respective systems (ethics, logic, aesthetics).
• All societies require rules and enforcement to avoid anarchy.

Sociology: Cause/Effect vs. Values

• Sociology has two branches:
1. Cause & Effect: A near-natural science viewing humans as part of nature.
2. Values: Analyzes human history to understand values that transcend nature.
• This second branch is where vision becomes critical.

Vision vs. Perception

• Perception: Derived from reality.
• Experience without perception → "blind."
• Perception without experience → "empty."
• Vision: Imposed on reality to shape it.
• Shows a pathway for existence.
• Creates the possibility for experience.
• Analogy (Music):
• The eye sees only physical movements.
• The ear hears lofty music.
• The experience is shaped by one's vision of music.

The Self & Vision

• Vision is a divine gift that fortifies the self with strength and energy.
• It enables the self to stand opposite reality, rather than being drowned by it.
• Animals lack vision; they are negated by reality and live by instinct.
• Vision provides the "rock" against the "flow of phenomena," allowing the self to perceive existence and formulate an approach.

 

 

 

Torah Im Derech Eretz: Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer part 1, Human Society

Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer - June 21

Meeting Purpose

To introduce Rabbi Dr. Isaac Breuer's philosophy on society from his book, Moriah.

Key Takeaways

• Society is Essential for Human Existence: Humans are social animals; isolation ("lo tov") is not viable. Society fulfills material needs, freeing individuals for spiritual development, and is the necessary context for developing core character traits (e.g., love, generosity).
• Human Society is a Conscious Act of Will: Unlike instinct-driven animal societies, human society is a dynamic, abstract entity built on a conscious "arrangement" (seder) of relationships. It is a continuous act of "let it be" (yehi), constantly shaped by free will.
• Visions Transcend Their Origins: A vision born from a natural cause (e.g., freedom from oppression) gains independent value, becoming a goal far greater than its initial trigger. This principle explains how human societies develop complex ideals.

Topics

The Necessity of Society

• Core Premise: Humans are social animals; isolation is "not good" (lo tov).
• Material Needs: Society fulfills basic needs, freeing individuals for spiritual development.
  • Example (Rambam): Intellectuals need others to handle practical tasks (cooking, cleaning) to focus on study.
• Spiritual Needs: Society is the necessary context for developing character traits (e.g., love, generosity) and even for manifesting love of God through loving His creatures.

The Family as Society's Foundation

• First Unit: The family is society's foundational "cell."
• Origin: The first mitzvah, pru u'rvu (procreation), establishes the family.
  • Pru: Marriage.
  • U'rvu: Family connections.
  • Milu et ha'aretz: Society and civilization.
• Paradigm: Family relations serve as the model for all societal relationships and personality development.

Human vs. Animal Society

• Animal Society:
  • Basis: Natural instinct; a biological fact.
  • Structure: An "organism" where parts (e.g., soldier/worker ants) are defined by their function.
  • Nature: A static, analytical unity (like the concept "apple") that adds no value beyond its components.
• Human Society:
  • Basis: Self-consciousness and free will.
  • Nature: A dynamic, abstract entity built on a conscious "arrangement" (seder) of relationships.
  • Formation: A continuous act of "let it be" (yehi), constantly shaped by the collective will of its members.

The Power of Vision

• Principle: A vision born from a natural cause gains independent value, becoming a goal far greater than its initial trigger.
• Example: Slaves' desire to end oppression (the cause) evolves into a vision of freedom (the effect) with its own independent value.
  • This explains how societies develop complex ideals (e.g., the American Revolution's vision of self-governance).

Next Steps

• Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer: Continue the discussion on Moriah in the next session, starting from page 21.

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YGB - יג"ב: New Weekly Torah Im Derech Eretz Shiur in Moriah! ...

 New weeklyTorah im Derech Eretz Shiur!

Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/73111682042?pwd=oOL1PoozH4dvpvvSvaExnpcpzm9Qgm.1

Topic: Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer
Time: Jun 21, 2026 09:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada). Every week on Sunday.

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Weekly: https://us04web.zoom.us/meeting/upcsduiupjkqHtaA2FrS4D8aa0UhKBBctF_K/ics?icsToken=DJSbhaiiUStmw3Go7QAALAAAAFx7N5gYVka3CBXSZoXXkBerpaSijXOdgj6tDVqK9RTBQ1L3rTJlfzM9s9373jcfJR-lUoxr4fuu7qpLXTAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=tZd9dJq0S5a_JbAqshwK2Q


Meeting ID: 731 1168 2042 Passcode: 431304

Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Thoughts

A friend and former classmate of mine recently reminded me of a whimsical but sobering poem which we read in high school:

'Twas the night of the Geulah, and in every single Shtiebel 
Sounds of Torah could be heard, coming from every kind of Yeedel. 
This one in English, some in Hebrew, some in Yiddish. 
Some “saying peshat,” and some “saying a chiddish.” 
Up in Shamayim, the Aibeschter decreed: 
"The time has come for My children to be freed. 
Rouse the Mashiach from his heavenly berth: 
Get him his chariot, head down to earth.”
The Moshiach got dressed, and, heart full of glee, 
Went down to earth to enter the first Shtiebel he’d see. 
"I am the Moshiach! Hashem has heard your plea! 
Your Geulah has come! It's time to go free!”
They all stopped their learning; this was quite a surprise. 
And they look at him carefully, with sharp, piercing eyes.
"He's not the Moshiach!" said one with a grin, 
"Just look at his hat, at the pinches and brim!" 
"That's right!" cried another with a grimace and frown, 
"Whoever heard of Moshiach, with a brim that's turned down?" 
"Well," thought Moshiach, "If this is the rule, 

I’ll turn my brim up before I go to the next shul.”
 So he walked right on over to the next shul in town. 
Sure to be accepted, since his brim was no longer down. 
"I'm, the Moshiach!" he cried, as he began to enter,
But the Jews wanted to know first if he was Left, Right, or Center 
"Your clothes are so black!" they cried out in fright. 
"You can't be Mashiach—you're much too far Right!" 
"If you want to be Mashiach, you must be properly outfitted!” 
So they replaced his black hat with a Kippah that was knitted. 
Wearing his new Kippah, Moshiach went out and said: 
"No difference to me, what I wear on my head.” 
So he went to the next shul, for his mission was dear. 
But he was getting frustrated with the Yidden down here. 
"I'm the Moshiach!" he cried, and they all stopped to stare, 
And a complete, eerie stillness filled up the air. 
"You're the Moshiach?! Just imagine that! 
Whoever heard of Moshiach without a black hat?" 
"But I do have a hat!" the Moshiach then said. 
He pulled it right out and plunked it down on his head. 
Then the shul started laughing, and one said "Where's your kop? 
You can't be Moshiach with a brim that's turned up! 
If you want to be Moshiach and be accepted in this town, 
"Put some pinches in your hat and turn that brim down!" 
Moshiach walked out and said "I guess my time hasn't come. 
I'll just return to the Heavens, where I came from. 
"So he went to his chariot, but as he began to enter, 
All sorts of Jews appeared, from the Left, Right, and Center. 
"Please wait—do not leave! It's all their fault!" they said, 
And they pointed to each other, and to what was on each other's head. 
Moshiach just looked sad and said, " You don't understand." 
And then ascended his chariot to get out of this land. 
"Yes, it's very wonderful, that you all learn Torah, 
But you seem to have forgotten a crucial part of our Mesorah. 
"What does he mean?"  "What's he talking about?" 
And they all looked bewildered, and they all began to shout. 
Moshiach looked back and answered,  "The first place to start, 
Is to shut up your mouths—and open your hearts. 
"To each of you, certain Yidden seem too Frum or too Frei, 
But all Yidden are beloved in the Aibeschter's eye." 
And on his way up he shouted: " If you want me to come, 
Try working a little harder on some Ahavas Chinam!"

 

For better and for (decidedly) worse, Orthodox Jewry finds itself sundered into sub-groups, making the person who declares him- or herself to be a Torah-true Jew with no need or wish for further description and segmentation an increasingly endangered species. As a friend of mine aptly put it, “The middle empties out,” with individuals and families who may have seen themselves as somewhere in the middle—perhaps successfully pursuing that rarest of all things, the Golden Mean—finding chinuch options supporting their vision to be meager to non-existent, and thus often and unhappily resigning themselves to sending their children to an institution serving as a “feeder” and an entrée into one group or another. 

While the actual number of such camps or sub-groups may likely require the use of higher mathematics, the equation is often simplified to two very broad swaths of the Orthodox world today, namely, Modern/Centrist Orthodoxy vs. the Yeshivishe Velt, or, in Israel, Dati-Leumi vs. Charedi. Attempts at describing fault-lines have been made, and often include contrasting the groups’ attitudes and beliefs within the arenas of educational and professional pursuits, engagement with the non-Orthodox and non-Jewish “wider world,” the role and prominence of women, and the State of Israel. 

At best, the situation is reductionist and regrettable; at its all-too-often worst, as we all know, it is but a euphemism for sinas chinam, for division and derision. 

To add to the confusion, most people do not in fact tend to make their day-to-day decisions based on “shitah” or deep analysis; in fact, much of what we do—the quotidian questions of what we wear, where we shop, what’s for supper, what our Shabbosos look like—is based on not grand decisions, but on cultural immersion. So long as nothing strikes one as objectionable or terribly problematic, one is, like as not, apt to construct one’s own life as one sees life lived around one (a fact that Rishonim as disparate as Rambam and R. Yehuda HeChasid acknowledged).  Much of what binds one into, and defines one as, a card-carrying member of the Modern Orthodox or Yeshivish world, is not so much halakhah—and not even that vague but all-important term, hashkafah—as it is, culture. “We” do things the way they should be and are done… “they” do things strangely, differently, wrongly, and so the list goes on….

In many cases, of course, we of the various sub-groups do cross paths, and, one hopes, in many cases true affection, or at the least tolerance and respect, may be maintained and/or gained. Yet this tolerance (and, rare enough)—even true friendship—is often accomplished via the tacit understanding that one will not discuss nor even touch upon any “hot button issue”—just those very issues which would do with brave and broad discourse, and which most desperately need to be saved from cultural myopia, if we wish to avoid the sartorial miseries experienced by our anonymous poet’s Messiah, and his resultant escape back to the Heavens.

There is much to be said on the subject of why Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch’s teachings of Torah Im Derech Eretz have not (yet) flourished as one would have thought they would, despite their being exceedingly well-suited to answer the concerns and dilemmas of contemporary Jewry in the Western World, the land of Israel most decidedly included. 

It goes without saying that this situation is something that we are trying to remedy, and we invite all like-minded individuals—from all groups and sub-groups!—to join the cause. For the short-term, at the least, our group is not united by any physical “kehilla” or community, but only by shared goals and aspirations. While there is obviously much to be said for a physical, Hirschian community (and even more for TIDE schools and other educational institutions), it is my feeling that we should not ignore the unique benefits which the current situation offers. 

Here we have an ever-growing group of motivated, deeply involved individuals who discuss and engage with all the “hot button” issues that most of us assiduously avoid when speaking with anyone who we don’t know to be “one of us.” Here we have professionals, academics, rabbis, mechanchim and mechanchos, students, “kelei kodesh” and businessmen and women, from widely varying backgrounds and geographical locations, with widely varying opinions and—here it comes, that loaded word—“hashkafos.” We, culturally, come from the MO and from Yeshivish world; some of us come from both worlds,  some of us, from neither just quite. And yet, we are engaged and united in the common cause of propagating Rav Hirsch’s Torah Im Derech Eretz vision. What unites us is a belief that Rav Hirsch’s teachings of Torah Im Derech Eretz is an approach which deserves no less acceptance than any other current Orthodox sub-group or movement, and which can also, at the same, tremendously add to the bounty which each camp already offers (and help alleviate some of the less-than-perfect parts therein).

It is hard not to think of Rav Hirsch’s words describing Am Yisrael in its entirety, in exile, bereft of physical land and unity, in exile for shortcomings yet to be entirely corrected. Rav Hirsch sums up Chazal’s descriptions of the problems which led to the loss of the first and the second Batei Mikdash as, respectively, lack of courage and allegiance to the Torah, and sinas chinam, baseless division and hatred: 

“We lack the courage and the independence of spirit to walk firmly and resolutely in our own path. We lack the strength, we lack the enthusiasm, we lack the self-knowledge and self-respect, we lack the unflinching adherence to God and His holy word…. The second [sin] is a deplorable splitting-up of the single Law of God, a meaningless division of the indivisible Torah into מצות שבין אדם לחברו ובין אדם למקום, duties of man to God and of man to man, and the still more deplorable transference of this idea from theory into practice. 

Neglect of the specific Jewish duties towards God has dug our first grave, and neglect of our duties towards our human brethren produced our second downfall.”[1]

Rav Hirsch’s words ring as true and as urgently as ever in the macrocosmic sense in which they were uttered. They can, however, also be applied to the microcosm of his own teachings—to proudly carry on the mesorah of Torah Im Derech Eretz, with no need to either beg others for recognition, nor (ח׳׳ו) to berate, belittle, or bash any other outlooks. May we merit to do our share, as one small part of Klal Yisrael, currently not joined by any physical or cultural bonds, but by Rav Hirsch’s ideals alone.

---

[1] “Teves,” in Judaism Eternal (ed. Dayan I. Grunfeld), p. 33.

Torah Im Derech Eretz Webinar: Building TIDE Chinuch from the Home

  

Meeting Purpose

Discuss how to implement Torah im Derech Eretz (TIDE) principles in the home.

Key Takeaways

• TIDE's core principle is integration, not isolation. It's a mission statement for active involvement in the world, contrasting with the isolationist model prevalent in some communities.

• The home is the primary TIDE institution. Parents must model values like truthfulness and respect, as schools cannot teach these virtues.

• Parents must counter school messages that conflict with Torah values. Use Torah sources to show children why a message is wrong, teaching them to discriminate between truth and falsehood without undermining a teacher's authority.

• Engage with the secular world as a teaching opportunity. Use examples of non-Jewish goodness to demonstrate the universal power of Torah's sparks and the concept of Tzelem Elokim (the divine image).

Topics

The Problem: A TIDE Institutional Gap

• No formal institution perfectly embodies TIDE ideals.

• The goal is to reintroduce and enhance TIDE principles to address contemporary community challenges.

• This discussion focuses on applying TIDE in the home, a responsibility that persists regardless of school environment.

TIDE's Core Principle: Integration vs. Isolation

• Integration: Active involvement in the world is essential to the Torah Jew's mission.

• Isolation: Retreating into a "cozy ghetto" is not a legitimate Torah model.

• Historical Context: Rav Hirsch formalized integration into a mission statement, whereas previous patterns of life were often circumstantial.

• Modern Relevance: This principle is critical in Eretz Yisrael, where isolationist chinuch models have demonstrably failed.

Practical Application: What Parents Can Do

• Exposure: Intentionally expose children to diverse people and ideas.

  • Non-Jews: To foster respect and counter contempt.

  • Non-Religious Jews: To avoid reductionist views of others.

  • Ideas: Jewish history (beyond simple biographies), general wisdom (e.g., public libraries), and current events.

• Critical Thinking: Encourage curiosity and the ability to discriminate between values.

  • Goal: Challenge children to think, question, and defend Yiddishkeit, avoiding the "assembly line" production of unthinking automatons.

• Communication: Develop strong oral and written skills.

  • Rationale: Effective communication is necessary to convey the beauty of Torah to the world.

The Home as the Primary Institution

• Hirsch's View: The home is the sole source for teaching virtues like truthfulness, respect for law, and altruism.

• Parental Responsibility: Parents must model these values directly.

  • Example: Avoid small dishonesties (e.g., lying about a child's age for a discount).

• Shabbos Table: Use it as a tool for value-driven discussion, not just gossip.

  • Focus: Inspire children with the meaning of being an Or LaGoyim (a light unto the nations).

  • Method: Foster open, robust debate on important topics.

Countering Conflicting School Messages

• The Challenge: Schools may teach non-Torah values (e.g., bittul Torah, ethnic jokes).

• The Solution: Use Torah sources to show children why a message is wrong.

  • Rationale: The value of Toras Emes (Torah's truth) overrides the value of Yiras Av (respect for a father/teacher) when there is a clear conflict with Torah law.

  • Method: Frame it as "the Torah says otherwise," not as an argument against the teacher.

• The Principle: "Torah is Torah's emes, and you can't build Torah's emes with sheker (falsehood)."

Navigating Secular Society

• The Question: How to teach respect for people without adopting opposing secular values?

• The Answer: This is the essence of havdalah (distinction).

  • Framework: Use Rav Yehudah Levy's Khuzari model:

    1. Be a Mensch: Achieve basic human decency.

    2. Be a Kadosh: Strive for holiness.

  • Application: Secular society can produce menschen but not kedoshim. We are addicted to kedusha.

• Teaching Opportunities:

  • Non-Jewish Goodness: Use examples (e.g., a Salvation Army volunteer) to show the universal power of Torah's sparks and Tzelem Elokim.

  • Connecting: Find ways to connect respectfully with non-Jews, as Rav Yaakov Kamenevsky did.

  • Personal Experience: Gershon Seif's chaplaincy work showed him that "these are my people," shifting his perspective from "us vs. them."

Next Steps

• Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer: Post the webinar recording on the blog and encourage continued discussion on the WhatsApp group and Discourse site.

• All Participants: Continue the conversation on the designated platforms to expand and apply these TIDE principles.

New! Torah Im Derech Eretz Discourse

We have opened a Discourse site for public and accessible interactions:

https://discourse.torahimderecheretz.com

Please join us!

This Sunday. Please Publicize!