Torah Im Derech Eretz: Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer's Moriah pt 6, State vs Land & People, State Above All

Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer: Part 6, State vs Land & People, State Above All

Meeting Purpose

To analyze Rabbi Dr. Isaac Breuer's philosophy of nation and state.

Key Takeaways

• Nation vs. State: A nation is a historical, synthetic concept defined by shared destiny, not by common language, race, culture, or land. A state is a legal entity with a defined territory, population, and sovereign will.
• The Autonomous State: This state is a "legal personality" with an omnipotent will, independent of its citizens. It is the sole source of law within its borders and claims absolute authority, effectively becoming its own god.
• Justice as a Tool: The autonomous state uses "justice" as a rhetorical tool, especially during crises, but its true highest value is its own existence and power. It will sacrifice justice for its own "greater good."
• Am Yisrael's Uniqueness: Am Yisrael is unique because its identity is defined by the Torah, not by land. This non-Zionist view makes the land of Israel a crucial tool for its mission, but not the mission's defining essence.

Topics

Defining a Nation

Breuer defines a nation as a "synthetic concept," a whole greater than the sum of its parts, with a spiritual component (a "tsar" or angelic official). He rejects common definitions:

• Language: Common language (e.g., US/UK) does not guarantee a single nation.
• Race: No pure race exists; racism is a tool for oppression.
• Culture: Culture is a manifestation, not the essence. The Romani people, for example, have a culture but are not a nation because they lack a "historical ambition."
• Land: Land is a manifestation of national character, but not the defining feature. A nation can survive without its land (e.g., Poland for 200 years).
• Conclusion: A nation is defined by a common historical destiny. Language, race, culture, and land are merely narratives that express this destiny.

Defining the State

Breuer distinguishes a nation from a state, a legal entity with three components:

1. Land of the State (Eretz HaMedina): The defined territory.
2. Nation of the State (Am HaMedina): The population living within the land.
3. Will of the State (Ratzon HaMedina): A sovereign will that unifies the land and people.

The Autonomous State: A Legal Personality

The autonomous state is a "legal personality" with a will independent of its citizens.

• Omnipotent Authority: It is the sole source of law within its borders and claims absolute power.
• Self-Justifying Existence: It severs ties with the laws that created it, making its own existence the highest law.
• "Holy Self": It becomes its own god, demanding absolute loyalty and declaring, "You shall have no other gods besides me."

Justice vs. State Interest

The state uses "justice" as a rhetorical tool, especially during crises.

• Subordinate Value: Justice is not an absolute value; the state's own survival and "greater good" are paramount.
• Cover for Crimes: This ideology can be used to justify atrocities under the guise of patriotism.

Am Yisrael: A Unique Nation

Am Yisrael's definition is unique and distinct from other nations.

• Torah-Centric Identity: Its identity is defined by the Torah, not by the land of Israel.
• Land as a Tool: Eretz Yisrael is a crucial tool for the Jewish people's mission, not the mission's defining essence. This contrasts with religious Zionism, which elevates the land to the central goal.
• "Glorifying Golus": This perspective gives a positive spin to exile, as the nation's identity remains intact through the Torah.

 

Torah Im Derech Eretz: Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer part 4, A Vision of Justice Requires Torah

Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer - July 12

Fathom Summary

Meeting Purpose

To analyze Rabbi Dr. Isaac Breuer's critique of Marxism.

Key Takeaways

• Human Law is Flawed: Unlike the laws of nature, which are embedded within nature itself, human societies lack an intrinsic "natural law" of justice. All human-made laws are therefore temporary and relative, failing to achieve eternal justice.
• Torah as Divine Law: The Torah is the only source of true, eternal justice, revealed by God to provide the absolute framework for a just society. It is the "natural law" that human societies have failed to discover on their own.
• Marxism's Fatal Flaw: Marxism is a form of idolatry that worships the economy, reducing humans to mere "atoms" driven by economic forces. This denies free will and the independent value of justice, making it fundamentally incompatible with the Torah.
• The Core Conflict: The conflict is between the Torah's view of humanity as having divine potential and free will, and Marxism's view of humanity as a mechanistic reflex of economic forces.

Topics

The Problem of Human Law

• Humanity's universal demand for justice has never been fulfilled by human-made law.
• Why: The ideal law for society is not embedded within society itself, unlike the laws of nature (e.g., physics) which are intrinsic to the natural world.
• Result: All human laws are temporary and relative, designed for specific times and places. They can only negate injustice, not build a perfectly just society.

The Torah as the Solution

• The Torah is the divine revelation that provides the missing "natural law" for society.
• Function: It is an absolute, eternal system of justice given to the Jewish society at Sinai.
• Significance: It compels a just social order, independent of individual agreement, and is the prerequisite for true societal peace.

Marxism: An Idolatry of Economy

• Marxism is a deterministic philosophy that reduces all of society to economic forces.
• Core Tenets:
  • Economy is Everything: The economy is a science with its own laws, like nature.
  • Humanity as Reflex: Human will and ideals are mere reflexes of economic conditions.
  • Inevitable Revolution: History is a series of economic systems (e.g., feudalism → capitalism → communism), with revolutions as an inevitable outcome of economic change.
• Human Role: Humans are not agents of change but "midwives of the future," either assisting or resisting inevitable economic developments.

The Torah vs. Marxism: A Fundamental Conflict

• Humanity:
  • Torah: Created in the divine image (Tzelem Elokim), with free will and the potential to transcend nature.
  • Marxism: An "atom" in the economic machine, a mechanistic reflex of economic forces.
• Justice:
  • Torah: An independent, eternal ideal revealed by God.
  • Marxism: A temporary reflex of economic conditions; any sense of justice is a "leftover fire" from Sinai, not an inherent part of the philosophy.
• Idolatry:
  • Torah: Prohibits all forms of idolatry.
  • Marxism: Worshipping the economy is a modern form of idolatry.

Next Steps

• Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer: Continue the analysis of "Moriah" by examining the concept of "Ha'am" (the nation) and how history operates on a national level since the Tower of Babel.

 

 

Torah Im Derech Eretz Webinar: TIDE For Outreach and Inreach

A second or two cut off at the beginning in which I began relating the webinar to the date of 20 Tammuz, Yom Churban Telshe and thus the yahrzeit of my great-grandfather from the Kedoshim killed on that day, R' Meir Shmaryahu Schochet HY"D. 

The presenters are:

Rabbi Mordechai Becher

Rochel Alpert, Instructor at Touro College

Rabbi Moshe Katz

Mrs. Sara Brown

All the speakers were amazing!

You can find Rochel Alpert's slideshow from her presentation at:

https://discourse.torahimderecheretz.com/t/webinars-past-present-and-future/21/7?u=ygb

Rabbi Katz referenced RSRH on Ba'al Peor and contrasted what he says with the words of Stephen Hawking. You can find his references at:

https://discourse.torahimderecheretz.com/t/tide-and-mussar/18/17?u=ygb

Sara Brown mentioned her list. You can access it at: 

https://discourse.torahimderecheretz.com/t/sara-browns-brown-family-liberal-arts-education-passport/75?u=ygb

Fathom Summary (doesn't do the Webinar justice!)

Meeting Purpose

To explore how Torah Im Derech Eretz can be applied to modern Jewish outreach and in-reach.

Key Takeaways

• A Holistic Framework: Torah Im Derech Eretz (TIDE) integrates all life experiences—secular studies, arts, work—into a unified Torah framework, rejecting the notion of a "double life."

• Effective Outreach Tool: TIDE's core ideas (halacha as philosophy, validating past experiences, symbolic mitzvah explanations) are highly effective for engaging both beginners and disaffected Jews.

• In-Reach Solution: TIDE directly addresses critical in-reach failures, such as avoiding tough questions and fostering a "triumphalist yet terrified" culture, by providing a framework for fearless engagement.

• Countering Secularism: TIDE offers a powerful counter-narrative to the secular view of humanity as "advanced monkeys," affirming our unique, divinely-given purpose and dignity.

Topics

The Problem: In-Reach Failures in Orthodoxy

• Orthodoxy exhibits a "triumphalist yet terrified" culture, marked by a fear of engaging with fundamental questions (e.g., Torah & science, ethics).

• This creates "uncomprehended Judaism 2.0," where practice is based on "frum culture" and orthopraxy without deep understanding.

• Myopia (Nearsightedness):

• Avoidance of core questions about faith.

• Focus on "kosherized entertainment" over substantive Torah literature.

• Substitutes for deep engagement → "Gevir culture" and charismatic but superficial speeches.

• Hyperopia (Farsightedness):

• Unframed questioning that treats Torah as a "basket of problems."

• Critique of problematic views without a strong, positive Torah framework.

• Loss of Depth Perception:

• Cognitive dissonance from views that clash with reality (e.g., "non-Jews are pre-programmed to hate").

• A vacuum created by banning positive outlets (e.g., the Jewish Observer) is filled by less wholesome alternatives (e.g., "frum Instagram").

The Solution: TIDE as a Framework for Outreach & In-Reach

• TIDE is a holistic framework that integrates all life experiences into a unified Torah service, rejecting the concept of a "double life."

• Core Principles:

• Halacha as Philosophy: Law and philosophy are a single unit. Rav Hirsch's Chorev is a key resource for this, showing how halacha's details express deep philosophical truths.

• Validation of Past Experiences: TIDE validates a person's secular past, talents, and knowledge as valuable, not something to be rejected.

• Symbolic Mitzvah Explanations: Rav Hirsch's Tamei HaMitzvot (reasons for mitzvot) provide a "taste" (geschmack) of their impact, making them meaningful and inspiring.

• Hope and Optimism: TIDE counters the despair some feel when entering a frum environment by showing that Torah embraces all parts of life, not just a narrow, ascetic path.

Case Study: Baal Pe'or vs. Asher Yotzar

• Rav Hirsch's TIDE perspective makes the ancient story of Baal Pe'or relevant today.

• Baal Pe'or: A cult celebrating humanity's descent to the level of a beast.

• Modern Parallel: Stephen Hawking's view of humans as "just an advanced breed of monkeys."

• Torah's Counter-Narrative: The Asher Yotzar prayer, recited after the most animalistic act, immediately connects us to Hashem, affirming our unique, divinely-given purpose and dignity.

• Conclusion: This dichotomy (Moshe Rabbeinu vs. Baal Pe'or) represents the two fundamental choices for humanity. TIDE empowers us to teach the world this truth through our own example.

Next Steps

• All Presenters: Continue the discussion on the WhatsApp & Discourse groups.

Please join either or both groups: WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FNbFs4JEXZkIzVNLJx3HuM

Discourse:

https://discourse.torahimderecheretz.com/invites/VyCktTB4rM

Torah Im Derech Eretz: Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer part 3, Humans Address Reality with Visions

Moriah by Rabbi Dr Isaac Breuer - July 05

VIEW RECORDING - 39 mins (No highlights)

Meeting Purpose

To explore Rabbi Breuer's concept of societal visions and the centrality of justice.

Key Takeaways

• Five Visions Shape Reality: Breuer identifies five transcendent visions (Truth, Good, Beauty, Holiness, Justice) that shape reality, contrasting with Marxism's view of humans as purely material beings driven by economic lack.
• Justice is the Foundation of Law: The vision of Justice (Tzedek) is the sole legitimate foundation for law (Mishpat). Law without justice is mere coercion, not true law.
• Justice is an Absolute, Transcendent Ideal: Justice is an objective, non-conventional ideal that demands a specific societal order. It is not a product of human agreement but a universal human aspiration.
• The Central Problem: Despite this universal aspiration, humanity has never built a perfectly just society. The core question is why this vision remains unfulfilled.

Topics

Five Visions (Chazonot)

Breuer argues that humans shape reality through five transcendent visions, which are not mere facts but frameworks for understanding and acting.

• 1. Vision of Truth (Chazon Emes)

  • Definition: Truth is the relationship between a person and reality, not just the facts themselves. It is a symbiotic process of inductive observation and deductive application.
  • Application: The basis for mathematics, science, and history.

• 2. Vision of Good (Chazon Tov)

  • Definition: An ethical framework imposed on reality, as nature itself is amoral. It demands that humans overcome their base instincts and choose good, rejecting the idea that "bad" phenomena are simply natural.

• 3. Vision of Beauty (Chazon Yofi)

  • Definition: An aesthetic framework that evaluates the form and congruence of things. It is the Greek ideal, where the ultimate goal is a beautiful world.
  • Application: The foundation for art (painting, sculpture, music).

• 4. Vision of Holiness (Chazon Kadosh)

  • Definition: A spiritual drive to transcend the material world and connect the soul to its divine source.
  • Application: The basis for religious practices like monasticism and the Hasidic concept of Dveikus (cleaving to God).

• 5. Vision of Justice (Chazon Tzedek)

  • Definition: The source of law and the uniquely human principle that elevates society above a mere animal colony. It is an absolute ideal, not a convention.
  • Application: The foundation for all human societies; even anarchy is based on the hopeful assumption of inherent justice.

The Problem: Why No Just Society?

• The Universal Aspiration: The aspiration for justice is a core, universal human drive. History shows that calls for justice are never fully silenced, and absolute cruelty is rarely long-lived.
• The Unfulfilled Promise: Despite this, humanity has never built a perfectly just society.
• The Central Question: Why have we failed to translate the eternal vision of Justice into an eternal, just system of law (Mishpat)?

Next Steps

• Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer: Continue the analysis of Breuer's "Moriah" to explore why the vision of justice remains unfulfilled and how Torah provides the answer.