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| MODERATOR | Posted - 30 November 2001 1:48
In response to many who have asked for recommended reading, I would strongly recommend: (1) The best book(s) I know of for gaining knowledge of Torah Hashkafa, strengthening your belief in G-d and the Torah, getting a picture of what Judaism really means, and understadning tis fundamentals: "Rejoice O Youth", "Awake My Glory", and "Sing You Righteous", by Rabbi Avigdor Miller. These books are absolutely unique, unmatched by anything out there, and should be required reading for all Jews throughout the world, regardless of their level! (2) The best sefer for inspiring teenagers to want to be more frum; for gaining the "burning desire" to serve Hashem; to get strength and inspiration to fight the battle to go higher and higher; to develop emotional motivation to fulfill what your brain tells you is right: "Chovas HaTalmidim" by Rabbi Klonimus Kalman, rebbe of Piesetz, and later, Warsaw. Available also in English, "A Student's Obligation". But if you can read it in Hebrew, do so. The language is beautiful, poetic almost, and part of the inspiration is HOW he writes, as well as what he writes. Read it, please.
"Kovetz Maamarim" of Rav Elchonon Wasserman ZTL. New print just came out, 2 volumes. (4) The best source of guidance for the issues confronting today's Yeshiva bochur about his learning and growth in Yeshiva, and understanding the Torah position on conpemporary issues such as land for peace, the Israeli government, and specifics about many other issues: "Michtavim UMaamarim" of Rav Shach ZT"L.
(1) The best sefer that gives you a complete picture of Judaism - Roshei Perakim, not many details, but a complete spectrum of Hashkafa, everything from Avos to dreams to Tefilin to Shadim: "Derech Hashem" of the Ramchal. "The Way of G-d" in English. Translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan. (2) The best sefer on Hashgacha - G-d's control over the universe, suffering, and understanding why this world is so messed up in general: "Daas Tevunos" of the Ramchal - "The Knowing Heart" in English.
Edited by - admindealing on 13 December 2001 20:34 |
| trying | Posted - 18 January 2002 22:49
What's a good book about the Jewish perspective on femenism, women, and Torah learning for women? |
| MODERATOR | Posted - 23 January 2002 2:06
Try Rabbi Avigdor Miller's "Awake My Glory". The last chapter, which is about the Jewish home, has good material on that. If you want something at length, try Dr. Menachem Brayer's books, Jewish Women in Rabbinic Literature, or something like that (I forgot the exact name offhand, sorry). |
| Beautman | Posted - 23 January 2002 4:37
My $.02: For hashkafic issues, I found that Rav Avigdor Miller's set of tapes on Meselas Yesharim on which he goes through the entire sefer had a tremendous positive impact on my life, probably more than anything else I've learned through. |
| green | Posted - 23 January 2002 23:12
hi moderator-sorry to add this to your list but i didn't know where else would be good... anyway, i just heard a tape that i really think everyone should try to listen to, it applies to almost everyone and is really incredible-its called "Spiritual Audacity" from Rabbi Kirzner a"h, and ppl should definitely try to listen to it at least once, i think its something very basic that everyone should hear. --btw, i don't usually go too crazy over speakers, this is really something special. |
| trying | Posted - 06 February 2002 21:30
thanks for the suggestions! I checked eichlers.com and I couldn't find anythink under that author or that book. Do you know where I could find them (online or in brooklyn)? |
| MODERATOR | Posted - 06 February 2002 21:48
Youre right. Eichler's doesnt have it. Thats weird. But if you walk into any good book store in New York (including Eichlers I would bet) and ask, they can order it for you, unless it is out of print. If thats the case, its going to be hard to get. |
| benuzziel | Posted - 19 August 2003 14:56
I'm not sure if this is the right forum to ask the question in, but I'll ask it anyway: is it just me or do yeshivot, in general, not stress the importance of learning the hashkafic, philosophic, and mussar works of the Rishonim? For example, it seems like the entire world learns Mesillas Yesharim. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything bad to say about learning Mesillas Yesharim, but why not learn, for example, the book of Mishlei? Rabbeinu Yonah, Rashi, Rav Saadia Gaon, the Meiri, the Ibn Ezra (or at least, another Rishon writing under the name of the Ibn Ezra), the Radak, and the Ralbag all have complete (or at least, extensive) commentaries on the entire thirty-one chapters of Mishlei. All of these Rishonim stress the importance of Mishlei and how it was written for the express purpose of outlining the road to perfection of middos. Shlomo haMelech himself, the author of the sefer and the greatest chacham of our nation, says that the purpose of his book is, "to know chochma and mussar" -- who wouldn't want to learn such a book, written by such an individual? When it comes to choosing between the Ramchal or Shlomo haMelech, is the choice really that difficult (again, no offense to the Ramchal)? Or take Koheles and all of the commentaries on it, or Tehillim, or even the mussar portions of the Neviim, which we are obligated to read every week, presumably because the rebuke of the Navi applies to us as well? Why don't people devote all of their mussar time to learning the mefarshim on these books? It seems logical to me that while the Achronim have a lot to say, that is no reason to neglect the Rishonim. Again, perhaps I just haven't talked to the right people or visited the right yeshivot, but it seems like everybody is concentrated on learning books like Mesillat Yesharim, Orchot Tzaddikim and Derech Hashem, and not books like Sefer Derishas haChochma (Saadia Gaon's nickname for Mishlei in his commentary), Chibbur haTeshuva (of the Meiri), Emunos v'Deos (of R' Saadia Gaon), Yesod Mora v'sod haTorah (of the Ibn Ezra), HaMaspik l'Ovdei Hashem (of R' Avraham ben haRambam). Do people even know these great books exist? What happened to these sefarim and why are the Rishonim neglected? Or am I just not talking to the right and talmidim? Please excuse my confusion. I don't mean to disrespect the Achronim, but only to do justice to the Rishonim. |
| MODERATOR | Posted - 21 August 2003 22:22
You need to ocsider the purpose that the sefer was written for. Emunos V'Deos, Moreh Nevuchim, and others like them were written to deal with the philosophical issues of the day. They are great seforim, but they spend much energy on things that are not important to you (such as debunking the philosophy of the Kalam) but were important then, and they spend little energy on some of the thigns that are very important to you. They are infinitely valuable seforim, but the question is, are they priority for you and your needs? If you want to learn a sefer from the Rishonim that is complete and generic in its discussion of Avodas Hashem, then your choice will be the Chovos Halevovos, which remains to this day, the most important sefer on avodas hashem. (Please note that the Chovos Halevovos wrote another sefer, Toros Hanefesh, which indeed deals with a specific topics - the soul - in a way similar to the other seforim of the rishonim. The Toros Hanefesh is a wonderful sefer, but it si not nearly as popular as the Chovos Halevovos because for the above reason). Mishle is of course required reading for everyone, with the commentaries. But again, the pupose of the commentaries is to explain a sefer in Nach, which is great, but it will not give you step-by-step instructions on how to grow in avodas hashem the way the Mesilas Yeshorim will (the Mesilas Yeshorim, it should be noted, is based on the Braisa of Rav Pinchas ben Yair). Two seforim of the Ramchal in particular are totally generic, meaing, they were not written for a specific audience, but rather they describe Judaism in general (Derech Hashem), or the pathway to Avodas Hashem (Mesilas Yeshorim). In this, he is different than even the Nefesh Hachaim and the Chasidishe seforim which were also designed to address specific issues and/or written for a specific audience. Also, there are many differences of opinion in the seforim of the rishonim, and Klall Yisroel today are not always talmidim of those hashkofos. You can find extrelemy unaccepted statements in some legitimate seforim of legitimate rishonim, but our Rebbeim favored other opinions instead. The seforim of the Achronim - like Mesilas Yeshorim and Derech Hashem - are based on CHazal and the Rishonim and they pick and choose what they desire. Its like learnign halachah fomr the shulchan aruch as opposed to the Rambam. The Rambam is the Rambam, but you need a bottom line psak. Today, Klall Yisroel are basically talmidim of either the GRA or the Baal Shem Tov. There are plenty of wonderful seforim out there, hashkofos from the Abarbanel, the Tashbetz, as well as the Rishonim you mentioned, and more. But every school of thought has their teachings, and our Rebbeim have theirs as well. And although it is great to learn EVERYTHING, we do have to prioritize our time, and learn those things that are most needed by US, here and now. And that is why certina seforim are chosen above others. |
| Lchapes emes | Posted - 21 November 2003 16:29
Are the two sefers Kovetz Maamarim and Michtavim UMaamarim available in English? If not, how hard is the Hebrew they are written in? Yesh li rak shlosha semesterim shel ivrit ba'universita (v'loshon hakoydesh sh'ani loymed lvad) v'ani lo ychol lehavin es hakol... |
| MODERATOR | Posted - 21 November 2003 16:34
Npm, theyre not available in English. Once chapter in the Kovetz Maamarim, "Ikvesa D'Meshicha" was excerpted and printed in English seperately, and is called "Epoch of the Messiah." The hebrew in both those seforim is easy. |
| Rachack | Posted - 03 December 2003 17:18
you can get the artscrool book, "Reb Simcha Speaks" which has some stuff from that sefer in english. |
| kolkolkol | Posted - 23 December 2003 16:30
IF YOU WNT A GOOD SEFER TO READ ABOUT ISSUES PERTAINING TO YODES IN AVODA CHOVAS HALAVOVOS BY RABBEINU BACHAYA. ITS AMAZING AND HAS STEPS FOR YOU TO FOLLOW TO ATTEMPT TO, BE MAKABAL STRONG STUFF BUT WORTH THE READ AND THE JOURNEY, HAZL;ACHAH |
| MODERATOR | Posted - 23 December 2003 16:38
Yes, the problem is chovos halevovos is a hard sefer, and long. I am suggesting things that the teenager here will actually do. |
| HZ | Posted - 24 December 2003 19:52
I think its worth it for a teenager to read Chovos Halevavos. It's that time taht they think about such things. It is really worth it!!! Justa warning, you may want to read Shaar Hateshuvah backwards so you see that teshuvah is always possible and not too difficult and not get depressed about how bad you may *think* you were. |
| MODERATOR | Posted - 24 December 2003 19:53
It is worth it. Its just hard, and you have to be willing to put in a great deal of effort. |
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