Monthly Archives: March 2006

Here are some summary notes that I have been thinking of with regard to the difference between the Chassidic and Litvish world with regard to "externals". My thesis is that the difference in externals really represents a fundamental difference on a more intrinsic level. I feel that the Litvish world has been influenced more (seperate question whether this is a good / bad thing) by western culture and values.

I am waiting for comments, before I start posting some of my own ideas on this matter. Comments please, I havent had any in weeks. Come on people this is nice controversial one to get you all thinking and to express your views.

I posted up a draft essay that I was working on about an Athiest Prof who gave a lecture at Uni, however it wasn’t complete. I tried to delete it, but didn’t relise that it had only gone to my trashbin so it was still up. It was incomplete so probably didnt make any sense. I decided that at the end of the day it wasn’t such an interesting topic to post about in length so below is a shortened summary. I had an lecture on ethics at UNI, a Prof who is an athiest was the presenter. In the process of his presentation, he subtley ridiculed religions of various shades including Judaism with stupid, juvenile comments..

The moral of the story in summary is that when you see someone present an ideology with ridiculous arguments and in a way that is offensive, it turns people off and makes you the subjuect of ridicule. This Prof made an absolute fool of himself. This is a lesson to all of us who try and defend and represent Judaism in the public eye. Make a good first impression, because first impressions last. Also, if you aren’t qualified to be a public spokesman, ie you dont have the correct knowledge and you don’t know how to get a point accross, better to keep quiet or if asked say you do not know. One does more harm than good giving a poor presentation of Judaism.  That is my mussar message in a nutshell. It is not often that I give mussar on this blog but I feel this an important topic to get accross.