Meta-Halakha: Logic, Intuition, and the Unfolding of Jewish Law by Moshe Koppel

In Meta-Halakha: Logic, Intuition, and the Unfolding of Jewish Law, Moshe Koppel tackles many important theological questions that can come up when talking about Halakha. Unlike other books such as the Oral Law, Koppel uses unconventional methods to decipher the relevant Talmudic texts. He uses ideas from mathematics, logic and computer science to systematically create an explanation for the Halakhik system we know today. While I specifically loved this as a math major, this book was not only meant for me. Koppel always explains the ideas he is going to use before he uses them in terms of Halakha, making sure to never leave the reader in the dark. 
            The biggest issue Koppel deals with is the question of to what extent is the Torah, as we know it, from Mount Sinai. We are supposed to believe that the entire Torah was given to Moses, but at the same time we want to also allow some leeway to be applied in changing times.  This creates an inherent contradiction. Another question Koppel deals with is of the existence of disputes in Halakha. While he certainly relates this to the overall argument between Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yehoshua on the validity of multiple opinions in law, Koppel asks if there is one platonic version of Halakha, or is dispute an integral part of the Halakhik system. Specifically because the book is a formulation of an entire theory, I would not really be able to capture Koppel’s Meta-Halakhik theory in a couple sentences, so please do not replace reading the book for this short review.

The main idea Koppel brings out is that Halakha and the Jewish people create an autonomous system, in which intuition about what the Halakha is in continuously being formalized. When Moses got the Torah at Sinai he did indeed get the entire Torah. However, Moses knew the Torah in a very different way than we do, he knew it intuitively. Because intuition is a very hard thing to pass on, eventually we started to formalize the Halakha and it was here when debates began. Only when you put an actual amount on the amount of Matzo one must eat on Passover, does your opinion rule out other amounts. This can be unhealthy if one opinion rules over without the ability for intuitive thought. It is for this reason the Beit Hillel was chosen over Beit Shammai (they always said the other opinion) and Rabbi Meir was rejected (his opinions were so creative that others could not argue with him).  

There were a couple reasons why I thought Meta-Halakha was a profoundly good read. Koppel tackles head on important issues I feel that Jews think about a lot. He does this in a creative fashion and creates a real model that fits the entirety of the Halakhik system. It was a clearly better answer than those that I heard before, and after talking to a couple people since reading this book, it seems that it is a topic that is primarily forgotten about in Yeshivas. Meta-Halakha gives deep answers to deep questions, changing the way I thinking about Halakha and has given me a greater appreciation for the system that it is.

                                    Next Week: Start-Up Nation

Emotional Intellegence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

The idea of "emotional intelligence" is something that has intrigued me for a while. Some people clearly seem to have it. They can tell when something is slightly wrong with someone and can always ask the right question. The importance of emotional intelligence could be far greater than that of IQ because of its ability to be fostered. At least in theory one could learn how to be aware of emotions, and practice what to do when you see them. So i looked online and found the highest rated book on the subject to read. I wasn't impressed. After an introduction about the topic, the book breaks down EQ into four parts (self awareness, self management, social awareness and relationship management) and then gives strategies for each of the parts. Also at the end of the book you get access to the supposed best EQ test, the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal. A lot of the strategies that are given are definitely good ideas, but seem either obvious or can be put into other rules. Basically, most of the entire idea can be boiled down to paying attention and thinking about how you and others are feeling. The test questions seemed vague and weren't entirely clear. At the same time, by reading this book it has gotten me thinking about its basic concepts of actively thinking about my own and others feelings. I hope that the field will soon come out with real quantifiable ways determining EQ so that we can all become more thoughtful people

Book #52 Horeb by Samson Rephael Hirsch

When I first started this project, the idea of actually reaching this point was by no means a goal. Firstly, I was not expecting to get here. I figured that eventually something would get in the way, whether it be school or something else entirely. Also, fifty-two books was more of a shorthand to say one book a week every week for a year, but that's merely semantics. So only after I realized that I was approaching the number fifty-two did it have significance for me. After asking a couple people I decided that it was worthwhile to spend one week (actually two) on one expansive work. One book that in its own way encapsulated an entire subject, it was in this way that I would try gain the general knowledge I was trying to get all year in one week. After briefly considering reading through Tanach, I decided to read through Horeb by Samson Rephael Hirsch. R Hirsch goes through tenets that he believes goes through all the mitzvot as they are applicable today, ending with 111, and gives both their practical application and the philosophy he believes is behind them. Horeb is usually read based on the time period it was in. Hirsch, in responding to the new Reform movement made it his mission to show the relevancy of the mitzvot. In this way, Horeb had a profound impact in the history of Judaism in Germany and beyond. Because of this, Horeb was not only an exhaustive work, but it was also a  deeply important one. There are a couple things I should note. This was not a good read at all. It is very dense, spending only a couple pages on each mitzvah and hard to get through. Even though I did read it straight though, I would not tell anyone to do the same. Horeb is useful for reference on specific topics. Each chapter is not too long and gives lots of information on various issues in law and morality (if there's a difference). Since it was such a hard read, trying to read this book straight through gave me a glimpse to how I have been able to do this for over a year, and how I believe I can continue in the future.
I think it's very much like my father's weekly poker game. My father, and many of his closest friends from around Teaneck get together every Monday night for some light gambling and a BBQ where proceeds from every pot go towards charity. When I say every Monday night, I mean EVERY Monday night. There is rarely something that is important enough to override the sacred time he has around that table. Recently, one of the kids of one of the players got married on a Monday night. My father's initial response was: Really? On a Monday night? What about the card game? He, and others, thought about this enough, even joking about bringing a deck to the wedding. While certainly there are things more important than cards, what my father was always saying is that there will always be an excuse to miss the game, once I start allowing some of them to get in the way, who knows when it will end. This is a lesson I have taken to heart. Except for during my time in Camp Stone (where there really was no time for casual reading, although I did get through three in the summer), nothing got in the way of this project. In College, but especially at YU/Stern, there is always going to be an excuse for not doing what you want to do. Whether it be night seder, extra curricular activities, speakers, or just hanging out, there will always be something that needs to get done. What I have come to realize is that the only way to make sure that those things happen is to give up on some other things to make sure you achieve the things that you desire. (This is only to an extent obviously,as there were times where I didn't read one but read two the next week) I hope that we can all continue growing in this way, no matter what comes through our path.

The Gift Of Rest by Senator Joseph Lieberman

How The Gift of Rest was written was much more interesting to me that what was written in it. In a short and simple style, Senator Lieberman goes through the entire process of Shabbos, starting from preparing during the week through Havdalah. As someone who has been practicing Shabbos for basically my entire life, much of the book was reading through what I do every week. Even though I knew all the  practical things that were said throughout the book, I found it valuable in a very different light. Lieberman passionately goes through each part of Shabbos, focusing on what he deems as the most important benefits and values. While he does go into many specifics in the rituals, they are clearly not his focus. What can everyone learn from a day of rest?, is his main question. "For me, Sabbath observance is a gift because it is one of the deepest, purest pleasures in my life. It is a day of peace, rest and sensual pleasure." This statement truly pervades the entire book. He writes as a simple Jew, finding great meaning in all that he does on this day, be it established ritual, or reading a novel. There are some things he focuses on that are not surprising considering this. He spends a significant amount of time discussing socializing times, including meals, and the kiddush club. While he does talk about how he feels bad going to it because it requires leaving in the middle of the service, he discusses at length the ability of Shabbos to bring people together. Because of this feature, The Gift of Rest is a valuable read for Jews of all types, albeit for different reasons. For the religiously uneducated Jew it is a valuable resource in its own right to know how to observe the Shabbos. For all, it is very nice reading of the value of the day. Specifically with the laws of Shabbos, it is very easy to get caught up in the specifics of the melachot. Of course, the study and application of the laws are vitally important to the day. This, however, does not exclude the spirit that Senator Lieberman speaks of in length.

    There are a couple other fascinating features of the book. One might have expected, as I did, the book would be replete with great stories from all the years in office. Although he does express a couple, it is certainly not a focus of the book. He uses his stories as a way of showing how Shabbos has positively effected his life and in the same way can effect his reader, be they Jewish or not. What this book showed to me is how truly far we, as a people, have progressed in America. Not only is a Jew in high office, not only is he religious, but he is willing and able to be forthright about his religiosity, even publishing it to the general public. Lastly, it surprised me how straightforward he was willing to be about his own faults. He admits to the hubris he had always had as someone with so much power in the government. It is the fact he had to be cut off from work one day a week that made him realize that the world goes on without him, a humbling sentiment. Also, Lieberman is not shy to say that he went through a faze in college where he was not religious. He easily could have kept his image as a perfectly religious Jew. Instead, he uses his mistakes of the past to show the reader what he has learned from Shabbos.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

The Screwtape Letters was one of the best books I have ever read. The basic plot of the letters is of a senior devil, Screwtape, helping a junior devil, Wormwood, through his temptations of the person he is assigned to. In each letter, Screwtape discusses a way in which to, or not to, tempt a person to do evil in the eyes of the Enemy (G-d). To me, this was a very important book in a very different way than most other books of it's kind. While, very little proof is given for how the evil inclination tempts us is given, throughout the book, I felt many, if not most, of the tactics to be very true. Without getting too personal, it truly felt that C.S. Lewis had insight into the workings of the human mind. It is not something that he quantified, but it feels that it is profoundly true. Even since reading this book I have seen the tactics that Screwtape tells Wormwood to use creep up in my mind, and now knowing what is going on, it has been easier to overcome. There perhaps is no better time to read this than right now, before the Yamim Noraim. Many people will see this book as a religious book by a Christian writer that has no bearing on Jewish lives. However, this is far from the truth. True, there are many things that are not specific to Judaism, such as the idea that one goes to either Heaven or Hell forever, most of the concepts that flow throughout the letters are close to all religious and even non-religious people. It is not a long book, and each of the letters are very short (many are just a couple pages), making it a very easy read. It is a book I definitely recommend to everyone, perhaps even to be read more than once.

The Prime Ministers by Yehuda Avner

        The Prime Ministers by Yehuda Avner is an in depth perspective of the early stages of the State of Israel's history from the point of view of, what Avner calls, a “fly on the wall”. Working closely with four Prime Ministers from Levi Eshkol to Menachem Begin, Avner gives the reader a very close perception of the situations that occurred in Israel during its beginnings that one cannot get elsewhere.

    Avner opens his discussion with the intricacies of the fight between Irgun and the Hagana. What I found most interesting was what could have come about from this bout, especially at the aftermath of the Hagana's bombing of the Irgun arms ship Altalena and the rounding up of the Irgun members. Considering the dire situation that the entire Jewish population was in at the time it seems the worst time to create a civil war between the two factions. At the same time the ideologies on how to deal with the British were so drastically different that it was up to the greatness of Menachem Begin to stop fighting. In both cases, Avner describes how Begin was so opposed to the idea of Jews fighting Jews that he completely gave in to the Haganah. This will lead the way to later in the book, where Avner clearly has a love for Begin, considering him the greatest Israeli Prime Minister. Another thing he focuses on is life in the Kibbutzim. The hardships that many people needed to face to start up the country from rocks and swamps is simply remarkable. It is completely a testament to the passion for the land of Israel that they had that the economically rising nation that exists today even had a chance.

           The first Prime Minister that Avner really has a close relationship with is Levi Eshkol. Although he was the Prime Ministers during the 1967 war, he is not one spoken about frequently. What is clear from the narrative is that the people had an almost negative perception of Eshkol throughout most of his premiership. He did not seem to be a powerful and strong leader, exemplified by a horrible radio address, after which, many wanted him out of power. Based on the way he is portrayed in this book, this is unfortunate. His ambivalence, however, sometimes had great power. Unlike many leaders, he was one that definitely was willing to hear the other side. Even when Begin wanted him to step down, Eshkol was willing to hear him through, and even though he eventually stayed in as Prime Ministers, his ability to hear the opposition is a tremendous quality. It is possible that this great quality comes from the fact of not being so stubborn on all of your positions. When to have this quality and when not to is the problem that we all face. Another time where this was indispensable was during the 1967 war. He followed Begin's (who was the opposition leader) idea to take over Yerushalayim despite both his and Moshe Dayan's hesitation. This quick change of stance lead to the control of Yerushalayim that we enjoy today, and is a testament to the tremendous leadership that Eshkol ended up exhibiting.

          Golda Meir is shown as another fantastic character. She is consumed by her political views as part of the Labor Party, and Labor Zionism in general, making all her decisions based upon this ideology. Like Rabin and Begin to follow, she stands by her morals and ideals to help the world by helping the Jewish people. She is therefore always worried about tikkun olam and helping the world. For years she worked on helping budding African countries to become successful economically without asking for much in return. Even in hard times, as she was Prime Minister through the Yom Kippur war, she is focused on not just the State's survival, but of how it can help the greater world landscape. After Israel is not helped by the European community Golda Meir is not scared to confront the leaders and ask them why they don't include Israel in the same rules that they ascribe to themselves. Based on her worldview it is clear why she is so upset. Israel should be a light onto the nations, but how can it do that if the other nations don't accept it. Golda Meir is also completely focused on the socialist ideals her party subscribed to. This is seen in a beautiful encounter between her and a group of soldiers on Sukkot while looking over a battlefield that included many Jewish casualties. A soldier asks her “What's the use of our sacrifice if we can't win the peace?” She answered in her idealistic way: “...I must tell you in all honesty, were our sacrifices for ourselves alone, then perhaps you would be right; I'm not sure they would be worthwhile. But if our sacrifices are for the sake of the whole Jewish people then I believe with all my heart that any price is worthwhile”. An ideal that this shows, one which was very prevelant then and should be now, is the willingness to sacrifice for the group because through the group we can accomplish things far greater than as individuals.

       Certainly, Rabin deserves discussion. His immense leadership as an ambassador and as a Prime Minister, specifically in Entebbe were spectacular. However, i'm going to skip to Begin. (Loved the irony of Begin being the last Patriarch, as Avner calls him.)

       Simply, Begin is the Man. He continuously sticks to his ideals on many fronts. His understanding of Jewish history and Jewish tradition. As a Holocaust Survivor, he has an acute sense of what the stakes are at when dealing with Israel's survival. He continuously defends the Jewish States interest no matter who he is talking to, be it the President of the US or anyone else, for Israel's ability to defend itself is a necessary condition to make sure another Holocaust cannot happen. With his understanding of Jewish tradition that tries to create an ideal community, it makes sense that he wanted to stop EL AL flights on Shabbat. “It is not the Jew that has kept the Sabbath, it is the Sabbath that has kept the Jew”, is the type of ideal that Shabbat and our tradition is part of him to such an extent that it cannot be separated no matter for what or whom. He is tough to those that do not have his understanding and does not back down. Interestingly, it is with him that a peace treaty is finally forged with Egypt. Although this treaty was already to an extent formed under Rabin, it was the stubborn Begin that gets it done. Perhaps Began can be a paradigm with which to deal with foreign affairs today. One could go on and on, as Avner does, about the prowess of Begin as a Prime Minister. He's quickly become one of my role models, someone I wish that we as a people had more people like.

        Avner himself is an interesting character. It is completely to his credit that he is kept on by all four of these Prime Ministers. Usually, when a new Prime Minister comes into power, people from the previous leadership usually do not stay in their positions, especially when a new party is in charge. Avner must be an exceptional person to have been kept on, at such a close proximity, by all these different leaders.

        This book gives me much hope to the future. Things seem hard in these days, but it has been this hard since the State began. We pulled through for sixty years under these and harder conditions. With leaders like these Prime Ministers, we can certainly continue on this path.

       The Prime Minister, albeit very long at 700 pages, was a fantastic read.It can give insight into Israel in trying times, and give you an appreciation for the State that exists today. Read it, you won't regret it.

Wrestling Jacob by Rabbi Shmuel Klitsner

Especially when they are stories that we learned from a very young age, it is very hard to take a new look at a text without regressing to the way we have always been taught. In Wrestling Jacob, Rabbi Klitsner tries to do just that with the Jacob narratives in Genesis. Klitsner does this by using a plethora of literary parallels, pointing out peculiar word choices and psychoanalyzing Jacob.Not only does Klitsner do a great job of reading each part of the Jacob stories in a new way, he shows how the stories can be read together, each part dealing with the psychology of Jacob. When Jacob follows Rivka's advice and fools his father, he gives up his own moral autonomy. He spends the rest of his life trying to repair his torn soul, something that only finally happens when he fights with the angel and wins. While his ideas are certainly enlightening sometimes it feels that he is stretching the text to fit in the psychological ideas. Many times word choice and parallels help this type of reading, but when they aren't there it seems forced. One interesting chapter that I think is entirely relevant today was the comparison of Jacob's "stealing" of his father's blessing to Jacob's "stealing" of Lavan's sheep. Through much critical reading, Klitsner argues that Isaac was always going to give the real blessing to Jacob. What he got from Isaac with his guile was added material blessing. Since it is perceived by Esau that Jacob stole the entire birthright, everything he does is seen as trickery, leading to hatred. Similarly, Lavan feels that Jacob stole his sheep when he continuously is able to choose which type of sheep will be born. After that Lavan is skeptical of everything Jacob does and never feels that he got everything he has fairly. He never even admits that his wives, Lavan's daughters, are his. Even though everything Jacob has he got fairly, since some of it is perceived to be  taken unfairly, everything is put into doubt. Perhaps we can see underpinnings of the situation in Israel in the Lavan and Jacob story.  In the Lavan story, somethings, while not actually taken unfairly, are thought to be stolen, and then everything Jacob has is deligitimized. Similarly, much of the world believes that we have taken Israel in an unfair manner. Therefore, everything else that has been acquired fairly in wars, like in 1967, are delegitimized. I really do think Israel is in a similar situation to Jacob with Lavan, in this respect. However, I am not sure what to make of that information. What do you think?