Torah U’mada cont’d

· The Rambam ends his Mishneh Torah with the words “ברוך שאמר והיה העולם בפרטו ובכללו” – “Blessed is He who spoke and the world was created in its detail and whole.” Rav Ahron Soloveichik explains “its details and its whole” as referring to the way a scientist would look at the world, and the way a poet would look at the world. (Rav Soloveichik explains that his mother used to say there are two ways of seeing the world. A poet looks at the big picture, describing the forests, the ocean, the entire scene. A scientist examines the details, cutting up the leaves to see their individual parts, using a microscope to look at the cell and its components. Both approaches are important, and both can bring a person to Ahava and Yirah.)

· In Hilchos Aveidah U’Gezeilah, the Rambam mentions that a person should only spend his time “בדברי חכמה וביישובו של עולם” – “with Torah and development of the world.” It is part of our job to develop the world and make it a better place, to use science and technology to advance Torah, and not chas veshalom let it be used for tumah.

Similarly, Adam HaRishon is commanded, “מלאו את הארץ וכבשוה” - “Fill the land and conquer it.” We have to be involved in the physical world.

At the end of Creation, the Torah says: “אשר ברא אלקים לעשות” – “that Hashem created la’asot.” The extra word לעשות, to do, is a message to Adam that it is his job to advance the world, to take what he was given and to “finish the job.” (R’ Zalman Sorotzkin, in Aznaiim LaTorah on this passuk, embellishes on this idea, quoting Chazal that on motzei Shabbos, Hashem gave Adam the knowledge to create fire from two stones and to create offspring from two animals. This was a comfort to Adam after his sin. He can create מיש יש. He has the job of taking all of creation, from the first creations (stone) to the last creations (animal), and to develop and perfect them to fit the needs of man.)

· Rambam hilchos rotzeach u’shmiras hanefesh: If a father accidentally kills his son while teaching him אומנות ,חכמה ,תורה, he is pattur and doesn’t have to run to an עיר מקלט.

אומנות is learning a trade for purposes of parnassah. R’ Aharon Soloveichik says that parnassah is not the ideal reason to choose a trade. It is laudable to become a doctor because you want to make a difference in the world, not because he wans to be rich. You should choose a job that is useful to the world, gives me a sense of fulfillment, and make a good parnassah – in that order. Part of avodas Hashem is feeling fulfilled.

· There are different דרכים in Torah. In hilchos Talmud Torah, the Rambam says that everyone is obligated in Talmud Torah, but only מי שנשאו לבו should do nothing other than talmud Torah.

· At the end of Parshat Shmini, the Torah says that you have to be able to differentiate between kosher and nonkosher animals. Rashi there explains that you are obligated to know the differences. In order to do that, you must know science. This is only one example where you need worldy knowledge to understand Torah. You have to understand technology to know if you can use it on Shabbos. You have to know science when it comes to halachos of medicine and pikuach nefesh.

· גמ’ שבת עה – Someone who knows how to figure out the science of the months and years and doesn’t do it, you can’t talk to them. The passuk in Yeshaya says about him "את פועל ה’ לא יביטו ומעשי ידיו לא ראו” - he ignores the opportunity to know Hashem. It is a mitzvah to make these types of scientific calculations - "כי היא חכמתכם ובינתכם לעיני העמים”. This is what the outside world appreciates and through it we can inspire them. Many of today’s successful outreach workers and Roshei Yeshiva have a strong secular education. They have the language to communicate with the world at large.

· Rambam hilchos avodah zarah – We are not allowed to think about anything that causes someone to uproot something from Torah - לא תתורו.The Rif says that it is assur to read heretical books, whose goals are to sway us off the path of Torah.

· Conclusion:

o Yishuvo shel Olam – What do you want the world to look like and how can you make it happen and be an אור לגוים? This is the world we live in, and that’s lechatchila.

o Science and knowledge can enrich my understanding of Torah, halacha. I also have to be careful that it doesn’t lead me the wrong way.

o Our job is to turn chol into kodesh. Chol is sand, which has no form. It is slippery and can easily become tamei. We have to add water to give it its shape, making it kadosh.

o We make choices not only about what we do, but why and how we do it. Why do you want to be a doctor? When you are confronted with something to do, do you approach it as avodas Hashem, or as chol? The purpose of madda is avodas Hashem, as Shlomo HaMelech understood, using his knowledge to properly judge the people and be a good king.