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With in God in Hell PDF

This document discusses the experiences of religious Jews, known as "Halachic Men" and Hassidic Jews, during the Holocaust. It introduces Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik's concept of the "Halachic Man" as one who approaches Judaism through an a priori lens, comparing reality to an ideal vision of Torah and Jewish law. The document notes examples like Rabbi Ephraim Oshry, who issued responsa, or legal rulings, to Jews in the Kaunas Ghetto with questions about observing Jewish law despite the horrors of the Holocaust. It also briefly outlines characteristics of Hassidic Jews and their devotion to God and fellow Jews.

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Jacobo López Gil
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94 views10 pages

With in God in Hell PDF

This document discusses the experiences of religious Jews, known as "Halachic Men" and Hassidic Jews, during the Holocaust. It introduces Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik's concept of the "Halachic Man" as one who approaches Judaism through an a priori lens, comparing reality to an ideal vision of Torah and Jewish law. The document notes examples like Rabbi Ephraim Oshry, who issued responsa, or legal rulings, to Jews in the Kaunas Ghetto with questions about observing Jewish law despite the horrors of the Holocaust. It also briefly outlines characteristics of Hassidic Jews and their devotion to God and fellow Jews.

Uploaded by

Jacobo López Gil
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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With God in Hell.

Coming to Terms with Daily Jewish


Observance in the Death Camps.

by Yeshayahu Balog

1/15/2017 Responsa 1
Introduction
• Many types of Jews
• Many experiences of
Shoah
• Our purpose: The
experience of the
“religious” Jew
– “Halachic Man”
– Hasidic Jew

1/15/2017 Responsa 2
“Halachic Man”
• Term coined by Rabbi Joseph Dov
Soloveitchik (1903-1993)
• Three types of personality:
– Scientist
– Homo religiosus
– Halachic man

1/15/2017 Responsa 3
Transcendental
reality Transcendental
reality
Scientist
Homo Religiosus

Immanent reality
Halachic Man

Transcendental
reality
Transcendental
reality
1/15/2017 Responsa 4
The Scientist
A posteriori approach A priori approach
(Empiricist) (Rationalist)
• 1st: Jump into reality • 1st: Construction of ideal
and observe it
world
• 2nd: Thinking about
order, and theory of • 2nd: Comparing it to
lawfulness reality
• E.g.: Biologist • E.g.: Mathematician

1. 2.
2. 1.

1/15/2017 Responsa 5
Question
• To whom can the Halachic Man be
compared?
– To the empiricist?
– To the rationalist?

1/15/2017 Responsa 6
The Halachic Man: like
mathematician
Ideal world Real world
Torah and Halacha Comparing ideal, a
(ideal world, a priori priori image to it
creation)

1/15/2017 Responsa 7
The Holocaust
Ideal world Real world =
Torah and Halacha Holocaust
(ideal world, a priori Comparing ideal, a
creation) priori image to it

Responsa during
the Holocaust

1/15/2017 Responsa 8
Rabbi Ephraim Oshry
(1914-2003)

• Rabbi in Ghetto Kaunas, Lithvania


• Jews asked him halachic questions
• Collection of responsa
• 1944-1950: Yeshiva in Rome
• 1950-1952: Montreal
• 1952-2003: New York
1/15/2017 Responsa 9
Hassidic Jew

• Belief in Zaddik
• Devine Providence
• Love of God
• Love of Fellow Jew
• Happiness
The Satmarer Rebbe
in Mitzve-Tanz
1/15/2017 Responsa 10

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