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How does one achieve this knowledge?
ONE WORD: Objectivity
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Tha Talmud (Avot 1:8) says, "Be a judge, not a lawyer."
A lawyer may sometimes advance his position without regard for TRUTH or validity.
A judge, on the other hand, weighs each side carefully.
When considering a question as profound and deep as the existence of our unity in ELOHIM,
WE must be an impartial jury.
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Listen to what others are saying.
Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai are two famous disputants in Talmudic literature. They argued about almost everything and saw the world from nearly opposite perspectives. They agreed that they would never agree.
To elude this trap, we can train ourselves to take other people's ideas seriously. The rule is to stay focused and calm. Communicate and discuss, rather than yell and proclaim. If anxiety, about needing to be right, becomes the primary concern, one becomes entrenched in a position. One gets defensive, interrupting, and responding impetuously. That one has lost the battle.
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Seek friends who challenge you.
The Talmud tells a story of Rebbi Yochanan, a great scholar who had a study partner named Reish Lakish. The two men studied together for many years until one day Reish Lakish died. Rebbi Yochanan was very depressed. His students were concerned and found Rebbi Yochanan a brilliant young man to study with him.
Two weeks later, Rebbi Yochanan was seen, still, very depressed. His students asked him, "Why are you still so depressed?
Rebbi Yochanan stated, "My new partner is so brilliant that whatever I say he brings "proofs" that I'm correct. When I studied with Reish Lakish he showed me "proofs" that I was wrong. I miss that. I don't want someone to agree with me. I want a partner who will challenge my position. In this way, we will arrive at the TRUTH together.
The Sages say,"Better the criticism of a friend, than a kiss of an enemy." A friend will tell you when you have something in your teeth, an enemy will tell you that you look great.
ECC 4:9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
ECC 4:10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
A true friend will challenge me into a better life!!!
____________________________________________________
To not ask - is ignorance
There was a wealthy man named Rav Eisel Charif of Slonim. His daughter was ready to marry and Rav Eisel wanted to find the best young man possible. He traveled to the town of Volozhin. There were students under the tutelage of Rosh Yeshiva, the Netziv, a great teacher. Rav Eisel had a question for Rosh Yeshiva's students.
Rav Eisel stood in front of the students, one day, and announced, "I have a very difficult question on a passage in the Talmud. Whoever can supply the correct answer will have my daughter's hand in marriage." This caused a buzz of excitement. The students were excited at having a chance of marrying Rav Eisel's daughter.
For days, students stayed in line to answer the question and, for days, no one came up with the correct answer. Students even returned to try again and again, but still the correct answer was not given. Exhausted, Rav Eisel packed up and began to head out of town.
Getting to the edge of town, he heard, "Rav Eisel, Rav Eisel!!!" Rav Eisel turned as a young Yeshiva student ran up to him. The young student said,"Rav Eisel, I know I didn't answer the question correctly, but for my own sake, sir, could you please tell me what is the correct answer?
"Aha!" shouted Rav Eisel. "You will be my son-in-law!!!"
_____________________________________
The pursuit of TRUTH can be stifled by not asking the right question.
"I don't know, can you tell me what the answer is?"
This question ends one's ignorance!!!
In our differences, WE can truely be united.
WE are ONE!!!
ONE WORD: Objectivity
____________________________________________________
Tha Talmud (Avot 1:8) says, "Be a judge, not a lawyer."
A lawyer may sometimes advance his position without regard for TRUTH or validity.
A judge, on the other hand, weighs each side carefully.
When considering a question as profound and deep as the existence of our unity in ELOHIM,
WE must be an impartial jury.
____________________________________________________
Listen to what others are saying.
Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai are two famous disputants in Talmudic literature. They argued about almost everything and saw the world from nearly opposite perspectives. They agreed that they would never agree.
To elude this trap, we can train ourselves to take other people's ideas seriously. The rule is to stay focused and calm. Communicate and discuss, rather than yell and proclaim. If anxiety, about needing to be right, becomes the primary concern, one becomes entrenched in a position. One gets defensive, interrupting, and responding impetuously. That one has lost the battle.
____________________________________________________
Seek friends who challenge you.
The Talmud tells a story of Rebbi Yochanan, a great scholar who had a study partner named Reish Lakish. The two men studied together for many years until one day Reish Lakish died. Rebbi Yochanan was very depressed. His students were concerned and found Rebbi Yochanan a brilliant young man to study with him.
Two weeks later, Rebbi Yochanan was seen, still, very depressed. His students asked him, "Why are you still so depressed?
Rebbi Yochanan stated, "My new partner is so brilliant that whatever I say he brings "proofs" that I'm correct. When I studied with Reish Lakish he showed me "proofs" that I was wrong. I miss that. I don't want someone to agree with me. I want a partner who will challenge my position. In this way, we will arrive at the TRUTH together.
The Sages say,"Better the criticism of a friend, than a kiss of an enemy." A friend will tell you when you have something in your teeth, an enemy will tell you that you look great.
ECC 4:9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
ECC 4:10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
A true friend will challenge me into a better life!!!
____________________________________________________
To not ask - is ignorance
There was a wealthy man named Rav Eisel Charif of Slonim. His daughter was ready to marry and Rav Eisel wanted to find the best young man possible. He traveled to the town of Volozhin. There were students under the tutelage of Rosh Yeshiva, the Netziv, a great teacher. Rav Eisel had a question for Rosh Yeshiva's students.
Rav Eisel stood in front of the students, one day, and announced, "I have a very difficult question on a passage in the Talmud. Whoever can supply the correct answer will have my daughter's hand in marriage." This caused a buzz of excitement. The students were excited at having a chance of marrying Rav Eisel's daughter.
For days, students stayed in line to answer the question and, for days, no one came up with the correct answer. Students even returned to try again and again, but still the correct answer was not given. Exhausted, Rav Eisel packed up and began to head out of town.
Getting to the edge of town, he heard, "Rav Eisel, Rav Eisel!!!" Rav Eisel turned as a young Yeshiva student ran up to him. The young student said,"Rav Eisel, I know I didn't answer the question correctly, but for my own sake, sir, could you please tell me what is the correct answer?
"Aha!" shouted Rav Eisel. "You will be my son-in-law!!!"
_____________________________________
The pursuit of TRUTH can be stifled by not asking the right question.
"I don't know, can you tell me what the answer is?"
This question ends one's ignorance!!!
In our differences, WE can truely be united.
WE are ONE!!!
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