It’s another slow day around the Maryles ranch. I am just going to post a couple of thoughts that occurred to me today.
First, I was flattered (or should I say insulted) by Mr. Hador’s reference to me in his blog “Not the Gadol HaDor” yesterday, calling me the only member of the community known as Centrists. I pointed out to him that not only am I not the only member, I believe he is most likely a Centrist as well. By co-incidence a Charedi poster
on Areivm/Avodah asked me to differentiate between Maskilim and Centrism. I’m not exactly sure why he thinks that Centrists are just a bunch of Maskilim but here is what I wrote:
Maskilim by definition rejected Torah uMitzvos. They accepted Torah only as a piece of literature and perhaps reflective of an ancient culture. Centrists of course do not. The only thing they may have in common is a positive attitude toward secular studies.
Centrists are as loyal to the Torah as Charedim but believe in the principles of Torah uMada... the two towers of knowledge. Torah study is the primary tower, and Mada, the study of all the accumulated knowledge of mankind is the other tower. While Torah takes priority, Mada is a very close second to it. TuM grants high value to such knowledge because we believe that God wants us to study all of his handiwork and use it for the benefit of mankind.
Centrists also believe in the principle of M'kadesh Atzmecha B'Mah SheMutar Lach. We believe in full participation in any worldy pleasures as long as they are not K'Neged HaTorah. We also believe that full time Limud HaTorah should be reserved for the Yichdei Segula, those who are singled out for greatness in that pursuit, and that the rest of Am Yisroel should find their true Tafkid in life, pursue that diligently, and serve God and Klal Yisroel that way, all while being Koveiah Itim to fulfil "VeHagisa Bo Yamim Volielos."
This does not mean that we all live up to our ideals? Maybe we don't learn enough or are lax in one Mitzva or another. But we are not defined by how we fail. We are defiend by what our ideals are and what we should aspire to.
So am I the only one who belongs to that group? Does anyone else? Do you?
